Portal:Current events/September 2014

Armed conflicts and attacks

Pakistan unrest
- Pakistani protesters armed with sticks and stones clash with police in the centre of Islamabad after protests calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif turn violent. All schools in the capital have been closed as a result of the clashes. (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
- The Pakistan Television Corporation goes off air after protesters storm its headquarters. (BBC)
2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine
- Ukrainian forces battle pro-Russian rebels near Luhansk International Airport. The area is encircled by the pro-Russian forces for over 3 weeks. (BBC)
- Valeriy Heletey, Ukraine's Defence Minister, accuses Russia of launching a "great war". (BBC)
Four people are arrested after an attempted bombing in Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport. (CNN)

Law and crime

A gunman shoots dead two people and injures a third at the Work and Income office in Ashburton, New Zealand, before fleeing on a bicycle. The town is locked down for seven hours while police search for and apprehend the suspected gunman. (NZ Herald)
Mohammad Reza Rahimi, former Iranian vice president, is convicted to a prison term for his role in the 2011 embezzlement scandal. (Al Jazeera)

September 2, 2014 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Islamist insurgency in Nigeria:
- Dozens of people are killed as Boko Haram captures the town of Bama. (Reuters)
War in Somalia (2009–present):
- At least six people are reported killed after a U.S. drone strikes a convoy of vehicles believed to be carrying senior members of the militant group Al-Shabaab. (Al-Jazeera)
Sinai insurgency:
- Eleven Egyptian Army soldiers are killed in a roadside bomb attack in the Sinai Peninsula. (Al-Jazeera)
Terrorism in Saudi Arabia:
- Saudi Arabian authorities announce they have arrested 88 people on suspicions of being part of an al-Qaeda cell and plotting attacks inside and outside the kingdom. (Al-Jazeera)
Syrian Civil War
- ISIL releases an Internet video showing the beheading of American journalist Steven Sotloff. (Washington Post)
Iraqi insurgency (2011–present)
- The United States sends an additional 250 US troops to protect American personnel. (Fox News)

Law and crime

Former Kenyan presidential candidate Quincy Timberlake is charged with murder in the Australian city of Brisbane. (Brisbane Times)
The FBI announces that it is investigating the major iCloud leak that exposed nude photos of Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton and Ariana Grande, among others. (MTV)

Politics and elections

The impeachment cases against Benigno Aquino III are scrapped by the Philippine Congress, where his party currently holds the majority. (Economic Times)

September 3, 2014 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine:
- The RIA Novosti news agency reports that Russian photojournalist Andrey Stenin has been found dead in Ukraine. It was discovered that he died 4 weeks ago. (RT)
- Ukraine claims that the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and the President of Russia Vladimir Putin have agreed to a "permanent ceasefire". Russia later denies these claims. (AFP via BrisbaneCourier-Mail), (ABC News Australia)
- France halts delivery of the first of two Mistral-class amphibious assault ships to the Russian Navy due to circumstances in Ukraine. (BBC)
Syrian Civil War:
- A spokesman for the White House confirms that a video showing American journalist Steven Sotloff being beheaded is authentic. (Fox News/AP)
- A spokesman for Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms that Sotloff was a dual citizen of Israel and the U.S., a fact that had been concealed during his captivity, including by Sotloff himself. (USA Today)

Business and economy

Pharmacy chain CVS Pharmacy announces it will change its name to "CVS Health" and cease marketing tobacco products. (KPIX)

International relations

The President of the United States visits Estonia in a move to reassure the Baltic states ahead of a NATO summit in Wales. (CNN)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks of an offer suggested by an Egyptian official whom he didn't name, that implies Egypt donating 600 square miles of land in Sinai to be used as a solution to the problem of Palestinian refugees. Mahmoud Abbas said that he rejected that offer. (Times of Israel)

Science and technology

Two species of dendrogramma, found off the coast of Australia in 1986, are discovered to be unclassifiable in any existing phylum. (Guardian)

September 4, 2014 (Thursday)

Disasters

Monsoon rains in Pakistan kill more than 40 people. (Channel News Asia)
In the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, over 60 people are feared dead from floods. (Indian Express)

Health

2014 West Africa Ebola virus outbreak:
- The Ebola death total in West Africa exceeds 1,900, according to the World Health Organization. (BBC)

International relations

The two-day NATO summit in Newport, Wales, begins. Leaders agree to apply further sanctions on Russia. NATO sources claim that there are "several thousand" Russian troops inside Ukraine. (RTE)

Politics and elections

Juncker Commission
- Belgium nominates Marianne Thyssen as its candidate for European commissioner. (EU Observer)
- Following pressure from Jean-Claude Juncker to nominate female candidates for the European Commission, the government of Romania alters it original choice to put incumbent commissioner Dacian Cioloş forward for a second term and instead nominates MEP Corina Creţu as the country’s new candidate. (European Voice)

Arts and culture

For the first time in sixty years, a new Viking ring fortress is found, the fifth in present-day Denmark; it is located near the town of Køge and believed to have been founded by Harold Bluetooth. (The Copenhagen Post)

