Portal:Current events/2018 September 7

• Syrian Civil War
  • The presidents of Russia and Iran disagree with the Turkish president's proposal for a ceasefire in Idlib after meeting in Tehran, because it would not include the Islamist militants those nations aim to defeat. (Reuters)

• Tesla stock drops 9% the day after CEO Elon Musk was seen drinking whiskey and smoking cannabis in California while discussing space colonization, life after the technological singularity and whether reality is a simulation on The Joe Rogan Experience, and two executives resign. (AP) (Space.com)
• Starbucks opens its first shop in Italy, in the city of Milan. The 25,000 square-foot Reserve Roastery creates 300 jobs. (Fortune via Yahoo!)

• 2018 Hokkaido Eastern Iburi earthquake
  • Energy specialists and executives say a power outage from the earthquake could have been lessened if Hokkaido Electric did not rely so exclusively on the Tomato-Atsuma coal plant. The company has restored electricity to just over half of its affected customers. (Reuters)
• Passengers who were planning on visiting Bermuda are forced to change plans and go to Maine and Canada thanks to a threat of safety posed by Hurricane Florence. (CBS)

• War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
  • U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis makes an unannounced visit to Afghanistan, to attempt to discuss peace with the Taliban, which has declined such talks with the Afghan government. (UPI)
• 2015–2018 Iraqi protests
  • Protesters storm the Iranian consulate in Basra, in protest of corruption and misrule by Iraq's political elite, damaging the consulate's offices and shouting anti-Iranian slogans while others briefly take workers hostage at a nearby oilfield. (Reuters) (Ynet News)

• The Ministry of Justice of the United Kingdom announces that divorce laws in England and Wales will be altered to allow for "no fault" divorces. (BBC)

• 2018 Malagasy presidential election
  • Madagascar President Hery Rajaonarimampianina resigns from office in order to contest the November presidential election, as required by the Constitution. Senate president Riko Rakotovao becomes interim President of Madagascar until the January 2019 inauguration of a new president. (News24) (The East African)
• Mueller special counsel investigation
  • George Papadopoulos, former 2016 presidential campaign aide to Donald Trump, receives a prison sentence of 14 days for lying to investigators regarding his ties to Russian contacts. He also receives a fine, probation and a community service obligation. (CNN)