Portal:Current events/February 2012

See also: February 2012 in sports

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February 2012 was the second month of that leap year. The month, which began on a Wednesday, ended on a Wednesday after 29 days.

Portal:Current events

This is an archived version of Wikipedia's Current events Portal from February 2012.

February 1, 2012 (2012-02-01) (Wednesday) Armed conflict and attacks The London Times reports that a secret NATO report claims that the Taliban, backed by Pakistan, is set to regain control over Afghanistan after international forces withdraw from the country. (Reuters) The Xinhua news agency reports that 25 Chinese workers held captive in the Sinai region of Egypt have been released. (CNN) Pakistan Air Force jets bomb militant positions in the Orakzai and Kurram Agency areas near the border with Afghanistan with claims that 31 alleged insurgents were killed. (AP via Washington Post) Nigeria's State Security Service claim to have arrested Abul-Qaqa, a purported spokesman for the radical Islamist Boko Haram group. (AP) Arts and culture Polish poet Wisława Szymborska, former winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, dies of lung cancer at 88. (Reuters) American television host and producer Don Cornelius, creator of Soul Train is found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. (Associated Press) Business and economy Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia and Hong Kong ban poultry imports from the Australian state of Victoria while Japan bans imports from the whole of Australia following an outbreak of a low pathogenic form of the avian influenza (separate from the potentially deadly H5N1 strain).(ABC News Australia)(VoA) The social network Facebook files for an initial public offering. (Wall Street Journal) The parent company of American Airlines says that it will slash 13,000 jobs or 15% of its workforce. (BBC) European antitrust authorities block a planned merger between NYSE Euronext and Deutsche Boerse. (Reuters) Law and crime Egyptian football riots At least 73 people are killed as a result of clashes between fans of Egyptian football teams Al-Masry and Al-Ahly in the city of Port Said. (BBC), (AFP via News Limited)(Seattle Post-Intelligencer) All Egyptian Premier League matches are cancelled following the riots. (ABC News Australia) Canadian national Naser al-Raas is arrested in Bahrain for attending a rally in the 2011–2012 Bahraini uprising. (CBC News) Politics and elections The State Senate in the US state of Washington passes legislation allowing same sex marriage in the state. (Fox News via Chicago Tribune) Sport The Zimbabwe Football Association suspends 80 players including members of the Zimbabwe national football team on suspicion of participation in match-fixing. (Reuters via NZ Stuff) England national football team and Chelsea captain John Terry faces charges at the Westminster Magistrates' Court in London that he used an ethnic slur against QPR defender Anton Ferdinand during a match in October. (Reuters via Yahoo News Australia) February 2, 2012 (2012-02-02) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks The Philippines military claim to have killed Abu Sayyaf leader Umbra Jumdail, Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir, a leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, and Singaporean Abdullah Ali. (AP via Google News) Six kidnapped aid workers are released in Yemen. (Reuters) The Mexican Army sends 4,000 soldiers to Michoacán state as a result of recent violence. (AP via Washington Post) Disasters The ferry MV Rabaul Queen sinks off the coast of Papua New Guinea near the Finschhafen District, with an estimated 350 people on board. Nearby commercial ships rescue 238 people from the sea. (News Limited via the Herald-Sun) (BBC) More than 110 people are killed across Europe as a result of a recent cold snap. (BBC) (AP via Courier Mail) Australian floods: Thousands of residents of Australian towns Bellingen and Moree, New South Wales are warned to prepare to evacuate as a result of heavy rain. (The Australian) A disaster is declared in the Queensland town of Mitchell with the Maranoa River expected to reach a peak of 9 metres. (The Age) International relations The People's Republic of China asks for assistance from South Sudan to obtain the release of 29 Chinese workers held captive in Sudan for five days. (Reuters) Law and crime Corruption charges against former Premier of Western Australia Brian Burke are dropped. (ABC News Australia) The Supreme Court of India cancels 122 telecom licences granted in the 2008 sale at the centre of a corruption scandal involving former minister A. Raja. (AFP via Google News) A French appeals court upholds a 2009 conviction of the Church of Scientology on fraud charges. (AP via Google News) Egyptian comedian Adel Emam is sentenced to three months in prison for insulting Islam. (The Guardian) Politics The Prime Minister of Egypt Kamal Ganzouri calls an emergency Cabinet meeting to discuss the Port Said Stadium clashes which resulted in at least 74 deaths. (AFP via SBS News Australia) Voters in Kuwait go the polls for a parliamentary election. (Reuters) Prince William arrives in the Falkland Islands for a tour of duty as a Royal Air Force search and rescue pilot. His deployment comes at a time of high tension between the United Kingdom and Argentina over the sovereignty of the islands. (BBC) Sports Sam Gagner of the Edmonton Oilers becomes just the thirteenth NHL player in history to record 8 points in one game, doing so against the Chicago Blackhawks. It is the first time the feat is attained since 1989. (CBC) February 3, 2012 (2012-02-03) (Friday) Armed conflict and attacks Insurgency in the North Caucasus: The Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov orders his subordinates to halt attacks on the civilian population of Russia, while leaving military and security personnel as legitimate targets.(RFE/RL) Egyptian protests: Egyptian police shoot and kill two protesters in Suez, the first deaths to occur as protests spring up over the Port Said Stadium clashes. (AP via Atlanta Journal Constitution) Nearly 400 people are injured in similar protests in Cairo. (BBC) Five people are killed and 1,700 injured in clashes resulting from the incident in Port Said. (Al-Jazeera) Seven Pakistan Army soldiers are killed and three others wounded following a Taliban attack in the Kurram Agency. (Dawn) The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights claims that more than 100 people have been killed in shelling in the city of Homs. (Reuters) Business and economy Hungarian airline Malév ceases operation as its aircraft are grounded due to unpaid debts. (Reuters) Stocks rise sharply in the United States following positive jobs information with the Nasdaq Composite reaching its highest level since 2000 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average nearing levels last reached in 2008. (Wall Street Journal) In the United States, employers added over 240,000 jobs in the month of January and the unemployment rate dropped to 8.3%, the lowest percent in three years. (CNN) Disasters An official from Papua New Guinea's maritime safety authority estimates that 100 people were trapped aboard the ferry MV Rabaul Queen which sank off the northeast coast yesterday. (Reuters via Alertnet) Thousands of Australians are evacuated in northern New South Wales and Queensland due to rising floodwaters with parts of Queensland declared as a disaster area. (AAP via Melbourne Herald-Sun), (AAP via Sydney Morning Herald) At least three people die and 50 are injured after a passenger train derails in the Kamrup district in India's Assam state. (NDTV) Highways in the US state of Colorado are closed due to heavy snowfall including the I-70. (9 News) Law and crime The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia increases the sentence of Kang Kek Iew, or Duch, to life for running the Tuol Sleng prison camp under the Khmer Rouge. (BBC) Major General Michael Linnington orders a court martial for US Private Bradley Manning responsible for leaking hundreds of thousands of documents to Wikileaks. (Baltimore Sun) US Federal prosecutors drop an investigation of cycling champion Lance Armstrong for alleged use of performance enhancing substances. (USA Today) Catholic Church sex abuse cases in the United States The Archdiocese of Milwaukee faces 550 abuse claims in bankruptcy proceeding. The archdiocese has asked the court to dismiss up to 95% of the