September 5, 2014 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Donbass:
- The government of Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels agree to a cease-fire, fighting continues after the announcement. (Reuters)
Somali Civil War:
- The Pentagon confirms that leader of the terrorist group al-Shabaab Moktar Ali Zubeyr was killed in an airstrike on September 1. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

A privately owned Socata TBM-900 (flight number N900KN) from the US flies without a conscious pilot for a thousand miles after a suspected cabin depressurization (see also) and crashes 14 miles off the coast of northeastern Jamaica. (Reuters)

International relations

Iranian air traffic control requires a plane chartered by US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan to land over issues with the flight plan. (The New York Times) The flight later resumes without further incident. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Outgoing Slovenian prime minister Alenka Bratušek is formally nominated by Jean-Claude Juncker as the country's EU commissioner despite resistance from the prime minister-designate Miro Cerar, and according to several European media she is slated to become a Vice-President of the Commission. (Slovenia Times)

September 6, 2014 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Russian military intervention in Ukraine:
- In an official statement, Patriarch Filaret, who heads the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyivan Patriarchate, says that Russian President Vladimir Putin has fallen under the spell of Satan and faces eternal damnation to hell unless he repents. (Reuters)
Syrian Civil War:
- The Syrian Air Force targets a bakery and a training camp controlled by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in Ar-Raqqah, killing 25 people. (Reuters)
The United States says that it will not coordinate with Iran in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. (Business Standard)

Disasters

Heavy monsoon rains and flash floods leave over 200 people dead across India and Pakistan. (AP via NBC)
China says two pilots conducting fighter jet take-off and landing tests for the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning were killed during trials. (AFP via Yahoo)
2014 California wildfires
- A wildfire is reported to have burned 300 acres near Yosemite National Park, forcing the evacuation of 700 nearby homes. (ABC News)

Health

West Africa Ebola virus epidemic:
- Sierra Leone declares a four day nationwide lockdown to attempt to stop the spread of Ebola. (CBC)

Law and crime

Egypt charges former president Mohammed Morsi and nine others for leaking sensitive government information to Qatar. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Scottish independence referendum, 2014
- A surge for the yes-campaign following the TV debate Scotland Decides: Salmond versus Darling culminates with a poll from YouGov and The Sunday Times showing that a majority will vote in favor of Scottish independence. (YouGov)

Sports

Auto racing
- In the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 in Richmond, Virginia, Brad Keselowski wins, while Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman earn the final two positions in the championship-eligible Chase for the Sprint Cup. 6-time and defending champion Jimmie Johnson is briefly treated for dehydration following the event, and one spectator was arrested for disorderly conduct after climbing the catch fence surrounding the track during the race. (ESPN)

September 7, 2014 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2014 Iraq conflict:
- The United States launches new airstrikes on ISIS in western Iraq, in an effort to protect the Haditha Dam. (Fox News)

Disasters and accidents

A small plane carrying ten people from Araraquara Airport crashes in the Amazon jungle, with "little chance of finding survivors". (News24) (eNCA)

Science

Asteroid 2014 RC makes a close approach to Earth at 0.1 Lunar Distances (0.000267 astronomical units (39,900 km; 24,800 mi)) at 18:01 UTC (Yahoo News)

Sports

2014 US Open (tennis)
- Serena Williams of the United States wins her third straight US Open women's singles title tying with Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova for the number of grand slam singles wins. (CBS Sports)
- American twins Bob and Mike Bryan win their fifth US Open men's doubles title, giving them 100 ATP World Tour titles as a team. (AP via ESPN)
In North American basketball, Bruce Levenson decides to sell his interest in the Atlanta Hawks after confessing to sending a racist email back in 2012. (USA Today)

September 8, 2014 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Taliban insurgency
- A suicide bomb attack kills the police chief of a district in southern Kandahar Province in Afghanistan. (Tolo News)
War in Donbass
- Pro-Russian rebels release 1,200 prisoners under ceasefire deal. (BBC)

Arts and culture

Clarence House confirms that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their second child. (BBC) (Wales Online)

Business

Sweden's AB Electrolux, the parent company of the U.S. brands Electrolux and Frigidaire, buys General Electric's appliances business for $3.3 billion. (Reuters)
American food manufacturer General Mills buys organic food producer Annie's Homegrown for $820 million. (CNBC)

Disasters and accidents

2014 India–Pakistan floods
- More than 160 people have died and thousands are stranded in one of the worst floods to occur in 60 years for India's Jammu and Kashmir. (NDTV)
Hurricane Norbert (2014)
- The remnant of Hurricane Norbert causes heavy flooding in the state of Arizona leading to the declaration of a state of emergency and causing one death. (CNN),

Health

It is reported that nearly one thousand children have been hospitalized with respiratory illnesses in several U.S. states. (USA Today)

Politics and elections

Speaking in Edinburgh, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Gordon Brown sets out a timetable for transferring more powers from Westminster to the Scottish Parliament in the event of a No vote in the forthcoming independence referendum. (BBC)

Sports

2014 US Open
- Marin Čilić of Croatia defeats Kei Nishikori of Japan in straight sets to win the Men's Singles. It is Čilić's first grand slam victory and the first time since 1998 that there have been eight different winners of the grand slam singles finals. (BBC)
In American football, the Baltimore Ravens terminate the contract of running back Ray Rice after videos emerge on the TMZ website of an assault on his then fiancée at the Revel Atlantic City casino. (AP via Seattle Times)

