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Reina nightclub

An attack on a nightclub (pictured) in Istanbul, Turkey, during New Year's celebrations, kills at least 39 people and injures more than 60 others.
American actress, screenwriter, and author Carrie Fisher dies at the age of 60, and her mother, actress and singer Debbie Reynolds, dies one day later at the age of 84.
English singer, songwriter, and record producer George Michael dies at the age of 53.
A Tupolev Tu-154 crashes near Sochi, Russia, killing all 92 people on board, including 64 members of the Alexandrov Ensemble.
The United Nations Security Council adopts a resolution condemning Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

January 2, 2017 (Monday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

2017 Istanbul nightclub attack
- The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant claims responsibility for the attack on New Year's Day in what it claims is a response to Turkey's actions in neighbouring Syria. (Washington Post)
January 2017 Baghdad bombings
- A series of attacks kill at least 70 people and injure more than 100 others in mostly Shiite neighborhoods of Baghdad, Iraq. (Huffington Post)

Law and crime

At least 60 people are killed in a prison riot in Manaus, Brazil. (Reuters)

January 1, 2017 (Sunday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

2017 Istanbul nightclub attack
- At least 39 people are killed and nearly 70 wounded after gunmen open fire in a nightclub in Istanbul, on the European coast of the Bosphorus. Local reports claim that one or more gunmen entered the venue disguised in Santa Claus costumes (a claim later denied by the Turkish PM). (BBC), (AP via ABC News Australia), (Fox News)
At least 7 people were killed and more than 17 injured in a suicide car bomb explosion and gunmen attack in Iraqi al-Qadisiya town situated in west of Najaf. Yesterday 29 people were killed in a bomb explosion at a busy market in Iraq’s capital Baghdad. ISIS claims responsibility. (Reuters), (Tasnim News Agency)
Burundi's environment minister Emmanuel Niyonkuru is shot dead in the nation's capital, Bujumbura. (FRANCE 24)

Disasters and accidents

At least 23 people are dead and 17 injured as a ferry catches fire en route to Indonesia's Thousand Islands. (Melbourne Age)

International relations

North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
- Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, claims that the country is close to developing an intercontinental ballistic missile. (Reuters)
Syrian Civil War
- The United Nations Security Council has unanimously voted in favor of the Russia and Turkey backed ceasefire currently in effect in Syria. (Al-Jazeera)
United Nations Secretary-General selection, 2016
- Portugal's António Guterres begins his term as United Nations Secretary-General, replacing South Korea's Ban Ki-moon. (India Today), (Al Jazeera), (Associated Press)
United Nations Security Council election, 2016
- Bolivia, Ethiopia, Italy, Kazakhstan, and Sweden begin their terms on the United Nations Security Council, replacing Angola, Malaysia, New Zealand, Spain, and Venezuela. (Inter Press Service)
Foreign relations of the Gambia
- Gambian President Yahya Jammeh accuses the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, of "declaring war" after it said it was putting forces on alert in case he refused to step down at the end of his mandate on January 19. (Reuters)

Law and crime

A gunman shoots dead at least 11 people, including his former wife, and then himself in a murder–suicide at a New Year's Eve party in the southeast Brazilian city of Campinas. Several others reportedly remain in critical condition. (Reuters)
Spanish and Moroccan authorities clash with migrants on the Moroccan-Spanish border along Ceuta, as they attempt to climb and rush the border fence. (Express UK)

Politics and elections

The Church of Norway officially ceases to be the state church of Norway after almost 500 years. (Christian Daily)

December 31, 2016 (Saturday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Iraqi Civil War (2014–present)
- December 2016 Baghdad bombings
  - A pair of bomb blasts targeting a market in central Baghdad kills at least 27 people and injures over 50. (AP), (The Telegraph)

Arts and culture

China, with their largest television network China Central Television, announces a new launch of a global media platform extending globally and renaming the network China Global Television Network. (News Asia)

Accidents

In Manchester, England, a 12-year-old girl is killed and 11-year-old critically injured in a hit-and-run crash with a Volkswagen Golf. (BBC)
In Helsinki, Finland, an unidentified driver was detained after driving at high speed, and veering for unknown reasons into a crowd, injuring 7. Authorities quickly conclude no evidence points to a deliberate attack just weeks after a hijacked truck plowed into a Christmas market in Berlin. (RT)

Science and technology

A leap second was added on December 31 to bring UTC more inline with mean solar time. (Physics Org) (BBC)

December 30, 2016 (Friday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

The funeral of Łukasz Urban, the driver killed in the course of last week's attack on a Christmas market in Berlin, takes place in his village of Banie near the German border. President of Poland Andrzej Duda and a German diplomat attend. (BBC) (Deutsche Welle)

Disasters and accidents

Six people die in a fire in a bakery in the Indian city of Pune. (Firstpost)
At least seven people are killed and 30 trapped after a pile of waste collapses in a Coal India mine in Jharkhand. (Reuters) (CNN)
A Cessna 525 carrying six passengers goes missing shortly after takeoff from Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport in the United States. (USA Today)

