Portal:Current events/2019 August 23

August 23, 2019 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War, 2019 Northwestern Syria offensive
- The Syrian Army captures the entire northern Hama-southern Idlib rebel pocket, asserting control over the strategic towns of Kafr Zita, Al-Lataminah and Murak, as well as numerous villages and an archaeological site, following the withdrawal of rebel forces. (Reuters) (Al Masdar)
- The Turkish observation post near Murak is encircled by government forces. (Asharq Al-Awsat) (Ansamed)
Iran–Israel proxy conflict
- U.S. officials confirm that an airstrike on an Iranian weapons depot in Amirli, Iraq on July 19 that killed two Iranian military commanders was conducted by Israel. The strike is the first known Israeli attack inside Iraq since Operation Opera in 1981. (Voice of America)
Al-Qaeda accuses "treacherous Pakistani forces" of detaining the wife and two other relatives of the group's leader Ayman al Zawahiri for over a year. (Al Arabiya)

Disasters and accidents

2019 Brazil wildfires
- Finland, current chair of the European Union, asks the bloc to contemplate a ban on beef from Brazil in response to the ongoing disaster. (Reuters)

International relations

China–United States trade war
- China retaliates on the United States' latest tariff decisions by imposing tariffs of up to 25% on some American goods. (CNBC)
- U.S. President Donald Trump states on Twitter that he has "hereby ordered" that U.S. companies find an alternative for manufacturing in China and relocate "HOME." (Barron's) (The Guardian)
- President Trump announces an increase in the tariffs set to take effect on September 1, October 1 and December 15, from 10% and 25% to 15% and 30%, respectively. The Office of the United States Trade Representative says it will "begin the process of increasing the tariff rate to 30% effective October 1 following a notice and comment period". (CNN)

Politics and elections