Portal:Current events/2008 August 10

August 10, 2008 (Sunday)

2008 Toronto explosions:
- Massive explosions at a propane facility just before 4 a.m. erupt in the Toronto, Canada community of Downsview, resulting in the evacuation of thousands of people. The explosions also caused the closure of Highway 401, Canada's busiest highway, through that area of Toronto. At least 18 people are reported injured, one missing, and one firefighter has died in connection with the incident. (CP via The Globe and Mail)
Monsoon rains in India kill at least 40 people with flooding heaviest in Andhra Pradesh with flooding in the capital Hyderabad killing 14 people. (BBC News)
2008 South Ossetian War:
- Georgian troops are forced to withdraw from Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia by Russian army. (AP via Google News) According to Georgian field commanders, some units of Georgian army still stay in South Ossetia to fight with Ossetian and Russian forces. (The Times) Georgia withdraws forces that entered South Ossetia on Thursday, August, 7 after suffering heavy casualties. (Bloomberg)
- Unnamed US official accuses Russia of launching ballistic missiles on Georgia: "They actually launched ballistic missile attacks on Georgian territory." This 'response has been far disproportionate to whatever threat Russia had been citing', he added. (AP via Google News)
- Black bodies reportedly found among Georgian soldiers corpses on the streets of Tskhinvali. They were 'probably either mercenaries or instructors in the Georgian armed forces', high-ranking South Ossetian diplomat claims. (APA) (Kommersant) (RussiaToday)^{[permanent dead link‍]}
- President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev calls Georgian actions in South Ossetia 'a genocide' and asks Russian prosecutors to investigate and document all cases of murder of civilians in the region. (AFP via Lloyds) (The President of Russia) (NewsRu)
- According to Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman, some 130 US military advisors that 'teach combat skills' to Georgian troops now stay in Georgia with no plans of pulling them off. US Georgia Train and Equip Program and Georgia Sustainment and Stability Operations Program continued from April, 2002 to September, 2007. (Marine Corps Times) (US Embassy in Georgia) (US Department of State)
- Authorities in the breakaway Georgian republic of Abkhazia declare full mobilisation. (AP via Google News) S. Bagapsh, the President of the Republic of Abkhazia gave Georgia an ultimatum to withdraw Georgian troops from the upper Kodori Gorge, part of the breakaway republic. (Bloomberg)
2008 Summer Olympics:
- Swimmer Michael Phelps of the United States wins a gold medal in the 400 metre individual medley setting a new world record. (AP via International Herald Tribune)
- Stephanie Rice of Australia wins a gold medal in the women's 400 metre individual medley setting a new world record. (Fox Sports)
A number of blasts in China's western Xinjiang province kill at least two people. (Reuters)
Bolivia holds a Vote of confidence referendum over whether the president, vice president and most prefects should face re-election. Unofficial results indicate that President Evo Morales has won a decisive mandate.(BBC News) (Los Angeles Times)
Pádraig Harrington wins the 2008 PGA Championship, becoming the first European to do so in 78 years. (AFP via Google News)