2015 World Wrestling Championships – Women's freestyle 48 kg
With a bronze medal, Jessica Blaszka became the first wrestler to win a medal for the Netherlands at the World Wrestling Championships after 28 years.


2015 World Wrestling Championships – Women's freestyle 53 kg
The women's freestyle 53 kg is a competition featured at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships, and was held in Las Vegas, United States on September 9.


2015 World Wrestling Championships – Women's freestyle 55 kg
The women's freestyle 55 kg is a competition featured at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships, and was held in Las Vegas, United States on September 10.


2015 World Wrestling Championships – Women's freestyle 58 kg
The Women's freestyle 58 kg is a competition featured at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships, and was held in Las Vegas, United States on September 10.


2015 World Wrestling Championships – Women's freestyle 60 kg
The women's freestyle 60 kg is a competition featured at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships, and was held in Las Vegas, United States on September 11.


2015 World Wrestling Championships – Women's freestyle 63 kg
The Women's freestyle 63 kg is a competition featured at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships, and was held in Las Vegas, United States on September 10.


2015 World Wrestling Championships – Women's freestyle 69 kg
The women's freestyle 69 kg is a competition featured at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships, and was held in Las Vegas, United States on September 9.


2015 World Wrestling Championships – Women's freestyle 75 kg
The women's freestyle 75 kg is a competition featured at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships, and was held in Las Vegas, United States on September 10.


2015 World Wushu Championships
The 2015 World Wushu Championships was the 13th edition of the World Wushu Championships. It was held at the Istora Senayan in Jakarta, Indonesia from November 14 to November 18, 2015.


2015 World Youth Championships in Athletics
The 2015 World Youth Championships in Athletics was the ninth edition of the biennial international athletics competition for youth (under-18) athletes. The five-day competition took place between 15 and 19 July at the Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero stadium in Cali, Colombia. Eligible athletes were aged 16 or 17 on 31 December 2015 (born in 1998 or 1999).


2015 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series
The 2015 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series season was the 37th season of the winged sprint car series in North America. The season began with the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park on February 13, and ended with the Bad Boy Buggies World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte on November 8. Donny Schatz entered the season as the defending series champion, and clinched the 2015 championship, his seventh overall, after a second-place finish in the  National Open at Williams Grove Speedway on October 4.


2015 World's Best Racehorse Rankings
The 2015 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, sponsored by Longines was the 2015 edition of the World's Best Racehorse Rankings. It was an assessment of Thoroughbred racehorses issued by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) in January 2016. It included horses aged three or older which competed in flat races during 2015. It was open to all horses irrespective of where they raced or were trained.


2015 World's Strongest Man
The 2015 World's Strongest Man was the 38th edition of the World's Strongest Man competition. It took place in Putrajaya, Malaysia from April 19 to 26. The competition was won by Brian Shaw of the United States for the third time, with defending champion Žydrūnas Savickas of Lithuania second and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson of Iceland third.


2015 World's Strongest Man, Heat Results
Each qualifying heat consisted of six competitors and six events. Unlike previous years, the final heats event, the Atlas Stones, was worth double points. After the six events, the top two competitors from each heat will qualify for the final.


2015 Worthing Borough Council election
The 2015 Worthing Borough Council election took place on 7 May 2015 to elect members of Worthing Borough Council in England. It was held on the same day as other local elections and the 2015 general election. The Conservative Party retained its control of the council, winning every seat that was up for election.


2015 Worthing Borough Council election
There was no local election in Durrington or Northbrook wards this year.


2015 Wrestling World Cup – Men's Greco-Roman
The 2015 Wrestling World Cup - Men's Greco-Roman  was the first of a set of three FILA Wrestling World Cups in 2015. The event took place in Tehran, Iran at Azadi Indoor Stadium February 19 and 20, 2015.


2015 Wrestling World Cup – Men's freestyle
The 2015 Wrestling World Cup - Men's freestyle was The last of a set of three Wrestling World Cups in 2015 .


2015 Wrocław Open
The 2015 Wrocław Open was a professional tennis tournament played on hard courts. It was the first edition of the tournament which was part of the 2015 ATP Challenger Tour. It took place in Wroclaw, Poland between 16 and 22 February 2015.


2015 Wrocław Open, Singles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following players received wildcards into the singles main draw:


2015 Wrocław Open, Singles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following players received entry into the main draw as a lucky loser:


2015 Wuhan Open
The 2015 Wuhan Open (also known as 2015 Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open for sponsorship reasons) was a women's tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts between September 27 and October 3, 2015. It was part of the WTA Premier 5 tournaments of the 2015 WTA Tour. The 2015 tournament was the 2nd edition of the Wuhan Open. The tournament was held at the Optics Valley International Tennis Center in Wuhan, China.


2015 Wuhan Open, Singles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following players received wild cards into the main singles draw:


2015 Wuhan Open, Singles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following player received entry using a protected ranking into the main singles draw:


2015 Wuhan Open, Singles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following players received entry from the singles qualifying draw:


2015 Wuhan Open, Doubles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following pairs received a wildcard into the doubles main draw:


2015 Wuhan Open – Doubles
Martina Hingis and Flavia Pennetta were the defending champions, but Pennetta chose not to participate. Hingis played alongside Sania Mirza and successfully defended the title by defeating Irina-Camelia Begu and Monica Niculescu in the final, 6–2, 6–3.


2015 Wuhan Open – Doubles, Seeds
The top four seeds received a bye into the second round.


2015 Wuhan Open – Singles
Petra Kvitová was the defending champion, but lost to Roberta Vinci in the third round.


2015 Wuhan Open – Singles
Venus Williams won the title defeating Garbiñe Muguruza in the final, 6–3, 3–0, ret., despite being a match point down in the semifinals in the third set against Vinci.


2015 Wuhan Open – Singles, Seeds
The top eight seeds received a bye into the second round.


2015 Wuhan Open – Singles, Seeds
Click on the seed number of a player to go to their draw section.


2015 Wychavon District Council election
The 2015 Wychavon District Council election took place on 7 May 2015 to elect members of Wychavon District Council in Worcestershire, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.


2015 Wychavon District Council election, Background
After the 2011 elections to Wychavon District Council the Conservatives controlled the council with 39 councillors, while the Liberal Democrats had  five seats and there was one Labour Party councillor. In March 2012 the Conservative councillor for Lovett and North Claines, Alan Fisher, was suspended from the council for 6 months and on his return sat as an independent councillor. Another change came in December 2013 when the councillor for Elmley Castle and Somerville, Roma Kirke, left the Conservatives to become an independent, before resigning from the council in December 2014. A further seat was vacant at the 2015 election in Badsey ward after the death of Conservative councillor Reg Jakeman, leaving the Conservatives with 36 seats, Liberal Democrats five, Labour one and there was one independent.


2015 Wychavon District Council election, Background
The 2015 election was the first time where parliamentary, district and parish elections were held at the same time in Wychavon since Wychavon District Council was founded in 1974. Over 100 candidates stood in the district election, up from 72 in 2011 and the number of contested wards increased from 21 to 28. Four Conservative candidates were elected unopposed in Bredon, Drakes Broughton, Honeybourne and Pebworth, and Norton and Whittington wards.


2015 Wychavon District Council election, Election result
The Conservatives retained control of the council after winning 39 seats, the same as in 2011, but up from immediately before the election. Labour lost their only seat on the council to the Conservatives in Droitwich West, after the Labour councillor Peter Pinfield stood down at the election, which meant the Conservatives won every seat in Droitwich.


2015 Wychavon District Council election, Election result
The Liberal Democrats remained the largest opposition party on the council with five seats, after holding all of the seats they had been defending. The only other councillor elected was Ged Bearcroft for the UK Independence Party in Great Hampton ward. He defeated the Conservative councillor for the previous 32 years, John Smith, by 17 votes after a recount, to win the first ever UK Independence Party seat on Wychavon District Council. Overall turnout at the election was 70.19%, up from 47% in 2011 and 42% in 2007, and reaching 81.78% in Bowbrook.


2015 Wychavon District Council election, Election result
Following the election the Conservative leader of the council, Paul Middlebrough, stepped down as leader after eight years and was succeeded by Linda Robinson.


2015 Wychavon District Council election, By-elections between 2015 and 2019
A by-election was held in Droitwich East on 30 July 2015 after the death of Conservative councillor Glenise Noyes. The seat was held for the Conservatives by Karen Tomalin with a majority of the 320 votes over Labour party candidate Jacqueline O'Reilly.


2015 Wychavon District Council election, By-elections between 2015 and 2019
A by-election was held in Evesham South after the retirement of Ken Barclay on health grounds. The seat was held for the Conservatives by Matt Snape with a majority of 351 votes over the Liberal Democrat candidate Julie Haines.


2015 Wychavon District Council election, By-elections between 2015 and 2019
A by-election was held in Droitwich South East following the death of Maureen Lawley. The seat was held for the Conservatives by Sital Harris with a majority of 903 votes over the Liberal Democrat candidate Adrian Key.


2015 Wycombe District Council election
The 2015 Wycombe District Council election took place on 7 May 2015 to elect members of Wycombe District Council in England. This was on the same day as other local elections.


2015 Wycombe District Council election
The Conservatives retained control of the council with the Labour Party replacing the Liberal Democrats as the largest opposition party. It also saw the newly formed East Wycombe Independent Party take 3 seats.


2015 Wyoming Cowboys football team
The 2015 Wyoming Cowboys football team represented the University of Wyoming during the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cowboys were led by second year head coach Craig Bohl and played their home games at War Memorial Stadium. They were members of the Mountain Division of the Mountain West Conference. They finished the 2–10, 2–6 in Mountain West play to finish in last place in the Mountain Division.


2015 Wyoming Cowboys football team, Statistics, Defense
Key: SOLO: Solo Tackles, AST: Assisted Tackles, TOT: Total Tackles, TFL: Tackles-for-loss, SACK: Quarterback Sacks, INT: Interceptions, BU: Passes Broken Up, QBH: Quarterback Hits, FF: Forced Fumbles, FR: Fumbles Recovered, BLK: Kicks or Punts Blocked, SAF: Safeties


2015 Wyre Borough Council election
Local elections are to be held for Wyre Borough Council on 7 May 2015, the same day as the 2015 United Kingdom general election and other 2015 United Kingdom local elections. Local elections are held every four years with all councillors up for election in multi-member electoral wards.


2015 Wyre Borough Council election
Following the election, the composition of the council is now as follows:


2015 Wyre Borough Council election, Boundary review
The Local Government Boundary Commission for England reviewed the local boundaries of Wyre council in 2014.


