Portal:Current events/December 2011

See also: December 2011 in sports

2011

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

December 2011 was the twelfth and final month of that common year. The month, which began on a Thursday, ended on a Saturday after 31 days.

Portal:Current events

This is an archived version of Wikipedia's Current events Portal from December 2011.

December 1, 2011 (2011-12-01) (Thursday) Disasters One person dies and 16 others are injured in three separate chain-reaction crashes involving 176 cars in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. (CNN) Politics and elections The 2010–2011 Belgian government formation draws to a close as six parties come to an agreement which will see PS leader Elio Di Rupo become Prime Minister. The deal, however, still has to be approved by the parties' conventions, and the cabinet makeup is not yet defined. (EUobserver) December 2, 2011 (2011-12-02) (Friday) Armed conflict and attacks Muslim rioters attack liquor stores and massage parlors in Zakho in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq after Friday prayers. The attacks later extended to include Christian-owned shops and businesses in other cities including Dohuk and Simele. (USA Today) Business and economy In the U.S., the Agriculture Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives votes to issue a subpoena to Jon Corzine, former Governor of New Jersey, in connection with the collapse of MF Global and the disappearance of customer funds. (Committee press release) International relations United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets with Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's pre-eminent pro-democracy activist, to promote democratic reforms. (AP via Google) The United Nations Human Rights Council denounces the crimes against humanity during the 2011 Syrian uprising which killed over 4,000 people since the uprising started in March. (CNN) December 3, 2011 (2011-12-03) (Saturday) Armed conflict and attacks At least 23 people are killed in Syria. (BBC) Arts and culture Indian cinema actor, director and producer Dev Anand dies of a heart attack in London. (BBC) Disasters At least 33 people die and 13 are injured in a crash between a truck and a bus near the Bahia city of Milagro in northeastern Brazil. (CNN) At least eight children have died in the past few weeks in Ecuador's Amazon basin after being bitten by rabid bats. (AFP via HeraldSun) Politics Students protesting against the Irish financial crisis occupy the office of Fine Gael lawmaker Anthony Lawlor ahead of the forthcoming Budget Day. (The Journal) (Irish Central) RTE The governing Australian Labor Party changes its platform in support of gay marriage at its conference in Sydney, paving the way for legislation. (The Australian) Herman Cain announces that he will suspend his campaign for Republican nomination in the United States presidential election following a series of sexual harassment and other misconduct allegations. (CBS) December 4, 2011 (2011-12-04) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks 45,000 citizens of Koblenz, Germany, are allowed to return home after bomb squads defused World War II bombs that were hidden under the Rhine for almost 65 years. (CNN) Business and economy Australia approves exports of uranium to India. (Al Jazeera) Politics and elections Transparency International releases the 2011 Corruption Perceptions Index, declaring North Korea and Somalia the most corrupt nations in the world, and New Zealand the least corrupt. (CNN.com) (Transparency.org) Voters in Slovenia go to the polls for a parliamentary election with early results showing Positive Slovenia with an early lead. (Reuters) (AP via Newsday) Voters in Croatia go to the polls for a parliamentary election with an exit poll showing the centre-left Kukuriku coalition set to win a majority. (BBC) Russian election: Voters in Russia go to the polls for an election for the State Duma. (LA Times via Seattle Times) (New York Times) Independent exit polls suggest the governing United Russia party failed to get a majority in the Duma, amid accusations of massive voter harassment and DDoS attacks targeting blogs. (Reuters) Islamist parties win the first stage of the Egyptian parliamentary election, with the Muslim Brotherhood-aligned Freedom and Justice Party first at 37% of the vote, and the more hardline Salafi Al-Nour Party in second place with 24% of the vote. (AFP) The President of Peru Ollanta Humala declares a state of emergency in the Cajamarca region to stop anti-mining protests. (Bloomberg via Business Week) Sport Former Brazilian football captain Sócrates dies in hospital in São Paulo from complications of food poisoning. (The Telegraph) American golfer Tiger Woods wins the Chevron World Challenge, his first tournament win in over two years. (AP via NPR) In lawn tennis, Spain wins the 2011 Davis Cup. (AFP via The Australian) December 5, 2011 (2011-12-05) (Monday) Armed conflict and attacks There are reports of more than 60 bodies being taken to hospitals in the Syrian town of Homs. (Jerusalem Post) International relations Eurozone debt crisis: Nicolas Sarkozy, the President of France, and Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, call for a new European Union Treaty to help prevent future Eurozone crises. (BBC) There are widespread reports that credit ratings agency Standard & Poors will put 15 nations in the Eurozone under review for a possible downgrade, including France and Germany. (Bloomberg) (Sky News) Law and crime Former Côte d'Ivoire President Laurent Gbagbo appears before the International Criminal Court to face charges of crimes against humanity. (Reuters India) Julian Assange is allowed a final appeal to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom against his extradition to Sweden to answer questions over sexual assault allegations. (Wall Street Journal) Politics and elections Russian election: Preliminary results are released from the Russian legislative election showing the ruling United Russia winning 50 percent of the vote, well down on its 2008 vote. (AP via Google News) European monitors criticise the election saying that rules favoured United Russia and claiming that it was marred by violations. (Deutsche Welle) Peru declares a state of emergency in four provinces amid protests over a mining project. (Andina) December 6, 2011 (2011-12-06) (Tuesday) Armed conflict and attacks Afghanistan terror attacks A suicide attack attacks a Shiite shrine in the Afghan capital Kabul during the festival of Ashura, resulting in at least 50 people killed and hundreds injured. Hours later another attack takes place at Mazar-i-Sharif, killing at least 4. (Reuters), (The Guardian), (AP via NineMSN) The President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai cancels a trip to the United Kingdom following the attacks. (AP via The Australian) Business and economy The Reserve Bank of Australia cuts interest rates by 25 basis points to 4.25 per cent due to continuing global economic concern. (ABC News Australia) Disasters The US Mine Safety and Health Administration releases the final report into the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster in Raleigh County, West Virginia, that killed twenty-nine miners last year. (MSHA) International relations Australia announces more sanctions against Iran amidst growing concerns about its nuclear and missile programs. (AAP via Sydney Morning Herald) Law and crime Randy Babbitt, the former head of the Federal Aviation Administration, resigns three days after he was arrested for driving under the influence in Fairfax, Virginia. (CNN) A journalist, Luz Marina Paz Villalobos, is killed in Honduras becoming the 17th journalist shot in the past two years. (AFP via the Tico Times) Politics and elections After 541 days of negotiations, the longest in history, the new federal government of Belgium is sworn in, with Elio Di Rupo as Prime Minister, making him the first Walloon to reach this position in 38 years and the second openly gay head of government in the world. (RTBF) Thousands of people take to the streets of Moscow in protests against the conduct and outcome of the Russian legislative election with dozens