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Karl Lagerfeld

German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld (pictured), best known for his creative work at Chanel, dies at the age of 85.
A suicide bombing attack near Pulwama, in Indian-administered Kashmir, kills 40 security personnel.
NASA concludes the 15-year Opportunity Mars rover mission after being unable to wake the rover from hibernation.
The Republic of Macedonia changes its name to the Republic of North Macedonia as the Prespa agreement takes effect, ending a 27-year naming dispute with Greece.

February 21, 2019 (Thursday)

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February 20, 2019 (Wednesday)

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Arts and culture

The Southern Poverty Law Center reports a 30 percent increase in U.S. hate groups over the past four years with a 7% increase in 2018 alone. (NPR)

International relations

2019 Venezuelan presidential crisis, 2019 shipping of humanitarian aid to Venezuela
- The Venezuelan Navy closes its maritime borders with the Dutch Caribbean islands of Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire ahead of the planned entry of international humanitarian aid into Venezuela on February 23, which Nicolás Maduro considers a precursor to invasion. (CNN)

Disasters and accidents

2019 Dhaka fire
- A fast-moving fire has swept through a historic district of Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, killing at least 78. (BBC)

Law and crime

Timbs v. Indiana
- The U.S. Supreme Court, in a unanimous 9–0 decision, rules the 8th Amendment's prohibition on excessive fines applies to state and local governments, as well as the federal government. (The Washington Post)

Politics and elections

History of the UK Conservative Party
- Three British MPs – Anna Soubry, Sarah Wollaston and Heidi Allen – defect from the Conservative Party to The Independent Group, citing their opposition to Brexit and the party's adoption of UKIP policies. This brings the total number of The Independent Group MPs to eleven following recent defections from Labour. (The Guardian)
Political appointments by Donald Trump
- U.S. President Donald Trump plans to nominate Jeffrey A. Rosen to replace Rod Rosenstein as Deputy Attorney General. (CBS News)
2019 North Korea–United States Hanoi Summit Vietnam
- The United Nations Security Council Sanctions Committee permits those North Koreans on its global travel ban list to travel to Hanoi, Vietnam, for the second summit meeting with US President Donald Trump. (Reuters)

Science and technology

One surviving female specimen of the Fernandina Galapagos Tortoise species, which was thought to be extinct for more than 100 years, is found. (USA Today)

February 19, 2019 (Tuesday)

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Armed conflict and attacks

Insurgency in Egypt (2013–present)
- Sixteen militants are killed in two different raids in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. A number of weapons and explosives are also found in the raids. (Al Jazeera)
2019 Kaduna State massacre
- Kaduna State governor Nasir el-Rufai reports the death toll from Friday's attack in Kajuru is now more than 130, most from the Fulani ethnic group. Nigerian authorities have not identified the gunmen's motive, but they do not believe the attack was related to the upcoming election. (Al Jazeera) (Eyewitness news)

Business and economy

Economy of the United States
- American retailer Payless ShoeSource files Chapter 11 bankruptcy with plans to close all of their U.S. stores. (USA Today)
Ford Motor Company will stop selling commercial trucks in South America. (CNBC)
Honda confirms that it will be closing its car plant in Swindon, South West England, because of decreased demand for diesel cars and tougher emissions regulations. The closure in 2021 will result in the loss of about 3,500 jobs. (BBC)
Teva Pharmaceutical settles outstanding cases with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission involving payments from brand-name drugmakers to delay releasing a cheaper version of its product, so-called "pay-for-delay" agreements. (Reuters)

Culture and entertainment

The opening round of the Aeroflot Open, an international open chess tournament, is postponed a day after 45 minutes of play as a bomb threat locks down the Moscow hotel hosting the event. Similar threats also shut down cinemas, shopping centres, and theatres; thousands are evacuated. (Chess.com) (Chessbase)

Disasters and accidents

An avalanche at the Crans-Montana ski resort in Switzerland injures four, one seriously, with fears that up to a dozen skiers may have been hit according to witnesses. 240 rescuers including police and army search the affected piste area. No further victims are immediately found, or missing persons reported. (Fox News) (SwissInfo)
A house fire in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, kills seven children from a Syrian family. (BBC)