2015 Wyre Borough Council election, Boundary review
The changes are made official by The Wyre (Electoral Changes) Order 2014.


2015 Wyre Forest District Council election
The 2015 Wyre Forest District Council election took place on 7 May 2015 to elect members of Wyre Forest District Council in Worcestershire, England. The whole council was up for election after boundary changes reduced the number of seats by nine. The Conservative Party gained overall control of the council from no overall control.


2015 Wyre Forest District Council election, Background
After the last election in 2014 no party had a majority on Wyre Forest District Council. The Conservatives were the largest party with 15 councillors, while Labour had 9, Health Concern 7, the UK Independence Party 5, independents 4 and there were 2 Liberals. Following the election the Conservatives formed an alliance with the 4 independents and 2 Liberals to run the council with exactly half of the seats.


2015 Wyre Forest District Council election, Background
In June 2014 Mike Price defected from the Liberal Party to the Conservatives, meaning that Fran Oborski was left as the only Liberal councillor. By the time of the 2015 election the Conservative group had increased to 17 councillors, as independent Julian Phillips joined the party.


2015 Wyre Forest District Council election, Background
The whole of Wyre Forest District Council was elected in 2015 after boundary changes reduced the number of wards from 17 to 12 and the number of councillors from 42 to 33. These changes meant ten wards elected three councillors each, while one ward elected two councillors and one ward elected a single councillor. However the election in the Areley Kings and Riverside ward was delayed until June 2015 after the death of one of the candidates.


2015 Wyre Forest District Council election, Background
Four councillors stood down and did not seek re-election in 2015, Douglas Godwin, Pauline Hayward, Lynn Hyde and Mike Kelly.


2015 Wyre Forest District Council election, Election result
The Conservatives gained a majority on the council after winning 21 of the 30 seats contested on 7 May. Both Labour and Health Concern were reduced to two seats on the council, while the UK Independence Party only won one seat. Among those to lose seats were the leader of the UK Independence Party on the council, Michael Wrench, and the Health Concern mayor of Stourport, Cliff Brewer. Independents won all three seats in Aggborough and Spennells, while Fran Oborski was re-elected as the only Liberal councillor.


2015 Wyre Forest District Council election, Election result
Opposition candidates were concerned that the reduction in the number of polling stations after the boundary changes had resulted in long queues to vote.


2015 Wyre Forest District Council election, Election result
After the delayed election in Areley Kings and Riverside resulted in two Conservatives and one Labour councillors being elected, the Conservatives had 23 seats and Labour had 3 seats.


2015 Wyre Forest District Council election, Election result
The above results include the delayed election in Areley Kings and Riverside.


2015 Wyre Forest District Council election, Ward results, Areley Kings and Riverside delayed election
The election in Areley Kings and Riverside ward took place on 9 June 2015, delayed from 7 May when the rest of the council voted. This came after the death of a Health Concern candidate for the ward and former councillor for Areley Kings, Nigel Thomas, on 12 April.


2015 Wyre Forest District Council election, Ward results, Areley Kings and Riverside delayed election
Conservatives Ken and Lin Henderson won two of the three seats, while the Labour group leader Jamie Shaw was also elected. There was a recount after Lin Henderson took the third seat, three votes ahead of Labour's Vi Higgs. Meanwhile, the failure of Health Concern to win seats in the ward meant that they had no councillors for Stourport for the first time in over a decade.


2015 Wyre Forest District Council election, By-elections between 2015 and 2016
A by-election will take place in Blakebrook and Habberley South on 24 September 2015 after the resignation of Conservative councillor Ruth Gregory due to ill health.


2015 Würenlingen shooting
Five people were shot dead in the Swiss town of Würenlingen on 9 and 10 May 2015. One of the dead was the attacker, a Swiss national. It is believed that the reason for the attack was a family dispute.


2015 Würenlingen shooting
The offender killed his parents-in-law, his brother-in-law, a neighbour, and then himself. He was known to the police for various offenses. His wife and his three children lived apart from him in a secret welfare house. The misused gun was not registered and was not from army stocks. Even in a recent house search at the residence of the offender in the canton of Schwyz, no gun had been found.


2015 X-League Indoor Football season
The 2015 X-League Indoor Football season was the second season for the X-League. The biggest change in the off-season is the addition of the Cape Fear Heroes, Corpus Christi Fury, Florida Tarpons, Rio Grande Valley Sol, Marion Blue Racers, and Bloomington Edge.


2015 X-League Indoor Football season, Playoffs
Originally planned as a three-team playoff, the X-Bowl was moved up to June 6, 2015, and the post-season shortened after the Cape Fear Heroes were suspended by the league and the St. Louis Attack agreed to forgo their third-place playoff berth.


2015 XJ351
2015 XJ351 is a Near-Earth asteroid with an estimated diameter of around 140 meters. It was discovered in 2015 when it passed 0.144 AU (21.5 million km; 56 LD) from Earth. The object is not risk-listed.


2015 XJ351, June 2047
With a short observation arc of 24 days, the Earth approach of June 2047 is poorly constrained and could be anywhere from 0.00056 AU (84 thousand km; 0.22 LD) to 0.097 AU (14.5 million km; 38 LD). The nominal 2047 Earth approach is 0.01 AU (1.5 million km; 3.9 LD) ±4 days.


2015 XX169
2015 XX169 (also written 2015 XX169) is an Apollo asteroid that is a temporary horseshoe companion to the Earth, the tenth known Earth horseshoe librator. A close encounter with the Earth on 14 December 2015 caused the value of the semi-major axis of 2015 XX169 to drift slowly upwards, and the object evolved from an Aten asteroid to an Apollo asteroid about a year after this close approach.


2015 XX169, Discovery
2015 XX169 was discovered on 9 December 2015 by R. G. Matheny observing with the 1.5-m reflector telescope at the Mount Lemmon Survey. As of 6 December 2016, it has been observed 47 times with an observation arc of 363 days.


2015 XX169, Orbit and orbital evolution
2015 XX169 is currently an Apollo asteroid (Earth-crossing but with a period greater than a year). Its semi-major axis (currently 1.00096 AU) is similar to that of Earth (1.00074 AU), but it has a relatively low eccentricity (0.18431) and moderate orbital inclination (7.640°). It alternates between being an Apollo asteroid and being an Aten asteroid, changing dynamical status approximately every 130 years. As of 9 March 2016, this object is the 15th known Earth co-orbital and the 10th known object following a horseshoe path with respect to our planet. Asteroid 2015 XX169 follows an asymmetrical horseshoe path with respect to our planet; the value of its relative mean longitude oscillates about 180°, but enclosing 0°.


2015 XX169, Physical properties
With an absolute magnitude of 27.4, it has a diameter in the range 9–22 meters (for an assumed albedo range of 0.20–0.04, respectively).


2015 XY261
2015 XY261 (also written 2015 XY261) is an Apollo near-Earth asteroid that is also a Mars crosser. It is roughly 10–22 meters in diameter and passed less than 1 lunar distance, 0.0025696 AU (384,410 km; 238,860 mi) from Earth on 15 December 2015.


2015 XY261, 2015 flyby
This small dim asteroid approached Earth in opposition, having an elongation from the Sun of over 160 degrees from mid November 2015. However, due to its absolute magnitude even though it had a very low phase angle during the approach it was too dim for contemporary telescopes to spot it so early, as it was significantly fainter than apparent magnitude 23. However it got brighter as it approached and a few weeks later, on 6 December 2015 it was spotted by Pan-STARRS at an apparent magnitude of 21.5 using a 1.8-meter (71 in) Ritchey–Chrétien telescope.


2015 XY261, 2015 flyby
On 15 December 2015 at 13:52 UT, the asteroid passed 0.0019277 AU (288,380 km; 179,190 mi) from the Earth and three and a half hours later at 17:17 UT passed 0.00354 AU (530,000 km; 329,000 mi) from the Moon.


2015 XY261, 2015 flyby
This flyby is notable because the discovery was 9 days prior to closest approach. This is one of the earliest discoveries of an asteroid during approach. Discounting cataloged objects which were discovered during previous orbits, most asteroids are discovered with little or no warning. 2015 XY261 was the only asteroid to pass within 1 LD of Earth in 2015 that was discovered more than a week before closest approach. See List of asteroid close approaches to Earth in 2015.


2015 Xi–Chu meeting
On May 4, 2015, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Xi Jinping and Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu met in Beijing.


2015 Xi–Chu meeting, Background
After Xi Jinping became the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China in November 2012, the KMT repeatedly proposed a potential meeting between Xi and Ma Ying-jeou, who served as Chairman of the Kuomintang from 2009 to 2014. Nothing came of the plans until 2015, when Chu was elected KMT chair.


2015 Xi–Chu meeting, Timeline, Preparation
In January 2015, Eric Chu became the Chairman of the KMT. On March 11, 2015, Yang Wei-chung, the former KMT spokesman, was consulted about the Cross-Strait Economic, Trade and Culture Forum, but details of the discussion were not publicly disclosed.


2015 Xi–Chu meeting, Timeline, Preparation
On April 12, 2015, Eric Chu confirmed that he would be attending the 10th Cross-Strait Economic, Trade and Culture Forum, which was to be held in Shanghai on May 2–3, 2015, but the Xi-Chu meeting was not yet confirmed.


2015 Xi–Chu meeting, Timeline, Preparation
On April 24, 2015, Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Ma Xiaoguang said that Chu and Xi would meet.


2015 Xi–Chu meeting, Timeline, Chu's visit to Mainland China, Shanghai
On May 2, 2015, Eric Chu arrived at Shanghai Pudong International Airport and shook hands with the head of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Zhang Zhijun. That same day, Chu attended a Cross-Strait Economic, Trade and Culture Forum held in Shanghai. He shook hands with Yu Zhengsheng, the chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. At this forum, Chu mentioned the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, a regional development bank led by the Chinese Government. Also, Chu visited Fudan University and delivered a speech.


2015 Xi–Chu meeting, Timeline, Chu's visit to Mainland China, Beijing
On May 4, 2015, Chu arrived in Beijing and met with Xi Jinping, the General Secretary of the CCP. Xi said that Mainland China and Taiwan should settle political differences through consultation of the "One China" policy. Chu also said 1992 consensus could be expanded to the international realm.


2015 Xi–Chu meeting, Timeline, Chu's visit to Mainland China, Beijing
After meeting Xi, Chu delivered a speech at Peking University.


2015 Xi–Chu meeting, Controversy
On May 4, 2015, the Associated Press reported on the Xi-Chu meeting. The report quoted Eric Chu as saying that his party supports "eventual unification". But the chair of the KMT's Culture and Communications Committee Yang Wei-chung said that the report was mistaken. After the KMT filed a complaint, the AP rescinded the report.