of opposition supporters being arrested as the demonstrations turn violent. (The Guardian) The Parliament of Greece approves an austerity budget. (Dow Jones via Wall Street Journal) December 7, 2011 (2011-12-07) (Wednesday) Arts and culture The United States commemorates the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawai'i. (AP via WVEC) Business and economy The board of Japan's Olympus Corporation announces its plans to resign early next year due to its accounting scandal. (Reuters) Law and crime The former President of Israel Moshe Katsav arrives at a prison outside Tel Aviv to start a seven year term for rape. (BBC) The former Governor of the US state of Illinois Rod Blagojevich is sentenced to 14 years in jail for corruption. (Reuters) Security expert and anti-corruption activist Alfredo Landaverde is killed in Honduras, a day after journalist Luz Marina Paz Villalobos is killed, leading to a ban on a motorcycle passengers. (The Guardian) (NY Times) Politics and elections Former President of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev says that the Russian authorities must acknowledge the recent street protests, annul the results of Sunday’s parliamentary election and hold a new poll. (RT) Egypt's Freedom and Justice Party claims to have won a majority of seats in the runoff election. (Ynet News) Science The Russian Federal Space Agency officially gives up attempting to rescue Fobos-Grunt and Yinghuo-1, and expects them to fall back to Earth in January 2012. (Space.com) December 8, 2011 (2011-12-08) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks An oil pipeline near the Syrian city of Homs is blown up. (The Telegraph) Fighting breaks out in the Somali capital Mogadishu between militants and government troops. (UPI) An investigation by the Associated Press and German media uncovers a secret prison suspected of having been operated by the Central Intelligence Agency in Bucharest, Romania. (BBC) (AP) (AFP) (Indian Express) Business and economy The European Central Bank reduces interest rates to 1%. (BBC) Hundreds of workers continue a strike in southern China for a fifth day amid a labour dispute. (Straits Times) Former CEO of MF Global, Jon Corzine, testifies to a committee of the U.S. House of Representatives that he doesn't know what happened to the hundreds of millions of dollars of customers' money, supposedly in segregated accounts, that appears to be missing. (Reuters) Disasters A storm causes damage, flooding and power cuts across the north of the British Isles, particularly Scotland with winds up to 165 mph (264 km/h). (BBC) International relations Philippines officials claim that the People's Republic of China has executed a Filipino man for drug trafficking despite a plea for clemency from the President of the Philippines Benigno Aquino III on humanitarian grounds. (Washington Post) Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin accuses the United States of sponsoring the opposition in the country, following protests over the outcome of the recent elections. (RIA Novosti) Iranian state television shows footage of a United States Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel drone that its forces claim to have shot down. (AP) The Government of Japan apologizes to Canada over the treatment of Canadian POWs during World War II. (AP) Law and crime British serial killer Robert Black is sentenced to a minimum of 25 years imprisonment for the 1981 murder of Northern Ireland schoolgirl Jennifer Cardy. (BBC) Two people are killed at Virginia Tech, formerly the site of the largest mass shooting in US history. (MSNBC) (Wires via Herald Sun) Politics and elections Security is increased in the Congolese capital Kinshasa prior to the announcement of results from presidential and parliamentary elections. (Al Jazeera) Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe calls for elections in 2012 to replace the power-sharing government in place since 2008. (AFP via Google News) December 9, 2011 (2011-12-09) (Friday) Business and economy Credit rating agency Moody's downgrades the ratings of France's three biggest banks, Crédit Agricole, BNP Paribas and Société Générale. (BBC) Stock prices rise at stock exchanges around the world, and some analysts see this as a reaction to a fiscal agreement among the leaders of the eurozone. (Reuters) Disasters AMRI Hospital fire tragedy 40 confirmed people die in a fire in the AMRI Hospital in the Indian city of Kolkata. (AP via Google News) (IBN Live) The Government of West Bengal cancels the hospital's license following the fire. (Times of India) International relations David Cameron, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, refuses to join a European Union financial crisis accord after negotiations in Brussels. (BBC) Croatia's President Ivo Josipović and Prime minister Jadranka Kosor sign the accession treaty of Croatia to the European Union, to become the 28th member state on July 1, 2013. (AP via Google News) Law and crime Joshua Komisarjevsky, found guilty of the Cheshire, Connecticut home invasion murders, is sentenced to death by lethal injection. (ABC News) Camorra's Michele Zagaria caught in underground bunker (ANSAmed)(Time)(EuroNews) Politics and elections Incumbent President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Joseph Kabila is declared the winner of the Congolese general election but lead opposition candidate Étienne Tshisekedi disputes the outcome. (Bigpond) (AP via Google News) December 10, 2011 (2011-12-10) (Saturday) Armed conflicts and attacks The Syrian government gives the city of Homs 72 hours to stop anti-government protests, or face an offensive, raising fears of a massacre against civilians. (Daily Telegraph) The Pakistani Taliban confirms that it is holding peace talks with the government. (Pakistan Tribune) One civilian is killed and at least 20 others injured after an Israeli air strike on a militant base in Gaza City, Palestinian medics say. (BBC) Arts and culture The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim wins the game of the year at the Spike Video Game Awards. (AP via WVEC) Disasters A light cargo plane crashes into an elementary school building in the Philippine city of Parañaque with 13 people dead. (AP), (Reuters via Yahoo) A 6.5 magnitude earthquake hits the Mexican state of Guerrero. It causes three deaths and is felt across several central states. (AP via CBS News) Politics New Zealand general election and voting system referendum: Official results for the 26 November general election confirm John Key's National Party holding a plurality of the votes and seats. With confidence and supply agreements with ACT New Zealand and United Future confirmed, National forms a minority government with a one-seat majority, returning the Fifth National Government to a second term in office. (TVNZ) Full results of the referendum on the voting system confirm that the mixed member proportional voting system, with a majority of the vote, will be kept but will be reviewed. The first past the post voting system gains the most votes for the preferred alternative system of voting. (TVNZ) 2011 Russian protests: A day of protests begins in cities across Russia against alleged election fraud by Vladimir Putin and his United Russia party, with fifty thousand people marching in Moscow and 25 people arrested in Khabarovsk. (AP via MSNBC), (AFP via News Limited) Restrictions on Russian media covering the protests are lifted. (Press Trust of India) (BBC) At least six people are killed in clashes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the aftermath of disputed general elections in which Joseph Kabila was named President. (Al Jazeera) Cristina Fernández de Kirchner is sworn as President of Argentina in a second consecutive mandate. (Yahoo) Oscar Valdés is named as the new Prime Minister of Peru, after Salomón Lerner Ghitis resigned. (Andina) Science Astronomers in Asia, Australia and North America observe a total lunar eclipse. (BBC) NASA clears SpaceX to launch Dragon COTS Demo Flight 2 toward the International Space Station in a window opening on February 7, 2012. (Reuters) Sport Robert Griffin III, the quarterback for the Baylor Bears wins the Heisman Trophy, awarded to the best player in college football. (New York Times) December 11, 2011 (2011-12-11) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011 Syrian uprising: A general strike is observed in several regions of Syria. (The Telegraph) 2011 Yemeni uprising: Hundreds of thousands of protesters demonstrate in Yemen calling for the trial of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. (Voice of Russia) Two people are injured during a gun battle at Tripoli International Airport between militia and the Libyan army.