previous year2009
2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
2020next year

Major Events of August 2016: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from August 2016 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

history

Major Events of August 2016: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Aug 2016 Trump-Khan Family Controversy: The public dispute between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and the parents of slain Muslim U.S. soldier Capt. Humayun Khan escalated. Ghazala Khan responded to Trump's suggestion that her silence at the Democratic National Convention was due to her husband or religion, highlighting the ongoing tensions around religious and cultural issues in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.
  • 02 Aug 2016 Russian Helicopter Downed in Syria: Foreign-backed militants shot down a Russian Mi-8 helicopter delivering aid to the besieged city of Aleppo, killing all five people on board, further escalating tensions in the Syrian conflict.
  • 03 Aug 2016 North Korea Missile Launch Incident: North Korea launched two ballistic missiles, with one exploding immediately and the other's main portion landing in Japan's exclusion zone, escalating regional tensions.
  • 04 Aug 2016 Syrian Civil War: Airstrikes on Aleppo: Syrian government airstrikes hit rebel-held areas in Aleppo city and nearby towns, including an attack on an Atareb camp for displaced persons. At least two people were killed. UN special envoy Jan Egeland reported 44 attacks against healthcare facilities in Syria during July.
  • 05 Aug 2016 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro: The 2016 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, marking the first time the Olympic Games were held in South America. The event brought together thousands of athletes from over 200 nations to compete in various sporting disciplines.
  • 06 Aug 2016 China's Military Patrols in South China Sea: China's People's Liberation Army Air Force conducted strategic 'combat patrols' near the disputed Spratly Islands, Scarborough Shoal, and South China Sea. The patrols, involving Xian H-6 strategic fighter bombers and Su-30 fighter aircraft, were part of an effort to normalize military drills and rapidly respond to potential security threats.
  • 07 Aug 2016 International Paralympic Committee Bans Russian Athletes: The International Paralympic Committee banned all Russian Paralympic athletes due to state-sponsored sample manipulation aimed at concealing the use of banned substances, representing a significant moment in the fight against systematic doping.
  • 08 Aug 2016 Terrorist Attack on Quetta Hospital: A devastating terrorist attack occurred at a government hospital in Quetta, Pakistan, involving a suicide bombing and shooting. The attack resulted in the tragic deaths of between 70 and 94 people, with approximately 130 others injured. The Pakistani Taliban group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility for this horrific assault.
  • 09 Aug 2016 Republican Security Experts Denounce Trump: Senator Susan Collins of Maine publicly opposed Donald Trump, citing his 'constant stream of cruel comments.' Additionally, 50 top Republican security experts released a letter denouncing Trump as reckless and unqualified, claiming he would risk national security.
  • 10 Aug 2016 Dilma Rousseff Impeachment: Brazil's Federal Senate voted 59-21 to impeach President Dilma Rousseff, indicting her on charges of violating budget laws and initiating a formal trial process that would remove her from office.
  • 11 Aug 2016 Syrian Rescue Worker Killed in Airstrike: A Russian airstrike in Aleppo killed Khaled Omar Harayh, a renowned Syrian rescue worker famous for saving a 16-hour-old baby from rubble. His death symbolizes the human cost of the ongoing Syrian Civil War and the risks faced by humanitarian workers.
  • 12 Aug 2016 Singapore's First Olympic Gold Medal: Singaporean swimmer Joseph Schooling made history by defeating legendary American swimmer Michael Phelps in the 100m butterfly event at the 2016 Summer Olympics, securing Singapore's first-ever Olympic gold medal with a record-breaking time of 50.39 seconds.
  • 13 Aug 2016 USA Reaches 1000 Olympic Gold Medals: The United States made history by becoming the first nation to win 1000 Olympic Games gold medals, achieved through the victory of the 4 x 100 Medley Relay team featuring Lilly King, Simone Manuel, Dana Vollmer, and Kathleen Baker.
  • 14 Aug 2016 Usain Bolt's Historic Olympic Achievement: Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt made history by becoming the first athlete to win three consecutive gold medals in the men's 100 meters Olympic event, solidifying his status as the greatest sprinter of his generation.