2015 YA
2015 YA is a sub-kilometer asteroid, classified as near-Earth object of the Aten group, that is a temporary horseshoe companion to the Earth. It is the 11th known Earth horseshoe librator. Prior to a close encounter with the Earth on 15 December 2015, 2015 YA was an Apollo asteroid.


2015 YA, Discovery
2015 YA was discovered on 16 December 2015 by G. J. Leonard and R. G. Matheny observingfor the Catalina Sky Survey. As of 9 March 2016, it has been observed 47 times with an observation arc of 5 days.


2015 YA, Orbit and orbital evolution
2015 YA is currently an Aten asteroid (Earth-crossing but with a period less than a year). Its semi-major axis (currently 0.99753 AU) is similar to that of Earth (1.00074 AU), but it has a moderate eccentricity (0.2791) and very low orbital inclination (1.6249°). It alternates between being an Aten asteroid and being an Apollo asteroid, although its orbital evolution is rather chaotic. As of 9 March 2016, this object is the 16th known Earth co-orbital and the 11th known object following a horseshoe path with respect to our planet. Asteroid 2015 YA follows an asymmetrical horseshoe path with respect to our planet; the value of its relative mean longitude oscillates about 180°, but enclosing 0°.


2015 YA, Physical properties
With an absolute magnitude of 27.4 mag, it has a diameter in the range 9–22 meters (for an assumed albedo range of 0.04–0.20, respectively).


2015 YQ1
2015 YQ1 (also written 2015 YQ1) is an Apollo asteroid that is a temporary horseshoe companion to the Earth, the twelfth known Earth horseshoe librator. It experienced a close encounter with the Earth on 2015 December 22 at 0.0037 AU.


2015 YQ1, Discovery
2015 YQ1 was discovered on 2015 December 19 by A. D. Grauer observing with the 1.5-m reflector telescope at the Mount Lemmon Survey. As of 9 March 2016, it has been observed 64 times with an observation arc of 3 days.


2015 YQ1, Orbit and orbital evolution
2015 YQ1 is currently an Apollo asteroid (Earth-crossing but with a period greater than a year). Its semi-major axis (currently 1.00134 AU) is similar to that of Earth (1.00074 AU), but it has a relatively high eccentricity (0.40398) and low orbital inclination (2.4865°). It alternates between being an Aten asteroid and being an Apollo asteroid. As of 9 March 2016, this object is the 17th known Earth co-orbital and the 12th known object following a horseshoe path with respect to our planet. Asteroid 2015 YQ1 follows an asymmetrical horseshoe path with respect to our planet; the value of its relative mean longitude oscillates about 180°, but enclosing 0°; its orbital evolution is rather unstable.


2015 YQ1, Physical properties
With an absolute magnitude of 28.1 mag, it has a diameter in the range 7–16 meters (for an assumed albedo range of 0.04–0.20, respectively).


2015 YU9
2015 YU9, also known as 2015 YB and WY032FF, is a sub-kilometer Hungaria asteroid from the inner region of the asteroid belt, approximately 350 meters in diameter. It was first observed on 16 December 2015, by the Catalina Sky Survey at Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona, United States.


2015 YU9, Description, Orbit
2015 YU9 is a member of the dynamical Hungaria group, which form the innermost dense concentration of bright asteroids in the Solar System. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.8–2.0 AU once every 2 years and 7 months (956 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.06 and an inclination of 20° with respect to the ecliptic.


2015 YU9, Description, Discovery
Precovery images were taken by Pan-STARRS on 8 December 2015. At the time of discovery the asteroid was 0.8 AU (120,000,000 km; 74,000,000 mi) from Earth which is close to the Earth minimum orbit intersection distance (MOID). The asteroid came to perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) around 28 December 2015.


2015 YU9, Description, Discovery
When the asteroid was first detected and it had an observation arc less than 1 day, the asteroid was suspected of being a Near-Earth asteroid that would make a close approach to Earth on 19 December 2015. But that orbit solution used an erroneous observation from the Catalina Sky Survey causing an incorrect orbit determination. The asteroid is not a near-Earth object.


2015 YU9, Description, Diameter and albedo
With an absolute magnitude of 19.2, the inner main-belt asteroid is approximately 350 meters in diameter, based on an assumed albedo of 0.3 – a typical compromise value between 0.4 and 0.2, corresponding to the Hungaria asteroids both as family and orbital group.


2015 YU9, Description, Inncorrect media reports
Initial mass media reports for the size of the asteroid were incorrectly based on the assumption the asteroid was 0.02 AU from Earth and not 0.8 AU from Earth. On 31 December 2015 the asteroid received the provisional designation 2015 YU9.


2015 Yadanarbon F.C. season, Transfers
In:Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2015 Yadanarbon F.C. season, Transfers
Out:Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2015 Yale Bulldogs football team
The 2015 Yale Bulldogs football team represented Yale University in the 2015 NCAA Division I FCS football season. This season marked the Bulldogs's 143rd overall season and the team played its home games at Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut. They were led by fourth year head coach Tony Reno. They were a member of the Ivy League. They finished the season 6–4 overall and 3–4 in Ivy League play to tie for fourth place.


2015 Yale Bulldogs football team, Previous season and offseason
The 2014 Yale Bulldogs finished the regular season 8–2, 5–2 Ivy, with their two losses to Dartmouth and Harvard. The Bulldogs came one win shy of winning a share of the Ivy League Championship. The team had the #1 Total Offense in the FCS (571.5 YPG) and the #1 3rd Down Conversion Percentage (0.517 Pct) at the end of the 2014 season.


2015 Yale Bulldogs football team, Previous season and offseason, Departures
Notable departures from the 2014 squad included seniors, Tyler Varga, who declared his eligibility for the 2015 NFL Draft, and Deon Randall.


2015 Yale Bulldogs football team, Previous season and offseason, Spring game
Yale held their annual  Blue-White Spring Game on April 18, 2015.


2015 Yangon United F.C. season, Transfers
In:Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2015 Yangon United F.C. season, Transfers
Out:Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2015 Yangon United F.C. season, Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2015 Yasar Dogu Tournament
The 43rd Yasar Dogu Tournament 2015, was a wrestling event held in Istanbul, Turkey between 28 and 29 March 2016.


2015 Yasar Dogu Tournament
This international tournament includes competition men's freestyle wrestling. This ranking tournament was held in honor of the two time Olympic Champion, Yaşar Doğu.


2015 Yau Tsim Mong District Council election
The 2015 Yau Tsim Mong District Council election was held on 22 November 2015 to elect all 19 members to the Yau Tsim Mong District Council.


2015 Ykkönen
The 2015 Ykkönen began on 2 May 2015 and ended on 17 October 2015. The winning team qualified directly for promotion to the 2016 Veikkausliiga 2016, while the second-placed team had to play a play-off against the eleventh-placed team from Veikkausliiga to decide who would play in that division. The bottom two teams were relegated to Kakkonen.


2015 Ykkönen, Overview
A total of ten teams contested in the league, including five sides from the 2014 season, TPS who was relegated from Veikkausliiga, EIF and PS Kemi who promoted from Kakkonen after winning the promotion play-offs, VIFK, the winner of Kakkonen 2014 Western Group as a replacement for promoted Ilves and MP, the runner-up Kakkonen 2014 Eastern Group as a replacement for MYPA.


2015 Ykkönen, Overview
HIFK, the champion of 2014 Ykkönen, KTP, the runner-up of 2014 Ykkönen, and Ilves, which finished third in Ykkönen were promoted to the 2015 Veikkausliiga.


2015 Yobe State gubernatorial election
The 2015 Yobe State gubernatorial election in Nigeria was held in February.


2015 Yobe State gubernatorial election, Candidates
Incumbent governor Ibrahim Gaidam was elected deputy governor in April 2007 for the All Progressives Congress (APC), and was sworn in as governor in January 2009 after the death of Governor Mamman Ali. He has a background with the Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria (CPA) and at the time of the election was a Fellow of the Certified National Accountants of Nigeria (FCNA).


2015 Yobe State gubernatorial election, Candidates
Adamu Waziri  ran for the office for the newer People's Democratic Party (PDP).


2015 Yobe State gubernatorial election, Background
Although other people appeared on the ticket, the race was between Gaidam and Ngama. Criticisms about the APC and Gaidam came from youth leader Alhaji Ado Bomboy, who said “the present administration has failed to implement the promises it gave the electorate, the inability of the present APC led government in the state to construct modern market, airport, provide accessible potable drinking water, youth empowerment among others as they promised.”


2015 Yobe State gubernatorial election, Background
Waziri was defeated, receiving only 35% of the vote to Gaidam's 65%. Gaidam won 16 of the 17 local councils.


2015 Yobe State gubernatorial election, Background
At the time of the election, the APC was in control of 20 Nigerian states, compared to 9 states controlled by the PDP. It would remain this way until the 2019 election, when the ratio became 17 APC states to 14 PDP states.


2015 Yobe State gubernatorial election, Background
The election was held despite challenges arising in the insurgency of Boko Haram. Yobe, Borno, and Adamawa all faced voting issues related to counting the votes of internally displaced persons.


2015 Yongchuan International Tournament
The Dewellbon Cup 2015 Yongchuan International Tournament (Chinese: 2015年德威堡杯永川国际女子足球邀请赛) was the inaugural edition of the Yongchuan International Tournament, an invitational women's football tournament held in Yongchuan District, Chongqing, China.


2015 Yongchuan International Tournament, Participants
In September 2015, the participants were announced. New Zealand withdrew from the tournament in October 2015.


2015 York Capitals season
The 2015 York Capitals season was the third season for the American Indoor Football (AIF) franchise, and their third season in the AIF.


2015 York Capitals season
On July 15, 2014, it was announced that Isaac Carn had purchased the Capitals from Jim Morris. Carn promptly named Eric Dorsey II the team's new coach, though Rick Marsilio was named head coach before the season started. Marsilio was an assistant for the now defunct Harrisburg Stampede, and recruited multiple Stampede players to the Capitals. The recruiting helped, as the Capitals finished the regular season 8–0, clinching the 1 seed in the 2015 AIF Playoffs. The Capitals defeated the ASI Panthers 68–58 to clinch a berth in the 2015 AIF Championship Game against the Chicago Blitz. The Capitals defeated the Blitz 58–30, capturing their first-ever championship.