(IOL) International relations North Korea warns of "unexpected consequences" if South Korea lights a Christmas tree near their mutual border. (BBC) (Yonhap) The 2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference finishes in Durban in South Africa with an agreement to begin negotiations on a new treaty. (USA Today) Law and crime Former leader of Panama Manuel Noriega is extradited home from France and the United States where he has been serving jail sentences for the past 22 years to serve more time for his role in the murder of political opponents. (Reuters via the Guardian)(The Australian)(LA Times) A 16-year-old teenager in the U.S. state of Ohio is charged with murder in a deadly Craigslist robbery scheme.(ABC) Politics International monitors say that elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo lacked credibility. (AP via Google News) In a protest in London about the elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo 139 people are arrested.(The Guardian) Parliamentary elections take place in Côte d'Ivoire. (BBC) Russian President Dmitry Medvedev orders an inquiry into the disputed results of the parliamentary elections. (Reuters) Around 1,000 people protest in Taipei, demanding that the government make a weekly day off a legal right for Taiwan's 200,000 foreign live-in caregivers. (Straits Times) Dominique de Villepin announces his candidacy for President of France. (BBC) December 12, 2011 (2011-12-12) (Monday) Business and economy Credit rating agency Moody's in its weekly credit report dismisses the significance of last week's EU agreement, saying it "does not change our view that risks to the cohesion of the euro area continue to rise." (Reuters) International relations United States President Barack Obama has asked Iran for the RQ-170 Sentinel that was captured near Kashmar on December 4. (CNN) Law and crime A Chinese fishing boat captain allegedly stabs a Republic of Korea Coast Guard officer, killing him, after his boat is stopped for illegally fishing in South Korean waters. (AP via Washington Post) Politics and elections Canada announces that it will withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol, because the country would face large penalties because of treaty violations.(Reuters) The Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea rules that the August 2011 election of Peter O'Neill as Prime Minister was unconstitutional and orders the reinstatement of former Prime Minister Michael Somare to office. (RNZI) The House of Representatives of the Philippines impeaches Chief Justice Renato Corona after 188 representatives signed a complaint. This is the second impeachment passed in the year after the impeachment of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez early in March. (GMA News.tv) December 13, 2011 (2011-12-13) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts and attacks A gunman opens fire and throws explosives into a crowd in an attack in the Belgian city of Liège. (Le Soir) (BBC) At least 5,000 people are now estimated to have been killed in Syria's uprising, amid continuing violence. (Daily Nation Kenya) Three Thai soldiers are killed by a land mine near the border with Cambodia. (UPI) Arts and culture Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 becomes the fastest selling entertainment product of all time passing $1bn in sales in 16 days. (The Guardian) Disasters A school bus crashes in Jiangsu, China, killing 15 children. (The New York Times) (Xinhua) The Bridge to Russky Island, a giant cable-stayed bridge currently under construction south of Vladivostok, Russia, catches fire due to safety violations during welding. (Russia Today) Law and crime Pakistan police rescues 50 boys from a dungeon in Karachi, Pakistan. Police reports say that the dungeon was equipped with shackles and hooks. The prisoners say they were beaten and threatened and that, if they had tried to escape, they would have been forced to join Jihad militants. (The Telegraph) Politics Political tension continues in Papua New Guinea with former Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare expected to be sworn in again following a ruling by the Supreme Court and incumbent PM Peter O'Neill refusing to stand aside. (BBC) Iran has turned down the United States request to return a RQ-170 that was captured recently by Iranian forces after it crash landed in the country. Iranian officials report that they are extracting data from the aircraft. Iranian officials stated the drone was brought down by a cyber attack. (Voice of America) The United States House of Representatives passes a bill extending a payroll tax extension containing another bill expediting the Keystone XL pipeline between Canada and Texas. (Reuters) Science According to researchers, in two separate experiments carried out at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, indications of the Higgs boson may have been detected. (CBC) (BBC) December 14, 2011 (2011-12-14) (Wednesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Thirteen people are killed in Hama, Syria, during the latest violence in the ongoing uprising. (Al Jazeera) Arts and culture Time names "The Protester" the magazine's 2011 Person of the Year, as a result of the Arab Spring and subsequent movements. (Forbes) Business and economy United Kingdom unemployment rises to 2.64m. (BBC) Disasters A state of emergency is declared in the Nelson region of New Zealand due to heavy floods. (New Zealand Herald) Toxic illegal alcohol kills 166 people in West Bengal, India. (BBC) (The Hindu) International relations The governments of the United States, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands protest the start of Japan's whaling season off the coast of Antarctica. (AFP via News Limited) Law and crime Taiwan is to reduce the length of compulsory military service from one year to four months. (Straits Times) Belgian police find the body of a woman at the home of gunman Nordine Amrani responsible for the 2011 Liège attack. (Global Post) Politics The speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament and ally of Vladimir Putin, Boris Gryzlov, resigns. (RIA Novosti) (The New York Times) The population of the village of Wukan in southern China revolt over the death of a local man who led protests against a land grab; local officials and police flee. (Wall Street Journal) (Daily Telegraph) Democratic Republic of the Congo opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi's party calls for mass protests amid disputed elections. (IOL) December 15, 2011 (2011-12-15) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks Russia circulates a draft resolution condemning the violence in Syria. (Al Jazeera) The United States flag is lowered in Baghdad marking the end of U.S. military operations in Iraq after eight years of the Iraq War. (BBC) Business and economy The 2010 United States Census shows 1 in 2 people are classified as low-income or poor. (Associated Press) (NPR) (CBS News) Disasters and accidents A truck drives into a restaurant in Ningxia, China, killing seven people. (China Daily) Law and crime Police in Bahrain detain prominent blogger Zainab Alkhawaja during a protest near the capital Manama. (BBC) The United Nations calls for the protection of LGBT rights worldwide, in its first report on the issue. (Reuters) Former President of France Jacques Chirac is found guilty of embezzlement and violating trust due to his hiring members of his party to fill non-existent jobs while Mayor of Paris. (France 24) Former editor of The Sun and the News of the World Piers Morgan is called to give evidence before the Leveson Inquiry, and will appear next week. (The Guardian) A French court convicts Venezuela-born