Portal:Current events/2019 February 26

February 26, 2019 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2019 Balakot airstrike
- Pakistan reports that Indian military aircraft violated their airspace near Muzaffarabad and were intercepted by Pakistan Air Force (PAF) military aircraft. Indian Air Force aircraft in a haste dropped their payload which fell near balakot. India claims that the incident was an airstrike on an alleged Jaish-e-Mohammed camp in Balakot in retaliation to the Pulwama attack days earlier. (Reuters), (New York Times)
- The attack is the first time since Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 that the Indian Air Force has crossed and attacked Pakistan beyond the line of control. As well as the first time since both countries have acquired nuclear weapons. (India Today)

Disasters and accidents

Two Long Island Rail Road trains collide into a car in Westbury, New York, United States, killing all three occupants in the car. (The New York Times)

International relations

Nuclear warfare, Russia–United States relations
- Following Vladimir Putin's warning that Russia would deploy nuclear missiles in Europe if the United States deploys intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe, Putin's ally Dmitry Kiselyov lists what he claims are the targets in the United States, which includes The Pentagon, Camp David, Fort Ritchie, McClellan Air Force Base, and Jim Creek Naval Radio Station. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denies the existence of the target list. (Reuters), (TASS)
2019 Venezuelan presidential crisis, United States–Venezuela relations
- Two United States military officials tell CNN that the U.S. military has flown reconnaissance flights in international airspace off the coast of Venezuela during the last several days to gather classified intelligence about President Nicolás Maduro. (CNN)
- The United States Department of the Treasury imposes sanctions on governors of four states of Venezuela, all of them members of the ruling United Socialist Party. (United States Department of the Treasury)
- Colombia's Immigration Agency says 274 military personnel from different branches of the Venezuela's Armed Forces, Venezuela's National Police, and Venezuela's National Guard have defected to Colombia. (CNN)
2019 North Korea–United States Hanoi Summit
- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits his country's embassy in Hanoi on Tuesday in preparation for the summit. (Reuters)
- U.S. President Donald Trump lands in Vietnam's capital for the summit. (The Wall Street Journal)

Law and crime

Catholic Church sexual abuse cases in Australia, Pope Francis's response to sexual abuse in the Catholic Church
- Australian cardinal George Pell is convicted of sexually assaulting two 13-year-old choirboys at Melbourne’s St Patrick’s Cathedral. The verdict has been suppressed by a gag order until now. He is the Catholic Church's most senior official to be convicted of a sexual crime in history. (The Age) (The Age₂)
Terrorism in Israel
- A Jewish Israeli teen is convicted of membership of a terror organisation, arson, and racially aggravated assault. He is the second Jewish person convicted of terror group membership ever in Israel in connection to crimes against Palestinians. His conviction was announced today, but occurred last week in secrecy. (The Times of Israel)
2019 Morrisville killings
- Five were killed by a mother and daughter duo believed to have strangled them including three children. (CNN)

Politics and elections

Trump administration family separation policy
- An oversight committee is expected to vote on whether to subpoena Trump administration officials over family separations at the southern border. (AP News)
2019 Nigerian general election
- Nigeria reelects President Muhammadu Buhari. (Africa News)