claims, saying that they are excluded by the statute of limitations or because the alleged molesters were not priests. (Catholic World News), (New York Times) Politics Chris Huhne, the United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, resigns after the Crown Prosecution Service announces it will bring charges against him and his wife over claims she accepted penalty points on her driving licence for speeding on his behalf. (BBC) Thousands of Bahrainis hold a peaceful protest in Manama calling for political reform and release of political prisoners. (Al-Jazeera) Sport The Football Association removes John Terry as captain of the England national football team over allegations of racial abuse of Anton Ferdinand during a match. (BBC Sport) The Daily Mail reports that the world record for the number of water skiers pulled by a single boat (145) has been broken. (Daily Mail) February 4, 2012 (2012-02-04) (Saturday) Armed conflict and attacks Arab Spring: 2011–2012 Syrian uprising: The United Nations Security Council votes on an Arab League proposal to resolve problems in Syria with reports of hundreds of people dead in the past couple of days as a result of shelling in Homs - the People's Republic of China and Russia veto the resolution. (BBC) (Al-Arabiya) (Reuters via the Hindustan Times) Twelve people are arrested at the Syrian Embassy in London as part of a worldwide protest against the shelling. (BBC), (The Telegraph) Protesters are also reported to have stormed Syrian embassies in Kuwait, Egypt, Australia, Germany and Greece. (AP via Google News) (The Telegraph) (ABC News Australia) Tunisia is to withdraw its recognition of the Syrian government. (Reuters) The Arab Parliament calls for Arab countries to sever relations with Syria. (IOL) 2011–2012 Bahraini uprising: An increasing number of anti-government protests take place in Bahrain in the build up to the first anniversary of the start of the protests. (Al Jazeera) The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan estimates that civilian deaths in the war in Afghanistan rose to a record level in 2011 of 3021 with insurgents responsible for most of the deaths. (AAP via Merald-Sun) Iran starts new military exercises as tensions rise over its nuclear program. (Washington Post) Egypt's tax authority building in Cairo is set alight as protests against the continuation of military rule carry on. (Al-Jazeera) Florence Green, the last known veteran from World War I, dies at the age of 110 in the United Kingdom. (Atlantic Wire) Disasters Tens of thousands of people are stranded by floods in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland. (AFP via The West Australian) Filmmakers Mike deGruy of Santa Barbara, California and Andrew Wight of Victoria die in a helicopter crash in the Australian town of Berry, New South Wales. (The Daily Telegraph) Law and crime Charlie White, the Secretary of State of the US state of Indiana, is convicted of multiple voter fraud related offences. (AP via Mercury News) Politics and elections Three more Tibetan protesters set themselves on fire in Sichuan, China. (Straits Times) 2011–2012 Russian protests: Over 100,000 people protest for and against Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Moscow. (RIA Novosti) Julius Malema, formerly of the African National Congress Youth League, loses an appeal against a decision by South Africa's ruling African National Congress party to suspend him. (IOL) 2012 United States presidential election: Republican Party voters gather in Nevada for the party caucuses with Mitt Romney projected as the winner. (The Guardian) (NBC News) Republicans in the state of Maine start caucuses which will go on for a week. (WLBZ) February 5, 2012 (2012-02-05) (Sunday) Armed conflict and attacks An explosion hits the gas pipeline between Egypt, Israel and Jordan in the North Sinai Governorate west of Arish. (AP via MSNBC) At least three people die and nine are injured by an explosion in the Afghan city of Kandahar. (BBC) The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta claims responsibility for attacking an Eni SpA pipeline carrying oil to the Nigerian city of Brass. (Bloomberg) Disasters Early 2012 European cold wave: Heavy snow falls across much of the United Kingdom, leading to the cancellation of hundreds of flights at Heathrow Airport and the closure of the runway at Luton Airport. (BBC) More than 250 people have died of the cold weather in Europe, with Russia forced to reduce supplies of natural gas. (Al-Jazeera) Bosnia declares a state of emergency as a result of the cold snap. (Al-Jazeera) Due to flooding, residents are asked to evacuate the Australian town of St George, Queensland, and the body is found of a woman missing in Roma. (ABC News Australia) Law and crime A Libyan starts court proceedings against 41 people accused of helping Muammar Gaddafi to attempt to suppress the opposition in the Libyan Civil War. (Reuters) Politics and elections Bahraini opposition parties launch a week-long sit in for political reform. (Reuters) Voters in Finland go to the polls for the second round of the Finnish Presidential election with conservative candidate Sauli Niinisto winning in a landslide. (AP via Google News) Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah resigns as the Prime Minister of Kuwait following a strong performance by the Opposition in a recent parliamentary election. (AP via the Washington Examiner) The Nigerian People's Democratic Party wins the governorship in Adamawa State. (Reuters) The ruling Mexican National Action Party (PAN) endorses Josefina Vázquez Mota as its candidate for the Presidential election, the first time that a major Mexican party has endorsed a woman to run for President of Mexico. (AP via Star Tribune) Sport Super Bowl XLVI: In American football, Super Bowl XLVI is played in Indianapolis with the New York Giants defeating the New England Patriots 21-17. (SA Sunday Mail) (NBC Sports) Quarterback Eli Manning of the Giants wins his second Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award. (AP via Wall Street Journal) In darts, England win the 2012 PDC World Cup of Darts defeating Australia 4-3 in the final. (Fox Sports) February 6, 2012 (2012-02-06) (Monday) Armed conflict and attacks 2011–2012 Syrian uprising Syrian government forces continue shelling the city of Homs with at least 17 people dead today. (AP via Google News) Hacker group Anonymous publishes hundreds of emails from President Bashar al-Assad's office. (Haaretz) The United States closes its embassy in Damascus, while the United Kingdom recalls its ambassador. (Washington Post) (CNN) Ahmet Davutoğlu, the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, says Turkey's doors were “open to all Syrians who want to flee from oppression.” (Hurriyet Daily News) Gunmen kill five refugees from the Libyan town of Tawergha in a camp in a Tripoli suburb. (Reuters) More than 1000 Brazilian Army and police surround the state Legislative Assembly in Salvador, Bahia, after striking police officers and their families occupy it. (Al-Jazeera) Arts and culture Spanish artist Antoni Tàpies, a pioneer of abstract art, dies in Barcelona at the age of 88. (AFP via Google News) Business and economy Greek government debt crisis: The government of Greece fails to reach agreement over the terms of a new bailout from the European Union, but retracts the deadline they had given themselves to do so, 30 minutes before the deadline would have passed. (The Guardian) Disasters A 6.9 magnitude earthquake hits near the central Philippines off the coast of Negros Island causing at least 13 deaths and 29 people missing with houses buried in a landslide in Guihulngan. (AP via Google News) A three-storey factory collapses in the Pakistani city of Lahore after a gas explosion resulting in at least three deaths with dozens of workers trapped. (Reuters) A motor vehicle crash near Hampstead, Ontario between a passenger van carrying 13 people and an eighteen-wheeler truck kills 11, including the van driver and ten Peruvian migrant workers. (CBC) (The Globe and Mail) (Hamilton Spectator) Politics and elections Queen Elizabeth II marks the 60th anniversary of her becoming the monarch of the United Kingdom and seven other sovereign states in the Commonwealth of Nations with events to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee set for later in the year. (BBC) Myanmar's Election Commission clears National League for Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi to run in a by-election in the seat of