terrorist Carlos the Jackal of organising four deadly attacks in the 1980s. (AP via Google) Politics A by-election is held in the UK constituency of Feltham and Heston following the death of Labour's Alan Keen. (BBC) Negotiators from the United States Senate and House of Representatives reach a budget agreement. (Washington Post) Science The US National Institutes of Health places a temporary moratorium on new studies using chimpanzees in response to a report that claims nearly all medical research on the animals is scientifically unjustified. (Washington Post) December 16, 2011 (2011-12-16) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks At least 10 die as the protesters in Zhanaozen, Kazakhstan, clash with police on the country's Independence Day. (The Telegraph) Syrian troops reportedly open fire on anti-government protesters following Friday prayers. (AP via Google) Clashes take place between pro-democracy protesters and security forces in Cairo, Egypt. (Al Jazeera) Human Rights Watch calls on Bahrain to release political prisoners from the 2011 Bahraini uprising. (UPI) Four people are injured in two grenade attacks in Garissa, northern Kenya. (IOL) At least two people die in clashes between demonstrators and Egyptian Army soldiers in Cairo. (Reuters) Business and economy Russia joins the World Trade Organization. (BBC) European credit ratings: Fitch Ratings lowers France's rating outlook while maintaining a AAA rating and puts the grades of six nations including Spain and Italy on review due to Europe's failure to find a solution to the debt problem. (Bloomberg via Business Week) Moody's Investors Service downgrades Belgium's credit rating two notches to Aa3. (Wall Street Journal) The stock price of Research in Motion, the maker of BlackBerry smart phones, falls after the release of disappointing quarterly numbers and news of the delay of expected product upgrades. (Christian Science Monitor) Disasters Japan declares the stricken Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in cold shutdown. (Kyodo) The death toll from an outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease in Vietnam reaches 156 with 96,000 people having been sick with the disease as at the end of November 2011. (AP via Washington Post) International relations The United States and North Korea are expected to hold diplomatic talks regarding North Korea's nuclear program. The talks are the first meeting after the six-party talks stalled in 2008. (Yonhap News) Law and crime The International Criminal Court dismisses charges against Callixte Mbarushimana, a Rwandan rebel accused of the torture, rape and murder of Congolese villagers by Hutu militia in 2009. (AP via Google) Russian customs seize radioactive material bound for Iran. (AFP via Google) Hollywood actor Christian Bale is prevented from visiting Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng by police. (CNN) (Reuters) Chinese dissident Gao Zhisheng is sent back to jail, in the first confirmation he is still alive in 20 months. (AP via Google) Colton Harris-Moore, the so-called "Barefoot Bandit", pleads guilty to dozens of charges in the US state of Washington and is sentenced to seven years in jail. (AP via ABC News) (People) Star baseball player Barry Bonds is sentenced to 30 days of home detention on obstruction of justice charges following misleading evidence about steroid use. (ESPN) Movies The Movie Premiere of Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked Sequels: Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007) and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009) Politics Thailand reissues a passport for Thaksin Shinawatra, saying he is no longer a "threat". (Channel NewsAsia) Labour's Seema Malhotra wins the Feltham and Heston by-election. (BBC) Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands Piet Hein Donner resigns after being named the new Vice President of the Council of State, succeeding Herman Tjeenk Willink. (NOS) December 17, 2011 (2011-12-17) (Saturday) Armed conflicts and attacks Egyptian Army soldiers beat protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square in a second day of clashes which have resulted in 10 deaths and hundreds injured. (Reuters) Disasters Flash floods triggered by Tropical Storm Washi kill at least 400 people in the Philippines with hundreds more missing. (AP via WVEC) (BBC) (AFP via ABC News Australia) A boat carrying 380 asylum seekers en route from Indonesia to Australia sinks off the coast of Java with hundreds of people missing. (Reuters via ABC Australia) Politics The United States Senate votes in favor of extending the payroll tax cut for two months. (CNN) Johann Lamont is elected as Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, succeeding Iain Gray. (BBC) December 18, 2011 (2011-12-18) (Sunday) Armed conflict and attacks The Arab League threatens to take Syria to the United Nations within two weeks if the country does not accept its proposals to end the crackdown on the uprising. (Xinhua) Clashes continue in Cairo's Tahrir Square for a third day between the Egyptian Army and protesters. (Reuters) The last convoy of United States Army soldiers withdraws from Iraq, marking the formal end of the Iraq War. (Reuters) A bomb kills one person and clashes break out in Bangladesh between security and opposition protesters during the 40th anniversary of the country's independence. (Al Jazeera) Unrest in Zhanaozen, Kazakhstan, spreads as a train is burnt; one person is shot dead and 11 injured. (BBC) Disasters Nine people die following an explosion in a coal mine in Binzhou City in China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua) The drilling rig Kolskaya with 76 people on board overturns in the Sea of Okhotsk off the coast of Sakhalin in the Russian Far East resulting in four deaths and fifty people missing. (RT) (BBC) (VoA) The Philippines Red Cross estimates that the death toll from the floods caused by Tropical Storm Washi has risen to 521. (AP via Google News) Arrests, detentions and prosecutions Iran releases two Kuwaiti journalists accused of spying. (Al Arabiya) More than 50 Occupy Wall Street protesters are arrested as they attempted to establish a new encampment. (The Guardian) Politics Villagers revolting in Wukan, southern China, threaten to march on government offices this week if detained protesters are not released. (Bangkok Post) Thousands protest in several Russian cities for a second week, against the results of the parliamentary elections. (AP via Google) (RIA Novosti) Václav Havel, former President of Czechoslovakia and President of the Czech Republic, dies. (The Telegraph) (BBC) Sports Spain's FC Barcelona win the final of the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup, beating Brazil's Santos 4-0 in Yokohama, Japan. Barcelona win the Cup for the second time in three years. (BBC) December 19, 2011 (2011-12-19) (Monday) Armed conflict and attacks Fighting continues in Cairo's Tahrir Square for a fourth successive day. (Al-Jazeera) Syria agrees to an Arab League plan to allow monitors into the country amid the uprising. (Bloomberg) Business and economy Saab Automobile officially files for bankruptcy.