2015 York Capitals season, Roster
Rookies in italics updated March 26, 201530 Active, 0 Inactive


2015 York Region Shooters season
The 2015 season was York Region Shooters's 18th season in the Canadian Soccer League. It began on May 10, 2015 and concluded on October 18, 2015. York Region entered the season as reigning CSL champions after producing a perfect season in the previous campaign. After a difficult start to the season York Region managed to recover midway through the season, and secured a postseason berth. In the playoffs the Shooters won the opening match, but failed to successfully defend their championship title following a defeat to Toronto Croatia. While Richard West finished for the third consecutive season as the club's top goalscorer with 23 goals, and subsequently as the league's CSL Golden Boot winner.


2015 York Region Shooters season, Summary
In the off season significant changes occurred in the team management initially with the arrival of former Ajax A1 manager Bob de Klerk as the club's Technical Director. Team owner Tony De Thomasis replaced Darryl Gomez as head coach, and Carlos Rivas was another addition to the technical staff. The roster selection was partially influenced by the easing of import restrictions decided at the 2015 CSL annual team owners meeting. The Shooters used the opportunity by recruiting more overseas talent with the reliance of the organization's veteran core players.


2015 York Region Shooters season, Summary
York Region entered the season with a 21 match undefeated streak, but experienced their first defeat since October, 2013 in the opening match against Toronto Croatia. Initially York Region failed to achieve sufficient results as they only recorded one victory in their opening six matches. After recording a victory over Scarborough SC on June 21, 2015 they managed to produce a nine game undefeated streak. At the conclusion of the regular season they clinched a postseason berth by finishing third in the First Division with the second highest scoring record. In the preliminary round of the playoffs they defeated Burlington SC, but were eliminated in the second round to Toronto Croatia.


2015 York Region Shooters season, Summary
In the Second Division their reserve team was under the guidance of Gilbert Amaral, where the team managed to secure a postseason berth by finishing second in the division. Unfortunately the team was eliminated from the competition after recording a loss to Niagara United B in the quarterfinals. Once the season came to a conclusion the organization received two awards at the 2015 annual CSL awards ceremony with striker Richard West winning the CSL Golden Boot, and Cyndy De Thomasis was honored with the Harry Paul Gauss award.


2015 York Region Shooters season, Club, First Division roster
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2015 York Region Shooters season, Club, Second Division roster
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2015 York Region Shooters season, Competitions summary, First division, Results summary
Last updated: October 1, 2015. Source: 2015 Canadian Soccer League season


2015 YouTube Music Awards
The 2015 YouTube Music Awards is the second ceremony for YouTube Music Awards. The inaugural 2013 ceremony was met with mixed reception. In November 2014, YouTube announced its intentions to reinvent the purpose of the award show. Additionally, the site announced there will be no live ceremony for the awards. YouTuber Tyler Oakley hosted the awards presentation.


2015 YouTube Music Awards, Background and announcement
In 2013, the inaugural YTMAs experienced mixed to negative reception due to technical difficulties, as well as having most of its award winners originate from mainstream music, rather than YouTube itself. Additionally, the director and hosts of the award show, were not allowed to rehearse prior to the ceremony's filming in a New York City warehouse at Pier 36. In 2014, no award ceremony was held. Instead, toward the end of the year, YouTube announced there would be an award ceremony held in March 2015. On March 12, 2015, YouTube released an official video announcing that the show will be held on March 23.


2015 YouTube Music Awards, Background and announcement
YouTube tweaked the purpose of the awards, however, as they shifted from honoring, "artists and songs that YouTube fans have turned into global hits over the past year," to, "recognize the biggest and emerging artists to watch on YouTube in 2015." Additionally, the setting of the ceremony was announced to no longer be presented in the form of a live show. Instead, for one day in March 2015, the website will spotlight music videos as, "music will be the headline act on YouTube." Although differences in the presentation format and purpose of the awards were announced, Kia Motors and VICE Media maintained their status as sponsors of the YTMAs.


2015 YouTube Music Awards, Winners
On March 2, 2015, YouTube released an official video announcing the winners.


2015 Youngstown State Penguins football team
The 2015 Youngstown State Penguins football team represented Youngstown State University in the 2015 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by first-year head coach Bo Pelini and played their home games at Stambaugh Stadium. They were a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. They finished the season 5–6, 3–5 in MVFC play to finish in a three-way tie for sixth place.


2015 Yuen Long District Council election
The 2015 Yuen Long District Council election was held on 22 November 2015 to elect all 35 elected members to the 41-member Yuen Long District Council.


2015 Yuen Long protest
The 2015 Yuen Long protest, called Liberate Yuen Long or Recover Yuen Long (Chinese: 光復元朗) by the protesters, was part of a series of anti-parallel trading protests in the northern districts of Hong Kong that took place on 1 March 2015 in Yuen Long. It was mainly organised by Civic Passion, Hong Kong Indigenous and groups from social media and local residents. The protesters rallied against the parallel traders who buy goods in Hong Kong, especially in Yuen Long, and sell them in Mainland China for profit.


2015 Yuen Long protest, Cause
The trigger of this protest is the parallel traders from Mainland China who use multiple entry visa policy to import goods, such as milk powder, shampoo, medicine back to China and sell them. The parallel traders were mainly active in the North District. Perceived shortages and inflation led the residents there to respond with the "Recover Sheung Shui" campaign to protest this situation in 2012. However, the parallel traders' sphere of activity expanded to Tuen Mun, Sha Tin and Yuen Long due to the convenience of transportation and led to the "liberate" activities of these districts.


2015 Yuen Long protest, Development
Around 200 people gathered at Long Ping station at 3:30 pm and arrived Sau Fu Street at 4 pm. At 4:15 pm, protesters tried to break the police line and pushed against the pro-parallel trading elements on Sau Fu Street, when the police used pepper spray without warning. Some pro-parallel trading people were using foul language and threw their fists at the protesters. Several people were arrested by the police, including a girl who was bleeding on her face.


2015 Yuen Long protest, Development
At 4:30 pm, more than 50 members of Civic Passion regrouped and demanded for the abolition of the multiple entry visa policy. The dispute between the pro- and anti-parallel trading elements continued as the group moved to Tung Lok Street at 5:15 pm. At 6 pm, people gathered on the Yuen Long Main Road and halted the traffic. Some protesters started to set up some obstacles, such as rubbish bins at the centre. From 7 to 8 pm, dozens of anti-parallel trading groups marched from Yuen Long Main Road to Kau Yuk Road and attempted to occupy the area. Many protesters still stayed in the protest zone at 10:30 pm.


2015 Yuen Long protest, Development
The police used pepper spray 21 times to control the chaotic situation. Later, the police has arrested 36 men and 2 women, aged from 13 to 74, who involved in common assault, assaulting police and possession of weapons. Also, five police officers were injured and had to receive treatment in hospital.


2015 Yuen Long protest, Effect
The host hopes to add more pressure to the government to face the problem of parallel traders. Recently, the government addressed that it had sent a proposal to the Beijing authority to regulate the "multiple-entry permit" plan, which reveals the protest was effective. Also, after the protest, the conflicts between Hongkongers and mainlanders intensified so parallel traders stopped smuggling and decreased the frequency of travelling to Hong Kong.


2015 Yuen Long protest, Effect
Some shops were forced to close because of the chaos. Since too many people gathered together and scuffles broke out. Some managers closed their shops to ensure their safety and that more or less badly affected their operation. About 30 shops had been forced to close. Also, members of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce could sue over their losses.


2015 Yuen Long protest, Effect
Meanwhile, the traffic was blocked by the protesters. owing to the large number of people and narrow pavement, some protesters were forced to stand at the highway and needed police to direct the traffic. The traffic of Yuen Long Main Road was suspended because protesters occupied the area there.


2015 Yuen Long protest, Response, Government
Hong Kong Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok, said public could express their views within the confines of the law. Police definitely would not tolerate illegal behaviour, and would enforce the law. He also added that the authority would continue to combat related offences. Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Gregory So Kam-leung, emphasises that the Individual Visit Scheme is important to Hong Kong. The authority cannot change the policy. He also added that cancelling "multiple-entry permit" scheme these proposals are substantial adjustments, the authority needs to consider carefully. Also, he thinks public should not confuse parallel trader with visitors.


2015 Yuen Long protest, Response, Mainland Chinese media
The Xinhua News Agency had reported the Liberate Yuen Long Protests. It reported that some of the Hong Kong individual radical groups launch Liberte Yuen Long Campaign will bring about the nuisance to merchant in Yuen Long. Also, Hong Kong residence and some community organisation expressed great indignation to those demonstrators, and require that police would enforce the law firmly.


2015 Yuen Long protest, Response, Shap Pat Heung Rural Committee
Before the demonstration, the chairperson of Shap Pat Heung Rural Committee threatened that villagers had been overwhelmed and surrounded protesters when they stepped out Long Ping station. They could not take any advantages if their behaved violently. Villagers could counterattack tenfold. In addition, five hundred police had been stood by to cope with the protest.


2015 Yuen Long protest, Response, Yuen Long residents
Some of the Yuen Long residents were dissatisfied with the parallel traders. A local opined that parallel traders caused road congestions which brought about traffic problems, and because of the increasing number of pharmacies and gold shops aimed at parallel traders instead of shops aimed at locals, he hoped multiple-entry permits should be revoked.


2015 Yuen Long protest, Response, Yuen Long residents
Some local residents did not agree with this campaign and believed the protesters were "stirring up trouble".


2015 Yuen Long protest, Follow-up action
On 8 March, some Internet users organised the fourth "liberate" action—Visiting Sheung Shui through social networking group. The aim of this operation was similar to the previous demonstration. At 4 pm, protesters responded to the exhortation from organizers and went to Tuen Mun. They demonstrated by shouting slogans loudly in different shopping malls. Some citizens caused chaos and collided with parallel traders near B3X bus stop. At night, about 30 protesters went to Hong Kong Clock Tower continue demonstration. Finally, they were stopped by police and dismissed. The police arrested 7 people in total, aged 13 to 21.


2015 Yukon Men's Curling Championship
The 2015 Yukon Men's Curling Championship was held January 9 to 15 at the Whitehorse Curling Club in Whitehorse, Yukon. It was the first territorial men's championship to be held since the Yukon gained a direct entry to the Brier, Canada's national men's curling championship. Prior to 2015, the top two teams in the territory played in the Yukon/NWT Men's Curling Championship, with the winner going to the Brier. The winning team represented the Yukon at the 2015 Tim Hortons Brier.


2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement
The 2015 Zabadani ceasefire agreement between Syrian opposition forces and the Syrian Armed Forces was achieved on 24 September 2015, with mediation from the United Nations, following the Battle of Zabadani (2015). The agreement was fulfilled on April 2017.


