current Events/2022 June 17

• Kivu conflict
  • 2022 M23 offensive
    • 2022 Democratic Republic of the Congo–Rwanda tensions
      • A Congolese soldier crosses the border into Western Province, Rwanda, and is shot dead by a Rwandan Police officer. Rwandan officials say that the soldier had been attacking people and had injured two officers before he was killed. (AP)
      • The DRC closes its border with Rwanda in response to the killing of its soldier. (Al Jazeera)
    • M23 movement militants seize the town of Tshengerero, North Kivu. (The National Post)
• Russo-Ukrainian War
  • 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
    • Nuclear threats during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
      • Russian President Vladimir Putin says that Russia would only use nuclear weapons if the sovereignty of the country is threatened. (Ukrinform)
    • Ukrainian authorities say that its forces hit the Russian tugboat Vasiliy Bekh transporting soldiers, weapons, and ammunition to Snake Island with Harpoon missiles. (Al Arabiya)
• Kurdish–Turkish conflict
  • Operation Claw-Lock
    • Turkey says that four Kurdish militants have been killed during airstrikes in Kalar, Iraq. (AP)
• Israeli–Palestinian conflict
  • Gaza–Israel conflict
    • Israel intercepts a rocket fired by suspected Hamas militants over Ashkelon. The Israel Defense Forces respond by launching airstrikes on military targets in Gaza. (AP)
  • Three Palestinian militants, including an Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades commander, are killed by Israeli soldiers during a raid in Jenin, West Bank. (BBC News)
• Somali Civil War
  • Security forces and armed locals kill 70 al-Shabaab members in Bahdo, Somalia. Two local children and a cleric are also killed in the fighting. (Reuters)
• Afghanistan conflict
  • One person is killed and seven others injured by an explosion at a mosque in Imam Sahib, Kunduz Province. (AP)
• Insurgency in Balochistan
  • Three people are killed when militants attack a labor camp in Balochistan, Pakistan. (AP)

Arts and culture

• Eurovision Song Contest 2023
  • The United Kingdom is asked to host next year's Eurovision Song Contest after its organisers concluded that Ukraine is not capable of hosting the competition. (The Guardian)

Business and economy

• WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon voluntarily steps down from his executive roles while WWE's Board of Directors investigates alleged misconduct over a $3 million "hush pact" with a former employee. McMahon's daughter Stephanie is appointed to serve as interim CEO and Chairwoman, with Vince retaining his roles related to WWE creative content. (The Wall Street Journal)

Disasters and accidents

• Wildfires in 2022
  • In Spain, over 650 people in eight villages are evacuated after wildfires originating in the Sierra de Culebra mountain range grew to 9,000 hectares amidst a heat wave in Europe. (The Washington Post)
• At least six people are killed by a building collapse in Cairo, Egypt. (AP)
• Nine people are killed and 40 are injured after a bus crashes in Tila, Chiapas, Mexico. (AP)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Estonia, Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic
    • Estonia removes all of its COVID-19 entry restrictions for non-EU travellers after the Estonian Health Board concluded that the situation is under control and that third-country nationals are unlikely to affect the epidemiological situation in the country. (Schengenvisa Info)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco
    • King Mohammed VI of Morocco tests positive for COVID-19 with no symptoms. (Reuters)
• 2022 monkeypox outbreak
  • Georgia, Iceland, Luxembourg, Serbia, and Chile report their first confirmed cases of monkeypox. (Agenda.ge) (Reykjavik Grapevine) (Luxembourg Times) (Reuters) (Reuters 2)
  • Nepal reports its first suspected case of monkeypox. (NDTV)

International relations

• Accession of Ukraine to the European Union
  • The European Commission recommends that the European Council grant Ukraine candidate status for accession to the European Union. (The Washington Post)

Law and crime

• Fukushima nuclear disaster
  • The Japanese Supreme Court acquits the state of any responsibility to compensate around 3,700 people affected by the nuclear disaster. (Reuters)
• Indictment and arrest of Julian Assange
  • The UK's Home Office approves the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States. Assange's lawyers announce that they will appeal the decision. (BBC News)

Science and technology

• China launches its third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, during a ceremony in Shanghai, further enhancing the country's ability to project its military abroad. China now has the second most aircraft carriers of any country, behind only the United States, which has eleven aircraft carriers. (Reuters)

Sports

• The English men's cricket team achieve the highest ever One Day International score of 498 against The Netherlands, beating their previous world record of 481 against Australia in 2018. (BBC Sport)