(AFP via News Limited) Samsung Electronics announces it has filed new claims of patent infringement against Apple in Germany, raising the stakes in an ongoing worldwide patent war. (Reuters) Law and crime Brandon McInerney is sentenced to 21 years in jail in the US state of California for the E.O. Green School shooting of gay classmate Larry King. (AP via Fox News) Politics Death of Kim Jong-il The death of North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-il on December 17 is announced by Korean Central Television. (CNN) (Al Jazeera) Military forces of neighboring South Korea are placed on high alert following the death of Kim Jong-il, fearing possible retaliation from North Korea. (CNN) Kim Jong-un is proclaimed the expected successor to his father. (Wall Street Journal) A short-range missile test is conducted off North Korea's east coast. (Channel News Asia) Congolese opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi calls on the army to stop following orders from President Joseph Kabila. (BBC) Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari returns to Pakistan after undergoing treatment in Dubai. (Times of India) December 20, 2011 (2011-12-20) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Syria says it will execute anyone who participates in "terrorist acts", under a new law. (CNN) Chinese police beat protesters and fire tear gas after demonstrators storm government buildings in Haimen (70km NNW from Shanghai), in protest against a local 'polluting' coal-powered electricity generation plant. (AFP via Google) Arts and culture Indian Foreign Minister S. M. Krishna condemns a court case in Russia that could see the Bhagavad Gita As It Is holy book banned there. (BBC) (Hindustan Times) (The Economic Times)(The Statesman) Disasters The death toll from Tropical Storm Washi in the Philippines rises to nearly 1,000. (CBC) A Socata TBM-700 small plane crashes onto Interstate 287 in Northern New Jersey, killing 5. (New York Times) International relations Diplomats from the European Union, Non-aligned Movement and the Arab States Group on the UN Security Council criticise Israeli settlement activities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. (BBC) (The Jerusalem Post) Law and crime Former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan appears before the Leveson Inquiry via videolink from the United States to deny knowledge of hacking at the paper. (BBC) Politics Death of Kim Jong-il: The body of Kim Jong-il lies in state at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace in Pyongyang. (Al Jazeera) Villagers rebelling in village of Wukan in southern China, say they will hold talks with the government and demand concessions in return for calling off a march. (Reuters) Joseph Kabila is sworn in as President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite the presidency being contested by opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi. (ABC) Thousands of Egyptian women demonstrate against abuses by military police. (New York Times) Science Worldwide controversy erupts over a plan by Dutch scientists to publish findings relating to the development of a mutated strain of H5N1, that could potentially cause a worldwide pandemic that could kill millions. Bioterrorism watchdogs also express immense concern over the development of the virus (which is presently stored in Erasmus MC, Rotterdam). (Russia Today) (FOX News) Two Earth-sized planets, Kepler-20e and Kepler-20d, are found orbiting a star 950 light-years away from Earth. (Wall Street Journal) Sport The National Collegiate Athletic Association announces that it is penalizing the Ohio State Buckeyes football program with a one-year bowl game ban, among other penalties, as a result of a scandal at the program. Former head coach Jim Tressel is given a 5-year show-cause penalty as well. (ESPN) December 21, 2011 (2011-12-21) (Wednesday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011 Syrian uprising: Syria's opposition urge the United Nations and Arab League to hold emergency meetings after an alleged massacre took place in the northwest of the country, before Arab League monitors enter the country. (Straits Times) 2011 Yemeni uprising: Thousands of Yemeni protesters march from the city of Taez to the capital Sana'a to demand a trial for outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh for alleged crimes against anti-government protesters. (Khaleej Times) Two former Rwandan politicians of the National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development party–Mathieu Ngirumpatse and Édouard Karemera–are jailed for their role in the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. (Al Jazeera) Business and economy The Japanese media reports that prosecutors are raiding the offices of Olympus Corporation over an accounting scandal. (Reuters) Disasters The death toll from flooding in the Philippines caused by Tropical Storm Washi reaches 1,002 and is set to rise further. (AP via ABC News America) Health authorities in Hong Kong start slaughtering 17,000 chickens after a carcass infected with bird flu H5N1 is found at a poultry market. (New York Times) An Indonesian ferry sinks off the coast of the Maluku Islands with 60 people missing. (AP via Salon) International relations North Korea closes its border with China ahead of the funeral of former leader Kim Jong-il. (UPI) Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay agree to close their ports to ships flying the flag of the Falkland Islands at a Mercosur meeting; Argentina and the United Kingdom both claim the islands. (Al Jazeera) Law and crime Russian blogger Alexei Navalny and opposition leader Ilya Yashin are released. (BBC) (RIA Novosti) Former Daily Mirror journalist James Hipwell tells the Leveson Inquiry that phone hacking was a "bog standard journalistic tool" at the paper. (BBC) John Terry, the captain of the England football team is to face criminal charges over allegations he used racist language towards a black player during a Premier League game. (BBC) Science Soyuz TMA-03M, launched from Baikonur, carries a crew of three men to the International Space Station. (ESA) Politics A rebellion by villagers in Wukan, southern China, ends after authorities say they will release three protesters detained and agree to other demands. (The Telegraph) December 22, 2011 (2011-12-22) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks At least 72 people are killed and 169 wounded in a series of 16 bombing attacks in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, shortly after the final withdrawal of American forces from Iraq. (BBC) (CNN) The United States admits it was significantly responsible for an airstrike last month that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. (BBC) Killings and coverups are reported to be occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (BBC) Human Rights Watch alleges that security forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been responsible for the deaths of 24 people since the re-election of Joseph Kabila as President. (Al Jazeera) The first monitors from the Arab League arrive in Syria to assess the government's crack-down on anti-government demonstrations across the country. (PA) Egypt's military-appointed Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri calls for national dialogue after weeks of deadly protests against the military regime. (Al-Masry Al-Youm) Disasters Floods hit the city of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, killing at least 13 people in the nation's worst floods since its independence in 1961. (BBC) Law and crime Police in Brazil seek to press charges for environmental crimes committed by the United States oil company Chevron and drilling firm Transocean in relation to last month's Campos Basin oil spill. (BBC) An Australian teenager is jailed for 13 years for the killing of Nitin Garg in Melbourne, a case that led to a diplomatic row and fury over racism. (BBC) Politics and elections Teargas is fired and protesters arrested in Haimen, southern China, in a demonstration against the construction of a power plant. (The Guardian) (RTHK) Russian President Dmitry Medvedev proposes political reforms at his final state-of-the-nation address. (Russia Today) (New York Times) Italy's senate debates the proposed economic austerity measures of Prime Minister Mario Monti. (BBC) France's National Assembly votes in favour of a bill criminalising any denial that the mass killing of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire in the 1910s was genocide. (BBC) Science The Large Hadron Collider makes its first clear observation of a new particle since opening in 2009, the boson Chib 3P. (BBC) Sport A KNVB Cup game between AFC Ajax and AZ is abandoned after the AZ manager leads his team off the pitch in protest at the sending-off of his goalkeeper, Esteban Alvarado, who kicked an Ajax fan who attacked him. (BBC Sport) (ESPN) (Sky Sports) December 23, 2011 (2011-12-23) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011 Syrian uprising: Syrian state media report the deaths of at least 40 people in two car bombings in the capital Damascus. (BBC) 2011 Egyptian revolution: Activists gather in the Egyptian capital Cairo, calling for the end of the post-Hosni