International relations

Russia–United States relations
- After 35 Russian diplomats are expelled from the United States, Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov recommends expelling 35 American diplomats. Russian President Vladimir Putin rejects Lavrov's recommendation and expresses a desire to restore relations between the two countries. (The New York Times) (Newshub)
- The U.S. Burlington Electric Department says that a code associated with a broad Russian hacking campaign dubbed Grizzly Steppe by the Obama administration has been detected on a laptop associated with a Vermont electric utility but not connected to the grid. (The Boston Globe)
Mali returns two people France deported on the same planes they arrived on. (BBC)

Law and crime

A body found in a burnt-out vehicle north of the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro is confirmed to be that of missing Greek Ambassador Kyriakos Amiridis. A military police officer who had an affair with the ambassador's wife confesses to the murder. The wife and a second man are also detained. (BBC)
Sahaj International opens in Kochi in the South Indian state of Kerala. The country's first school for transgender pupils, it caters for adults who left school early. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis designates social-democrat Sorin Grindeanu as the country's new prime minister, after the victory of the centre-left PSD earlier this month. (AFP by The Indian Express)
China's State Council announces details of its intention to ban all ivory trade and processing activities by the end of 2017. (BBC)

Science and technology

A volcanic eruption continues on Bogoslof Island near Unalaska, in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. The eruption has impacted air transportation routes. (Alaska Public Radio Network) (Tech Times) (CDA News)

Sports

Mo Farah and world tennis number one Andy Murray are among those knighted by Elizabeth II in her 2017 New Year Honours list. (The Guardian)
In mixed martial arts, Amanda Nunes defeats Ronda Rousey to retain the Women's Bantamweight title at UFC 207. (The New York Times)

December 29, 2016 (Thursday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- Russian president Vladimir Putin says a ceasefire has been brokered between the Syrian government and rebel forces. The ceasefire is said to be guaranteed by Russia and Turkey and would exclude UN-denominated terror organizations such as ISIL and al-Nusra. The FSA says it would abide by the truce, while Ahrar al-Sham expresses "reservations". (ITV) (Reuters)

Arts and culture

Czartoryski Museum
- The Polish government buys the internationally-known Czartoryski collection of art. Based in the city of Kraków and consisting of around 86,000 pieces, this features works by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. (BBC)
The academic Phil Scraton refuses an OBE granted to him by Elizabeth II in her 2017 New Year Honours list for his work on the Hillsborough disaster. Professor Scraton wrote Hillsborough: The Truth, first published in 1990 and seen as the definitive account of the disaster. (BBC) (The Guardian)

Business and economy

The Bank of Italy says in a statement that the country's treasury will have to put up around 6.6 billion euros to rescue Monte dei Paschi given the European Central Bank's estimate of Monte dei Paschi's capital shortfall. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

At least 50 people drown and thousands are left homeless due to flooding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (France 24)

International relations

The United States expels 35 Russian diplomats over the alleged Russian interference during the U.S.'s 2016 Presidential Election. (BBC)
The Egyptian government approves a deal granting two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)

Law and crime

The Ambassador of Greece to Brazil, Kyriakos Amiridis, is reported missing while on vacation in Rio de Janeiro. A homicide team is investigating his disappearance. (BNO News) (O Globo)
Turkish journalist Ahmet Şık is arrested in Istanbul, allegedly over a social media posting. (Washington Post)
Naveed Baloch, the man from Pakistan who was wrongly arrested in the aftermath of the recent attack on a Christmas market in Berlin, gives an interview outlining the conditions in which he was held and reveals he is now in hiding amid fears for his life. (The Guardian)

Science and technology

U.S. President Barack Obama declares the Bears Ears in Utah and Gold Butte area of Nevada as National Monuments. Both are known for the presence of Native American populations and archaeological sites. (BBC News)

Sports

Former boxing world champion Ricky Hatton speaks on British radio about depression and gives an account of past suicide attempts. (BBC Sport) (The Daily Telegraph)

December 28, 2016 (Wednesday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- An explosion in Kabul leads to several casualties. Afghan police report that the attack was aimed at a member of the National Assembly, Fakori Behishti. (Reuters)
Colombian conflict
- As part of an ongoing peace process, the Congress of Colombia approves an amnesty law for thousands of demobilizing FARC rebels. The amnesty does not apply to FARC rebels who have committed war crimes or human rights violations. (Reuters)

Arts and culture

American actress Debbie Reynolds has a stroke and dies one day after her daughter Carrie Fisher's death. (BBC)
Pan Pan, the oldest male panda on Earth, dies at the age of 31. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

The Ajmer–Sealdah Express operated by Indian Railways derails in northern India killing at least two people and injuring dozens. Twenty four people have been hospitalised. (Daily Express) (The Telegraph)
2016 Djebel Jelloud train accident
- A train and a bus collide in Tunis, Tunisia, killing 5 and injuring around 52. (Nessma)

Law and crime

The Korea Fair Trade Commission fines U.S. company Qualcomm $852.9 million for alleged antitrust violations for restricting access of its competitors to its patents. (Bloomberg)
The Attorney General of Israel Avichai Mandelblit orders a criminal investigation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged corruption in two different cases. (The Guardian)