2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement, Agreement
On 24 September 2015, more than 2 months after the Battle of Zabadani (2015) began, the UN announced that an agreement between the warring parties had finally been reached after repeated mediation efforts. Per the agreement, the remaining entrenched rebels are to withdraw from the Syrian government-besieged Zabadani and control of the town to the Syrian government while surrendering all weapons, save for light handguns, and withdrawing to the Idlib Governorate. Conversely, civilians (approximately 10,000 people) still remaining inside the rebel-besieged Shia villages of Fu'ah and Kefriya are to be evacuated.


2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement, Agreement
Control of the villages would not be surrendered to the rebels; however, as approximately 4,000 pro-government troops would remain in the villages. The plan was expected to take 6 months to be fully implemented, during which time extended ceasefires are expected to be upheld in each respective area. Evacuation of wounded from both sides was expected to begin as early as 25 September 2015. An additional stipulation denotes the release of 500 rebel captives from Syrian government-held prisons. The agreement would be overseen by the United Nations office in Damascus.


2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement, Implementation timeline
On 26 September 2015, the first bus transport evacuating the rebel combatants to Idlib began leaving al-Zabadani.


2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement, Implementation timeline
After the implementation of the ceasefire, the besieging Hezbollah and the Syrian Army troops redirected their attention towards the remaining parts of the Qalamoun Mountains still under rebel control, namely a smaller area in the Jaroud Rankous, located in southern Qalamoun, and larger area located in Jaroud Qarah, in northern Qalamoun. The Hezbollah also set itself out to recapture the Lebanese border-district of Arsal, from where the al-Nusra Front and ISIL have been receiving much of its reinforcement into the Qalamoun Mountains. However, on 10 October, the truce was jeopardized by rebel groups, claiming the truce had been made "irrelevant" following the Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War.


2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement, Implementation timeline
On 28 December, 120 rebels and civilians from Zabadani were transported to Lebanon in return for the evacuation of 300 pro-government troops and civilians from Fuah and Kefraya to Turkey. According to the ceasefire agreement, those from Zabadani will proceed to Turkey through Lebanon while those from Fuah and Kefraya will arrive in government-held Syria through Lebanon and Turkey.


2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement, Implementation timeline
A year later on 25 September 2016, 52 aid trucks went to Zabadani and Madaya and 19 arrived in Fuah and Kefraya. A week before on 18 September, Hezbollah and the Syrian Army destroyed a rebel smuggling tunnel near Zabadani containing rockets, mortar shells, and other weapons and ammunition.


2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement, Implementation timeline
On 23 November 2016, government forces launched mortar shells and sniper fire into Zabadani and Madaya, which killed 2 civilians.


2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement, Implementation timeline
On February 21 2017, Rebel forces evacuated from the town of Serghaya.


2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement, Implementation timeline
On 28 March 2017, an agreement was brokered by Qatar and Iran for the evacuation of those living in Fu'ah and Kafriya in exchange for the evacuation of residents and rebels in Zabadani and Madaya. The agreement came under effect beginning on 12 April and buses and ambulances arrived in the four towns with the assistance of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent to begin the evacuations. On 14 April, 60 buses transported 2,350 people, including 400 rebels, from Madaya and Zabadani to Idlib. After being suspended for several days following a suicide bombing of buses carrying refugees, the first phase of the evacuations was completed on 19 April, with further transports planned for June. A total of 30,000 people are to be relocated by the end of the operation.


2015 Zabul beheading
The 2015 Zabul beheading refers to the killing of seven Afghan Shia Hazaras on 9 November 2015 in the southern Afghan province of Zabul.


2015 Zabul beheading, Hostage-taking and executions
Fighters claiming allegiance to Islamic State took seven members of the Hazara ethnic group hostage in October 2015 in Ghazni and held them in the Arghandab district of Zabul Province. The hostages included four men, two women, and a nine-year-old girl, Shukria Tabassum. The hostages were moved 56 times to avoid their rescue by Afghan military forces. Two hundred Taliban fighters were involved in battles with the Islamic State group and another insurgent group.


2015 Zabul beheading, Hostage-taking and executions
The hostages were executed on 9 November 2015 by the Islamic State group Several western media sources described the execution as a beheading. Martine van Bijlert stated that this was most likely a mistranslation (Dari: halal kardan), and that the victims' throats had been slit, most likely with kite wire sharpened with glass for kite fighting.


2015 Zabul beheading, Hostage-taking and executions
The victims were later found by the Taliban. Local elders helped arrange for the bodies to be transferred to a hospital in territory controlled by the Afghan government.


2015 Zabul beheading, Legal status
Nicholas Haysom, head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, stated that the killings could constitute war crimes. UNAMA commented that the hostage-taking and murder of civilians are serious violations of humanitarian law.


2015 Zabul beheading, Aftermath
The grassroots Tabassum movement started on 11 November 2015, when about two to twenty thousand mourners carried the coffins containing the seven deceased to the presidential palace in Kabul, protesting against the lack of security provided by government forces.


2015 Zambian presidential election
Presidential elections were held in Zambia on 20 January 2015 to elect a president to serve the remainder of the term of President Michael Sata, following his death on 28 October 2014.


2015 Zambian presidential election
The ruling Patriotic Front candidate Edgar Lungu won by a narrow majority of just 27,757 votes (1.68%) against Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development. Hichilema denounced the elections as a sham and urged his supporters to remain calm.


2015 Zambian presidential election, Background
Prior to Sata's death, his ill-health led to political commentators speculating about potential Patriotic Front candidates. Following his death on 28 October, Vice-President Guy Scott became acting president and became the first non-Arab white head of state on the African continent since Apartheid-era South Africa's F. W. de Klerk.


2015 Zambian presidential election, Background
The constitution required that elections be held within 90 days of the death of an incumbent president. On 18 November, Scott announced the election date, which also launched the campaigning period.


2015 Zambian presidential election, Candidates
On 27 February 2014, the Opposition Alliance was formed to field a common candidate in the 2016 elections. The alliance consisted of the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD), the Alliance for Better Zambia, Zambians for Empowerment and Development, the People's Party, and the All People's Congress Party. However, following the death of President Sata and the calling of early elections, however, MMD Deputy National Secretary Chembe Nyangu expressed doubts about whether the alliance would work given the short time period to agree on a candidate.


2015 Zambian presidential election, Candidates, Patriotic Front, Withdrawn
Vice-President Scott, who was serving as acting president following Sata's death, announced that he would not contest the elections, claiming he was constitutionally barred from doing so. However, although the constitution restricts candidacy to at least third generation Zambians, the Zambian Supreme Court ruled in Lewanika and Others vs. Chiluba that this is not relevant to citizens born before independence in 1964.


2015 Zambian presidential election, Candidates, Patriotic Front, Selection
At a General Conference at Mulungushi Rock of Authority during the weekend of 29–30 November Edgar Lungu was selected as the party president and presidential candidate by default, as none of the other candidates were present. However, as the meeting did not follow procedure and included unauthorised delegates, party president Scott called the elections "null and void" and chaired an alternative General Conference at Mulungushi University on 1 December, which saw Miles Sampa chosen as the party's presidential candidate with an overwhelming majority. The Lungu faction had previously obtained an injunction from the High Court against this Conference and denied the legitimacy of Sampa's selection. Three candidates—Kambwili, Simuusa and Lubinda—withdrew from the Conference before the vote, citing distrust of the legitimacy of the delegates present and a wish not to divide the party.


2015 Zambian presidential election, Candidates, Movement for Multi-Party Democracy
As president of the MMD, Mumba declared himself the party's candidate for the presidency. However, following former President Banda's interest in seeking the presidency, the MMD National Executive Committee, 38 of the 55 members being present, unanimously voted to suspend Mumba from the party presidency and adopt Banda as its presidential candidate. Following this meeting on 18 November 2014, MMD national secretary Muhabi Lungu stated that Mumba had disregarded party organs, namely the NEC, and committed gross misconduct. Mumba contested this decision, stating that he was the legitimately elected leader of the party and was not elected to keep the seat warm for President Banda's future candidacy.


2015 Zambian presidential election, Candidates, Movement for Multi-Party Democracy
Mumba sought an injunction against Lungu, seeking to restrain Lungu from interfering with the running of Mumba's office and functions of the party president. On 11 December the Lusaka High Court dismissed an interim injunction granted to Mumba on 25 November, with High Court Judge Chalwe Mchenga stating that Mumba failed to specify what Lungu should be precluded from doing and that Lungu cannot be held responsible for failing to comply with an unclear injunction.


2015 Zambian presidential election, Candidates, Movement for Multi-Party Democracy
On appeal, the Supreme Court reversed and ruled on 18 December that the official candidate for the MMD was Nevers Mumba. In an opinion read by Supreme Court Justice Mumba Malila, the Court reasoned that Judge Mchenga erred when ruling and failed to consider evidence submitted to the Court by Mumba that sufficiently showed the parameters of the injunction that the High Court had stated were unclear. A week later, Banda released a statement in which he thanked his supporters, but told them to respect the Supreme Court's decision. Mumba subsequently expelled Muhabi Lungu and vice secretary Chembe Nyangu from their positions for insubordination.


2015 Zambian presidential election, Candidates, United Party for National Development
The UPND's National Management Committee unanimously agreed to field party leader and prior presidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema on 14 November 2014. Hichilema also received the support of Charles Milupi and the Alliance for Democracy and Development on 25 November.


2015 Zambian presidential election, Results
Lungu won by a narrow plurality of just 27,757 votes (1.68%). Hichilema denounced the elections as a sham and urged his supporters to remain calm and prepare for the next general elections in 2016.


2015 Zambian presidential election, Results
Four votes appear to be unaccounted for. The final results released by the Electoral Commission of Zambia on its website indicate the total registered voters as 5,166,084, as opposed to 5,166,088 previously published in the Certified Register of Voters.


2015 Zambian presidential election, Aftermath
Lungu was inaugurated as the sixth President on 25 January 2015 at the National Heroes Stadium in the capital Lusaka. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe attended the swearing in ceremony in his capacity as the Chairman of the Southern African Development Community. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, congratulated the Zambian people on the successful elections.


2015 Zamfara State gubernatorial election
The 2015 Zamfara State gubernatorial election was the 5th gubernatorial election of Zamfara State. Held on April 11, 2015, the All Progressives Congress nominee Abdul'aziz Abubakar Yari won the election, defeating Mamuda Aliyu Shinkafi of the People's Democratic Party.


2015 Zamfara State gubernatorial election, APC primary
APC candidate, Abdul'aziz Abubakar Yari clinched the party ticket. The APC primary election was held in 2014.