  • 15 Aug 2016 Olympic Highlights from Rio 2016: Notable Olympic achievements: Anita Włodarczyk (Poland) set a world record in women's hammer throw, Shaunae Miller (Bahamas) won 400m gold with a dramatic finish, and Thiago Braz da Silva (Brazil) set an Olympic record in pole vault.
  • 16 Aug 2016 China Launches Groundbreaking Quantum Communications Satellite: China successfully launched QUESS, the world's first quantum-communications quantum key distribution satellite, marking a significant milestone in secure communication technology and space exploration.
  • 17 Aug 2016 North Korean Diplomat Defection: In a rare and significant diplomatic incident, Thae Yoong-ho, North Korea's deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom, defected to South Korea with his family, potentially providing valuable insights into the North Korean regime.
  • 18 Aug 2016 Obama Administration to Phase Out Private Federal Prisons: The Obama Administration announced plans to eliminate private ownership of federal prisons, potentially affecting 22,660 inmates out of nearly 200,000 total federal prisoners.
  • 19 Aug 2016 Paul Manafort Resigns from Trump Campaign: Paul Manafort stepped down as Chairman of Donald Trump's Presidential Campaign amid growing controversies and scrutiny.
  • 20 Aug 2016 Mo Farah's Olympic Double Gold: British athlete Mo Farah achieved a remarkable feat by winning gold medals in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters at the 2016 Olympics, successfully defending his titles from the 2012 Games. He became only the second man in history, after Finland's Lasse Viren, to accomplish this Olympic double.
  • 21 Aug 2016 Gaziantep Wedding Bombing: A devastating terrorist attack occurred at a wedding in Gaziantep, Turkey, where the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) killed 50 people and injured 94 others, marking one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Turkey's recent history.
  • 22 Aug 2016 Philippine Drug War Death Toll Revealed: A senate investigation disclosed that the death toll from the Philippines' aggressive crackdown on recreational drug use has reached 1,800 fatalities. This revelation raises significant human rights and legal concerns about President Rodrigo Duterte's controversial anti-drug campaign.
  • 23 Aug 2016 U.S. Combat Casualty in Afghanistan: An American service member became the first U.S. military combat casualty in Afghanistan since January 2016. The soldier was killed by an IED while on patrol in Helmand Province, with six Afghan soldiers and another American serviceman also injured.
  • 24 Aug 2016 2016 Central Italy Earthquake: A devastating 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck central Italy, causing widespread destruction in the region near Perugia. The earthquake resulted in approximately 300 fatalities, with significant damage to infrastructure and numerous residents buried beneath rubble. Aftershocks were felt as far as Rome and Florence, amplifying the disaster's impact.
  • 25 Aug 2016 Central Italy Earthquake Disaster: Devastating earthquake in central Italy continues to claim lives, with the death toll reaching 241. A significant 4.7 magnitude aftershock strikes the province of Norcia, complicating rescue efforts.
  • 26 Aug 2016 Colin Kaepernick's National Anthem Protest: San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick initiated a significant social protest by kneeling during the National Anthem, drawing national attention to racial injustice and police brutality in the United States.
  • 27 Aug 2016 Fatal Moscow Warehouse Fire: A devastating fire at a Moscow warehouse killed 17 migrant workers from Kyrgyzstan. The Russia Investigative Committee, reporting directly to President Vladimir Putin, initiated a criminal investigation into the incident.
  • 28 Aug 2016 Central Italy Earthquake Devastation: Officials reported at least 290 deaths and 10 missing persons in the devastating Central Italy earthquake, marking one of the most significant natural disasters of 2016.
  • 29 Aug 2016 Philippine Drug War Controversy: President Rodrigo Duterte escalated political tensions by calling for Senator Leila De Lima's resignation and making a controversial statement urging her to 'hang herself'. Duterte simultaneously denied accusations that his anti-drug campaign constitutes genocide.
  • 30 Aug 2016 European Union Orders Apple to Pay €13 Billion in Back Taxes: The European Union's competition commissioner concluded a three-year investigation, ordering Apple to pay €13 billion in back taxes to Ireland after determining the company received 'illegal State Aid'.
  • 31 Aug 2016 First Commercial U.S.-Cuba Flight Since 1961: JetBlue Flight 387 completed the first commercial flight between the United States and Cuba in 51 years, carrying 150 passengers including U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, symbolizing improving diplomatic relations.