Kawhmu. (AP via US News and World Report) Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc and his entire cabinet resign after major social and political unrest in the country. (The Guardian) The BBC reports that rival Palestinian factions have agreed to form a government led by President Mahmoud Abbas ahead of elections. (BBC) Sport In cycling, the Court of Arbitration for Sport bans Spanish rider Alberto Contador for two years for doping and strips him of championships including the 2010 Tour de France. (The Guardian) February 7, 2012 (2012-02-07) (Tuesday) Armed conflict and attacks 2011-2012 Syrian uprising Sergey Lavrov, the Foreign Minister of Russia, visits Damascus to hold discussions with the President of Syria Bashar al-Assad about the current violence. (Reuters) Lavrov claims to have achieved a commitment from Assad to end the violence. (AFP via The Australian) The city of Homs remains under siege with heavy gunfire reported. (Sky News) France, Spain, Netherlands and Italy recall their ambassadors for more consultations. (Reuters), (The Guardian), (AFP via the Australian) The Gulf Arab states withdraw their ambassadors. (BBC) Maldives police mutiny Maldives National Defence Force soldiers fire rubber bullets at police officers demonstrating in the capital Malé who are defying an order by President Mohamed Nasheed to crack down on protests. (AP via Google News) Nasheed later resigns on national television as the unrest spreads with the mutinying officers gaining control of state television. (BBC) The former Vice President of the Maldives Mohammed Waheed Hassan is sworn in vowing to uphold the "rule of law". (BBC) A standoff between security forces and striking policemen occupying the state legislature continues in Salvador, Brazil. (Al Jazeera) Tuareg Rebellion (2011–present): 22,000 people flee fighting in Mali to neighbouring countries. (IOL) Business and economy Greek government debt crisis: discussions among the three parties within the ruling coalition in Greece are postponed, at least in part because the paperwork wasn't ready. (Reuters) Disasters Rescuers in the Philippines search for survivors of the 2012 Negros Oriental earthquake with the death toll so far confirmed at 43. (AFP via The Sydney Morning Herald) The death toll from a factory collapse in the Pakistani city of Lahore rises to 17 with 20 more people trapped in the rubble. (AAP via Yahoo7 News) International relations Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, the President of Argentina, states that Argentina will lodge a complaint with the United Nations Security Council and the United Nations General Assembly about the alleged "militarisation" of the area around the Falkland Islands by the United Kingdom. (BBC) Law and crime The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit overturns California's Proposition 8 banning gay marriage in that state. (Los Angeles Times) Manssor Arbabsiar will face a trial on October 22 in the United States for his role in the 2011 alleged Iran assassination plot against the Saudi Arabian ambassador. (AFP via France 24) Politics and elections U.S. Republican Party presidential primaries Republican Party voters in Colorado participate in caucuses with 36 delegates at stake - Santorum wins, with Mitt Romney placing second. (9 News), (The Guardian), (BBC), (Denver Post) Republican voters in the state of Minnesota participate in caucuses with 40 delegates at stake - Rick Santorum is projected to win. (NPR), (The Guardian), (Fox News) Voters in the state of Missouri vote in a non-binding primary with Rick Santorum winning the most votes. (Joplin Globe), (Reuters) The French Cabinet walks out of the National Assembly after Socialist Party MP Serge Letchimy accuses Interior Minister Claude Guéant of flirting with Nazi ideology in his statement that "not all civilisations are of equal value". (The Guardian) The Iranian parliament summons president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over economic policy, in the first such summons since the Iranian Revolution. (Al Arabiya) An anti-gay bill is reintroduced in the Ugandan parliament after it was previously withdrawn. (GlobalPost) The United States Congress votes to pass legislation allowing for greater use of drone aircraft in the United States. (New York Daily News) February 8, 2012 (2012-02-08) (Wednesday) Armed conflict and attacks Pakistani officials claim that US drone missiles have killed ten people in Spalga village in North Waziristan. (AP via Google News) (Reuters) The Syrian government launches an offensive in Homs, with tanks reported in neighbourhoods and dozens of people reported as dying over the past few hours. (Al-Jazeera) (BBC/AFP via ABC Online) The Islamist group Al-Shabab claims responsibility for a car bombing in the Somalian capital Mogadishu which claims at least ten people and injures at least 20. (BBC) Business and economy Histadrut, Israel's trade union organisation, calls a nationwide strike with Ben Gurion Airport to be closed until midday. (AP via Google News) Air France cancels long-haul flights due to a strike by staff. (AFP via Sydney Morning Herald) Airbus announces that it will inspect the wings of all Airbus 380 aircraft for cracks. (BBC) A meeting of the leaders of the parties comprising the Greek Government breaks up without agreeing to cuts prescribed by the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund. (AP via Google News) Culture Vincent Van Gogh, Edgar Degas and Camille Pissarro artworks, from the personal collection of Elizabeth Taylor, sell for £13.7 million at Christie's in London. (BBC) Zsa Zsa Gabor, suffering from life-threatening health problems, has a party for her 95th birthday. (Daily Mail) (Reuters) Disasters The death toll from a factory collapse in Lahore, Pakistan, rises to 21. (AP via MSNBC) The New Zealand Royal Commission on the Pike River Mine disaster hears that a collapse in the coal extraction area was the most likely cause of the fatal blast in the mine on November 19, 2010 that claimed 29 lives. (TV New Zealand) Early 2012 European cold wave: The death toll throughout Europe rises to over 400 with the Danube River freezing over for 170 km. (Sydney Morning Herald) Politics The new President of the Maldives Mohammed Waheed Hassan calls for the formation of a national unity government while supporters of former President Mohamed Nasheed riot. (AP via Herald-Sun) (AP via Christian Science Monitor) Three Bharatiya Janata Party Ministers in the Indian state of Karnataka – Laxman Savadi, C C Patil and J. Krishna Palemar – are forced to resign after footage is shown of them watching a pornographic video in the Legislative Assembly. (Reuters) The Washington State Legislature in the United States approves a bill that will allow same-sex marriage in the state. (CNN) Wang Lijun, former police chief of the central Chinese city of Chongqing, unexpectedly leaves his position and goes to the Chongqing U.S. Consulate, sparking rumours of his political downfall. (BBC) Law and crime Three investigating judges from the Cour de Justice de la République file preliminary charges against former French Minister of Labor, Solidarity and Public service Éric Woerth over "passive influence peddling" in relation to the affairs of L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt. (AP) In Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., the prosecution and defense both make their opening statements in the trial of former University of Virginia men's lacrosse player George Huguely on murder charges in the 2010 death of former UVA women's lacrosse player Yeardley Love. (AP via ESPN) Sport English football: Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp is cleared of tax evasion at a London court. (BBC) Fabio Capello resigns as the manager of England over continuing clashes with The Football Association (FA) following the sacking of John Terry as team captain, with Terry facing charges of racist abuse. (The Guardian) (Daily Mail) (Sky News) Fabio Capello attacks the English FA following his shock resignation as England manager, accusing them of interfering, insulting him, destroying his authority and contradicting "the much-vaunted Anglo-Saxon sense of justice, as they are the first to claim that everyone is innocent until proven guilty". (RTÉ Sport) The FA announces a press conference to be held at Wembley tomorrow noon. (The Daily Telegraph) The semi-finals of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations take place in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. (BBC