2015 Zamfara State gubernatorial election, PDP primary
PDP candidate, Mamuda Aliyu Shinkafi clinched the party ticket. The PDP primary election was held in 2014.


2015 Zamfara State gubernatorial election, Results
A total of 20 candidates contested in the election. Abdul'aziz Abubakar Yari from the All Progressives Congress won the election, defeating Mamuda Aliyu Shinkafi from the People's Democratic Party.


2015 Zanzibari general election
General elections were held in Zanzibar on 25 October 2015 alongside the 2015 Tanzanian general elections. Incumbent president of Zanzibar Ali Mohamed Shein was running for his second term against Zanzibar First Vice President Seif Sharif Hamad.


2015 Zanzibari general election
Following the vote, the Zanzibar election commission annulled the elections citing irregularities and a rerun was held on 20 March 2016.


2015 Zanzibari general election, Candidates, Presidential Election
There were 14 candidates that qualified to run for the presidential election in 2016.


2015 Zanzibari general election, Candidates, House of Representatives Election
There were 180 candidates from various parties fighting for 54 electable seats in the Zanzibar House of Representatives.


2015 Zanzibari general election, Results
The votes of the elections were annulled by the Zanzibar Election Commission, citing irregularities in the process and put forward a recommendation for a re-run that was held in 2016. However, only local Zanzibar election results were annulled, the annulment, did not affect the overall outcome of the national presidential elections, meaning that the same ballots that were disqualified for the Zanzibari election were still included in the national count.


2015 Zaragoza City Council election
The 2015 Zaragoza City Council election, also the 2015 Zaragoza municipal election, was held on Sunday, 24 May 2015, to elect the 10th City Council of the municipality of  Zaragoza. All 31 seats in the City Council were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in thirteen autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.


2015 Zaragoza City Council election, Electoral system
The City Council of Zaragoza (Spanish: Ayuntamiento de Zaragoza) was the top-tier administrative and governing body of the municipality of Zaragoza, composed of the mayor, the government council and the elected plenary assembly. Elections to the local councils in Spain were fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years.


2015 Zaragoza City Council election, Electoral system
Voting for the local assembly was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over eighteen, registered and residing in the municipality of Zaragoza and in full enjoyment of their political rights, as well as resident non-national European citizens and those whose country of origin allowed Spanish nationals to vote in their own elections by virtue of a treaty. Local councillors were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with an electoral threshold of five percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each local council. Councillors were allocated to municipal councils based on the following scale:


2015 Zaragoza City Council election, Electoral system
The mayor was indirectly elected by the plenary assembly. A legal clause required that mayoral candidates earned the vote of an absolute majority of councillors, or else the candidate of the most-voted party in the assembly was to be automatically appointed to the post. In the event of a tie, the appointee would be determined by lot.


2015 Zaragoza City Council election, Electoral system
The electoral law allowed for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, coalitions and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form a coalition ahead of an election were required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election call, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of a determined amount of the electors registered in the municipality for which they were seeking election, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates. For the case of Zaragoza, as its population was between 300,001 and 1,000,000, at least 5,000 signatures were required.


2015 Zaragoza City Council election, Opinion polls
The table below lists voting intention estimates in reverse chronological order, showing the most recent first and using the dates when the survey fieldwork was done, as opposed to the date of publication. Where the fieldwork dates are unknown, the date of publication is given instead. The highest percentage figure in each polling survey is displayed with its background shaded in the leading party's colour. If a tie ensues, this is applied to the figures with the highest percentages. The "Lead" column on the right shows the percentage-point difference between the parties with the highest percentages in a given poll. When available, seat projections are also displayed below the voting estimates in a smaller font. 16 seats were required for an absolute majority in the City Council of Zaragoza.


2015 Zaragoza City Council election, Opinion polls
Poll conducted after legal ban on opinion polls  Exit poll


2015 Zaria massacre
The Zaria massacre was a massacre carried out by the Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on Saturday, 12 December 2015, against Shia muslims, mostly members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria. At least 348 civilians were killed, with 347 bodies secretly buried by the army in a masse grave.


2015 Zaria massacre
The Army claimed that it had responded to an attempt to assassinate Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, by the Islamic Movement in Nigeria. This claim has been strongly rejected by the Islamic Movement and several human rights organizations who argue that the massacre occurred without any provocation and that all the protestors were unarmed. The incident is considered among the "notable human rights violation since the return to democracy" in Nigeria.


2015 Zaria massacre, Incident
Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria carried out an assault against Shia muslims, mostly members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, on 12 December 2015. The attack left at least 348 civilian killed and some others injured. Ibrahim Zakzaky was injured in the incident and was captured along with his wife and hundreds of other members.


2015 Zaria massacre, Incident
Some of the injured bodies were burned alive, according to the Amnesty International report.


2015 Zaria massacre, Incident
According to the HRW report, Nigeria's government buried the bodies without family members' permission.


2015 Zaria massacre, Domestic and international reactions
Peaceful protests to condemn the killing of Shia Muslims in Nigeria by the Nigerian army were held in different cities of India, including Mumbai, Chennai, and Hyderabad. Demonstrations were also held in Tehran and Mashhad in Iran.


2015 Zaria massacre, Investigation
In January 2016, the Kaduna State Government formed the Commission for Judicial Inquiry into the causes of clashes in Zaria between the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and the Nigerian Army in December 2015, under the chairmanship of Justice Mohammed Garba, the presiding justice of the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal.


2015 Zaria massacre, Investigation, Findings
On 1 August 2016, the commission of inquiry found the army gunned down 348 Shia Muslims and urged the prosecution of all those involved in the killings.


2015 Zasyadko mine disaster
On 4 March 2015, at around 05:20 local time, there was a mining accident at the Zasyadko coal mine in rebel-held Eastern Ukraine. It is suspected to have been caused by a gas explosion.


2015 Zasyadko mine disaster
Twenty-three people were confirmed dead. Local rebels claimed a death toll of 30. There were 230 people in the mine at the time of the explosion. The Speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, Volodymyr Groysman, called for a minute's silence for 32 fatalities, but later retracted that figure to say that one had died and 30 others' status was unknown.


2015 Zasyadko mine disaster
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called for police and rescue services to have access to the mine.


2015 Zayar Shwe Myay F.C. season, Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2015 Zayar Shwe Myay F.C. season, Squad
Zeyar Shwe Myay FC released 3 Foreign players in May 2015; Toni, Silva and Kentarol and the club signed for the second time the striker Victor Coto Ortega, also the new arrivals Abu midfielder from Ghana and Indonesia defender Dedi Gusmawan.


2015 Zhuhai ITF Women's Pro Circuit
The 2015 Zhuhai ITF Women's Pro Circuit was a professional tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts. It was the first edition of the tournament and part of the 2015 ITF Women's Circuit, offering a total of $50,000 in prize money. It took place at the Hengqin International Tennis Center in Zhuhai, China, on 28 September–4 October 2015.


2015 Zhuhai ITF Women's Pro Circuit, Singles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following players received wildcards into the singles main draw:


2015 Zhuhai ITF Women's Pro Circuit – Doubles
This was a new event to the ITF Women's Circuit.


2015 Zhuhai ITF Women's Pro Circuit – Doubles
Chinese duo Xu Shilin and You Xiaodi won the inaugural title, defeating the top seeds Irina Khromacheva and Emily Webley-Smith in the final, 3–6, 6–2, [10–4].


2015 Zhuhai ITF Women's Pro Circuit – Singles
This was a new event to the ITF Women's Circuit.


2015 Zhuhai ITF Women's Pro Circuit – Singles
Chang Kai-chen won the inaugural title, defeating Zhang Yuxuan in the final, 4–6, 6–1, 7–6(7–0).


2015 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League
The 2015 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League is the 36th season of top-tier football in Zimbabwe. The season began on 21 March 2015 and concluded on 28 November 2015 with Chicken Inn F.C. winning their first league title , snapping a run of four straight titles by Dynamos F.C..


2015 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League
Dongo Sawmills, Flame Lilly and Whawha - all newcomers to the league - were relegated to the 2016 Zimbabwe Division 1, along with Buffaloes F.C. as they each finished in the bottom four positions in the league table.


2015 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League, Teams
A total of 16 teams contested the league, including 12 sides from the 2014 season and four promoted from the 2014 Zimbabwe Division 1, Dongo Sawmills FC, Flame Lilly FC, Tsholotsho FC and Wha Wha FC. On the other hand, Black Rhinos F.C., Shabanie Mine F.C., Bantu Rovers F.C. and Chiredzi FC were the last three teams of the 2014 season and will play in the Zimbabwe Division 1 for the 2015 season. Dynamos F.C. are the defending champions from the 2014 season.


2015 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League, Results
All teams play in a double round robin system (home and away).


2015 Zuiderduin Masters
The 2015 Zuiderduin Masters is a BDO/WDF darts tournament that took place in Egmond aan Zee, Netherlands.


2015 Zuiderduin Masters, Men results, Men's tournament, Group stage
All matches best of 9 legs. Two points are gained for every match won. P = Played; W = Won; L = Lost; LF = Legs For; LA = Legs Against; +/- = Leg Difference; Pts = Points


2015 Zwekapin season
Zwekapin FC (Burmese: ဇဲြကပင္) Football Club is a professional football club, based in Kayin State, that plays in the Myanmar National League.


2015 al-Hawl offensive
The 2015 al-Hawl offensive was an offensive launched by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) during the Syrian Civil War, in order to capture the strategic town of al-Hawl and the surrounding countryside from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The offensive consisted of separate operations in three different areas: Tell Brak, al-Hawl, and the southern al-Hasakah city countryside.


2015 al-Hawl offensive, The offensive, Al-Hawl
During the first week of the offensive, SDF forces captured a number of villages and other positions from ISIL near Al-Hawl, and to the southeast of Al-Hasakah city. ISIL responded by detonating a number of VBIED's. One of those VBIED's targeted an SDF convoy, killing and wounding dozens of fighters. A Canadian SDF fighter was among the SDF casualties that week. He was first reported to have been killed by an ISIL suicide bomber in a farm that was contested. However, it was later reported that he died due to blood loss caused by a bullet in his hip. A Dagestani ISIL leader was also killed that week. The SDF claimed that they were in control of 12 new villages since the start of the offensive. On 6 November, SDF forces captured the area around the village of Nazilah, including the Tishreen Oil Field.


2015 al-Hawl offensive, The offensive, Al-Hawl
The second week started with SDF forces seizing parts of the Al-Hasakah–Al-Shaddadi road and two villages from ISIL. By this time, the SDF forces had reportedly captured over 36 villages, 350 square kilometers of land, and killed 178 ISIL militants. Two days later, SDF forces seized a hill and two vehicles from ISIL.