Mubarak military regime. (Al Jazeera) Three Somali aid workers are killed in central Somalia. (AP via Google) Business and economy China Three Gorges Corp. wins a bid for its 21% stake in EDP-Energias de Portugal SA with an offer of €2.69 billion ($3.51 billion), in the first of a series of sales of state-owned assets under Portugal's austerity program. This is the first time a mainland Chinese firm has acquired a significant stake in a southern European company. (Wall Street Journal) Disasters A series of large aftershocks from the 22 February earthquake – the largest registering magnitude 6.0 – strike the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. (New Zealand Herald) International relations North Korea says it will accept all South Korean delegations wishing to pay respects to the late leader Kim Jong-il. (BBC) World leaders attend the funeral of former Czech President and dissident Václav Havel. (CNN) Law and crime A Chinese court sentences dissident Chen Wei to nine years imprisonment for "inciting subversion of state power", after he published essays online calling for multiparty democracy. (Times of India) (Radio Television Hong Kong) Police fire teargas in the southern Chinese town of Haimen, and state media air confessions from two detained activists amid a protest against a proposed new power plant. (Reuters) Politics and elections Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi registers her National League for Democracy party, and visits Burma's parliament for the first time. (Hindustan Times) Police in the Democratic Republic of the Congo ban the swearing-in ceremony for opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi. (IOL) Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, is treated in hospital for a blocked coronary artery. (BBC) (CNN) December 24, 2011 (2011-12-24) (Saturday) Armed conflicts and attacks Arab League monitors meet Syria's foreign minister, a day after deadly bombings occurred in the capital Damascus. (Al Jazeera) Government troops in Yemen fire on anti-government protesters demanding the trial of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, killing at least nine people. (Pakistan Observer) (Boston Globe) Gun battles in Nigeria between government troops and Islamist Boko Haram militants kill 68 people. (Reuters) Arts and culture The Buddha Memorial Center of Fo Guang Shan in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, housing a tooth relic of Gautama Buddha, is consecrated. (Xinhua) Dutch actor and singer Johannes Heesters, the world's oldest performer, dies at the age of 108. (Bild) Business and economy A former official of the central bank of the People's Republic of China states that the People's Bank of China could lower the country's reserve requirements in 2012. (Reuters) Politics and elections North Korean media name Kim Jong-un – the son and successor of late leader Kim Jong-il – as the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army. (Straits Times) Tens of thousands of people protest across Russia against parliamentary elections that they allege were rigged in favour of the ruling United Russia party. (RIA Novosti) Cuba announces that it will release 2,900 prisoners – including some political prisoners – in the next few days. (BBC) Libya celebrates its independence for the first time in 42 years; independence celebrations were banned under the regime of former dictator Muammar Gaddafi. (Tripoli Post) December 25, 2011 (2011-12-25) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks The Sudanese People's Armed Forces claim that the leader of the Justice and Equality Movement in Darfur, Khalil Ibrahim, has been killed. (Xinhua) At least 39 people are killed and many injured in a series of attacks against churches in Nigeria during Christmas prayers. The Islamic group Boko Haram claims responsibility. (USA Today) The Syrian opposition urge the Arab League to visit the city of Homs before the government reportedly uses force to end dissent in the area. (Al Jazeera) Arts and culture Pope Benedict XVI delivers the annual Christmas message at Saint Peter's Square in Vatican City. (CNN) Disasters and accidents At least 38 migrants from Haiti are found dead after their boat sank off the east coast of Cuba. (Al Jazeera) State Emergency Service volunteers respond to more than 3000 calls for help after Melbourne, Australia is hit by a series of storms bringing rainstorms, hail and a tornado. (The Australian) Law and crime Faezeh Hashemi, the daughter of former President of Iran Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, stands trial on charges of making anti-regime propaganda. (Yahoo Maktoob) Science The warmest temperature ever recorded at the South Pole is set with a top of -12.3°C set at the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station. (Weather Underground) December 26, 2011 (2011-12-26) (Monday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011 Syrian uprising: Renewed violence takes place in the city of Homs as Arab League observers arrive in Syria to monitor the country's ongoing uprising. (BBC) Business and economy Brazil surpasses the United Kingdom to become the world's sixth-largest economy. (BBC) Disasters Tens of thousands of people are left without power after one of the biggest storms for 30 years hits Scandinavia. (Al Jazeera) Law and crime France refuses to extradite journalist and former court spokeswoman Florence Hartmann, indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for contempt of court. (AP) The government of China sentences activist Chen Xi to ten years imprisonment for "inciting subversion". (The Telegraph) (Radio Television Hong Kong) Sport In American football, Drew Brees, the quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, breaks the 1984 National Football League record for yards passing in a single season. (AP) December 27, 2011 (2011-12-27) (Tuesday) Arts and culture Helen Frankenthaler, who developed Color Field painting, dies at age 83. (The New York Times) Business and economy Over $30 billion was spent on holiday online shopping in the United States, a 15% increase from last year, according to comScore. (Reuters) Sears Holdings Corporation announces plans to close over 100 Sears and K-Mart stores in the United States. (Financial Post) A bankruptcy court judge ruled that the trustee liquidating MF Global, James Giddens, and his law firm, Hughes Hubbard & Reed, are sufficiently "disinterested" in the disposition of assets for Giddens to continue his work in that capacity. (Reuters) Disasters The death toll from flash floods in the Philippines caused by Tropical Storm Washi reaches 1,500 per some sources, but the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council currently puts the number lower.(AFP via Sydney Morning Herald)(NDRRMC) Floods caused by Tropical Cyclone Grant cause the derailment of a train near the town of Katherine in Australia's Northern Territory. (BBC) Politics and elections Indian anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare begins a three day fast in protest as legislation creating an anti-corruption watchdog excluding the Central Bureau of Investigation goes before the Parliament of India. (AP via SF Gate) The government of Argentina announces that President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner has cancer in her thyroid gland, and will have an operation on 4 January and step aside as president for 20 days until 24 January. (BBC) December 28, 2011 (2011-12-28) (Wednesday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011 Syrian uprising: The Washington-based organisation Human Rights Watch accuses Syria of hiding hundreds of political detainees during a visit by Arab League monitors. (Angola Press) Syrian state television reports the release of 755 people detained during ongoing civil unrest. (BBC) A bomb is thrown into an Arabic school in southern Nigeria's Delta State, injuring seven people. (Reuters) Arts and culture Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic priests fight in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem over a cleaning dispute; Palestinian police break up the fighting. (BBC) A Russian court rejects an attempt to ban Bhagavad Gita As It Is, a