Portal:Current events/2014 August 8

August 8, 2014 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2014 Israel–Gaza conflict:
- Hamas rejects the continuation of a 72-hour ceasefire and has shot over 60 rockets since 8:00 into southern Israel. Israel launches air strikes in response. (AP) (CNN)
2014 Iraq conflict:
- U.S. F/A-18 fighters bomb ISIS artillery units and a military convoy. (CNN)
- Iraqi airstrikes kill 45 Islamic State fighters and injure 60. (CNN)
- The United Nations says the persecution of the Yazidi by ISIS may be genocide. (Christian Science Monitor)

Arts and culture

The DotA 2 tournament, "The International 4" begins, the biggest e-sports event of all time with a prize pool of $10,930,698 ^[1]
The indie game Five Night's at Freddy's, the first in the video game franchise of the same name, is released to the public.

Business and economy

Ukraine’s government picks 172 individuals and 65 companies that will face sanctions for "support and financing of terrorism" or responsible for crimes on country’s territory during the pro-Russian unrest. (Kyiv Post)
Malaysia's state investment company Khazanah Nasional announces plans to delist Malaysia Airlines and make it fully state-owned while the business is overhauled. (AP)

Health

2014 West Africa Ebola outbreak:
- The World Health Organisation states that the Ebola virus outbreak is an international public health emergency. (AP via Fox News)
- Nigeria becomes the third African nation to declare a state of emergency over the outbreak. (ABC News Australia)

Law and crime

The recent death of James Brady, former press secretary to Ronald Reagan, is classified as a homicide 33 years after Brady was shot by John W. Hinckley. (Washington Post)
In a case brought by a group of former NCAA athletes, U.S. District Court judge Claudia Wilken rules that the NCAA violated antitrust law by restricting the compensation that college athletes can receive for their publicity rights. (ESPN)

Politics and elections

The Italian senate votes in favor of a dramatic reduction of its own size and powers to challenge laws proposed in the lower house, and for turning itself into an unelected body. (BBC)
Juan Manuel Santos is sworn in for a second term as President of Colombia. (Today Colombia)