Portal:Current events/2019 September 16

{{Current events|year=2019|month=09|day=16|content=

;Armed conflicts and attacks

• 2019 Abqaiq–Khurais attack, Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict, Iran–United States relations
• Iran says the accusations about the Saudi Arabian oil facilities attacks are unacceptable and baseless. [https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2019/09/16/Iran-says-accusations-about-Saudi-Aramco-attacks-are-unacceptable-baseless-.html (Al Arabiya English)]
• Iraq says the United States has told them that the information the U.S. has "confirms the Iraqi government's statement that its territory was not used to carry out this attack". [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-aramco-attacks-iraq/iraq-says-u-s-does-not-believe-iraqi-territory-used-to-launch-attack-on-saudi-idUSKBN1W10Q1 (Reuters)]
• Saudi Arabia says Iranian weapons were used in the attacks. [https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/evidence-indicates-iranian-arms-used-in-saudi-attack--riyadh-says/45233064 (Swissinfo)]

;Business and economy

• Economy of China
• Figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics of China show that industrial production growth in August was at a 17-year low. [https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3027374/chinas-industrial-engine-slowed-new-17-year-low-august-even (SCMP)]

;Law and crime

• Grenfell Tower fire
• Officers with the Metropolitan Police interview members of the London Fire Brigade under caution in connection with the disaster. The fire brigade is being treated as a corporation suspected of breaching health and safety legislation. [https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/sep/16/met-interviews-london-fire-brigade-over-grenfell-tower-disaster (The Guardian)]

;Disasters and accidents

• One firefighter is killed and six others are injured after a propane gas leak leads to a large explosion at a non-profit organization in Farmington, Maine. [https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/farmington-maine-explosion/index.html (CNN)] [https://wgme.com/news/local/gov-janet-mills-reacts-to-deadly-farmington-explosion (WGME)]

;International relations

• Iran–United Arab Emirates relations
• The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps of Iran says it has seized a vessel in the Persian Gulf which it claims was smuggling diesel fuel to the United Arab Emirates. [https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-claims-seized-ship-smuggling-diesel-fuel-to-u-a-e-/30167003.html (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)]
• Political status of Taiwan, Foreign relations of China, Foreign relations of the Solomon Islands
• The Cabinet of the Solomon Islands votes to shift diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China. Taiwanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu says that, since the Solomon Islands decided to establish diplomatic relations with China, this prompts Taiwan to cut ties with the Solomon Islands". [https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/09/16/breaking-solomon-islands-officially-switches-diplomatic-ties-taiwan-china/ (Hong Kong Free Press)] [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-diplomacy/taiwan-says-china-meddling-with-elections-after-solomon-islands-cuts-ties-idUSKBN1W112U (Reuters)]

;Politics and elections

• Brexit
• UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson abruptly pulls out of a press conference in Luxembourg to avoid an anti-Brexit protest organised and attended by British citizens living in Luxembourg. Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel attends the press conference, where, during a short speech followed by questions from journalists, he contradicts Johnson's prior public statements and exposes that the UK government has not submitted any concrete proposals for amendments to the UK's Withdrawal Agreement from the European Union, or delivered any alternative to the "Irish backstop" which Johnson wishes to replace. Bettel warns that Johnson "holds the future of all UK citizens in his hands" and that he shouldn't "hold the future hostage for party political gain". [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49715705 (BBC News)]
• At the Liberal Democrats conference, party leader Jo Swinson reaffirms that if elected any future Liberal Democrat led government, would halt Brexit by revoking Article 50, adding that in the case of a hung parliament she would not enter a coalition with either the Conservatives or Labour. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49717388 (BBC News)]

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