Sport) February 9, 2012 (2012-02-09) (Thursday) Armed conflict and attacks Syria: Syrian Army troops continue to pour into Homs as part of the latest offensive, with scores of civilians and anti-government protesters reported as having been killed in the past day. (Reuters) Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, condemned the "appalling brutality" of the operation with estimates as high 110 people dead today. (Reuters) The United States Department of Defense issues new guidelines removing restrictions on use of women in combat. (MSNBC News) Business and economy Greek government debt crisis: Talks continue in order to resolve the debt crisis with a tentative agreement made. (AP) (AP via Sydney Morning Herald) Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the Euro Group, gives the Hellenic Parliament a deadline of Sunday to pass legislation. (BBC) Eastman Kodak Co. announces that it will no longer make digital cameras, pocket video cameras and digital picture frames in an effort to save money during bankruptcy. (Reuters) Disasters Another 6000 Australians in northern New South Wales are expected to become isolated over the next few days as a result of flood waters including residents of Goodoga and Lightning Ridge. (Daily Telegraph) The New Zealand Department of Building and Housing issues a report saying that the CTV Building that collapsed during the 2011 Christchurch earthquake killing 115 people did not meet relevant building standards when it was built in 1986. (Fairfax New Zealand via New Zealand Stuff) International Relations Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper goes on an official visit to China, meeting with President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, and Vice-Premier Li Keqiang. The two countries sign trade deals worth over $3 billion. (CBC) Law Spain's best-known judge Baltasar Garzón, who helped arrest Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and was charged with attempting to investigate Franco-era crimes against humanity, is banned from the legal profession for 11 years, without appeal, for illegal wire-tapping. (Aljazeera) (BBC) (The Guardian) Sport Analyst Roland S. Martin is suspended from CNN over numerous offensive comments he made about gay men on Twitter during the broadcast of Super Bowl XLVI. (TIME) In football, UEFA suspends Czech defender David Bystroň of Viktoria Plzeň for two years for testing positive for a banned substance after a Champions League match against Belarus side BATE Borisov. (AFP via Google News) February 10, 2012 (2012-02-10) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks Arab Spring: 2011-2012 Syrian uprising: The Syrian Army offensive in Homs continues with further heavy fighting expected over the weekend. (Reuters) Two explosions are recorded in Syrian government security compounds in the northern city of Aleppo with casualties reported. (AP via ABC News America) A bipartisan group of US Senators led by Bob Casey and Marco Rubio will introduce a resolution calling for the Obama administration to start assisting the Opposition. (Foreign Policy) Saudi Arabia circulates a draft resolution amongst the General Assembly of the United Nations with similar wording to that vetoed in the Security Council. (Al-Jazeera) 2011–2012 Bahraini uprising: Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters march towards an area outside the capital Manama as the one year anniversary of the uprising (Feb. 14) approaches. (Washington Post) Egypt since the Revolution: Egyptian protesters march towards the Defense Ministry in Cairo, demanding the return of a civilian government. (UPI) Egypt's military rulers warn of conspiracies that seek to topple the state and spread chaos one day before the one-year anniversary of the toppling of former President Hosni Mubarak. (AP via Google News) People in Greece protest against the latest austerity measures imposed on their country, as more senior politicians resign. (The Guardian) An internal plot among cardinals to kill Pope Benedict XVI is alleged in Italy. (The Guardian) A protester is shot dead by security forces in Qatif, eastern Saudi Arabia, amid a demonstration calling for the release of Shia prisoners and democratic reforms. (BBC) In England, three men who distributed and posted through letterboxes leaflets calling for the execution of gay people are jailed. (BBC) Secessionists battle with forces from Somaliland near the border with Puntland in northern Somalia. (IOL) The United States Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta tells the Marine Corps to re-investigate and take appropriate action against snipers who posed with a logo resembling that of the Nazi Schutzstaffel in Afghanistan. (AP via MSNBC) The United States Central Intelligence Agency website and Alabama state websites go down with reports that Anonymous is responsible. (MSNBC) Arts and culture A new book of poetry by President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins is negatively reviewed by leading critic Professor Kevin Kiely, who says the President "can be accused of crimes against literature". (Irish Independent) The Cats of Copenhagen, a children's story by James Joyce, is published for the first time in Dublin, and is called an "outrage". (BBC) The Guard wins The Guardian's annual First Film award. (BBC) Spanish photographer Samuel Aranda wins the 2011 World Press Photo of the Year with an image of a veiled woman holding a wounded relative in her arms after a demonstration in Yemen. (BBC) Business and economy A Histadrut general strike in Israel continues for a third day with banks, ports and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange closed. (Reuters) Reuters cites sources "familiar with the matter" as saying that Google will soon receive approval from both the European Union and the United States for its proposed acquisition of Motorola Mobility. (Reuters) Disasters The death toll of the sinking of a boat with more than 70 people from Samaná, Dominican Republic, trying to illegally enter Puerto Rico, reaches 47. (Reuters) International relations Argentina's foreign minister Héctor Timerman issues a formal complaint to the United Nations about British "militarisation" of seas around the Falkland Islands. (The Guardian) (Merco Press) A group of South Korean lawmakers make a rare visit to North Korea's Kaesong Industrial Region. (AFP) Law and crime A Ugandan lawmaker who propose the Anti-Homosexuality Bill scraps the proposed death penalty clause. (Times of India) Banking scion Nathaniel Rothschild loses his libel action against the Daily Mail for a statement that he is "puppet master" for Peter Mandelson and Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. (The Guardian) Luka Bojović, an alleged member of the Zemun Clan, is arrested in Valencia, Spain, for involvement in over 20 murders in Serbia, the Netherlands and Spain, including the killing of former Prime Minister of Serbia Zoran Đinđić. (BBC) An Uzbek man Ulugbek Kodirov pleads guilty to plotting with the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan to assassinate President of the United States Barack Obama in a hearing in Birmingham, Alabama. (AP via Google) Politics Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao pledges greater freedoms in Tibet, hours after two protesters are killed demanding the end of Chinese rule in the region; seven officials are also sacked for "neglecting state duties". (Straits Times) (CNN) Chinese dissident Zhu Yufi is jailed for seven years for "inciting subversion", after publishing a poem in support of freedom. (Radio Television Hong Kong) (BBC) U Gambira, a Bhikkhu or Buddhist monk and a leader of the 2007 Burmese anti-government protests, is reported as having been arrested in Yangon. (BBC) A Saudi blogger is detained by Malaysian police after fleeing Saudi Arabia for allegedly insulting the Prophet Muhammad. (Al Jazeera) Firefighters hose down the Belgian prime minister's office in protest over plans to increase their retirement age. (The Guardian) Mohamed Nasheed, former president of the Maldives, demands new elections and threatens protests if the new government meet the demands. (Reuters) Sport In rugby league, the Australian Rugby League Commission is formed to run the National Rugby League replacing control by representatives of News Limited and the former Australian Rugby League. (Sydney Morning Herald) February 11, 2012 (2012-02-11) (Saturday) Armed conflict and attacks Arab Spring: Syrian Civil War: A draft resolution is