Portal:Current events/2016 August 1

August 1, 2016 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
- The Taliban claims responsibility for a truck bombing in a military complex in Kabul. (Reuters)
Syrian civil war
- A Russian Mil Mi-8 military helicopter carrying humanitarian aid onboard is shot down by rebels in northern Syria. All five members of the crew die in the crash. (BBC) (AP)
Libyan Civil War (2014–present)
- The United States launches airstrikes on ISIL positions in the Libyan city of Sirte following a request from the UN-backed Government of National Accord. Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, in a televised address, says the strikes have caused "heavy ISIL losses". (BBC)

Business and economy

Uber announces plans to merge its China operations with rival DiDi with the merge company valued at $35 billion. (Reuters)
Tesla announces plans to acquire Solar City in a $2.6 billion deal. (Reuters via CNBC)

Law and crime

The Malaysian National Security Council Act comes into effect giving the Prime Minister of Malaysia Najib Razak sweeping new powers. (ABC News PM)
Venezuelan protests, 2016 state of emergency in Venezuela
- Venezuela's National Electoral Council says the opposition successfully met the one percent of voter signatures in every state requirement for a referendum to recall President Nicolás Maduro. Council head Tibisay Lucena did not name a date for the next phase of the referendum process: collect 20 percent of voters' signatures. (Reuters)

Sports

In auto racing, the 2016 Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono Raceway is won by Chris Buescher, the first rookie to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race since 2009. Adverse weather plagued the event, causing it to start a day later than planned, and end 22 laps shorter than the scheduled distance. (ESPN)