Ecuador Grants Asylum to Julian Assange

On August 16, significant events have shaped history across various fields. In 1954, the inaugural issue of *Sports Illustrated* was published, marking a pivotal moment in sports journalism. The day is also marked by the tragic death of Elvis Presley in 1977, who passed away from heart failure at his Memphis home at the age of 42, leaving a lasting legacy in the music industry. The aviation sector faced a devastating incident in 1987 when a Northwest Airlines jet crashed during takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, resulting in the deaths of 156 individuals. Remarkably, a 4-year-old girl named Celia Cichan emerged as the sole survivor of this catastrophic event. In more recent history, 2008 saw American swimmer Michael Phelps achieve an unprecedented feat by winning his eighth gold medal at the Beijing Summer Olympics, solidifying his status as one of the greatest Olympians. The following year, John Yettaw was allowed to leave Myanmar after being convicted for visiting political figure Aung San Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest. The day has also witnessed significant global events, including the 2012 granting of political asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange by Ecuador, and the 2020 report of Japan's GDP shrinking by 27.8%, the largest contraction on record. Additionally, in 2021, the U.S. government declared its first-ever water shortage in the Colorado River Basin, leading to mandatory consumption cuts in the Southwest.