circulated by Saudi Arabia at the United Nations General Assembly calling for an end to the violence, as the Syrian city of Homs is besieged by the Syrian army. (BBC) A Syrian army general is shot dead in Damascus, according to state media. (China Radio International) At least three people are killed and several wounded in Tripoli, Lebanon, in clashes between supporters and opponents of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. (Jerusalem Post) Bahraini uprising of 2011: Bahrain security forces tear-gas dozens of demonstrators, injuring three, ahead of the anniversary of the uprising. (AFP) Human rights activist Nabeel Rajab says two Americans have been detained by Bahraini security forces and US Embassy is looking into the reports. (Associated Press) 2011–12 Saudi Arabian protests: A second protester is shot dead in eastern Saudi Arabia amid an ongoing anti-government protests. (Al Jazeera) 2011 Egyptian Revolution: Activists in Egypt mark the first anniversary of the overthrow of former President Hosni Mubarak in the 2011 Egyptian Revolution with a strike and a day of civil disobedience. (BBC) Three people including an Australian journalist, an American student and their Egyptian guide are arrested in the city of El-Mahalla El-Kubra for allegedly offering inducements to people to join. (News Limited) Labour activist Kamal al-Fayyumi is also arrested in El-Mahalla El-Kubra. (Al-Jazeera) The Israeli Air Force conducts four air strikes in the Gaza Strip with claims that two people were injured. (AFP via France 24) Arts and culture American singer and actress Whitney Houston dies suddenly at the age of 48 at the The Beverly Hilton. (AP via Herald-Sun) (BBC) (Los Angeles Times) International relations Sudan and South Sudan sign a non-aggression treaty. (IOL) Sir Mark Lyall Grant, the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations, describes claims by Argentina that the United Kingdom is militarising the Falkland Islands as "manifestly absurd". (Sky News) Law and crime Arid Uka, an Islamic extremist, is convicted in Germany of murdering two U.S. soldiers and injuring another two in a shooting at Frankfurt Airport last year. (AP) Five journalists from The Sun are among eight people arrested in connection with allegations of corrupt payments to police. News International boss Rupert Murdoch says he is committed to the newspaper. (BBC) Politics Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is to make an "important nuclear announcement" within days. (Al Jazeera) Burmese protest leader U Gambira is released by authorities in Yangon after being held overnight. (BBC) Thousands of people march in Japan against the resumption of nuclear reactors that were closed after the Fukushima disaster last year. (AP via Jakarta Post) Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper meets privately with Chongqing party boss Bo Xilai. The latter is currently embroiled in the Wang Lijun affair in what is rumoured to be an intense political struggle. (Globe and Mail) (The National Post) Hundreds of thousands of people march in the Portuguese capital Lisbon against austerity measures. (AFP via Google News) The Republican caucuses in the state of Maine finish with Mitt Romney finishing just ahead of Ron Paul. (New York Times) Sport The live televised France versus Ireland match in the 2012 Six Nations Championship is cancelled minutes prior to kick-off, prompting boos to ring out among disgruntled spectators inside a packed Stade de France. It is the first time such an event has happened since 1985. (RTÉ News) (BBC Sport) (The Guardian) February 12, 2012 (2012-02-12) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian uprising: The Arab League calls for a peace keeping force to be sent to Syria to halt violence. (Al-Jazeera) There is a lull in the bombardment of Homs allowing some families to escape and for protesters to go to the streets. (Reuters) The Arab League meets in Cairo to discuss sending a joint mission to Syria with the United Nations. (Al-Jazeera) The head of the suspended Arab League's observer mission in Syria, Mohammed Ahmed Mustafa al-Dabi, resigns. (Emirates 24/7) Turkish warplanes carry out strikes against PKK hideouts in northern Iraq. (IOL) Greek bailout and protests: The Hellenic Parliament votes to approve austerity measures demanded in return for another bailout from the eurozone. (CNN) Police in Greece fire tear gas at protesters in Athens including composer Mikis Theodorakis and World War II resistance leader and leftist politician Manolis Glezos. (Athens News) Up to 60 police officers are injured in fighting and at least ten buildings are burnt down as a minority of the tens of thousands of protesters turn violent. (AP via The Australian) (BBC) The historic Attikon cinema in Athens is set on fire following demonstrations over the latest round of economic austerity measures proposed by the government. (Reuters)(Ekathimerini) Comrade Artemio, leader of the Shining Path Peruvian rebel movement, is captured in the Huallaga Valley area by the Army and National Police. (AP via Washington Post) Arts and culture Grammy Awards: The 54th Grammy Awards for music are held at the Staples Center in the U.S. city of Los Angeles, with some of the show being re-worked to commemorate Whitney Houston. (Los Angeles Times) British singer Adele wins the awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year for "Rolling in the Deep", as well as the Album of the Year for 21. (Los Angeles Times) (Los Angeles Times) The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Film Awards is held in London with The Artist winning the Award for best film. (The Telegraph) (The Australian) Disasters The Australian town of Walgett, New South Wales, is evacuated due to flood waters. (AAP via Melbourne Age) A senior aide to the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Joseph Kabila, is killed, and the Finance Minister Matata Ponyo Mapon is injured in a plane crash near the town of Bukavu. (Reuters) International relations The International Air Transport Association calls for the United Nations to intervene in the dispute between the People's Republic of China and the European Union over airlines' involvement in the EU's carbon tax scheme for airlines. (Reuters) A teenage Tibetan Buddhist nun Tenzin Choedon dies after setting herself on fire in protest against Chinese rule of Tibet in Sichuan province. (The Telegraph) Iran rebukes Azerbaijan for allegedly assisting Israel's Mossad secret service in operations against it. (Haaretz) Law and crime Malaysia deports Saudi Arabian journalist Hamzar Kashgari, accused of insulting the prophet Muhammad in a tweet. (BBC) Politics Turkmenistan has a presidential election; incumbent Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow is re-elected with 97% of the vote. (BBC) The Chinese village that staged a rebellion last year takes part in its first democratic elections to elect its governing committee. (Bangkok Post) Emperor Akihito is to undertake heart bypass surgery on 18 February 2012. (Reuters via Chicago Tribune) Nigeria's ruling People's Democratic Party wins a gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State with its candidate Henry Dickson receiving 90% of the vote. (Reuters) The Venezuelan opposition Mesa de la Unidad Democrática holds a primary election, selecting Henrique Capriles as its candidate for the presidential election in early October. (AP via Washington Post) Sport In football, the final of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations played at Libreville, Gabon, between Zambia and Ivory Coast, with Zambia winning 8-7 on penalties in a shock result. (Bleacher Report) (Irish Examiner) February 13, 2012 (2012-02-13) (Monday) Armed conflict and attacks Syria: The Syrian Army continues its bombardment of Homs. (Reuters) Navanethem Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, accuses the Syrian government of launching an "indiscriminate attack" on civilians. (ABC News Australia) The Free Syrian Army claims to have repelled a push by the Syrian Army into the town of Rastan. (AP via Herald-Tribune) 13 February 2012 attacks on Israeli diplomats: An explosion tears through an Israeli diplomat's car in the vicinity of the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi, India; one woman is injured. (Ynet) Explosives are found near the Israeli Embassy building in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi; the device is neutralized safely. (Ynet) 2011–2012 Bahraini uprising: Police use tear gas on protesters