Science and technology

Pan-STARRS project releases its first astronomical catalog, consists of 2 petabytes of data collected over four years. An astronomer from collaborating institution also discloses that his group has studied new types of supernova explosions and the disruptions of stars by supermassive black holes from data of this Massive Digital Sky. (SciTech Daily) (The Indian Express)

Sports

Former world number 1 tennis player Ana Ivanovic announces her retirement at the age of 29. (The Guardian)

December 27, 2016 (Tuesday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Yemeni Civil War
- Government forces push to capture a Houthi enclave in Bayhan District, on the border between Shabwa and Marib provinces, resulting at least 28 Houthi militants and 12 Yemeni soldiers killed. (Dunya News)

Arts and culture

Carrie Fisher, the actress and writer best known for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars franchise, dies following complications from a heart attack. (E! News)

Business and economy

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission gives the antitrust go ahead to Abbott Laboratories in its acquisition of St. Jude Medical. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

2016 Pacific typhoon season, Typhoon Nock-ten (2016)
- The Philippine Coast Guard looks for 18 missing sailors from a ship sunk by Typhoon Nock-ten (Nina). At least seven people are confirmed to have died in the storm. (AP via Daily Mail)
At least 27 people are killed after drinking toxic alcohol in Pakistan. (The New York Times), (UPI)

International relations

Israel's Foreign Ministry announces that it is "reducing" ties with some of the UN Security Council countries that voted to pass United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334. (Business Insider), (NBC News)
Japan–United States relations
- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe makes a landmark visit to Naval Station Pearl Harbor in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, offering "sincere and everlasting condolences" to the victims of the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese empire on December 7, 1941. (BBC)

Law and crime

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, the Christian Governor of the Indonesian capital Jakarta, will face prosecution for blasphemy. (ABC)
Former President of Argentina Cristina Fernández de Kirchner is indicted on corruption charges. (The Telegraph)
Cuba's National Assembly of People's Power approves a law banning commemorative statues of late President Fidel Castro, and the naming of public places after him, in accordance with the wishes of Castro, who died last month. (Reuters)

Science and technology

The journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences publishes research from the Zoological Society of London that the cheetah population approaches extinction with only 7,100 individuals left alive in the wild as a result of a sudden crash in population. (BBC), (The Proceeding of the National Academy of Science)

More December 2016 events...

Ongoing events
Business Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena bankruptcy Disasters Flint water crisis UK and Ireland windstorm season Law Philippine Drug War Timor Gap PCA hearings Political Brexit aftermath European migrant crisis (timeline) Presidential transition of Donald Trump South China Sea disputes More details on ongoing conflicts below Sport 2016 NFL season 2016–17 Bundesliga 2016–17 La Liga 2016–17 NBA season 2016–17 NHL season 2016–17 Premier League 2016–17 Serie A edit sidebar

Recent deaths
January 2017 2: John Berger December 2016 31: William Christopher 30: Allan Williams 30: Tyrus Wong 29: LaVell Edwards 29: F. Ross Johnson 28: Gregorio Conrado Álvarez 28: Anthony Cronin 28: Michel Déon 28: Debbie Reynolds 27: Carrie Fisher 27: Ratnasiri Wickremanayake 26: George S. Irving 26: Seth J. McKee 26: Barbara Tarbuck 25: George Michael 25: Vera Rubin 24: Richard Adams 24: Rick Parfitt 24: Liz Smith 22: Franca Sozzani 20: Michèle Morgan 19: Lionel Blue 19: Dick Latessa 18: Zsa Zsa Gabor 18: China Machado 17: Lawrence Colburn 17: Henry Heimlich 15: Craig Sager 13: Thomas Schelling 13: Alan Thicke 12: E. R. Braithwaite 12: Anne Deveson 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: Cho Ramaswamy 7: Paul Elvstrøm 7: Junaid Jamshed 7: Greg Lake 6: Rashaan Salaam 6: Peter Vaughan 5: Jayalalithaa 3: Rémy Pflimlin edit sidebar

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 edit sidebar

Elections and Referendums
Recent 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 15: Turks and Caicos, House of Assembly 18: Côte d'Ivoire, National Assembly edit sidebar

Trials
Recently concluded Australia: Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara Cambodia: Sam Rainsy 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 Spain: Lionel Messi United Kingdom: Chris Denning, Adam Johnson, Ched Evans United States: Bob McDonnell, Paul Anthony Ciancia International ICTY: Radovan Karadžić Ongoing 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 South Korea: Park Geun-hye and Choi Soon-sil Spain: Gürtel case, Spanish Royal House, Bárcenas affair United States: Etan Patz United Kingdom: Rolf Harris International ICC: Laurent Gbagbo ICTY: Ratko Mladić Upcoming China: Wu Changshun Egypt: Mohamed Morsi Estonia: Edgar Savisaar Libya: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi United States: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Graham Spanier, Tim Curley, Gary Schultz, Rick Perry, Bill Cosby edit sidebar