Portal:Current events/December 2016

2016 January February March April May June July August September October November December

December 2016 is the twelfth and final month of the current leap year. The month, which began on a Thursday, will end on a Saturday after 31 days. It is the current month.

Portal:Current events

Current events of December 1, 2016 (2016-12-01) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks Ethnic violence in South Sudan (2011–present) A United Nations human rights commission in South Sudan claims a "steady process of ethnic cleansing is underway" in the war-torn nation. (Al Jazeera) Iraqi Civil War (2014–present) At least 15 children are killed by ISIS snipers in Mosul. (Iraqi News) In al-Bakr district, Mosul, an ISIS mortar shell kills at least three people and wounded another three. (Iraqi News) Four bombs kill two people and injured another seven in Sha'ab, a neighbourhood of Baghdad. (Iraqi News) Arts and culture Yoga, rumba and Nowruz are classified as 'treasures' by UNESCO. (BBC) Disasters and accidents LaMia Flight 2933 Bolivia's aviation authority suspends the operating license of LaMia. Investigation into the crash in Colombia, which killed 71 people, continues. (BBC) International relations Ukrainian crisis, Russian military intervention in Ukraine (2014–present) Ukraine starts a missile test near Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, while Russia puts its air-defense and naval forces in the region on high alert. (Reuters) Israeli–Palestinian conflict The Israeli Ministry of Transportation orders a bus company in Beersheba to remove Arabic-language advertisements on their buses following complaints from several Jewish residents. (Al Jazeera) Iran–United States relations The United States Senate votes 99-0 in favor of a ten-year extension of the Iran Sanctions Act, the measure will now be sent to President Barack Obama to sign into law. The act was due to expire on December 31, 2016, if not renewed. (Reuters) Law and crime Six members of one family, including three children, are found dead in Böheimkirchen, Austria. Police suspect a murder-suicide by one of the female relatives. (BBC News) Politics and elections Despite criticism by UN Special Envoy for Yemen, 42 cabinet members of the National Salvation Government in Yemen have taken oath and convened its first meeting. The new government, led by the former governor of Aden Abdel-Aziz bin Habtour, vowed to help UN efforts for peace and stability in the country.(UN News Center), (Al Manar tv), (SABA NET),(Muslim Times) Gambian presidential election, 2016 Elections are held in The Gambia. (Al-Jazeera) North Carolina gubernatorial election, 2016 Recounts begin in North Carolina. (CNN) 2016 United States presidential election recounts The Jill Stein-initiated recounts begin in Wisconsin. (Fortune) French presidential election, 2017 François Hollande, the President of France, announces that he will not run in next year's presidential election. This leaves the selection of a candidate for the French Socialist Party wide open. (The Guardian) Presidential transition of Donald Trump President-elect Donald Trump names retired United States Marine Corps general James Mattis as United States Secretary of Defense. (USA Today) Science and technology Roscosmos cargo spacecraft Progress MS-04 fails to dock with the International Space Station after experiencing a rocket failure. The spacecraft is believed to have mainly burnt up in the atmosphere. (Euronews) Current events of December 2, 2016 (2016-12-02) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks Kurdish–Turkish conflict (2015–present) A military operation leaves three Turkish soldiers dead and another three wounded in Hakkâri Province, Turkey. (Anadolu Agency) (Daily Sabah) (Reuters) Libyan Civil War (2014–present) At least eight are killed in clashes in Tripoli, Libya. (News 24), (The Daily Star) Military intervention against ISIL Denmark's government announces it will be withdrawing its seven F-16 fighter jets from military operations against ISIL in Iraq and Syria from mid-December. (Reuters) Business and economy Ministers of the European Union have given the EU president a mandate to lower charges that mobile phone services can impose on one another for keeping each others' customers connected as the customers "roam," that is, travel about Europe. (Reuters) United States President Barack Obama blocks China's Fujian Grand Chip Investment Fund's acquisition of the U.S. semiconductor business of German-based Aixtron because of national security concerns. The German Economy Ministry withdrew its approval in October. (Reuters) (Bloomberg) Disasters and accidents At least 18 people die and two more are injured in a bus accident in Hubei, China. (Xinhua News Agency) 2016 Southeastern United States wildfires The death toll from the wildfire that hit the U.S. town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, rises to 13. (AP) The bodies of 21 coal miners are retrieved from an unlicensed coal mine in the Chinese city of Qitaihe in the province of Heilongjiang. Four people have been arrested including the owner of the mine and three managers. (AP via Daily Mail) 2016 Oakland warehouse fire At least nine people are killed and 40 are missing in a warehouse fire in Oakland, California. (BBC), (AP) International relations Taiwan–United States relations United States President-elect Donald Trump holds a telephone conversation with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, the first known contact between a U.S. president or president-elect with a Taiwanese leader since the United States recognized the People's Republic of China in 1979. (The Washington Post) (The New York Times) (CNN) Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi blames Taiwan for making the call. (Reuters) Mercosur suspends Venezuela from the South American trading bloc for failing to meet membership requirements on trade and human rights. (BBC) Law and crime A shooting in Palilula, Dolj County, Romania, leaves at least three people dead, including the gunman, with two more injured. (Digi 24) (Realitatea.net) The Russian Central Bank says hackers, who were attempting to steal about 5 billion rubles, did take more than 2 billion ($31 million) this year from member bank accounts. (Reuters) (CNN) Politics and