Politics and elections

2020 United States presidential election, 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries
- Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign
  - Vermont Senator and 2016 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders announces on Vermont Public Radio that he is running for President of the United States as a Democrat in 2020. (NPR)
Politics of Spain
- Francisco José Alcaraz, from Vox, becomes the first far-right politician to become a Senator since the restoration of democracy. (El Mundo)
History of the UK Labour Party, Antisemitism in the UK Labour Party
- Joan Ryan becomes the eighth MP to quit the Labour Party and join The Independent Group, citing a "culture of anti-Jewish racism" within the party as the reason for her departure. (BBC)

February 18, 2019 (Monday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Kashmir conflict
- Two reported Jaish-e-Mohammed militants, one civilian and four Indian soldiers are killed in a skirmish in the Pulwama district of Indian-administered Kashmir as police search for suspects in Thursday's suicide attack that killed 40 Indian paramilitary police. (arynews)
Syrian Civil War
- Twin explosions in Idlib, Syria, kill 24 people and injure more than 20. (Daily Sabah)
A suicide bombing kills the bomber and three police officers in Cairo, Egypt. Two others are injured. (Wall Street Journal)

International relations

A summit between Israel and the Visegrád Group (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) is cancelled following Poland's reaction and withdrawal as a result of Israeli officials' statements on the Holocaust alleging Polish involvement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will hold bilateral talks with the three prime ministers attending. (BBC)

Law and crime

List of mass shootings in the United States in 2019
- Four people are killed in a shooting at a home in Solon Township, Kent County, Michigan, United States, with police investigating it as a possible murder–suicide. (NBC News) (CBS News)

Politics and elections

National Emergency Concerning the Southern Border of the United States
- Sixteen states sue U.S. President Donald Trump, calling his national emergency declaration made last week "unlawful and unconstitutional". (USA Today)
History of the UK Labour Party
- Seven Labour Party MPs (Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Angela Smith, Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker, Ann Coffey and Mike Gapes) resign from the party, forming a new independent group, in protest at Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, and "institutional anti-Semitism" within the party. (BBC)
2019 North Korea–United States Hanoi Summit Vietnam
- The United States is discussing exchanging liaison officers with North Korea. (CNN)
2019 Venezuelan presidential crisis
- In a speech, U.S. President Donald Trump urges the Venezuelan military to abandon Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro or "lose everything". (Reuters)
North Korea–Vietnam relations
- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will meet with Vietnamese General Secretary and President Nguyễn Phú Trọng in Hanoi ahead of talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. (Fox News)
United States Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is reported to be stepping down from his position in mid-March. (Reuters), (Fox News)

February 17, 2019 (Sunday)

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Business and economy

Hundreds of airline passengers are left stranded throughout Europe following British airline Flybmi's bankruptcy filing. (AP via The Washington Times)

Disasters and accidents

At least nine people die after a fire sweeps through more than 200 slum dwellings in Chittagong, Bangladesh. (BBC)
Four children die after a landslide in Mauá, São Paulo, Brazil. (G1)
Eight people are rescued from a gold mine that is flooded in Battlefields, Zimbabwe. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

Cancún nightclub shooting
- A mass shooting inside a nightclub in Cancún, Mexico, leaves five dead and five wounded. (Fox News)

Politics and elections

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appoints intelligence minister Israel Katz to take over the foreign minister portfolio. Netanyahu retains his defence minister and health minister roles. Israel's parliamentary elections are scheduled for 9 April 2019. (Reuters) (The Jewish Chronicle)
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announces the country's major political parties computer networks had been hacked by a "sophisticated state actor." (BBC)
Saudi Arabia–Pakistan relations
- Saudi Arabia signs $20 billion dollars in deals with Pakistan. (BBC News)

Sports

2019 NBA All-Star Game
- The 2019 NBA All-Star Game takes place in Charlotte, North Carolina, with Team LeBron defeating Team Giannis 178–164. Golden State Warriors small forward Kevin Durant is named the game's MVP; it is his second All Star MVP award, the first coming in 2012. (CBS Sports)
2019 Daytona 500
- Denny Hamlin wins the 2019 Daytona 500. It is his second win in the event, the first coming in 2016. (Fox News)