attempting to occupy the Pearl Roundabout in the capital Manama a day before the anniversary of the start of anti-government protests. (Al Jazeera) Arts and culture Beverly Hills police confirm Whitney Houston was underwater and unconscious when found in a bath in her Los Angeles hotel room last Saturday. (BBC) David Kelly, the "grand old man of Irish acting", dies in Dublin. (The Irish Times) (BBC) (Irish Examiner) The UK broadcaster ITV1 screens the first ever British advert aimed specifically at dogs. The 60-second commercial for the Bakers dog food brand features high-pitched sounds that cannot be heard by humans, and is a send up of the 1969 film The Italian Job. (The Daily Telegraph) Barack Obama, the President of the United States, presents 16 people with the National Medal of Arts at the White House including actor Al Pacino, country music singer Mel Tillis and former United States Poet Laureate Rita Dove. (BBC) Business and economy The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group announces plans to cut 1000 jobs in Australia. (Herald Sun) Japan suffers negative economic growth for the fourth quarter of 2011 making it three out of four quarters that the Japanese economy shrinks. (CNN) Rangers F.C. announces an intent to enter administration. (BBC) The European Union and United States approve Google's $12.5 billion acquisition of smartphone maker Motorola. (Wall Street Journal) (AP via Seattle-PI) Moody's Investors Service downgrades the credit ratings of several European Union members including Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain and issues a negative outlook for the ratings of Austria, France and the United Kingdom. (Reuters) Disasters A 5.5-magnitude earthquake hits Northern California, near Weitchpec, according to the United States Geological Survey. (CNN) International relations Azerbaijan rejects a claim by Iran that it has been helping Israeli spies in the killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist. (Trend News Agency) Law and crime The Prime Minister of Pakistan Yousuf Raza Gilani appears before the Supreme Court of Pakistan to face contempt of court charges. (IBN Live) Abu Qatada, accused of being one of the United Kingdom's most dangerous preachers of Islamic extremism, is released from prison following a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights last week. (BBC) Politics The president of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov, wins a new five-year term with 97% of the vote, according to election officials. (The Guardian) Washington governor Christine Gregoire signs a bill into law that legalizes same-sex marriage in the state. (Reuters) The New Jersey state Senate passes a bill to legalize marriage for same-sex couples by a vote of 24-16. (NJ Today) Science The first launch of a new ESA carrier rocket Vega takes place from the Guiana Space Centre. (ESA) Sport The victorious Zambia national football team arrives back in Lusaka after winning the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in a penalty shoot-out. (BBC News) The Six Nations Council announces that the match between France versus Ireland in the 2012 Six Nations Championship, called off minutes prior to kick-off on Saturday night, will not take place this weekend. A date has not yet been announced. (RTÉ Sport) (BBC Sport) February 14, 2012 (2012-02-14) (Tuesday) Armed conflict and attacks 2011–2012 Syrian uprising: The Syrian army continues its bombardments of Homs, as Arab officials confirm that regional governments would be prepared to arm the opposition if the fighting does not cease. (Reuters) China says it will "not protect" the Syrian government. (Gulf News) The Government of Egypt circulates a draft motion for consideration by the General Assembly of the United Nations. A proposed resolution would strongly condemn human rights violations by the Syrian regime. (AP via The Sydney Morning Herald) 2011–2012 Bahraini uprising: Security forces fire tear gas on anti-government demonstrators on the first anniversary of the start of protests calling for reforms in the nation. (Al Jazeera) Anonymous marks the anniversary of the Bahraini uprising by hacking U.S. tear gas company Combined Systems Inc., based in Jamestown, Pennsylvania, which has supplied much of the tear gas the regimes of the Middle East have used against protesters. (The Washington Post) (The Atlantic Wire) (ABC News) It is reported that Britain continues to sell arms to Bahrain. (The Guardian) The U.S. aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, accompanied by the cruiser Cape St. George and the destroyer Sterett, sails through the Strait of Hormuz, close to the coast of Iran, for the second time in recent weeks. (BBC) (Reuters) (Washington Post) A Sudanese air strike hits the South Sudanese state of Unity, injuring four soldiers in a contested area. (AFP via Google News) Two explosions are reported in the Thai capital Bangkok, injuring one Iranian man. (Bangkok Post) (Times of India) A Tibetan monk sets himself on fire in western China, in the latest self-immolation protest. (The Himalayan Times) Arts and culture A new statue of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is unveiled in the capital Pyongyang. (The Telegraph) Wellesley College and Baylor University publish love letters between English poets Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett online. (AP via WVEC) China issues new regulations on foreign television programmes being aired in the country - banning all imported programmes during prime time. (New York Times) Business and economy Authorities in the U.S. say that the recent mortgage settlement with the country's largest banks will provide $1 billion to the Federal Housing Administration, replenishing the FHA's badly depleted capital reserves. (Reuters) Jean-Claude Juncker, the head of the Euro Group, cancels a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the Greek bailout stating that they are still seeking information from the Greek government. (AAP via The Age) Disasters Category 4 Cyclone Giovanna hits Madagascar near the city of Toamasina, with at least one person being killed and the death toll expected to rise. (Reuters) (BBC) Gaza's only power station shuts down due to lack of fuel. (BBC) International relations Actor Sean Penn meets Argentina's president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to voice his support for "the Malvinas Islands of Argentina" and urges Britain to cease its "archaic commitment to colonialist ideology". (The Guardian) (Daily Mail) The Vice-President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping meets with the President of the United States Barack Obama during a visit to the United States. (Wall Street Journal) An employee in the United States embassy in Islamabad is detained in the Pakistani city of Peshawar after bullets are found in his luggage. (CNN) The Venezuelan Supreme Tribunal orders the opposition not to destroy the voter list following its primary. (AP via Google News) The World Bank announces that its President, Robert Zoellick, is stepping down when his term ends in June. (Washington Post) Politics The Ugandan minister Minister for Ethics and Integrity Simon Lokodo raids a workshop for gay activists and attempts to arrest the organiser. (BBC) Kuwait forms a new cabinet before a new session of the assembly on Wednesday. (IOL) Thousands of opposition supporters from Iran's Green Movement march silently through the capital Tehran calling for the release of political prisoners. (Financial Times) Sport FIFA warns the Argentine Football Association (AFA) against renaming their top league after the ARA General Belgrano cruiser on which hundreds of people were killed after it was sunk by a British nuclear submarine in 1982. FIFA says such a move might breach rules on mixing politics with football. (RTÉ Sport) Rangers enter administration and are docked 10 points, effectively ending their 2011–12 Scottish Premier League challenge and giving the title to bitter rivals Celtic. (BBC Sport) 93 people, including the Fenerbahçe S.K. president, go to trial on match fixing charges involving 19 Süper Lig matches in the Turkish city of Istanbul. (Sports Illustrated) The Six Nations Council announces that the match between France versus Ireland in the 2012 Six Nations Championship, called off minutes prior to kick-off on Saturday night, has been rescheduled for Sunday 4 March, with a 3.00pm kick-off, Irish time. (RTÉ Sport) (BBC Sport) In ice hockey, the Detroit Red Wings set a new