elections Approximately 200,000 Muslims protest in the Indonesian capital Jakarta against the Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama for alleged blasphemy. This is the second mass protest in a month against the minority Christian governor. (AP via Washington Post) Indonesian president Joko Widodo attends the main event of the rally, Friday mass prayer, easing the tension of protesters. (The Jakarta Post) Gambian presidential election, 2016 Opposition candidate Adama Barrow defeats Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, bringing an end to Jammeh's 22-year-rule in the West African nation. (The Telegraph) Science The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry announces official names for recently-discovered superheavy elements Nihonium (113), Moscovium (115), Tennessine (117), and Oganesson (118). (BGR), (Live Science) Sports In motor sport, current Formula One world champion Nico Rosberg announces his retirement. (MSN) 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season (American football): In the Pac-12 Conference, the Washington Huskies defeat the Colorado Buffaloes 41–10 to win the Pac-12 Football Championship Game. It is the first Pac-12 football title for the Huskies since the conference expanded to 12 schools in 2011. (Seattle Times) In the Mid-American Conference, the Western Michigan Broncos defeat the Ohio Bobcats 29–23, remaining unbeaten entering the bowl season and claiming the program's first MAC title since 1988. (AP via ESPN) Current events of December 3, 2016 (2016-12-03) (Saturday) Armed conflicts and attacks Somali Civil War (2009-present) Seven insurgents are killed in clashes northern Somalia. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents An Indonesian police plane, reportedly carrying 13 people, goes missing near Singapore on route to Batam. (AP via Fox News) (Koran Tempo) At least 17 are killed in a coal mine explosion in China. (Fox News) 2016 Oakland warehouse fire Recovery efforts continue in the US city of Oakland, California, after a fire at a music party in a converted warehouse kills at least nine people with dozens missing. (NBC News) (East Bay Times) At least three first responders are injured battling a 10-alarm fire that's spread to seven buildings in Cambridge, Massachusetts (US). (CBS News) A house fire in Akron, Ohio (US), kills four people, including two young girls. One woman safely fled her attic bedroom. A seriously injured 12-year old girl is revived and rescued. (AP) (Akron Beacon Journal) International relations Rohingya insurgency in Western Myanmar The Government of Malaysia claims that violence against Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya minority is "ethnic cleansing" ahead of a march in Kuala Lumpur led by Prime Minister Najib Razak. (Reuters via Trust) China–United States relations The People's Republic of China lodges a complaint with the United States after President-elect of the United States Donald Trump speaks with President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen. The PRC and the United States view Taiwan as a breakaway province. (BBC) Law and crime 2012 Pakistan garment factory fires A man believed responsible for starting a devastating factory fire in Karachi has been arrested in Bangkok. (AFP via France 24) Murder of Maria Ladenburger German police arrested a 17-year-old asylum seeker from Afghanistan in the rape and murder case of Maria L. in Freiburg while a similar case nearby is still under investigation. (Der Spiegel) (Die Welt) Politics and elections 2016 United States presidential election recounts Jill Stein, the 2016 presidential candidate for the Green Party, withdraws her lawsuit in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania for a statewide recount of votes in Pennsylvania due to the cost. (NPR) Dakota Access Pipeline protests Groups of U.S. military veterans join the protest as human shields against possible clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement when the United States Army Corps of Engineers' eviction deadline expires on Monday. They are building barracks for shelter in North Dakota's winter weather. (Reuters) (NBC News) Sports 2016 International V8 Supercars Championship In motor sport, Shane Van Gisbergen of Triple Eight Race Engineering wins his first V8 Supercars Championship. Van Gisbergen is the first New Zealand driver to win a supercars title since Jim Richards. (AAP via Yahoo!) American college football 2016 SEC Championship Game Alabama defeats Florida, 54-16, to win their seventh Southeastern Conference championship game. (CBS) 2016 Big Ten Football Championship Game Penn State defeats Wisconsin, 38-31, to win the Big Ten Conference. (SB Nation) 2016 ACC Championship Game Clemson defeats Virginia Tech, 42-35, to win the Atlantic Coast Conference title. (Bleacher Report) Current events of December 4, 2016 (2016-12-04) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks Insurgency in the North Caucasus The Russian Federal Security Service claims to have killed Rustam Asildarov, the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's Caucasus Province and four other militants in the Dagestan region. (AFP via Yahoo! News Australia), (RFERL), (CNN) Syrian Civil War At least 21 people are killed in suspected Russian airstrikes on Idlib, Syria. (RFERL), (The Times of Israel) Disasters and accidents Human remains are found in the sea near where an Indonesian police plane carrying 13 people crashed. The plane was traveling to the island of Batam. (AP via Daily Mail) Floods caused by heavy rain over the past week has caused at least 13 deaths in central Vietnam with more heavy rain forecast. (Reuters via Jerusalem Post), (Reuters) 2016 Oakland warehouse fire The confirmed death toll in Friday night's warehouse fire in Oakland, California rises to 33 with several people still missing. (NBC News) (ABC News) 2016 Great Smoky Mountains wildfires The death toll in the town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee rises to 14. (The Tennessean) Pollution in China Sixty cities in the People's Republic of China issued smog alerts between December 2 and 4. (CCTV via Twitter) At least 12 people, including 10 children, are killed in a bus crash in Siberia, Russia. (RFERL) Law and crime Imatra shooting Three women, the Imatra Town Council chairwoman and two local reporters, are shot dead outside a restaurant in Imatra, Finland, a town east of the capital, Helsinki. A 23-year-old suspect is apprehended by police. (YLE) (AP) Politics and elections Uzbekistani presidential election, 2016 Voters in Uzbekistan go to the polls for a presidential election, the first since the death of Islam Karimov who governed the country for 25 years. (AP via Daily Press) Austrian presidential election, 2016 Voters in Austria go to the polls to elect a new President in a second round run-off between Green candidate Alexander Van der Bellen and Freedom Party of Austria candidate Norbert Hofer. Projections show that Van der Bellen has won with Hofer conceding defeat. (Reuters) (AFP via Yahoo! News) Italian constitutional referendum, 2016 Italians go to the polls to for a referendum on whether to approve a constitutional law that amends the Constitution of Italy to reform the powers of the Italian Parliament. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who introduced the referendum bill, resigns after exit polls show that the no case is likely to be successful. (Reuters), (Reuters via ABC News Australia), (BBC) Thousands of Indonesians protest in Jakarta for tolerance after a large protest rally against blasphemy on Friday. (AP via WTOP) Rohingya protests Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak leads a protest rally against the persecution of Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya minority in the predominately Buddhist country, and calls on Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and the United Nations to address the Rohingya's plight and end the violence. Myanmar's president's office said the rally is timed for Malaysian political purposes, and that Malaysia should respect the Association of Southeast Asian Nations's principle on sovereignty. (AP) (Asian Correspondent) (The Myanmar Times) Death and state funeral of Fidel Castro The remains of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro are interred beside independence leader José Martí. (Reuters via Jerusalem Post) Philippines Vice President Leni Robredo resigns her Cabinet post as housing secretary due to major differences in principles and values. Robredo says she is staying on in her elected position as vice president. (AP) Dakota Access Pipeline protests The United States Army Corps of Engineers denies a permit for Energy Transfer Partners planned Dakota Access Pipeline running through North Dakota and will begin exploring alternative routes for the pipeline following weeks of protests. (Reuters) Current events of December 5, 2016 (2016-12-05) (Monday) Armed conflicts and attacks At least 31 are killed in clashes in Kasai, DR Congo. (Reuters) Two Russian army medics are killed after around a dozen shells hit a mobile hospital in Aleppo. (Russia Today) (France24) Mexican war on drugs Police report 14 suspected criminals, who attacked a police patrol, are killed in a gunbattle with police and Mexican Marines in Veracruz, Mexico. An unknown number fled. (Reuters) (AP via The Washington Post) Business and economy Alaska Airlines cancels 20 flights into and out of Seattle due to inclement weather forecast in the Pacific Northwest area. (US Daily Mail) Disasters and accidents At least 12 people are killed and 75 others injured as a fire erupts in Karachi's Regent Plaza Hotel. (The Express Tribune Pakistan), (Dawn News) 2016 Oakland warehouse fire Authorities report the death toll has risen to 36. Alameda County Sheriff Gregory Ahern told the Associated Press they don't believe additional bodies will be found in the debris. (San Francisco Chronicle) (AP via Arizona Daily Star) Politics and elections The chief minister of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalithaa, dies of cardiac arrest after being hospitalized since 22 September 2016. (The Indian Express) John Key resigns as the Prime Minister of New Zealand and leader of the National Party after 8 years as PM and 10 years as party leader due to personal reasons. (AAP via SBS) Impeachment process against President Park Geun-hye The South Korean National Assembly begins hearings ahead of an impeachment vote against President Park Geun-Hye. (AFP via Daily Mail) 2016 United States presidential election recounts A federal judge in Michigan, Mark A. Goldsmith, rules that a recount in the Presidential Election vote in that state must begin on Monday, December 5. (The San Diego Union-Tribune) Presidential transition of Donald Trump President-elect Donald Trump nominates Ben Carson for United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. (The Guardian) Italian constitutional referendum, 2016 Following the result of the constitutional referendum, Matteo Renzi will resign from his office as Prime Minister of Italy. With most ballots counted, the "No" vote leads with 60%. (BBC News) French presidential election, 2017 Manuel Valls, the Prime Minister of France, announces his candidacy for the Socialist Party nomination. He will step down as PM on Tuesday. (AFP via Channel News Asia) Science and technology Tests, by a team of international archaeologists, of mummified legs found in QV66 in Egypt's Valley of the Queens indicate they most likely belong to Queen Nefertari, Pharaoh Ramesses II's first and favorite wife. (Phys.org) (NPR) (PLOS ONE) Sports In association football, CONMEBOL officially awards Chapecoense the 2016 Copa Sudamericana title in the wake of the plane crash that killed almost the entire team. Atlético Nacional, which would have faced Chapecoense in the final and had campaigned for the Brazilians to be awarded the title, receives a fair play award from CONMEBOL. (ESPN FC) Current events of December 6, 2016 (2016-12-06) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Six Pakistani nationals fishing in the Red Sea, off the coast of Mocha in the Taiz Governorate of Yemen, are killed and another six are unaccounted for after a Saudi air raid on a boat carrying 12 Pakistani sailors. (The News), (The Nation, Pakistan) Battle of Mosul The Iraqi Army bears down on a strategic bridge across the Tigris River in Mosul. Fighting is occurring in the Salam neighbourhood less than 1.5 kilometres from the Tigris. (Al-Jazeera) Business and economy After a meeting with President-elect of the United States Donald Trump, Masayoshi Son of SoftBank