September 9, 2014 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
- The Dutch Safety Board issues a preliminary report on Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 which crashed on 17 July. It finds that the aircraft was probably hit by multiple "high-energy objects that penetrated the aircraft from outside” indicating a missile. (BBC), (The Australian)

Disasters and accidents

2014 India–Pakistan floods
- The death toll from the floods rises to at least 205 in Pakistan and 200 in India. (AP via ABC News America)
At least nine people are killed as a roof collapses in a mosque in the low income neighbourhood of Daroghawala in the Pakistani city of Lahore. (AFP via ABC News Australia)
A massive explosion occurs at a chemical plant in the German town of Ritterhude near Bremen. (AFP via ABC News Australia)

Health

2014 Taiwan food scandal
- Products from at least 900 food makers are being recalled after authorities say a factory illegally used 243 tonnes of recycled waste oil disguised as lard, some of which may have been exported overseas. (Taipei Times) (Bloomberg)

Sports

Former Formula One driver Michael Schumacher leaves hospital in Switzerland to go home after a skiing accident last December. (AP)

September 10, 2014 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Moro insurgency in the Philippines:
- Philippines President Benigno Aquino III submits a bill to the Congress of the Philippines that will give autonomy to Filipino Muslims in Bangsamoro and bring peace to Mindanao.(The New York Times) (Channel News Asia)
Timeline of the Iraqi insurgency (2014):
- The President of the United States Barack Obama authorises $25 million for "immediate military assistance" to the Iraqi government and Kurdistan Regional Government. He also outlines plans to expand US operations against Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant to Syria in a televised address to the nation. (Reuters)(Washington Examiner)

Business and economic

Gold extends a fresh three-month low as a stronger U.S. dollar sapped investor appetite for the metal. (The Wall Street Journal)

Disasters and accidents

2014 India–Pakistan floods:
- The Chenab River overflows its banks threatening Pakistan's Jhang District. (AP)

Sports

In American football, a law enforcement official tells the Associated Press that in April 2014, he sent a video of Ray Rice punching his then-fiancée in an Atlantic City casino to the NFL office. This contradicts statements made by several league officials, including commissioner Roger Goodell, claiming they had not received or seen the video before it became public on September 8. (ESPN)
The first Invictus Games, a multi-sport event for sick and wounded service personnel, opens in London, beginning with an opening ceremony attended by Prince Harry, the Duke of Cambridge, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. (BBC)

September 11, 2014 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Islamist insurgency in Nigeria:
- The Elders Forum in the Nigerian state of Borno warns that Boko Haram militants have surrounded the city of Maiduguri. (BBC)
Syrian Civil War:
- The al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front releases dozens of Fijian United Nations peacekeepers captured near the Golan Heights. (Reuters)

Law and crime

South African athlete Oscar Pistorius is found not guilty of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp but may be convicted of a lesser charge. (AP)

September 12, 2014 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Central African Republic conflict (2012–present):
- More than 5,000 people have died in the Central African Republic in the past 9 months. (AP via Washington Post)
Russian military intervention in Ukraine:
- The Government of Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists exchange dozens of prisoners agreed to as part of a ceasefire a week ago. Both sides still hold thousands of prisoners. (Washington Post)

Health

2014 Taiwan food scandal:
- Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration indefinitely halts imports of edible lard oil from Hong Kong, since an exporter was found to have falsely listed and sold industrial grade lard as safe for human consumption. (Taipei Times)
Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa:
- Cuba announces plans to send 165 medical staff to West Africa to help combat the Ebola virus outbreak that has claimed more than 2,400 lives. (New York Times)

International relations

Australia raises its terror threat level to high following concerns about militants returning from conflicts in Iraq and Syria. (BBC)

Law and crime

South African athlete Oscar Pistorius is found guilty of the "culpable homicide" of his partner Reeva Steenkamp. (BBC)
Three people are sentenced to death and one person given a life sentence for the 2014 Kunming attack in China's Xinjiang region. (AAP via SBS News)

Politics

Former First Minister of Northern Ireland and Democratic Unionist Party leader Ian Paisley dies, aged 88. (BBC)

Science

NASA's Mars Curiosity rover reaches its final destination Aeolis Mons, a mountain that rises 5.5 km at the center of Gale Crater. (Gizmodo)

Sport

In cricket, former New Zealand player Chris Cairns is to be charged with perjury by London's Metropolitan Police Service in relation to a 2012 libel trial regarding allegations of match fixing made by former Indian Premier League boss Lalit Modi. (The Age)

September 13, 2014 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Naxalite–Maoist insurgency:
- Three Maoists are killed and two are seriously injured in a fight with security forces in the Giridih district of India's Jharkhand state. (PTI)
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant:
- The Prime Minister of Iraq Haider al-Abadi says he has ordered the army to stop shelling areas held by the Islamic State where there are civilians present. (AP)
- Islamic State releases a video purporting to show the beheading of British aid worker David Haines. (NBC News)