Russian translation of the Hindu holy book Bhagavad Gita. (BBC) Stones reportedly fall from the Colisseum, one of Rome's most famous landmarks. (MSNBC) The Silence of the Lambs, a 1991 thriller film starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, is to be preserved by the United States Library of Congress as part of its National Film Registry. (BBC) Disasters 31 people are injured following the crash-landing of a passenger jet at Osh Airport in southern Kyrgyzstan. (Straits Times) Four people are killed and 1,000 others flee their homes amid lahars from the Mount Gamalama volcano in Indonesia. (AP via Google) International relations Strait of Hormuz dispute: Iran threatens to close down the key oil route of the Strait of Hormuz if more sanctions are imposed on it by Western nations. (CNN) The United States Navy responds that it will not tolerate a disruption to the Strait. (BBC) (Al Jazeera) The head of the African Union, Jean Ping, arrives in Guinea-Bissau after the country's army chief claims to have foiled a military coup. (IOL) Law and crime In China, 54 government officials and the Ministry of Railways are punished over a fatal high-speed rail crash in July. (Bloomberg) An Egyptian court bans forced virginity tests on female detainees in military prisons. (Al Jazeera) The corruption trial of the former President of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, resumes in Cairo. (BBC) A Venezuelan campaign group says murder rates in the country are at their highest level ever. (BBC) Politics and elections North Korea begins two days of funeral services for former leader Kim Jong-Il, who died on December 17 of a heart attack, aged 69. (BBC) (Tripoli Post) 2011 Yemeni uprising: Labour strikes take place in Yemen as protesters demand reforms and the dismissal of managers over alleged corruption under the regime of outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh. (ABC News) Leading Republican Party presidential candidates, including Mitt Romney and Rick Perry, criticize rival candidate Ron Paul for his view that the United States should not act against Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program. (BBC) Science China's Compass satellite navigation system, a rival to the American Global Positioning System (GPS), becomes operational, offering navigation services on the Chinese mainland. The system is expected to become available worldwide by 2020. (BBC) Sport In yachting, Investec LOYAL wins line honours in the 2011 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, subject to a protest by Wild Oats XI. (Sydney Morning Herald) December 29, 2011 (2011-12-29) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011 Syrian uprising: At least 10 people are killed in clashes in the city of Homs as Arab League monitors continue their inspection of Syria's conflict zones. (BBC) Seven kidnappers are killed and two hostages rescued in a police raid in China's Xinjiang Province, according to state media. One police officer was also reportedly killed. (Reuters) Turkish warplanes launch airstrikes aimed at Kurdish militants, accidentally killing 35 smugglers that were suspected as guerillas. (MSNBC) 2011 Egyptian revolution: Egyptian security forces storm the offices of non-governmental organisations across the country. (Al Jazeera) Arts and culture New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg states that there is 'no chance' that the National September 11 Museum will open on time (September 11, 2012), due to a financial dispute. (MSNBC) Business and economy The United States sells 84 F-15 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.(Reuters) Disasters At least 15 people are killed and dozens injured in an explosion in the Burmese city of Rangoon. (BBC) At least 14 people die in a multi-vehicle accident on the Pan American Highway on the outskirts of the Venezuelan capital Caracas. (El Universal) Mount Cleveland, a volcano in the U.S. state of Alaska, erupts, causing an air traffic alert to be issued. (Reuters) A Russian nuclear submarine, the K-84 Ekaterinburg, is forced to partially submerge itself at a shipyard in Murmansk to douse a blaze on its hull. No radiation leaks are reported. (Reuters) Geography The Pacific Island nations of Samoa and Tokelau move from east to west of the International Date Line in order to align their time zone better with their main trading partners, meaning that they will not mark December 30 this year. (AP via Chicago Tribune) (RNZI) Politics and elections Kim Jong-un is acknowledged as the new supreme leader of North Korea at the conclusion of a state funeral for his father. (AP via MSNBC) Around 500 people protest in the Russian capital Moscow against the detention of opposition leader Sergei Udaltsov. (The Guardian) General elections take place in Jamaica, with preliminary results showing the Opposition People's National Party led by Portia Simpson Miller in a winning position. (RTÉ) (BBC) The Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of the Parliament of India, adjourns for the year without voting on the Lokpal anti-corruption bill advocated by Anna Hazare and his followers. (Reuters) Poland announces an amnesty for illegal immigrants from January 1, 2012. (Reuters) Sport Rosman García, a Venezuelan former relief pitcher who played for the Texas Rangers during the 2003–2004 baseball seasons, is killed in a car crash in Valencia, Venezuela. December 30, 2011 (2011-12-30) (Friday) Armed conflict and attacks Five fighters from the militant group al-Shabab and one Kenyan Army soldier die in a clash. (AP via Google News) 2011 Syrian uprising: The Opposition Free Syrian Army claims to have suspended attacks on military targets pending a meeting with Arab League monitors. (Reuters) Clashes take place between Syrian forces and protesters in Damascus with twelve deaths reported. (BBC) (ABC News Australia) An explosion reportedly occurs outside a mosque in the northern Nigerian city of Maiduguri with four deaths reported. However, the Nigerian military later denies it was an explosion, claiming the noise was caused by an armed robbery with two deaths. (BBC) (AFP via Yahoo7) Business and economy The stock for McDonald's rose 31 percent in 2011, the largest gain in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, while Bank of America fell 59 percent, the largest loss in the Dow Jones. (CNN) Members of the Canadian Auto Workers vote in favour of a strike at Caterpillar Inc's locomotive manufacturing plant in London, Ontario. (Globe and Mail) Disasters The death toll from the 2011 Thailand floods reaches 790. (Jakarta Post) Cyclone Thane makes landfall near the southern Union Territory of Puducherry on India's southern coast. (Reuters via Yahoo) International relations North Korea says that "foolish politicians around the world" should not expect any change in the country's policies. (Al Jazeera) Ecuador vows to protect the Yasuni National Park in the Amazon basin after international donors contribute $100 million to a protection fund. (Reuters via Climate Spectator) The international aid group Médecins Sans Frontières withdraws non-Somali workers from a hospital in Mogadishu after two of its aid workers were shot dead on Thursday. (Reuters via Chicago Tribune) Law and crime Former Chinese fugitive Lai Changxing is indicted on bribery and smuggling charges. (New York Times) Politics The opposition People's National Party wins a majority in the Jamaican general election, with former Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller set to regain office. (Bangkok Post) (Jamaica Gleaner) 2011 Yemeni uprising: Tens of thousands of Yemenis protest against an immunity deal for former President Ali Abdullah Saleh demanding he face trial for deaths in the 2011 Yemeni uprising. (AP via Google News) Supporters of Saleh also appear on the streets in a counter protest. (Reuters via Malaysia Star) The party of Democratic Republic of the Congo politician Étienne Tshisekedi says he has been placed under house arrest in Kinshasa since he claimed to have won the presidential election earlier this year. (AP via Washington Post) Sport In yachting, the New South Wales boat Loki is declared the overall winner of the 2011 