Group pledges to invest $50 billion in the United States and create 50,000 jobs. (The New York Times) Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Airlines serving the regional hub cancel 87 flights into and out of Sea-Tac airport, due to ice on airport runways. Among the affected air carriers, Alaska Airlines has cancelled 35 flights. (KTUU-TV) Alaska Airlines The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) issues final approval for Alaska Airlines to acquire Virgin America, in a US$2.6 billion dollar merger. In exchange for approval, the DOJ requires Alaska Airlines to reduce its partnership with American Airlines. (The Wall Street Journal) Disasters and accidents Heavy flooding kills 14 people in Thailand and badly affects the islands of Samui and Pha Ngan in the Gulf of Thailand. It has also severed the rail link to southern Thailand and Malaysia. (Reuters) A meteorite lands near Sayanogorsk, the Republic of Khakassia, Russia at 18:37 UTC+3. No one was hurt. (Russia Today) Law and crime Amnesty International criticizes a Saudi court decision to impose the death sentence on 15 people in a case involving 32 people including 30 Saudis, one Iranian and one Afghan national in an alleged Iranian spy cell. (The New York Times), (Amnesty) The U.S. Supreme Court upholds an appeals court decision in an insider trading case, Salman v. U.S., holding that there is no requirement that a tipper receive any pecuniary consideration for a breach of faith in order to predicate the prosecution of the tippee. (Scotusblog) Politics and elections Bernard Cazeneuve is announced as the new Prime Minister of France replacing Manuel Valls who is contesting the 2017 French Presidential Election. (Reuters) Sports 2015 FIFA corruption case The Court of Arbitration for Sport upholds former FIFA president Sepp Blatter's six-year ban from FIFA affairs. (AP via MSN) Current events of December 7, 2016 (2016-12-07) (Wednesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian Civil War Battle of Aleppo (2012–present), Aleppo offensive (November–December 2016) Syrian rebels withdraw from the old city of Aleppo. (BBC) Turkish military intervention in Syria Turkish Air Force jets strike 12 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant targets in Al-Bab District, killing at least 23 militants. (Reuters) Arts and culture President-elect of the United States Donald Trump is named Time Person of the Year. (Time) Business and economy Carrier Air Conditioner move to Mexico Union leader Chuck Jones criticizes Donald Trump's announcement of kept jobs saying that the numbers mentioned are lower. Jones says that 550 workers would actually lose their livelihoods, while other workers were never scheduled to leave. (Washington Post via MSN) U.S. stocks closed higher Wednesday with the Dow industrials and S&P 500 notching new records. (Market Watch) Disasters and accidents 2016 Aceh earthquake At least 96 people are killed following a 6.4 magnitude earthquake in Indonesia's Aceh region. Hundreds of people are injured and several buildings have collapsed. (BBC), (AP), (USA Today) Pakistan International Airlines Flight 661 A Pakistan International Airlines aircraft carrying at least 48 people, including former singer Junaid Jamshed, crashes shortly after taking off from Chitral, Pakistan. (BBC), (Reuters) Law and crime 2016 Great Smoky Mountains wildfires Two juveniles are charged with aggravated arson in relation to the wildfires that claimed 14 lives in the US town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. (CNN) Politics and elections Ghanaian general election, 2016 Voters go to the polls in Ghana for the country's presidential elections. It is expected to be a close race between incumbent president John Dramani Mahama of the ruling National Democratic Congress party and his rival Nana Akufo-Addo and his New Patriotic Party. (Al-Jazeera) Philippine Drug War Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte accuses the opposition Liberal Party of trying to oust him and install the current vice president Leni Robredo to the presidency. (Rappler) Presidential transition of Donald Trump John F. Kelly is selected as Secretary of Homeland Security. (The Washington Post) Linda McMahon is selected as Administrator of the Small Business Administration Scott Pruitt is selected as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency United States presidential election, 2016 Mark A. Goldsmith, a United States district judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan ends a recount for the state of Michigan after a state court found that Green Party of the United States candidate Jill Stein had no standing to seek a recount. (AP via Yahoo! News) Science and technology India has launched its Resourcesat-2A imaging satellite via its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket. (NASASPACEFLIGHT) Current events of December 8, 2016 (2016-12-08) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks War in Donbass As of December 1, the total death toll for the war stands at an estimated 9,758 people according to a United Nations report released today. (United Nations) Disasters and accidents 2016 Aceh earthquake International aid organisations arrive in the Indonesian province of Aceh as the death toll for the earthquake passes 100. (AP) Law and crime Philippine Drug War A panel formed by the Senate of the Philippines concludes that operations under Oplan Tokhang by the Philippine National Police is unconstitutional. (Rappler) Politics and elections New Zealand National Party leadership election, 2016 Australian Associated Press reports that Bill English has secured the support of a majority of members of the New Zealand National Party to succeed John Key as the Prime Minister of New Zealand. (AAP via Sky News Australia) Impeachment process against Park Geun-hye A bill is introduced into the South Korean National Assembly to impeach President Park Geun-hye. A vote is expected tomorrow. (Reuters) Presidential transition of Donald Trump Carl's Jr./Hardee's executive and minimum wage reform critic Andrew Puzder is selected as United States Secretary of Labor. (The New York Times) Science and technology American astronaut John Glenn dies at the age of 95. (Space) Current events of December 9, 2016 (2016-12-09) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian Civil War Battle of Aleppo, Aleppo offensive (November–December 2016) Russia and the United States will continue talks on Aleppo after talks between the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. (AlJazeera) Six policemen are killed in a bomb explosion at a checkpoint in Cairo, Egypt. The Hasm Movement claims responsibility for the attack. (The Independent) (Reuters) Boko Haram insurgency Madagali suicide bombings At least 56 are killed and 70 wounded in a twin suicide attack in northeastern Nigeria. (NAIJ), (BBC), (The New York Times), (Newsweek), (FOX News) Arts and culture American film actor and producer Kirk Douglas, one of the last living movie stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood, celebrates his 100th birthday. (CBS News) Business and economy Iranian government approved a bill to switch country's currency from rial to the more commonly used toman. The bill must be approved by the parliament. (PressTV) (Euronews) Japan ratifies the Trans-Pacific Partnership. (ABC News) Disasters and accidents A 7.8 magnitude earthquake strikes off the coast of Makira in the Solomon Islands, causing infrastructure damage, yet no casualties have been reported in the hours following the quake. (ABC News) International relations The European Union grants visa-free travel for Georgia and Ukraine. (Reuters) Law and crime Sam Rainsy, the Cambodian opposition leader, is tried yet again in absentia. (Fox News) Dutch populist politician Geert Wilders is convicted for hate speech. (The Guardian) Politics and elections Impeachment process against Park Geun-hye South Korean lawmakers impeach President Park Geun-hye by a 234–56 vote. Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, a staunch defender of Ms. Park, will serve as acting president. South Korea's Constitutional Court has up to 180 days to render a final decision. (The New York Times) (New York Daily News) Ghanaian general election, 2016 Opposition leader Nana Akufo-Addo wins the presidency. (Al-Jazeera) Pro-Beijing Hong Kong leader CY Leung says he will quit after his term ends. (BBC) Presidential transition of Donald Trump Donald Trump requests Gary Cohn, chief operating officer of investment bank Goldman Sachs, to join his administration as chair of the White House National Economic Council. (Reuters) Cathy McMorris Rogers is selected as United States Secretary of Interior. (USA Today) Gambian presidential election, 2016 The President of Gambia Yahya Jammeh states he will not accept the result of the recent defeat a week after conceding defeat to Adama Barrow. (AP via Daily Mail) United States presidential election, 2016 The CIA has concluded that Russia actively tried to help Donald Trump win the 2016 U.S. presidential election. (Washington Post) Science and technology University of Washington researchers report, in the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Medical Association Oncology, the discovery of an odontoma — a benign tumor — in the fossil of a 255-million-year old Tanzanian mammal-like saber-toothed gorgonopsia. This is one of the oldest-known tumors ever found. (Reuters) (UPI) (JAMA) JAXA launches the unmanned cargo spacecraft Kounotori 6, also known as HTV-6, from the Tanegashima Space Center to resupply the International Space Station. (Space.com) Sports Doping in Russia Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren issues a report claiming that 1,000 Russian athletes have been involved in or the beneficiaries of "manipulations to conceal Positive testing". Germany and the United States have called for Russia to be banned from international competition. (Yahoo! News) Current events of December 10, 2016 (2016-12-10) (Saturday) Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian Civil War Palmyra offensive (December 2016) The SOHR and Amaq announce that ISIL has captured an oil field north-west of Palmyra. (De Standaard) (VOA) American-led intervention in Syria, Northern Raqqa offensive (November–December 2016) The United States announces that it will deploy an additional 200 troops to help force the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant from Al-Raqqah. (Reuters), (BBC), (ABC News) Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) December 2016 Aden suicide bombing A suicide bomber kills at least 50 soldiers and injures 70 more at a military barracks in Aden, Yemen. (BBC) (Reuters) December 2016 Istanbul bombings Two bombs, one detonated by a suicide bomber, near the Vodafone Arena in Istanbul, Turkey, kill at least 29 people and injure more than 150 others. Ten people have been arrested in relation to the bombings. (BBC) (Reuters) (AP) Kurdish–Turkish conflict (2015–present) Turkish fighter jets kill 19 suspected Kurdish militants in strikes on the Gara region in northern Iraq. (Reuters via Daily Mail) Arts and culture 2016 Nobel Peace Prize Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos receives his award in Oslo, Norway. (Al-Jazeera) Disasters and accidents 2016 Aceh earthquake At least 43,000 have been displaced by Wednesday's earthquake in the Indonesian province of Aceh. (Daily Telegraph) Hitrino train derailment At least seven people have been killed and 25 others are injured after an explosion caused by the derailment of a train carrying propane and butane in the Bulgarian village of Hitrino, near Shumen. (BBC News) (Independent Ireland) (Reuters) (The New York Times) Uyo church collapse At least 60 are killed in a collapse of a church in Uyo, Nigeria. (FOX News) (BBC) International relations China opposes any new sanctions against North Korea during a meeting in the United Nations Security Council. (The New York Times) Politics and elections Aftermath of the Gambian presidential election, 2016 Gambian security forces are deployed on the streets of the capital Banjul, following President Yahya Jammeh's rejection of last week's presidential election result. (The Guardian) Human Rights Day In the Philippines, demonstrators call for President Rodrigo Duterte to address extrajudicial killings linked to the Philippine Drug War, ongoing military operations against communist rebels, and the controversial burial of Ferdinand Marcos in the Heroes' Cemetery. An effigy of Marcos was made as a centerpiece of the protest. (Rappler) United States Senate election in Louisiana, 2016 John N. Kennedy