Friday

April 8, 2016

Armed conflicts and attacks

Sinai insurgency

At least seven people are killed, including five Egyptian Army soldiers, a military officer and a civilian woman in two separate blasts in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. ISIL's Sinai branch claimed responsibility for the attacks on several websites. (Reuters)

Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017)

Hīt offensive (2016)

The Iraqi Army recaptures the western town of Hīt, Al Anbar Governorate, after driving out hundreds of ISIL militants. (Reuters)

Syrian Civil War

Damascus offensive (April 2016)

ISIL militants reportedly execute 175 workers who were captured earlier this week at a cement factory situated to the east of Damascus. (RT) (Daily Mail)

2016 Armenian–Azerbaijani clashes

An ethnic Armenian soldier dies in overnight clashes. (News Armenia)

Arts and culture

Pope Francis issues Amoris Laetitia or the Joy of Love, a document on the Roman Catholic approach to love, sex, marriage and family life. (AP)

In the 256-page document, the Pope encourages the clergy to embrace sinners as well as saints, opens the door a bit for divorced and civilly remarried Catholics, and stresses that Catholics, with their own informed consciences guided by the light of the Gospel, address tricky moral questions in their life, and not only be guided by dogmatic rules from above. Francis also asserts the right to a natural death without aggressive treatment; firmly rejects the death penalty; and reiterates the Church's opposition to same-sex marriage. (AP²) (The Washington Post) (Vatican)

North Carolina bathroom bill

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band cancels their Sunday night concert in Greensboro, North Carolina, to protest the state's controversial "bathroom bill." (Rolling Stone)