record of 21 consecutive home victories in the National Hockey League by defeating the Dallas Stars 3-1. (Reuters via Yahoo 7) February 15, 2012 (2012-02-15) (Wednesday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011–2012 Syrian uprising: The Syrian Army launches an offensive against Hama and continue the bombardment of Homs. (Reuters) Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, the Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, calls on the international community to rule out military intervention in Syria. (AP via MSNBC) 25 people are killed across Syria by security forces, primarily in the cities of Homs and Idlib. (Al Arabiya) 2011–2012 Bahraini uprising: Over 120 protesters are injured and some arrested in clashes with police who prevented protesters from celebrating the first anniversary of the uprising. (Reuters) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expresses concern over recent violence between security forces and demonstrators, urging authorities to exercise maximum restraint. (United Nations) Al Wefaq confirms informal contacts between senior officials and the government. (The Washington Times) Arts and culture The Portrait of Henrietta Moraes, a painting by Francis Bacon, sells at Christie's for £21.3 million, the second most valuable work of post-war contemporary art sold at the London auction house. (RTÉ) Sony admits it increased the price of two Whitney Houston albums hours after she was found in the bathtub of her hotel room last Saturday. Fans react with outrage. (BBC) Business and economy Approximately 3000 coal miners working for BHP Billiton in the Australian state of Queensland commence a week-long strike. (Business Day) The UK unemployment rate reaches a 17-year high. (The Guardian) The Kellogg Company purchases snack maker Pringles from Procter & Gamble for US$2.7 billion. (BBC) Disasters Comayagua prison fire: 358 people perish in a fire at a Honduran prison in the city of Comayagua. Many others are injured. (AP via Washington Post) (BBC) (AP via MSNBC) The President of Honduras Porfirio Lobo pledges a "full and transparent inquiry" into the events and suspends local and national prison officials. (BBC) Law and crime It is revealed that the Crown Prosecution Service and Met Police paid a family more than £600,000 in damages and costs in 2008 after a child witness was identified to a gang. It is believed to be one of the largest of its kind. (BBC) (Press Association via The Guardian) Seventeen students at Texas Christian University in the U.S., including four members of the school's football team, are arrested on drug charges. An arrest warrant for one of the players alleges that drug use was rampant on the team and that at least three of the players were dealing drugs. (ESPN) Politics ACTA loses further support in Europe as Bulgaria and the Netherlands join Poland and Germany in declining to ratify it due to privacy and human rights concerns. (Reuters via The Guardian) A giant statue of Kim Jong-il is unveiled in North Korea ahead of the 70th anniversary of his birthday. (BBC) February 16, 2012 (2012-02-16) (Thursday) Armed conflict and attacks A United States drone attack kills five militants in the Pakistani town of Spalga in north Waziristan. (Dawn) The Syrian Army attacks the Free Syrian Army positions in the town of Deraa. (Reuters via Alertnet) The Nigerian insurgent group Boko Haram attacks a prison in Kogi State freeing 119 inmates. (BBC) Arts and culture Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Anthony Shadid dies suddenly at age 43 of an acute asthma attack. (Christian Science Monitor) Business and economy The Australian airline Qantas announces plans to cut 500 jobs. (AAP via The Australian) Budget airline Air Australia is placed in administration leaving passengers stranded. (News Limited) Disasters and accidents Senior prison officials are suspended and an investigation is opened into the cause of a deadly prison fire in Comayagua, Honduras, in which over 350 inmates died. (Al Jazeera) Thirty-two people die after a head on collision between two buses in Nigeria's Bauchi State. (AP via CBS) Four World Trade Center's construction crane snaps while lifting a steel. (Washington Post) International relations 2011–2012 Syrian uprising: The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly votes in favour of an Arab sponsored resolution condemning human rights violations by the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad. (United Nations) (Voice of America) Law and crime Former President of Olympus Corporation Tsuyoshi Kikukawa is arrested in relation to the Olympus scandal along with two other former senior executives. (BBC) (CNN) The highest court in Ecuador upholds a criminal libel verdict favoring the President Rafael Correa including prison sentences for three executives and a columnist for the opposition newspaper El Universo. (AP via ABC News America) South Korean silicon chip maker Hynix Semiconductor claims that a US court has rejected an antitrust claim against it by Rambus Inc. (Reuters via The Guardian) Chris Huhne, former UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, appears in court to face charges of perverting the course of justice together with his ex-wife, regarding a traffic violation. (BBC) German prosecutors ask the Bundestag to lift the immunity from prosecution of President Christian Wulff over corruption claims. (Seattle Times) Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the so-called "underwear bomber", is sentenced to life imprisonment for attempting to detonate a bomb on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 in the US city of Detroit, Michigan. (BBC) Sports Major League Baseball Hall of Fame member Gary Carter dies at age 57 after a long battle with brain cancer. (Newsday) February 17, 2012 (2012-02-17) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks Arab Spring: 2011-2012 Syrian uprising: The Syrian opposition warns that the Syrian army is preparing to "massacre" the neighborhood of Bab Amr, Homs, in a ground assault on the city. The city has been under constant artillery bombardment by the Syrian army for an 11th day in a row. (CNN) Opposition activists claim that Syrian security forces shot dead three pro-democracy activists in Damascus. (Al-Jazeera) 2011 Libyan civil war: Libya celebrates the first anniversary of the start of the uprising against Muammar Gaddafi. (Hindustan Times) Insurgency in the North Caucasus: Dozens are killed and wounded as fighting intensifies between the Russian forces and the local Muslim insurgents in Chechnya and Dagestan. (RFE/RL) Thai police search for two more suspects in an attempted terror attack on Israeli diplomats widely blamed on Iran. (AP) United States Capitol Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Amine El Khalifi, a man from Morocco who allegedly planned a suicide attack on the United States Capitol. (CNN) (Washington Post) Security forces in Sudan raid student dormitories at the University of Khartoum, arresting and beating students after they demanded the right to form a union. (Al Jazeera) The office of President of Haiti Michel Martelly claims that his motorcade was attacked by people throwing rocks when he was walking through Port-au-Prince. (AP via Washington Post) Arts and culture Archaeological Museum of Olympia robbery: Thieves break into the Archaeological Museum of Olympia in Greece. stealing between 60 and 70 artifacts of the ancient Olympic Games. (Ekathimerini) Pavlos Geroulanos, the Minister for Culture and Tourism, reportedly resigns after the robbery. (BBC) A US Federal Court judge orders Tampa-based Odyssey Marine Exploration to return treasures from the shipwreck of the Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes to Spain. (AP via ABC News) Rupert Murdoch tells staff at The Sun he will launch a Sunday edition of the newspaper, titled The Sun on Sunday "very soon". (BBC) Business and economy The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes at its highest level since May 2008. (CNN) The World Bank announces plans to select a new President to replace Robert Zoellick when his term expires in June. (AP via Boston Globe) Disasters and accidents Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau, a member of the Dutch royal family, is severely injured in an avalanche at an Austrian ski resort and is reported to be in critical but stable condition. (CNN) International relations The United Kingdom and France sign a deal to improve cooperation on nuclear energy. (BBC) Politics