of the Republican Party defeats Foster Campbell of the Democratic Party to become the junior Senator for Louisiana. (Washington Post) Sport 2016 Major League Soccer season In association football, Toronto FC play Seattle Sounders FC in the MLS Cup final held at Toronto's BMO Field. The Sounders win 5–4 in a penalty shootout after the game ended scoreless after extra time. It is the Sounders' first MLS title. (CTV), (MLS) 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season (American football) Lamar Jackson of the Louisville Cardinals wins the Heisman Trophy. At 19, Jackson is the youngest ever winner of the Trophy. (CNN) (New York Post) In the Army–Navy Game in Baltimore, the Army Black Knights beat the Navy Midshipmen 21–17. This marks Army's first win in the rivalry since 2001, ending the longest winning streak for either side in the rivalry's 126-year history. (AP via ESPN) Current events of December 11, 2016 (2016-12-11) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks Iraqi Civil War (2014–present) Two car bombings kill at least eight people in Fallujah. (Reuters) War in Somalia (2009–present) December 2016 Mogadishu suicide bombing A suicide bomber kills at least 29 people and injures 50 others in an attack on a police station near Mogadishu's port. (AP) December 2016 Istanbul bombings The death toll from yesterday's bombings rises to 38 with 155 injured. Thirteen people have been arrested in connection with the bombings. (AP) The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) claim responsibility for the bombings. (Deutsche Welle) Botroseya Church bombing A bombing in Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo kills at least 25 people and injures at least 49 others. (AP via Daily Mail), (Reuters via ABC) Moro conflict Three Filipino soldiers are killed and 17 others injured in fighting with Abu Sayyaf militants in the province of Sulu, Philippines. (FOX News) Syrian Civil War Palmyra offensive (December 2016) ISIL recaptures the Syrian city of Palmyra despite heavy Russian airstrikes, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Palmyra Coordination Committee (PCC). (The Independent) At least three people are killed in two suicide bombing attacks in Maiduguri, Nigeria. (Reuters) Arts and culture Patti Smith performs in place of Bob Dylan in the Nobel Prize for Literature ceremony. (The Guardian) Business and economy Non-Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries agree to cut oil output which will help increase the price of petroleum products in the world market. (BBC) Iran Air finalises a deal with U.S. aircraft manufacturer Boeing to purchase 80 jetliners for $16.6 billion. (AP via ABC News America) Disasters and accidents 2016 Naivasha oil tanker explosion An oil tanker explodes on a main highway near Naivasha, Kenya, killing at least 42 people, according to the Kenya National Disaster Operation Centre. (BBC) (Reuters) Uyo church collapse The death toll from yesterday's church collapse in Uyo, Nigeria, rises to 160 with the death toll expected to rise further. (AP/Reuters via ABC News Australia) International relations United States presidential election, 2016 Republican campaign manager Kellyanne Conway dismisses allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, calling the claims "laughable and ridiculous". (The Washington Post) Politics and elections Kyrgyzstani constitutional referendum, 2016 Kyrgyzstani voters vote for a new constitution. (ABC News Go) Macedonian parliamentary election, 2016 Macedonian voters elect a new parliament. (Reuters) Romanian legislative election, 2016 Romanians head to the polls in the country's parliamentary elections. Exit polls show the Social Democratic Party winning by a wide margin. (The Washington Post), (Reuters via Daily Mail) Italian constitutional referendum, 2016 Paolo Gentiloni becomes the new Prime Minister of Italy. (BBC) Gambian presidential election, 2016 Defeated dictator Yahya Jammeh vows to contest the election results in The Gambian supreme court. (ITV News) Science and technology Mexico's Coronado Islands become a national reserve. (Los Angeles Times) Sport 2020 Summer Olympics Tokyo breaks ground for the National Olympic Stadium on the site of the stadium used for the 1964 Olympic Games. (AP via ABC News America) Current events of December 12, 2016 (2016-12-12) (Monday) Armed conflicts and attacks December 2016 Istanbul bombings The death toll from the bombings in Beşiktaş, Istanbul, rises to at least 44, according to Health Minister Recep Akdağ. (Anadolu Agency) At least 118 HDP officials and supporters are arrested in anti-terrorism raids. HDP rejects any link with either the PKK or Kurdistan Freedom Falcons. (Reuters), (FOX News) Syrian Civil War The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights declares that "the battle for Aleppo has reached its end" with a major victory for the Syrian government. (Euronews) Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says he is hoping he is wrong stating that the United States "orchestrated, coordinated" the Islamic State's recent capture of Palmyra in order to "give a break to those bandits that are in eastern Aleppo." (Reuters) The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that suspected Syrian government or Russian warplanes conduct a series of air raids on Oqayrabat and other nearby villages in the Hama Governorate at dawn, killing at least 34 civilians, including 11 children. (Hindustan Times) (Times of Israel) Ban Ki-Moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, warns that "atrocities" have occurred in recent hours in the battle for Aleppo. (BBC), (BBC) Russian airstrikes against ISIS in Palmyra kill 5 people. (Middle East Monitor) Arts and culture 74th Golden Globe Awards La La Land leads nominations. (Entertainment Weekly ) Business and economy Venezuela swaps its bolivar notes with coins in order to curb hyperinflation. (BBC) National Amusements announces CBS Corporation and Viacom media companies will not be merging. CBS shares rose 1.8 percent closing in on a nearly 2-1/2 year high while Viacom fell 6.9 percent. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents 2016 North Indian Ocean cyclone season Tropical Cyclone Vardah is expected to make landfall in southern India today bringing heavy rain to the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu as well as Andhra Pradesh. At least four people have been killed and tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from low lying areas. (CNN), (Reuters via ABC News Australia) International relations One-China policy, China–United States relations President-elect Donald Trump says he sees no reason why the U.S. should continue to abide by the One China policy unless a bargain is reached with Beijing involving trade. (The Guardian) A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman says these comments raise the possibility that U.S.-China relations could be adversely affected, and that the One-China policy is the political foundation of the ties between the two countries. (CBS News) (NPR) China–Mexico relations Representatives from China and Mexico pledge to deepen ties between their countries as a reaction to Donald Trump's positions on trade. (Reuters) Cuba–European Union relations Cuba and the European Union sign an accord in Brussels to normalize relations, formally ending the Common Position which was adopted by the Council of the European Union in 1996. (AFP via Yahoo!) Kenya threatens to leave the International Criminal Court. (Voice of America) Former Prime Minister of Portugal António Guterres is sworn in as the new United Nations Secretary General. (Reuters) Law and crime Pakistan appoints Lt. Gen. Naveed Mukhtar as the new head of the Inter-Services Intelligence. (The Seattle Times) Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, goes on trial in France for alleged negligence as Finance Minister resulting in the loss of hundreds of millions of euros. (New York Times) (Al Jazeera) Aaron Schock, a former U.S. representative from Illinois's 18th congressional district, pleads not guilty on 24 charges including Mail fraud and tax evasion. (Reuters). Politics and elections 2016 United States presidential election recounts Jill Stein's bid to force a recount of the presidential election results in the state of Pennsylvania is rejected by a federal judge. (USA Today) The completed recount in Wisconsin verifies Donald Trump as the winner of the state's ten electors. (MSN) New Zealand National Party leadership election, 2016 Bill English is elected as the leader of the New Zealand National Party and is now the country's Prime Minister. Paula Bennett is elected as English's deputy. (Sydney Morning Herald) Gambian presidential election, 2016 The president of Senegal urges The Gambia's fallen dictator Yahya Jammeh to respect the result of the polls. (Fox News) Romanian legislative election, 2016 Being forced into opposition a year earlier, by the resignation of Prime Minister Victor Ponta amid the Colectiv nightclub fire tragedy, the Social Democratic Party returns to government following a landslide victory in last Sunday's parliamentary elections. (The New York Times) Current events of December 13, 2016 (2016-12-13) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Botroseya Church bombing The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claims responsibility for the Egyptian Coptic Church bombing in Cairo that claimed 25 lives on 11 December. (IBT) Syrian Civil War Battle of Aleppo, Aleppo offensive (November–December 2016) The warring parties reach agreement on a ceasefire, now that the fighting has ended, to allow civilians and the remaining rebel fighters trapped in the besieged Syrian city to evacuate. Five buses will start moving to pick up passengers at 5:00 a.m. EET Wednesday (03:00 UTC). (NBC News) (Reuters) Business and economy Google and Cuba forge a deal about better access to the Internet for the island. (The Guardian) International relations Saudi Arabia–United States relations, Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) The United States is to limit military support to Saudi Arabia's military intervention in Yemen amid concerns over rising civilian casualties. (Reuters) (Huffington Post) Law and crime November 2016 Jakarta protests Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) pleads not guilty to charges of blaspheming Islam during a September 27 campaign speech. Ahok is an ethnic Chinese Christian. (Reuters) (Time) Politics and elections Muhammad V becomes the new monarch of Malaysia. (Malaysian Outlook) Presidential transition of Donald Trump President-elect Donald Trump formally announces ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson as his choice for United States Secretary of State. (BBC) President-elect Trump announces former Governor of Texas Rick Perry is his choice to be Secretary of Energy. (Chicago Tribune) President-elect Trump announces Representative Ryan Zinke of Montana is his choice to be United States Secretary of the Interior. (Fox News) Aftermath of the Gambian presidential election, 2016 Gambian security forces take over the headquarters of the electoral commission as the current president, Yahya Jammeh, refuses to accept the recent election results. (BBC), (The New York Times) The president of ECOWAS, Marcel de Souza, says the West African bloc could send troops into The Gambia if Yahya Jammeh refuses to step down from power. (BBC) Science and technology The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirms a 19-meter wave (62.4 feet) recorded on 4 February 2013 in the Atlantic Ocean between Iceland and the United Kingdom is the largest ever on record. (WMO) (The Guardian) Current events of December 14, 2016 (2016-12-14) (Wednesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Aleppo offensive (November–December 2016) Shelling disrupts the ceasefire in Aleppo causing disruption to the evacuation of civilians. (CNN) (The Star via Reuters) (The Phillipines) Fighting resumes in Aleppo after the ceasefire collapses. (BBC) Military intervention against ISIL An airstrike in Al-Raqqa kills 4 ISIS leaders, two of which were confirmed to have roles in the November 2015 Paris Attacks. (USA via MSN) Business and economy Merger talks between two giant Denmark headquartered oil and gas corporations have reached an impasse over valuation, it is thought DONG Energy may look to other suitors than Maersk. (Reuters) The Federal Reserve System raises the benchmark interest rate in the United States to a level between 0.5 and 0.75%. This is the second time in a decade that the Federal Reserve has increased interest rates. (New York Times) Law