2015 al-Hawl offensive, The offensive, Al-Hawl
On 11 November, the SDF continued its offensive and captured al-Khatuniyah, northeast of Al-Hawl, while also advancing in the southern countryside of Al-Hasakah city. At least 7 SDF fighters were killed in the clashes. The next day, SDF captured two villages and weaponry from ISIL, while at least 14 ISIL militants were killed by U.S. airstrikes.


2015 al-Hawl offensive, The offensive, Al-Hawl
On 13 November, SDF forces captured the town of Al-Hawl, killing dozens of ISIL militants and seizing large quantities of weapons and ammunition left behind.


2015 al-Hawl offensive, The offensive, Al-Hawl
On 14 November, SDF forces captured three villages around Mount Abdulaziz, and also advanced near the Tishreen Oil Field, while ISIL detonated an VBIED near Al-Hawl. On the next day, four ISIL militants and one SDF fighter were killed, while a new VBIED was detonated. On 15 November, SDF forces captured Abu Hajirat Khuatana, Khuwaytilah, and the Al-Hawl Grain Silos, allowing the SDF to capture a pocket of ISIL-controlled area to the northwest of Al-Hawl.


2015 al-Hawl offensive, The offensive, Al-Hawl
On 16 November, SDF forces captured the Al-Hawl Oil Field, to the southwest of Al-Hawl. By 16 November, SDF forces had captured nearly 200 villages, reportedly seizing 1,362 square kilometres (545 square miles) of territory. According to the SDF, 493 ISIL militants, 33 SDF fighters, and four civilians were killed during the operation.


2015 al-Hawl offensive, The offensive, Southern Al-Hasakah city countryside
On 17 November, SDF forces began advancing on the Regiment 121 base from the east. On 22 November, SDF forces captured the Regiment 121 base, Khama'il, the al-Melabiyyah granaries, the cotton factory, and the villages around it.


2015 al-Hawl offensive, The offensive, Southern Al-Hasakah city countryside
During the next week, the SDF continued their offensive, advancing from the Regiment 121 base to the south, and from Al-Hawl towards the southwest, capturing multiple villages in the southern Al-Hasakah countryside and along the Sinjar-Al-Shaddadi road (Highway 47). On 22 November, SDF reached the northern part of the South Hasakah Dam, capturing the neighboring village of Taban. On 25 November, SDF forces captured the village of Ghunah, near the Jabisah Oil Field, to the southwest of Al-Hawl, and severing a segment of Highway 715.


2015 al-Hawl offensive, The offensive, Southern Al-Hasakah city countryside
On 30 November, SDF forces captured Umm Madhah, and they also captured the South Hasakah Dam and the nearby village of Qana, bringing SDF forces within 25 kilometres (15.53 mi) of Al-Shaddadi from the north and the northeast. Eventually, it was revealed that the SDF had captured 240+ towns and villages during the entire operation.


2015 al-Hawl offensive, Aftermath
After the SDF captured the South Hasakah Dam on 30 November, the SDF continued their offensive southward, towards the city of Al-Shaddadi, ISIL's last stronghold in the Al-Hasakah Province. On 1 December, Arab tribal leaders were reportedly urging ISIL to withdraw from the city "peacefully," in order to prevent civilian casualties and the possible collapse of the economic infrastructure in Al-Shaddadi, if a destructive battle between the SDF/Coalition forces and ISIL were to occur. It was also reported that ISIL was beginning to evacuate some of its positions near Al-Shaddadi, and that some ISIL militants were moving their families from the area to ISIL-held territories in the Deir ez-Zor Province, in preparation for the upcoming battle.


2015 al-Hawl offensive, Aftermath
On 7 December US airstrikes killed at least 36 civilians, including 20 children, in the town of al-Khan, near al-Hawl.


2015 al-Hawl offensive, Aftermath
On 14 December 2015, SDF forces began to heavily shell the ISIL headquarters in the town of Al-Arishah, in preparation for storming the town. By 23 December, the SDF had captured the town of Al-Arishah. However, on 23 December, pro-Assad militias attacked the SDF headquarters in Al-Arishah, but the SDF was able to repel the attack. The attack came after the pro-Assad militas had allegedly warned ISIL about a potential offensive on Al-Shaddadi, and urged civilians in Al-Shaddadi to resist any Kurdish offensive, earlier in the week.


2015 al-Hawl offensive, Aftermath
On 27 January 2016, it was reported that ISIL had banned civilians from leaving Al-Shaddadi, in an attempt to use them as human shields in the event of an SDF offensive on the city. It was also reported that food and other basic supplies were running out in Al-Shaddadi. On 31 January 2016, the US-led Coalition bombed 3 ISIL checkpoints in their stronghold of Al-Shaddadi, killing 14+ ISIL militants.


2015 al-Hawl offensive, Aftermath
On 16 February 2016, the SDF launched an offensive to capture the strategic city of Al-Shaddadi and the surrounding countryside.


2015 al-Hawl offensive, Aftermath
On 19 February, the SDF captured Al-Shaddadi city and the surrounding countryside.


2015 al-Hawl offensive, Aftermath
On 20 February, the SDF advanced further southward, capturing the town of Al-Fadghami. On February 21, SDF forces advanced further southward, coming within 16 kilometers (10 miles) of the Deir ez-Zor Governorate, and capturing the town of Markada. During the offensive, the SDF liberated 2,400 square kilometers (1,491 square miles) of land from ISIL forces.


2015 alleged Sri Lankan coup d'état attempt
In 2015 a coup d'état was allegedly attempted in Sri Lanka by former president Mahinda Rajapaksa in order to remain in power after he had been voted out in the 2015 Sri Lankan presidential election. Rajapaksa, who was expected to easily win a third term in office lost to Maithripala Sirisena, a former ally and member of the Rajapaksa administration. Though ultimately there was a peaceful transition between governments, some government officials claim Rajapaksa made an attempt to deploy the army and police to stop the counting of votes when initial results showed he was heading for defeat.


2015 alleged Sri Lankan coup d'état attempt, Background
The presidency of Mahinda Rajapaksa, from 2005 to 2015 was an increasingly authoritarian regime characterised by the diminishing human rights in the country, nepotism, weakening of government institutions, slow progress of national reconciliation in the aftermath of the Sri Lankan Civil War, and controversial ties to China. In September 2010 Parliament, which was controlled by Rajapaksa's UPFA, passed the eighteenth amendment to the constitution, removing the two term limit on presidents, allowing Rajapaksa to run for a third term.


2015 alleged Sri Lankan coup d'état attempt, Background
There was speculation in mid-2014 that Rajapaksa would call another early presidential election: on 20 October 2014 Minister of Mass Media and Information Keheliya Rambukwella confirmed that the election would be held in January 2015. On 20 November 2014 Rajapaksa issued a proclamation calling for a presidential election at which he would seek re-election. The following day election commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya announced that nominations would be taken on 8 December 2014 and that the election would be held on 8 January 2015.


2015 alleged Sri Lankan coup d'état attempt, Background
In response to the degrading democracy in the country, the United National Party (UNP), along with several other parties and civil organisations, signed a Memorandum of Understanding and decided to field the then Secretary General of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Maithripala Sirisena, as the Common Candidate for the 2015 Presidential Election. Sirisena, a former health minister under Rajapaksa, pledged to appoint UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister if he were to win the election. Sirisena was declared the winner after receiving 51.28% of all votes cast compared to Rajapaksa's 47.58%. The result was generally seen as an upset. When Rajapaksa called the election in November 2014 he had looked certain to win.


2015 alleged Sri Lankan coup d'état attempt, Plot
Athuraliye Rathana Thero and senior figures in the Sirisena campaign, MPs Rajitha Senaratne and Mangala Samaraweera, allege Mahinda Rajapaksa attempted to stage a coup in order to stay in power when it became clear he was going to lose the election. According to Athuraliye Rathana Thero, Rajapaksa attempted a coup d'état hours after the announcement of the election results.


2015 alleged Sri Lankan coup d'état attempt, Plot
They allege that Rajapaksa and his brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Defence Secretary, summoned Commander of the Army Daya Ratnayake, Inspector General of Police Nugagaha Kapalle Illangakoon and Attorney General Yuwanjana Wijayatilake to Temple Trees at around 1 am on 9 January 2015. Rajapaksa allegedly pressured the three officials to deploy troops, annul the election results and declare a state of emergency but they refused. According to the Colombo Telegraph Rajapaksa also wanted to dissolve parliament. Unable to convince them, it was only then Rajapaksa decided to concede defeat and summoned Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was slated to be Prime Minister, to assure him of a smooth transition of power.


2015 alleged Sri Lankan coup d'état attempt, Aftermath
The Sirisena government launched a probe into the alleged coup by Rajapaksa. The government argued that Rajapaksa attempted to seize the poll-counting centers when Rajapaksa realised that he was losing the election. One of the witnesses, the Attorney General, admitted to Criminal Investigation Department the coup attempt made by Rajapaksa. The Attorney General refused to act on behalf of Rajapaksa and many believe the story of an attempt is accurate after Attorney General orders an investigation into this coup. Former army chief Sarath Fonseka also claims that the Rajapaksa had moved nearly 2,000 troops into Colombo from Northern Province three days before the election results were announced. Fonseka claimed that the troops were ready take action on coup.


2015 alleged Sri Lankan coup d'état attempt, Aftermath
However the cabinet spokesperson of the new government stated, during a press conference held on 24 March 2015, that there was no evidence to prove that such a coup was attempted during the night of the election. A spokesman for Rajapaksa has denied the allegations as baseless. The army and police have also denied the allegations.


2015 attack on Dallas police
On June 13, 2015, James Boulware shot at the Dallas Police Department from an armored van with what appeared to be a semi-automatic rifle. The shooting occurred at the department's headquarters in the Cedars neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. He then led the police in a chase to nearby Hutchins, where he remained in the van in a standoff with police. The standoff ended when a police sniper fired a round from a .50-caliber rifle, disabling the engine block, as well as additional rounds into the vehicle to kill the driver.


2015 attack on Dallas police
After sending in robots to confirm the shooting and attempt to make entry into the vehicle, water charges were used to breach the windshield. Police then verified that the suspect was the only person in the vehicle and that he was dead. Police also found four bags outside of the police headquarters containing pipe bombs.