Disasters and accidents

At least 29 people are missing after the ferry MV Maharlika II sinks off the Philippines coast. (CNN)

Health

2014 Taiwan food scandal:
- Yeh Wen-hsiang, the chairman of Chang Guann Co, is arrested for fraud for his role in the scandal. (AFP via SBA)

International relations

The government of Qatar asks exiled leaders of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood to leave. (AP)

Sports

In American football, Adrian Peterson, running back for the Minnesota Vikings, turns himself in to authorities in the Houston area. The day before, he had been indicted on child abuse charges stemming from an incident in which he spanked his 4-year-old son with a tree branch that he used as a switch. The Vikings have deactivated him from Sunday's game against the New England Patriots. (ESPN)

September 14, 2014 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant:
- Australia sends combat aircraft and special forces to the Middle East to help in the fight against Islamic State. (The Australian)
War in Donbass
- Heavy fighting resumes between Ukraine forces and rebels near Donetsk International Airport with at least six people dead. The terminal is burning. (Deutsche Welle), (New York Times)

Disasters and accidents

At least 70 people are still missing after the ferry MV Maharlika II sinks off the Philippines island of Leyte. (AFP via Channel News Asia)
2014 India–Pakistan floods:
- India suspends rescue operations due to heavy rain in Jammu and Kashmir state where over 100,000 still await rescue. (Zee News)
The death toll from a collapse of T. B. Joshua's The Synagogue Church of All Nations on Friday in the Ikotun area of the Nigerian largest city Lagos reaches 40. (The Express Tribune)
2014 Pacific hurricane season
- Hurricane Odile reaches Category 4 strength as it nears Mexico's Baja California coast. (AFP via Telesur)
2014 Pacific typhoon season
- Typhoon Kalmaegi hits the northeast Philippines with warnings of potential floods and landslides. (AP via Daily Mail)
A boat carrying 250 people from Africa to Europe sinks off the coast off Tajoura in Libya with most people feared drowned. (Reuters via New York Times)

Law and crime

North Korea holds a trial for American tourist Matthew Miller who was detained in April and sentences him to six years of hard labor. (AP) (CNN)
The Carolina Panthers deactivate defensive end Greg Hardy after his conviction on two counts of female assault and communicating threats. (USA Today)

Politics and elections

Swedish general election, 2014:
- Voters in Sweden go to the polls for a general election with a leftist coalition led by the Swedish Social Democratic Party set to form government. Incumbent Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt announces that he will step aside as PM and as leader of the Moderate Party. (BBC), (AP)

Sport

The closing ceremony of the inaugural Invictus Games takes place in London, with a music concert at Olympic Park featuring artists and groups such as Bryan Adams, Ellie Goulding, James Blunt and the Kaiser Chiefs. (BBC) (London Evening Standard) (The Daily Telegraph)
In basketball, the United States defeats Serbia 129-92 to win the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup. (New York Times)
In golf:
- American Billy Horschel wins the The Tour Championship played in Atlanta. (Reuters)
- South Korean teenager Kim Hyo-joo wins the year's final LPGA major, the Evian Championship, in France. (AP via ESPN)

September 15, 2014 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Donbass:
- Heavy shelling on the city of Donetsk, Ukraine, leaves 6 people dead and 15 wounded. (AP via Houston Chronicle)

Business and economics

Information technology company Cognizant agrees to buy health care information company TriZetto Corporation for US$2.7 billion. (New York Times)
Microsoft agrees to buy Swedish company Mojang, the makers of Minecraft, for US$2.5 billion. (AP)

Disasters and accidents

An accidental fire severely burns a giant white rabbit erected by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman in Taoyuan, Taiwan. (AFP via Channel NewsAsia) (New York Times)
Five hundred people drowned off the coast of Malta last week after people traffickers deliberately sank their ship. (Reuters)
Two wildfires around Bass Lake, California, USA, cause the destruction of 21 homes and the evacuation of over 1,000 people. (The Weather Channel)

Politics and elections

Ewa Kopacz becomes Poland's second female prime minister. (Reuters)
Swedish Minister of Finance Anders Borg quits politics after he was considered to be the next leader of the Moderate Party, which he did not want. (Wall Street Journal)

September 16, 2014 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Taliban insurgency:
- A large bomb explodes in Afghan capital Kabul resulting in at least three deaths of international troops and five injuries. (BBC), (Reuters), (AP)
Sinai insurgency:
- Six Egyptian police officers are killed and three wounded following a roadside bombing in the Sinai peninsula. (BBC)
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant:
- Islamic State fighters shoot down a Syrian Air Force warplane conducting an airstrike on Raqqa. (AFP via NDTV)

Disasters and accidents

Twelve thousand people have been evacuated from the area near the Mayon Volcano on the Philippines island of Luzon due to concerns over a possible eruption. (Reuters via Time)
2014 Pacific typhoon season:
- Typhoon Kalmaegi sweeps past Hong Kong after causing six deaths in the Philippines on Saturday. (PTI via The Hindu)
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370:
- Indonesian police chief General Sutarman says he knows what happened to the MH370 and an aviation expert claims MH370’s pilot, Zaharie Ahmad Shah, caused the plane to crash by locking his copilot out of the cockpit, depressurised the cabin and shut down all communications before turning the plane around. (News.com.au)