and crime Yahoo! data breach Yahoo! announces that ID information about more than 1 billion accounts may have been hacked in August 2013. This is in addition to the company's earlier disclosure of a data breach of 500,000 accounts in 2014. (The New York Times) (Business Insider) The Committee to Protect Journalists reports a record 259 journalists, 81 in Turkey, are jailed worldwide as of December 1. (CNN) (The New York Times) Politics and elections Philippine Drug War The Philippines cabinet of Rodrigo Duterte, through former journalist Martin Andanar, criticizes the Western media's coverage of the Philippine Drug War, particularly that of The New York Times, and orders them to cover the purge more effectively. (The New York Times) President Rodrigo Duterte admits in a speech to a group of businessmen that he "personally" killed suspected criminals when he served as Davao City's mayor. (INQUIRER.net) (The Guardian) (NBC News) Current events of December 15, 2016 (2016-12-15) (Thursday) Current events of December 16, 2016 (2016-12-16) (Friday)

<< December 2016 >> S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 (transcluded from the Current events portal) About this page • Suggest a headline News about Wikipedia  Ongoing events Business Indian currency demonetisation Trans-Pacific Partnership Disasters Oklahoma earthquake swarms UK and Ireland windstorm season Law Black Lives Matter protests Dakota Access Pipeline protests Philippine Drug War Timor Gap PCA hearings Political Brexit aftermath Ethiopian protests European migrant crisis (timeline) Presidential transition of Donald Trump South China Sea disputes More details on ongoing conflicts below Sport 2016–17 NBA season 2016–17 NHL season 2016 NFL season 2016–17 Premier League 2016-17 La Liga  Recent deaths December 13: Thomas Schelling 13: Alan Thicke 12: E. R. Braithwaite 12: Shirley Hazzard 12: Javier Echevarría Rodríguez 12: Walter Swinburn 10: Ken Hechler 10: Bill Dineen 10: A. A. Gill 8: John Glenn 8: Joseph Mascolo 8: Peter van Straaten 7: Warren Allmand 7: Paul Elvstrøm 7: Junaid Jamshed 7: Greg Lake 6: Rashaan Salaam 6: Peter Vaughan 5: Jayalalithaa 3: Rémy Pflimlin 2: Sammy Lee 1: Don Calfa 1: Joe McKnight November 29: Luis Alberto Monge 29: Ray Columbus 28: Mark Taimanov 28: Van Williams 25: Margaret Rhodes 25: Ron Glass 25: Trevor Goddard 25: Fidel Castro 25: Thomas Taylor 24: Dave Ferriss 24: Florence Henderson  Ongoing conflicts Africa Algeria and Tunisia Maghreb insurgency ISIL insurgency in Tunisia Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria Boko Haram insurgency Central African Republic Civil war Democratic Republic of the Congo Kivu conflict ADF insurgency Ituri conflict Lord's Resistance Army insurgency Libya Civil war Mali Northern Mali conflict Somalia Civil war South Sudan Ethnic violence (South Sudanese Civil War) Sudan War in Darfur South Kordofan conflict Sudanese nomadic conflicts Americas Mexico Mexican War on Drugs Peru Internal conflict in Peru Asia Afghanistan Afghanistan War China Xinjiang conflict India Naxalite–Maoist insurgency Insurgency in Northeast India India and Pakistan Kashmir conflict Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines Moro conflict Cross border attacks in Sabah Indonesia and Papua New Guinea Papua conflict Myanmar Internal conflict in Myanmar Pakistan War in North-West Pakistan Balochistan conflict Philippines CPP-NPA-NDF rebellion Thailand South Thailand insurgency Europe Armenia and Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Georgia Abkhaz–Georgian conflict Georgian–Ossetian conflict Russia Chechen–Russian conflict North Caucasus insurgency Ukraine War in Donbass Russian military intervention in Ukraine Middle East Egypt Sinai insurgency Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria Arab–Israeli conflict Iran Iran–PJAK conflict Iraq American-led intervention in Iraq Iranian intervention in Iraq Iraq and Syria (map) Military intervention against ISIL Israel and Lebanon Israeli–Lebanese conflict Israel and Palestine Gaza–Israel conflict Israeli–Palestinian conflict Syria American-led intervention in Syria Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War Turkish military intervention in Syria Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon Turkey Turkey–PKK conflict Turkey–ISIL conflict Yemen Yemeni Civil War Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen Al-Qaeda insurgency  Elections and Referendums Recent November 24: Grenada, Referendum 26: Kuwait, National Assembly 27: Switzerland, Referendum December 1: Gambia, President 4: Austria, President (2nd round) 4: Italy, Constitutional referendum 4: Uzbekistan, President 7: Ghana, President, Parliament 11: Kyrgyzstan, Referendum 11: Macedonia, Assembly of the Republic 11: Romania, Chamber of Deputies, Senate Upcoming December 15: Turks and Caicos, House of Assembly 18: Côte d'Ivoire, National Assembly  Trials Recently concluded Australia: Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara China: Wan Qingliang, Ling Jihua, Zhoi Bin, Guo Boxiong Iran: Babak Zanjani Netherlands: Geert Wilders Philippines: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Nur Misuari, Joel Villanueva Romania: Liviu Dragnea, Gheorghe Ștefan, Gabriel Sandu, Dorin Cocoş, Dumitru Nicolae South Korea: Park Geun-hye and Choi Soon-sil Spain: Lionel Messi United Kingdom: Chris Denning, Adam Johnson, Ched Evans United States: Bob McDonnell, Paul Anthony Ciancia, Dean Skelos International ICTY: Radovan Karadžić Ongoing Cambodia: Sam Rainsy China: Bai Enpei, Pan Yiyang, Yang Weize Germany: Beate Zschäpe Indonesia: Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, Mary Jane Veloso Pakistan: Waseem Azeem, Mufti Abdul Qawi Philippines: Andal Ampatuan, Jr., Leila de Lima, Rodrigo Duterte, Jovito Palparan Romania: Darius Vâlcov, Dan Șova, Elena Udrea, Radu Mazăre, Gheorghe Nichita, Marian Vanghelie, Cătălin Voicu Russia: Alexei Navalny United States: Etan Patz International ICC: Laurent Gbagbo ICTY: Ratko Mladić Upcoming China: Wu Changshun Egypt: Mohamed Morsi Estonia: Edgar Savisaar Libya: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi United Kingdom: Rolf Harris United States: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Graham Spanier, Tim Curley, Gary Schultz, Rick Perry, Bill Cosby

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