2015 attack on Dallas police, Attack
At approximately 12:30 a.m. on June 13, a man parked an armored van in front of the Dallas Police Department headquarters. There, he opened fire using what appeared to be a semi-automatic weapon. When police officers responded, the man rammed a Dallas Police patrol car and began shooting at officers from inside the van, striking the squad cars. He then fled in the van to Hutchins, Texas, 10 miles (16 km) south of Dallas, where he stopped in the parking lot of a Jack in the Box franchise. Further gunfire was exchanged with the police while a perimeter was set up around the van, and a SWAT team was called in.


2015 attack on Dallas police, Attack
The driver identified himself to police as James Boulware, and claimed that the police had taken his son, accusing him of "being a terrorist". He then cut off communication with officers after making increasingly agitated and angry rants against police. The driver then threatened to blow the police up. The standoff continued as SWAT officers used a .50-caliber rifle to disable the armored van. The standoff ended when a sniper fired additional rounds into the vehicle, killing the driver.


2015 attack on Dallas police, Attack
Police subsequently sent in robots that used water charges to breach the windshield. Police were then able to verify that the suspect was the only person in the vehicle, and that he was deceased. Police robots also used water charges to disable two sets of pipe bombs found in the van. Due to concerns that the van, which was identified as a purpose-built "Zombie Apocalypse Assault Vehicle and Troop Transport" with gun ports and armor-plated windows, was booby-trapped with explosives, police then destroyed the van in a controlled explosion. No police officers or civilians were injured in the incident.


2015 attack on Dallas police, Attack
Four suspicious bags were found at the police headquarters, one of which contained pipe bombs. Another bag exploded while being moved by a police bomb disposal robot, and a third bag found under a police vehicle was detonated by an explosive ordnance disposal team. At 6:19 a.m., the headquarters building was confirmed clear of all explosives.


2015 attack on Dallas police, Suspect
Dallas officers initially stated that up to four suspects were involved in the attack on their headquarters, but later said they believed only one person was involved and the reports of multiple suspects had resulted from him changing positions during the attack. The only clearly identified suspect communicating with police gave his name as James Boulware. News reports confirmed that Boulware was arrested in Paris, Texas, in 2013 after a report of family violence, and several firearms he owned were also confiscated. Boulware's family members then reported to authorities that they were concerned that he might go on a shooting spree after he threatened to kill all the adult members of his family and to shoot up some churches and schools.


2015 attack on Dallas police, Suspect
Boulware later made threats against a judge in his child custody case after he and the mother of his eleven-year-old son lost custody of their son to Boulware's mother, on the grounds that they were unfit for sole custody of the child.


2015 deaths in American television
The following deaths of notable individuals related to American television occurred in 2015.


2015 deaths in British television
This is a list of deaths that took place in 2015 related to British television.


2015 dengue outbreak in Taiwan
In the 2015 dengue outbreak in Taiwan, a significant rise in the number of dengue fever cases was reported in Tainan City, Kaohsiung City, and Pingtung City. As of the end of 2015, official data showed that more than 40,000 people, mostly in these three cities, were infected in 2015. This epidemic began in the summer of 2015, with the first reported occurrence in the North District, Tainan. There were several documented cases in other cities and counties but none resulted in death or were of such large scale.


2015 dengue outbreak in Taiwan, Statistics
The Centers for Disease Control lists several statistics about the outbreak. These statistics are reportedly from the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) for the Dengue Outbreak. The number of infections in Taiwan during 2015 was some three times the number in 2014.


2015 dengue outbreak in Taiwan, Statistics, Deceased
The CDC of Taiwan's most recent press release, dated 23 December 2015, gives demographics and statistics about the deceased:


2015 dengue outbreak in Taiwan, Statistics, Deceased
"Among the 209 deaths found to be associated with dengue infection, 106 are men and 98 are women. The median age is 75 years old. Each of them, on average, had three chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, coronary artery diseases and renal failures. The average number of days between onset and death is 6.2."


2015 dengue outbreak in Taiwan, Statistics, Care and Recovery
"Currently, 44 dengue patients are being treated in the intensive care unit. 98.1% of the total reported cases have recovered."


2015 elections in India
The elections in India in 2015 include the two state legislative assembly elections. The tenure of the state legislative assembly of Bihar  are due to expire during the year and the Delhi Legislative Assembly Re-Election will also be held due to the inability to form the government.


2015 elections in India, Legislative Assembly election, Delhi
The assembly state elections in Delhi were held in a single phase on 7 February, followed by counting on 10 February.


2015 elections in India, Legislative Assembly election, Delhi, Background
In the 2013 Delhi state elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (along with its pre-poll ally Shiromani Akali Dal) emerged as the single-largest party, winning 32 out of the 70 seats. However they fell short of an outright majority and therefore were unable to form the government. This led the then Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung to invite the Aam Aadmi Party, the second largest party after the BJP, to form the government. On 28 December 2013, AAP formed the state government after taking outside support from the Indian National Congress.


2015 elections in India, Legislative Assembly election, Delhi, Background
AAP's leader Arvind Kejriwal, who defeated the incumbent chief minister Sheila Dikshit, became the 7th chief minister of Delhi. However, on 14 February 2014 (after 49 days of rule), Arvind Kejriwal resigned from his post citing the reason as his government's inability to table the Jan Lokpal Bill in Delhi Assembly for discussion due to stiff opposition from other political parties in the house.


2015 elections in India, Legislative Assembly election, Delhi, Background
Delhi remained thereafter under President's Rule for about a year. On 4 November 2014, the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung recommended the Union Cabinet the dissolution of Delhi assembly and conduct fresh elections. On 12 January 2015, the Election Commission of India announced that state assembly elections would be held on 7 February 2015 with results being announced on 10 February 2015.


2015 elections in India, Legislative Assembly election, Bihar
The tenure of the Legislative Assembly of Bihar expired on 29 November 2015.


2015 iHeartRadio Music Awards
The 2015 iHeartRadio Music Awards was the second music award show presented by iHeartMedia's platform iHeartRadio and NBC. The awards were held on March 29, 2015, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and were hosted by Jamie Foxx.


2015 iHeartRadio Music Awards
Taylor Swift won three awards, including Artist of the Year and Song of the Year, while Justin Timberlake was presented with the Innovator Award.


2015 iHeartRadio Music Awards
NBC's telecast of the iHeartRadio Music Awards matched the previous year's 1.7 rating with adults 18-49. Shifting from a May Thursday, it also took in 5.2 million viewers. The awards generated more than 14 billion social media impressions throughout the promotional period of the show, nearly 75 percent more than last year’s 8.5 billion and almost triple that of the 2015 Academy Awards.


2015 in AFC
The year 2015 is the 6th year in the history of Australian Fighting Championship (AFC), a mixed martial arts promotion based in Australia. In 2015 AFC held 3 events.


2015 in AFC, AFC 14
AFC 14 was an event held on September 12, 2015, at Melbourne Pavilion in Melbourne, Australia.


2015 in AFC, AFC 13
AFC 13 was an event held on June 14, 2015, at Melbourne Pavilion in Melbourne, Australia.


2015 in AFC, AFC 12
AFC 12 was an event held on March 22, 2015, at Melbourne Pavilion in Melbourne, Australia.


2015 in Absolute Championship Berkut
The year 2015 was the 3rd year in the history of the Absolute Championship Berkut, a mixed martial arts promotion based in Russia. 2015 started with Absolute Championship Berkut 13. It started broadcasting through a television agreement with Match TV.


2015 in Absolute Championship Berkut, ACB Grand Prix 2015 bracket, ACB Flyweight Grand Prix 2015 bracket
1Rasul Albaskhanov retired from the tournament, Albaskhanov missed weight, and the bout was canceled. Oskar Dolchin automatically advanced to the second round.


2015 in Absolute Championship Berkut, ACB Grand Prix 2015 bracket, ACB Flyweight Grand Prix 2015 bracket
2Yunus Evloev withdrew from the tournament dud to illness, Mikael Silander automatically advanced to the second round.


2015 in Absolute Championship Berkut, ACB Grand Prix 2015 bracket, ACB Featherweight Grand Prix 2015 bracket
1Zaur Kasumov withdrew from the tournament due to Food Poisoning, Alexander Matmuratov automatically advance to the second round.


2015 in Absolute Championship Berkut, ACB Grand Prix 2015 bracket, ACB Lightweight Grand Prix 2015 bracket
1Mickaël Lebout retired from the Grand Prix when he sign with the UFC, was replaced by Muhammed Lawal.


2015 in Absolute Championship Berkut, ACB Grand Prix 2015 bracket, ACB Lightweight Grand Prix 2015 bracket
2Shamkhan Danaev was injured and couldn't participate in the second round of the Grand Prix, and was subsequently replaced by Thiago Meller.


2015 in Absolute Championship Berkut, ACB Grand Prix 2015 bracket, ACB Welterweight Grand Prix 2015 bracket
1Andrey Koshkin withdrew from the tournament, was replaced by Sergei Martynov.


2015 in Absolute Championship Berkut, ACB 13: Poland vs. Russia
Absolute Championship Berkut 13: Poland vs. Russia was a mixed martial arts event held by Absolute Championship Berkut on January 31, 2015 at the Orlen Arena in Płock, Poland.


2015 in Absolute Championship Berkut, ACB 14: Grand Prix Berkut 2015 Stage 1
Absolute Championship Berkut 14: Grand Prix Berkut 2015 Stage 1 was a mixed martial arts event held by Absolute Championship Berkut on February 28, 2015 at the Arena Coliseum in Grozny, Russia.


2015 in Absolute Championship Berkut, ACB 15: Grand Prix Berkut 2015 Stage 2
Absolute Championship Berkut 15: Grand Prix Berkut 2015 Stage 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by Absolute Championship Berkut on March 21, 2015 at the Nalchik Sports Complex in Nalchik, Russia.


2015 in Absolute Championship Berkut, ACB 16: Grand Prix Berkut 2015 Stage 3
Absolute Championship Berkut 16: Grand Prix Berkut 2015 Stage 3 was a mixed martial arts event held by Absolute Championship Berkut on April 17, 2015 at the Friendship Arena in Moscow, Russia.


2015 in Absolute Championship Berkut, ACB KB 1: Grand Prix Quarter-Finals
Absolute Championship Berkut Kickboxing 1: Grand Prix Quarter-Finals was a Kickboxing event held by Absolute Championship Berkut on April 25, 2015 at the Arena Coliseum in Grozny, Russia.


2015 in Absolute Championship Berkut, ACB 17: Grand Prix Berkut 2015 Stage 4
Absolute Championship Berkut 17: Grand Prix Berkut 2015 Stage 4 was a mixed martial arts event held by Absolute Championship Berkut on May 2, 2015 at the Arena Coliseum in Grozny, Russia.