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. (Sydney Morning Herald) December 31, 2011 (2011-12-31) (Saturday) Armed conflict and attacks 2011 Syrian uprising: An Arab League observer witnesses snipers in the Syrian city of Deraa and calls for their immediate removal. (Al Jazeera) Two members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party die in a battle with Turkish police in the city of Diyarbakir. (AFP via West Australian) Ethiopian forces capture the central Somali town of Beledweyne from al-Shabaab Islamist militants. (BBC) The President of Sudan Omar Hassan al-Bashir urges members of the Darfur based Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) to seek peace following the recent death of rebel leader Ibrahim Khalil. (Reuters) Nigerian unrest The President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan declares a state of emergency in the states of Borno, Yobe, Niger and Plateau due to violence by the Islamist sect Boko Haram. (AFP via ABC News Australia) Clashes in Ebonyi State in eastern Nigeria kill at least fifty people. (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Nigeria shuts borders with the countries Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. (The Nation)(The Sun) Six thousand people from the Lou Nuer tribe in South Sudan attack the town of Pibor as a result of a dispute over cattle rustling. (BBC) Disasters Authorities in Chile close the Torres del Paine National Park, amid an ongoing forest fire in Patagonia. (euronews) More than 200 people are injured by illegally huge firecrackers and celebratory gunfire in the Philippines. (IOL) The death toll from Cyclone Thane in southern India rises to at least 33 with 21 people dead in Cuddalore. (AFP via Yahoo News) A Chinese bus driver dies of bird flu in the city of Shenzhen in Guangdong province. (Xinhua) A 4.0-magnitude earthquake hits Ohio, with no immediate reports of damage. (MSNBC) In Hollywood, a string of 35 fires burned within 5 hours that caused at least $350,000 in damage. (CNN) International relations The President of the United States Barack Obama signs a law providing for new sanctions against Iran. (AFP via Google News) Politics United States President Barack Obama signs the National Defense Authorization Act into law allowing the indefinite imprisonment of any United States citizen under suspect of terrorism without need of trial. (Forbes) Kim Jong-un is named as the Supreme Commander of North Korea's armed forces following the death of his father Kim Jong-Il. (AP via The Australian) Science NASA succeeds in putting the first of two Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory satellites in orbit around the moon. (BBC) Sport In motor sports, WilliamsF1 co-founder Patrick Head resigns as a director of the team after 34 years in Formula One. (Autosport)

December 2011 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  Ongoing events 2011 East Africa drought 2011 Southern US drought 2011 Tuvalu drought Economic Global financial crisis European sovereign debt crisis Greek economic crisis Smartphone patent wars Medical HIV/AIDS in Africa 2011 United States listeriosis outbreak Political Protests of Wukan — anti-corruption Occupy movement Occupy Wall Street Occupy Atlanta Occupy Austin Occupy Boston Occupy Buffalo Occupy Chicago Occupy Eugene Occupy Houston Occupy London Occupy Los Angeles Occupy Oakland Occupy Portland Occupy San Jose Other protest locations 2011 United States public employee protests 2011 Wisconsin protests 2011 Chilean protests Anti-austerity protests Greek protests 2011 Spanish protests Israeli social protests Anti-Russia protests in India over the Bhagavad Gita ban – ended Arab Spring Post-Tunisian Revolution Post-Egyptian Revolution Post-Libyan Civil War Syrian uprising - ongoing Moroccan protests - reforms Yemeni uprising - transition Bahraini uprising - repressed Jordanian protests News International phone hacking scandal Scientific Expedition 30  Recent deaths December 30: Kim Geun-tae 29: Leopold Hawelka 27: Clifford Darling 27: Helen Frankenthaler 26: Sam Rivers 26: Fred Fono 26: Pedro Armendáriz Jr. 25: Moses Pitakaka 24: Johannes Heesters 24: Cheeta 23: Khalil Ibrahim 18: Václav Havel 18: Donald Neilson 18: Ronald Wolfe 17: Cesária Évora 17: Kim Jong-il 16: Dan Frazer 15: Christopher Hitchens 14: Joe Simon 14: Billie Jo Spears 13: Russell Hoban 12: Bert Schneider 11: Harold Hopkins 8: Zelman Cowen 7: Harry Morgan 7: Jerry Robinson 6: Dobie Gray 5: Dan Biggers 5: Peter Gethin 4: Patricia C. Dunn 4: Sócrates 3: Dev Anand 2: Sam Loxton 1: Arthur Beetson  Ongoing conflicts Global War on terror Terrorist incidents Operation Active Endeavour Operation Enduring Freedom War on drugs Africa Maghreb insurgency OEF - Trans Sahara Casamance conflict Niger Delta conflict Nigerian Sharia conflict South Kordofan conflict Lord's Resistance Army insurgency Somalia: Civil war Somali Civil War (2009–present) Piracy OEF - Horn of Africa Europe Real IRA North Caucasus insurgency Ingushetia civil war Middle East Iraqi insurgency Iran-Jundallah conflict Fatah–Hamas conflict Arab–Israeli conflict Israeli–Palestinian conflict Israeli–Lebanese conflict Palestinian political violence and rocket attacks Yemen: Terrorism al-Qaeda crackdown South Yemen insurgency Shia insurgency Kurdistan: Turkey–PKK conflict Asia Afghanistan War Military operations Taliban insurgency Pakistan: Terrorism North-West War Balochistan conflict Drone attacks Sectarian violence India: Terrorism Jammu and Kashmir insurgency Naxalite–Maoist insurgency Northeast India insurgency Nagaland ethnic conflict Kashmir conflict Siachen conflict Korean maritime border incidents Southeast Asia: Laos insurgency Burma internal conflict Burma border clashes South Thailand insurgency Cambodian–Thai border dispute Islamic insurgency in the Philippines Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines Papua conflict Americas Colombian conflict Mexican drug war  Elections Recent: December 4: Croatia, Parliament 4: Slovenia, Parliament 4: Russia, Parliament 8: Gibraltar, Parliament 11: Côte d'Ivoire, Parliament 11: Transnistria, President (1st round) 14: Switzerland, Federal Council (indirect) 14–15/21–22: Egypt, Parliament (2nd round) 17: Gabon, Parliament 25: Transnistria, President (2nd round) 29: Jamaica, General Upcoming: January 3–4/10–11: Egypt, Parliament (3rd phase) 13: Kiribati, President 14: Republic of China (Taiwan), President and Legislative Yuan (Parliament) 15: Kazakhstan, Parliament 15: Moldova, President (indirect, 2nd round) 22: Finland, President (1st round) 22: Croatia, EU membership referendum 29–30 January/5–6 February: Egypt, Shura Council (1st phase)  Trials Recently concluded Cambodia: Kang Kek Iew France: Jacques Chirac, John Galliano Germany: John Demjanjuk Italy: Amanda Knox, Raffaele Sollecito Indonesia: Abu Bakar Bashir Netherlands: Geert Wilders Russia: Bhagavad Gita As It Is Ukraine: Yulia Tymoshenko United Kingdom: Levi Bellfield, Robert Black, Vincent Tabak United States: Faisal Shahzad, Noshir Gowadia, Buju Banton, Barry Bonds, Raj Rajaratnam, Rod Blagojevich, Casey Anthony, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Conrad Murray Ongoing Cambodia: Khmer Rouge Tribunal Canada: Russell Williams China: Organized crime in Chongqing France: Church of Scientology, Carlos the Jackal Germany: Heinrich Boere Iraq: Supreme Criminal Tribunal Iran: Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani Malaysia: Anwar Ibrahim Netherlands: Thomas Lubanga (ICC), Radovan Karadžić (ICTY) Palau: Tommy Remengesau Peru: Joran van der Sloot Philippines: Andal Ampatuan Jr. Russia: Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Platon Lebedev Sierra Leone]]: Charles Taylor (SCFSL) Singapore: Tak Boleh Tahan South Africa: Chris Mahlangu Thailand: Thaksin Shinawatra Turkey: Ergenekon network United States: Roger Clemens, Ahmed Ghailani, David Headley, Jared Lee Loughner, Charles P. White, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, Viktor Bout Ucoming Egypt: Hosni Mubarak, Alaa Mubarak, Gamal Mubarak Norway: Anders Behring Breivik Sudan: Lubna al-Hussein Tunisia: Zine El Abidine Ben Ali United States: Allen Stanford, Nidal Malik Hasan, John Edwards, Javaris Crittenton  Holidays  and observances Recent