February 16, 2019 (Saturday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- Battle of Baghuz Fawqani
  - The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have taken control of Al-Baghuz Fawqani, following the surrender of the last remaining ISIL militants in the town. (Reuters)
Sinai insurgency
- Militants attacked an army checkpoint in Sinai Peninsula killing and injuring 15. It is believed that 11 were killed but that has not been confirmed. Seven militants also died in the attack. (The National) (The Times of Israel)
Boko Haram suicide bombers and a gunman kill 8 and injure 15 in an attack in Maiduguri, Nigeria. All three attackers were later killed. (Al Jazeera)
Afghanistan War
- 32 Afghan border security troops are killed by a Taliban attack in Kandahar, Afghanistan. (The New York Times)

Disasters and accidents

At least 24 miners are found dead and dozens are still missing after two mines were flooded two days ago in Battlefields, Zimbabwe. (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

2019 Nigerian general election
- Voting is delayed in Nigeria for a week, hours before polling was due to start because of violent incidents in the lead up to the election. (BBC)
2019 North Korea–United States Hanoi Summit Vietnam
- North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un is to arrive in Vietnam on February 25 ahead of the second summit meeting between the two leaders on February 27–28 in Hanoi. (Reuters)
2019 Venezuelan presidential crisis
- United States Air Force C-17s land at Cúcuta near the Colombia–Venezuela border, the aircraft are loaded with humanitarian aid intended for Venezuela. (ABC News)
Political appointments by Donald Trump
- State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert withdraws from consideration for the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations nomination. Jonathan Cohen has been serving in that position since January 1, 2019, following Nikki Haley's resignation. (NPR)

Sports

NBA All-Star Weekend takes place at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. (CBS Sports)

February 15, 2019 (Friday)

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Armed conflict and attacks

2019 Kaduna State massacre
- 66 people were killed by gunmen in Nigeria's Kaduna State including 34 victims being either women or children. The attack happened one day before the scheduled election before it was delayed another week. (Al Jazeera) (BBC)

Business and Economy

Amazon HQ2
- After announcing that it was canceling its New York City headquarters plans the day before, Amazon announces that it will keep its second headquarters in Virginia. (CNET)
Payless ShoeSource is closing all its 2,100 stores in America, starting liquidation sales on Sunday. (USA Today)

Law and crime

Aurora, Illinois shooting
- Five people are dead and six others are injured during a mass shooting in Aurora, Illinois. The suspected shooter was later killed by police. (CBS Chicago)
Brumadinho dam disaster
- Eight Vale employees from Minas Gerais are arrested over alleged involvement in a dam collapse that killed at least 166 people. (Financial Times) (The Wall Street Journal)
Ethnic issues in Japan
- The government of Japan approves a bill which officially acknowledges the Ainu as an indigenous people, following a non-binding resolution that was passed in 2008. (The Japan Times)

Politics and elections

United States–Mexico barrier, Trump wall
- U.S. President Donald Trump declares a National Emergency Concerning the Southern Border of the United States. (Fox News)
- The American Civil Liberties Union and watchdog group Public Citizen announced they will file lawsuits challenging the legality of President Trump’s emergency declaration. (Time) (CBS News)
Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez calls for a snap general election on 28 April and will dissolve the Cortes Generales on 5 May after failing to approve a government budget. (The New York Times) (CNN)
2019 North Korea–United States Hanoi Summit Vietnam
- North Korean officials arrive in Beijing ahead of the second Trump–Kim summit. (ChannelNewsAsia)
2020 United States presidential election, 2020 Republican Party presidential primaries
- Former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld announces the launching of a presidential exploratory committee to run for President of the United States in the 2020 United States presidential election. (CNN)
2019 Venezuelan presidential crisis
- A senior United States administration official says the U.S. is willing to meet with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to negotiate an exit to the crisis, as the U.S. military helps deliver aid to Venezuela. (CNN)

Sports

2020 Summer Olympics
- Following the announcement of the launch of a joint bid to host the 2032 Summer Olympics, North Korea and South Korea announce that they are also interested in marching jointly at the 2020 Summer Olympics, as well as fielding unified teams in some sports. (ESPN)

More February 2019 events...

Time: 10:14 UTC|Day: 21 February