Health

Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa:
- The United States will send thousands of troops to West Africa to build Ebola virus clinics and train health workers. (The Hindu)
- Eight members of an Ebola awareness team are killed by rioting villagers in a remote area of southeastern Guinea. (Reuters)

International relations

Lawmakers from Ukraine ratify a landmark agreement with the European Union in tandem with a meeting of the European Parliament. (BBC)

Law and crime

Russian billionaire Vladimir Yevtushenkov is placed under house arrest for alleged money laundering. (AP)

September 17, 2014 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War:
- Nearly 50 people have been killed in two days of Syrian government airstrikes on the town of Talbiseh in Homs Governorate. (BBC)
War in Donbass
- A rocket attack by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine kills 10 civilians and injures 12 others in the village of Nyzhnya Krynka near Donetsk. (CNN)
Islamist insurgency in Nigeria
- At least 13 people are dead and 34 injured after Boko Haram gunmen attack a government college in the northern Nigerian city of Kano. (AFP via The Age)
Terrorism in Pakistan
- Al-Qaeda announced that it had temporarily captured the Pakistani Navy frigate PNS Zulfiquar, in an attempt to attack the U.S fleet with onboard missiles, before it was recaptured by Pakistani Forces. (Reuters)

Arts and culture

Forensic teams from the University of Leicester reveal that King Richard III of England was killed at the Battle of Bosworth by a combination of blows to the skull and pelvis. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden is involved in a car accident on the Nockebybron bridge west of Stockholm. (The Local)
Evacuations continue from the area surrounding the Mayon Volcano in the Philippines as lava flows down the mountain ahead of a possible eruption. (AFP via ABC News Australia)

International relations

Xi Jinping, the President of China, travels to India to improve trade links and attempt to resolve decades old disputes over borders. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Fijian general election, 2014:
- Voters in Fiji go to the polls for the first election since a coup in 2006 with coup leader Voreqe Bainimarama's Fiji First Party achieving 60 per cent of the vote. (ABC News Australia), (SBS)

Sport

The Minnesota Vikings National Football League team place star running back Adrian Peterson on the exempt/commissioner's permission list until his child abuse charges have been dealt with. (AP via ABC News America)

September 18, 2014 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
- Islamic State release a video purporting to be from British journalist John Cantlie as propaganda. (Reuters)
- The United States Senate passes a budget measure authorising President Barack Obama to equip and train moderate rebels to fight ISIL in Syria. (Washington Examiner)

International relations

Russian military intervention in Ukraine
- The President of Ukraine visits the United States to seek assistance in combating separatists in eastern Ukraine. (BBC)

Health

Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa
- The Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon announces the creation of an emergency mission to respond to the virus which has killed over 2,500 people in West Africa . (Bloomberg via Washington Post)

Law and crime

Australian police mount raids in the cities of Sydney and Brisbane on alleged Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant sympathisers based on intelligence claims that they were planning a public execution in Australia with fifteen people arrested. (News Limited)
Eight people have been shot dead including six children in the small American town of Bell, Florida. (AAP via The Australian)

Politics and elections

Scottish independence referendum, 2014
- Voters in Scotland go to the polls to vote on the referendum on independence. (Reuters), (The Telegraph), (BBC)
German president Joachim Gauck welcomes state officials to Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to address demographic change in Europe and commemorate 25 years of the Peaceful Revolution. (Official press release)

Science

Ultracompact dwarf galaxy M60-UCD1 is revealed to be the smallest known galaxy to have a supermassive black hole at its centre. (Washington Post via Sydney Morning Herald)

Sports

In cycling, Germany's Jens Voigt sets a new hour record, covering 51.115 kilometers at the Velodrome Suisse in Grenchen, Switzerland. It is the first hour record attempt since the UCI established new unified rules for such attempts. (The Guardian)

September 19, 2014 (Friday)

Accidents and disasters

Tropical Storm Fung-wong
- Manila is inundated by massive flooding causing flights to the international airport to be cancelled and businesses to shut down. (Bloomberg)
Between 20,000 to 30,000 people are evacuated in Luzon as the Philippine volcano Mayon spews lava. (TIME)
Indonesia's Mount Slamet erupts.(TIME)

Arts and culture

Saturday Night Live alumnus Darrell Hammond is chosen to be the new announcer of the long running U.S. variety show following the death of Don Pardo in August. (The New York Times)

Business and economy

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group lists on NYSE in one of the largest initial public offerings in history. (BBC)
A report by Verité states that one third of migrant workers in Malaysia's electronics industry are slaves. (The Guardian)

Attacks and armed conflicts

2014 Australian terror raids
- Australia raises security for its Parliament after conducting raids that arrest dozens of suspected terrorists. (CBS News)
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
- France launches airstrikes against the Islamic State. (Fox News)
- Malaysia says that Muslim women are joining IS as "prostitutes" which is contrary to the teachings of Islam. (The Diplomat)

Health

2014 West African ebola outbreak
- Sierra Leone begins a nationwide lockdown in order to slow the spread of the disease. (CNN)

