Portal:Current events/2024 August 18

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Russian invasion of Ukraine
  • Attacks in Russia during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
    • 2024 Kursk offensive
      • The Armed Forces of Ukraine destroy a second bridge over the Seym river in Zvannoye. (BBC News)
  • Belarusian involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
    • Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko reports that nearly one third of the Belarusian Army has been deployed along the Belarus–Ukraine border, in response to Ukraine stationing more than 120,000 troops at the border. However, Ukraine claims no movement of Belarusian troops has been observed. (Reuters)
  • Eastern Ukraine campaign
    • The Russian Ministry of Defence claims that Russian forces have captured the village of Svyrydonivka in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. (Anadolu Agency)
• Libyan crisis
  • The Central Bank of Libya suspends all operations following the kidnapping of the head of its information technology department by an unknown party. (Reuters)
• A bomb explodes in Tel Aviv, Israel, killing one person and injuring another. (Sky News)

Disasters and accidents

• 2024 European floods
  • Record rainfall strikes regions of the Austrian capital of Vienna with most of the city's average total summer rainfall falling in just one hour, causing significant flooding and damage throughout the city. (Reuters)
• 2024 Lebanese blackout
  • Ongoing nationwide blackouts in Lebanon caused by fuel shortages provoke significant governmental conflict, with the Minister of Energy blaming the Central Bank for not paying Iraq for fuel imports and the Central Bank blaming Parliament for not authorizing emergency fund transfers for fuel payments. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
• 2024 Yemen floods
  • More than 100 people are killed during nearly three weeks of persistent heavy rainfall and flooding across Yemen, with the country's national weather agency declaring a severe weather alert for future "very heavy thunderstorms". (Arab News)
• At least eight family members are killed when their van collides with a delivery truck in Sariaya, Quezon, Philippines. (The Philippine Star) (Xinhua)

Health and environment

• An oil spill originating from the El Palito refinery in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, is reported to have contaminated more than 225 km² (87 sq mi) of the Gulf of Paria as well as most of Morrocoy National Park. (Reuters)

Law and crime

• Kidnapping in Nigeria
  • Twenty medical students from the University of Jos and the University of Maiduguri are kidnapped while traveling in Benue State, Nigeria. (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

• 2024 Venezuelan presidential election
  • 2024 Venezuelan protests
    • Venezuelan opposition officials and supporters gather in cities across the country to protest against President Nicolás Maduro and the results of the 2024 presidential election. (Reuters)
• China–Vietnam relations
  • President of Vietnam and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Tô Lâm arrives in China for a three-day state visit, Tô's first overseas visit since becoming president and general secretary. (CNA)

Sports

• 2024 UCI Women's World Tour
  • In cycling, Katarzyna Niewiadoma wins the 2024 Tour de France Femmes by four seconds, her first win at the event after placing third at the 2022 and 2023 events. (CNN)