Saturday

October 17, 2015

Armed conflicts and attacks

Henriette Reker, a candidate in Cologne's mayoral race, is stabbed in the neck by a man claiming to be angry over Germany's refugee policies. Reker is in serious condition, as is an aide. Three others suffered minor injuries. (BBC) (Today Online)

Syrian Civil War

A top Al-Qaeda commander is killed in an airstrike in Syria. (USA Today)

Battle of Aleppo (2012–2016), Iranian involvement in the Syrian Civil War

The Syrian army, backed by Iranian fighters, captures several villages south of Aleppo. (Reuters)

Terrorism in Saudi Arabia

A gunman from the Islamic State opens fire on a Shiite meeting hall in Saudi Arabia, killing five people. (Reuters)

2015 PKK rebellion

Three Turkish troops, including a lieutenant colonel, are killed following clashes with PKK insurgents around Dağlıca village, in the southeastern Hakkâri Province. At least 17 PKK insurgents were also reportedly killed in the fighting. (Today's Zaman)

Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen, Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)

A Saudi-led coalition airstrike targeting Houthis in the southern Taiz Governorate mistakenly hits a Hadi-loyalist position, killing at least 20 fighters. (BBC)

Hundreds of Sudanese troops arrive in the southern port city of Aden to reinforce coalition forces. (CBC News)

Mexican Drug War

Fugitive drug kingpin Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán suffered injuries to his leg and face as he escaped Mexican authorities who were closing in on him in the mountains in Sinaloa in northwestern Mexico. (CNN), (The Yucatan Times)

Israeli–Palestinian conflict

Israeli security forces kill four Palestinians and critically wound another who attempted to stab either police officers or a member of the public today. This is the latest in a month of similar attacks where 17 Palestinian attackers and eight Israelis have been killed. (UPI), (Abu Dhabi National)

Arts and culture

Stephen Glass, author, former journalist and attorney, will repay Harper’s Magazine and other outlets because works he authored were found to have been fabricated. (The New York Times)

Nayantara Sahgal, is one of the latest authors in India who will return that nation’s highest award from the National Academy of Letters in protest against what Salman Rushdie has characterized as "thuggish violence" creeping into Indian life under the Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (The New York Times)