International relations

Japan vows to continue its whaling program despite passage of an anti-whaling vote in the International Whaling Commission. (Reuters)

Law and crime

China fines Glaxosmithkline US$490 million for its alleged involvement in a bribery scandal. (BBC)

Politics and elections

2014 Scottish independence referendum
- Scotland votes "No" to Scottish independence. (The New York Times)
- Voter turnout in the referendum hits 84.5%, a record high for any election held in the United Kingdom since the introduction of universal suffrage in 1918. (ITV)
- Prime Minister David Cameron announces plans to devolve further powers to Scotland, as well as the UK's other constituent countries. (BBC)
- Alex Salmond announces his resignation as First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party following the referendum. (BBC)
Slovenia's 12th government is sworn in with Miro Cerar as the new prime minister. (Slovenia Times)
Poland's new prime minister, Ewa Kopacz, presents her government; Grzegorz Schetyna becomes new foreign minister, while the outgoing FM Radoslaw Sikorski becomes speaker of the parliament. (Euronews)

Sports

In tennis, Chinese two-time Grand Slam winner Li Na announces her retirement after persistent knee problems. (AP via Sports Fan)
The 2014 Asian Games gets underway in Incheon, South Korea. (AP)
In Australian rules football, the AFL minor premiers, the Sydney Swans, advance to the AFL Grand Final by defeating North Melbourne by 71 points in the first preliminary final at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. (THE AGE)

September 20, 2014 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Shia insurgency in Yemen
- Fierce battles between army and Houthi rebels continue for third day in the Yemeni capital Sana'a, killing 123 people and forcing hundreds to flee their homes. (AJE)
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
- The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claims that ISIL militants have captured 60 villages near the Kurdish town of Kobani on the border with Turkey. (ABC Australia)
- The Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu says that 49 Turkish hostages taken after the fall of Mosul have been released. (AP)

Arts and culture

An Indian TV news anchor at public service broadcaster Doordarshan is fired after she referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping as 'Eleven' Jinping, apparently confusing Xi's name with the Roman numerals XI. (The Hindu)
Bishop Blase Cupich of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane is appointed by Pope Francis to succeed Cardinal Francis Eugene George, O.M.I., 77, who is ill with a recurrence of cancer, as Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. (New York Times)

Disasters and accidents

Tropical Storm Fung-wong (2014)
- Tropical Storm Fung-wong heads towards Taiwan after leaving five people dead and 200,000 displaced in the Philippines. (Reuters via ABC News Australia)

Law and crime

Two high-visibility U.S based law firms Bingham McCutchen of Boston, Massachusetts and Philadelphia's Morgan Lewis & Bockius, have decided to merge, according to a Reuters report relying on confidential sources. (Reuters).

Politics and elections

New Zealand general election, 2014
- Voters in New Zealand go to the polls for a general election. (AP via ABC News America)
- On preliminary counts, the National Party, led by John Key, wins a majority of 61 seats in the new 121-seat 51st Parliament. It is the first time a single party has held a majority since New Zealand switched to the Mixed Member Proportional voting system in 1994. Official results are expected to be released on 4 October 2014. (NZ Herald)
Slovenian MEPs of the European People's Party announce that they will vote against the new line-up of the European Commission on 22 October unless former PM Alenka Bratušek is replaced as Slovenia's commissioner. (Slovenia Times)

Sports

In motorsport, 16-year-old Cole Custer wins the NASCAR Truck Series event at New Hampshire International Speedway, becoming the youngest driver ever to win a race in a NASCAR national series. (AP via ESPN)
In Australian rules football, Hawthorn advance to the AFL Grand Final against Sydney Swans by defeating Port Adelaide by 3 points in the second preliminary final at the MCG in Melbourne. (The Age)

September 21, 2014 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Shia insurgency in Yemen
- The Yemeni government and Shia Houthi rebels sign an agreement aimed at ending the political crisis as the rebels advance towards the capital Sana'a; prime minister Mohammed Basindwa resigns, and under the deal, rebels will nominate a new prime minister within three days. (BBC)
Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant
- Tens of thousands of Kurds flee into Turkey ahead of an ISIL offensive. (AFP, New York Times via Sydney Morning Herald)
Terrorism in Pakistan
- The Pakistani Taliban claims to have shot down a Pakistani Air Force F-16, and releases pictures of the wreckage. (The Blaze)
An explosion near the Egyptian foreign ministry building in Cairo kills at least two police officers. (BBC)

Health

Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa
- A three day curfew in Sierra Leone ends and will not be extended. (BBC)

Politics and elections

More than 26,000 people in Moscow participate in the largest demonstration so far against Russian president Vladimir Putin and the War in Donbass. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) (BBC)
Rallies in support of Ukraine and against the War in Donbass take place in Boston, New York, Sydney, Dublin, Madrid, London, Paris, Oslo, Tallin, Limassol, Istanbul, Antalya, Cologne, Milan, Rome, Vienna, Munich, Prague, Berlin, Moscow, Volgograd, Yekaterinburg, Perm, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Berlaul and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. (LiveUAMap)
Afghanistan’s rival presidential candidates, Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, sign a power-sharing deal that establishes a unity government with Ghani as President and Abdullah as Chief Executive. (Euronews), (AP via Mashable)

