Portal:Current events/2008 August 22

August 22, 2008 (Friday)

Hundreds of thousands of Muslim Kashmiris demonstrate in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir demanding independence from India. (BBC News)
Usain Bolt leads Jamaica to a victory in world-record time in the men's 400-meter relay in the Olympics. (Los Angeles Times)
Vassilis Paleokostas, the most wanted Greek fugitive since 2006 and the alleged mastermind behind the kidnapping of industrialist George Mylonas, is re-arrested by the Greek police. (BBC News)
More than 60 people are reported to have been killed and 150 wounded during clashes in the Somali port of Kismayo. (BBC News)
War in Afghanistan
- The United States-led coalition kills 30 Taliban militants in fighting in western Afghanistan. (AP via Google News)^{[permanent dead link]}
- At least 76 civilians are killed following a coalition air strike near the village of Azizabad in the western province of Herat. (AFP via Ottawa Citizen)
Pakistan will indirectly elect a new President of Pakistan on September 6 to replace Pervez Musharraf. (AFP via The Australian)
2008 South Ossetia war:
- Human Rights Watch confirms the use of cluster bombs by Russia during Georgia bombing, urges Russia to keep within the international norms and warns Georgia to take urgent measures to protect the civilian population in Georgian villages from unexploded ordnance left by Russian attacks. (Rustavi 2)
- Ten Georgian servicemen, who were detained by the Russian forces in Poti few days ago were released on August 22, the Georgian media sources reported. Twelve others, however, are still held by the Russian troops. (Civil)
- Russian troops have begun the process of pullout by abolishing the checkpoint arranged in the Igoeti sector of the central highway. (Rustavi 2)
- Russian troops have abolished several checkpoints in the Shida Kartli region, Georgia, and moved towards the conflict zone. (Rustavi 2)
- Russian troops say they are leaving Georgia. (Sky News) (CNN) (The Independent) (Alfa) (Bernardinai)
- US says Russian pullback in Georgia is "far too slow". (Reuters) (Delfi)
Russia informs Lithuania that Russia is stopping military co-operation with Lithuania. (Delfi)
Lithuania's Defense Minister Juozas Olekas has called for amendments to national defense legislation, which he says must be thoroughly revised and updated in the face of a potential Russia threat. (Alfa)