Religion

Pope Francis celebrates Mass in Albania. (BBC)

Sport

In tennis, two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka is to miss the remainder of the season because of the foot injury that has blighted her year. (BBC)

September 22, 2014 (Monday)

Business and economy

German conglomerate Siemens AG announces plans to acquire American oilfield equipment maker Dresser-Rand Group Inc for US$7.6 billion. (Reuters via Yahoo!)
German pharmaceutical company Merck KGaA agrees to buy American chemical company Sigma-Aldrich for US$17 billion. (AP via USA Today)
Malaysia-based company Aegis Limited is criticized by the government of the Philippines for creating an advertisement that attacks the country. (Rappler')

Politics and elections

The Fiji First Party led by Voreqe Bainimarama wins 32 out of 50 seats in the Parliament in last week's general election. (AP)
2014 Hong Kong electoral reform
- Students from more than 20 universities and colleges in Hong Kong are boycotting class in protest against Beijing’s decision to rule out fully democratic elections. (The Guardian)

Science and technology

NASA's MAVEN space probe successfully arrives in orbit over Mars. (BBC)

September 23, 2014 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
- 2014 military intervention against ISIS in Syria -- The United States and its allies commence air strikes against Islamic State in Syria with reports of at least 120 deaths. (BBC), (AFP via Yahoo! News)
- Georgia denies media reports alleging that the country has offered hosting of a training center for anti-Islamic State Syrian rebel fighters and states that its involvement in the crisis will be limited to "humanitarian missions". (Civil Georgia)
- The al-Nusra Front claims that its leader Abu Yousef al-Turki was killed in the air strikes. (CNN)
War in North-West Pakistan
- Three people are killed in a bombing in Peshawar. (Pakistan Tribune)
Arab–Israeli conflict
- Israel shoots down a Syrian Air Force Sukhoi Su-24 that had infiltrated its air space. (AP)
- While trying to arrest two Hamas militants suspected of the abduction and murder of three Israeli teenagers in June, a shootout resulted in the deaths of the two suspects. (AP via Fox News)

Health

Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa
- The World Health Organisation and the Government of Liberia introduce a controversial program to move infected people out of their homes and into de facto shelters. (Washington Post)

International relations

President of Russia Vladimir Putin warns in a letter to his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko that Moscow will restrict Ukraine's access to Russian markets if Kiev implements any part of a trade agreement with the European Union. (Reuters)

September 24, 2014 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
- Algerian jihadist group Jund al-Khilafah release a video showing French tourist Hervé Gourdel being killed because of French participation in airstrikes against ISIS. (BBC)
- ISIS militants blow up the Green Church in Tikrit, an important historic site in early Christianity. (The New York Times)

Disasters and accidents

At least 55 people are dead as a result of flash floods and mudslides in northeast India following days of heavy rain. (Sky News)

International relations

Japan imposes additional sanctions on Russia due to the Ukraine conflict and a visit by an aide of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin to a contested island off the coast off northern Japan. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Disappearance of Hannah Graham
- A Virginia man is arrested in relation to the disappearance of Hannah Graham, a British student studying at the University of Virginia. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Venezuela's opposition parties named Jesus Torrealba, a 56-year-old journalist and teacher, to head their coalition ahead of 2015 parliamentary elections where they hope to weaken President Maduro's socialist government. (Voice of America)

Science and technology

India's Mars Orbiter Mission of ISRO successfully enters Mars orbit. (Reuters, AFP via ABC News Online)
After 32 years of service, the last operational HU-25 Falcon, the only jet to ever be a part of the US Coast Guard's air fleet, was retired in Corpus Christi, Texas. The Falcon played a significant role in search and rescue as well as counter drug missions and was a critical asset during the Gulf War. (KPTV.com)

Sports

In motorsport, the district attorney for Ontario County, New York announces that a grand jury decided not to bring criminal charges against NASCAR driver Tony Stewart in the death of Kevin Ward, Jr. during an August sprint car race. The prosecutor also reveals that Ward was under the influence of marijuana at the time of the accident. (ESPN)

September 25, 2014 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- Several Syrian rebel groups sign an agreement to unite in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and President Bashar al-Assad's forces. (CNN)

Disasters and accidents

A 6.2 magnitude earthquake strikes southern Alaska, causing minor damage and affecting the state's largest city, Anchorage. (Alaska Dispatch News)

International relations

Barack Obama, the President of the United States, signs a memorandum expanding the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument to 490,000 square miles, making it the biggest marine preserve in the world. (AP via ABC News)

Politics

Eric Holder announces his resignation as Attorney General of the United States, effective from when the Senate confirms a successor. (NPR).
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko announces a wide-ranging reform program entitled Strategy 2020 to prepare Ukraine for applying for European Union membership in 2020. (BBC)

September 26, 2014 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

The People's Republic of China says that 50 people died in recent violence in the western province of Xinjiang. (Voice of America)
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
- The Parliament of the United Kingdom is recalled to discuss British participation in 2014 military intervention against ISIS. (Daily Mail) (Telegraph.uk)
  - The Parliament approves air strikes against ISIS in Iraq by 524 votes to 43. (BBC)
Taliban insurgency
- The Taliban gains control of the Ajristan District in Afghanistan's Ghazni Province after a week of battle. (BBC)
An act of arson at an air traffic control facility in Aurora, Illinois causes close to 2000 airline flights to be grounded.(ABC News)

Business and economy

Pacific Solution:
- The small Pacific state of Nauru has run out of money following a legal dispute in Australia. (ABC News Australia)
BlackBerry Limited, the Canadian corporation formerly known as Research in Motion, although continues to operate at a loss overall, posted unexpectedly good second quarter results, including the first adjusted profit for its hardware unit in five quarters. (Reuters)

Health

Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa
- The World Health Organisation says that the death toll from the Ebola virus is over 2,900. (Nigeria Punch)

Politics and elections

At least 100 pro-democracy protestors enter the main government compound in Hong Kong. (BBC)
North Korea acknowledges that Kim Jong-un is suffering from "discomfort", after a three-week absence from state media photographs. (Al Jazeera)
Fatah and Hamas agree to form a unity government on the Gaza Strip. (EuroNews)

September 27, 2014 (Saturday)

Disasters and accidents

Japan's Mount Ontake volcano erupts causing 250 people to be stranded, injuring at least eight people and forcing aircraft to divert their routes. (Reuters)

Business and economy

After 139 years of ferry crossings between the Danish town of Esbjerg and Harwich in England, MS Sirena Seaways carries passengers on the route for the last time as DFDS closes the route due to "dwindling demand and high costs"; a freight service will still be available on the route from Esbjerg to Immingham. (BBC) (DFDS Connects)

Health

Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa:
- The official death toll from the Ebola virus outbreak reaches 3,000 with the World Health Organisation warning that the official figures "vastly underestimate the true scale of the epidemic". (The Independent)

International relations

The United Nations Human Rights Council votes in favor of LGBT rights. (Human Rights Watch)

Law and crime

Vaughan Foods beheading incident. A recent convert to Islam goes on a rampage in a grocery warehouse in Oklahoma, beheading a woman with a knife and stabbing another female colleague. (Fox News)

Politics and elections

David Cunliffe resigns as leader of the New Zealand Labour Party following a crushing defeat in last week's election, but will nominate himself as leader in the subsequent leadership contest. (Sky News Australia)
Artur Mas i Gavarró, the President of the Spanish region of Catalonia, authorises a referendum on independence on November 9 despite the opposition of the Government of Spain. (AP)
Dozens of people are arrested as Hong Kong pro-democracy rallies continue. (CNN)

Sport

In Australian rules football, Hawthorn Football Club defeats the Sydney Swans in the 2014 AFL Grand Final 137-74. (ABC News Australia)

September 28, 2014 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2014 military intervention against ISIS: The al-Nusra Front threatens retaliation against nations participating in air strikes against Islamic State. (Al Jazeera)
War in North-West Pakistan:
- At least 21 militants are killed in airstrikes and a gunfight in Pakistan's northwestern tribal areas. (Sky News)
A Buddhist monk accused of inciting violence against Muslims in Burma says he is joining forces with the Bodu Bala Sena group in Sri Lanka in order to combat a "serious threat from jihadist groups". (Al Jazeera)

Disasters and accidents

2014 Mount Ontake eruption:
- Dozens of people are rescued from Japan's Mount Ontake following a volcanic eruption, with at least 30 feared dead. This is the first deadly eruption in Japan since 1991. (BBC)
Three people are killed in a monster truck accident in Haaksbergen in the Netherlands. (Sky News)

Politics and elections

2014 Hong Kong protests:
- Benny Tai announces that Occupy Central is launched as Hong Kong's government headquarters is being occupied by thousands of protesters. (The Guardian)
- Hong Kong police resort to tear gas to disperse protesters but thousands remain. (Reuters UK)
A student protester hurls the book Formosa Betrayed at President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan and hits the president; the Presidential Office condemns the act of violence. (AFP via Rappler)(Focus Taiwan)
António Costa, mayor of Lisbon, wins a landslide in the Portuguese Socialist Party prime ministerial primary against the incumbent António José Seguro.

Sports

Dennis Kimetto sets a new world record at the Berlin Marathon. (Daily Mail)
The European team wins the Ryder Cup, for the third straight time. (Associated Press)
In the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup's first ever elimination round, Jeff Gordon wins the 2014 AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway while Kurt Busch, A. J. Allmendinger, Greg Biffle and Aric Almirola are eliminated from championship contention. (ESPN)

September 29, 2014 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Donbass
- Renewed clashes around the Donetsk International Airport between the pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian government troops kill at least 12 people in the worst flareup of violence since the ceasefire accord earlier in September. (CBC)

International Relations

Argentina's central bank announces that it will pay the holders of its restructured debt Tuesday. Implicitly this indicates that it is ready to defy a U.S. federal court which has blocked such payments until the holders of hold-out bonds are included. (Reuters)

Politics and Elections

Ashraf Ghani is sworn in as new president of Afghanistan. (BBC)

September 30, 2014 (Tuesday)