and elections Christian Wulff, the President of Germany, resigns over a corruption scandal. (Reuters) (BBC) The Senate of the United States passes a resolution condemning the Government of Syria for its violent crackdown on anti-Assad protests. (Al-Jazeera) New Jersey Governor Chris Christie vetoes a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in the state. (The Washington Post) Sport Leeds Rhinos became rugby league World Club Champions for the third time by beating Manly in the World Club Challenge. English footballer Ravel Morrison is charged by The Football Association in connection with homophobic remarks he made on Twitter. (BBC) Manchester City lodge an official complaint to UEFA after their players were targeted by racial abuse during Thursday's Europa League game at defending champions Porto. Ivorian footballer Yaya Touré, one of those targeted, tells Sky Sports News: "That's why we like the Premier League, it never happens there." (BBC) February 18, 2012 (2012-02-18) (Saturday) Armed conflict and attacks 2011–2012 Syrian uprising: Security forces open fire at a funeral procession in Damascus for those killed in protests in the capital. (AFP) China urges all sides in the conflict to end the violence. (BBC) Violence breaks out in Dakar, Senegal, during an anti-government protest. (IOL) The death toll from a bombing on Friday in the Pakistani town of Parachinar in the Kurram region rises to 32. (Canadian Press via Winnipeg Free Press) USA drone airstrikes kill at least 21 suspected militants in North Waziristan, Pakistan. (BBC) The Russian Army loses 17 soldiers while fighting in a day-long battle with insurgents in the North Caucasus region. (Antara News) Senegalese police clash with protesters in Dakar in the fourth consecutive day of protests ahead of next week's presidential election. (Voice of America) Arts and culture The funeral of American entertainer Whitney Houston is held at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey. (Reuters) Roman Catholic Church: Pope Benedict XVI formally appoints 22 new Cardinals. (CNN) The Pope also announces seven new saints, including the first native American saint Kateri Tekakwitha from the US state of New York. (CNN) The Italian film Caesar Must Die wins the Golden Bear at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival. (The Hollywood Reporter) Business and economy The Greek Cabinet approves additional austerity measures demanded by the European Union and International Monetary Fund. (Reuters) Disasters At least nine people are killed and 24 injured after a bus crashes in China's Yunnan province. (RIA Novosti) Law and crime Twenty one people are given jail sentences in the People's Republic of China for match fixing, including Yang Yimin, a former deputy chief of the Chinese Football Association. (Reuters via Times of India) Former International Monetary Fund Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn is summoned by French police to face questions about alleged involvement in a prostitution ring in the city of Lille. (BBC) Politics and elections The Emperor of Japan Akihito successfully undergoes heart bypass surgery. (AP via Washington Post) (BBC) Voters in Latvia go to the polls for a constitutional referendum on whether to make Russian a second official language with 75% of voters rejecting the proposal. (BBC) (AFP via Google News) (The Moscow Times) The Prime Minister of Spain Mariano Rajoy is reelected as head of the Popular Party at its conference in Seville. (AFP via Alternet) Sports Vitali Klitschko defeats Dereck Chisora by unanimous decision to retain his WBC Heavyweight title. (USA Today) February 19, 2012 (2012-02-19) (Sunday) Armed conflict and attacks Mexican Drug War: At least 44 people are killed in a prison brawl in Apodaca, Nuevo León. The brawl is believed to have been started after the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas, two rival Mexican drug cartels, clashed inside the prison. (BBC) 2011–2012 Syrian uprising: One of Syria's leading businessmen says sanctions against the country are crippling the economy and that the government is "disintegrating". (BBC) Egypt recalls its ambassador to the country. (RIA Novosti) (BBC) Security is increased in the capital Damascus in an attempt to prevent further protests in the capital. (Buenos Aires Herald) Anti-government rebels kill two legal officials and an aide in Idlib Governorate. (UPI) 2012 Senegalese protests: Police fire tear gas in a fifth day of anti-government protests in the capital Dakar. (Africasia) Protesters set up barricades in three blocks of central Dakar. (The Guardian) Five people are injured in a bomb explosion near a church in Suleja, Nigeria. (Al-Ahram) A suicide bomber kills at least 19 officers and cadets and injures 26 outside an Iraqi police academy in northeastern Baghdad. (Trust.org) Rebels from Chad rob 40 people – including a local government official – in attacks in the Central African Republic. (IOL) Arts and culture Paolo and Vittorio Taviani's Caesar Must Die wins the Golden Bear at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival. (BBC) China detains a Tibetan writer in Sichuan amid recent anti-government protests in the region. (The Times of India) Australians commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin by Japan during World War II. (Sydney Morning Herald) ESPN admits two other instances in which it referred to the American basketball player Jeremy Lin by the racial slur "chink". It comes after yesterday's controversial "Chink in the Armor" headline which ESPN defended as only having appeared to mobile browsers for 35 minutes. (Newsday) (RTE) Whitney Houston is buried at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, New Jersey, USA. (BBC) A record 2.2 million people attend the Bola Preta street party during the Rio de Janeiro carnival. (BBC) News International confirms plans to publish the first edition of the Sun on Sunday next weekend. (BBC) Business and economy Iran ceases oil exports to France and the United Kingdom, in a retaliatory move against European Union sanctions. (Al Jazeera) India's Kingfisher Airlines cancels 16 flights from Mumbai and stops operations in Kolkata over the next four days. (NDTV) Disasters At least 17 people are seriously injured after two gas explosions at a nightclub in the city of Sighetu Marmației, Romania. (Reuters) (Yahoo! News) At least three people have died and eight are believed missing in the Stevens Pass Ski Area in the US state of Washington. (BBC) One person is killed and more than 20 injured after a coach bringing a group of British schoolchildren home from a skiing trip in Italy crashes near Châlons-en-Champagne in northern France. (BBC) International relations North Korea threatens "merciless" attacks against South Korea over its planned live-fire drills near the disputed Northern Limit Line. (The Independent) Iranian warships dock at the Syrian port of Tartous, according to Iranian state media. (Al Jazeera) Xi Jinping's visit to Ireland: Xi Jinping travels from the scenic city of Shannon to the capital Dublin as his visit continues. (China Daily) New pacts promoting trade, investment and education between China and Ireland are signed in Dublin. (BBC) (Financial Times) Taoiseach Enda Kenny is invited to China, which would be his first visit there. (RTÉ) Law and crime Burmese dissident monk U Gambira, released last month from prison, is to face trial on charges breaking into and squatting in monasteries. (Straits Times) A fight amongst inmates leads to a prison riot in the Mexican city of Apodaca, Nuevo León, with 44 people dead. (AP via Herald-Sun) Politics and elections Egyptian election officials fail to confirm the date of the first presidential election since Hosni Mubarak was ousted from power in last year's revolution. (BBC) Hundreds of cars circle in the Russian capital Moscow in a demonstration demanding free elections. (AP) President of France Nicolas Sarkozy has the first big rally of his re-election campaign in Marseille. (BBC) The Premier of the Australian state of Queensland visits the Governor Penelope Wensley to have writs issued for a state election on March 24. (Brisbane Times) February 20, 2012 (2012-02-20) (Monday) Armed conflicts and attacks South Korea proceeds with live-fire drills near the disputed Korean sea border despite threats from North Korea of "merciless" strikes in retaliation. (AP via News Limited) At least 30 people are dead in the Nigerian city of Maiduguri following an attack on the markets by suspected Islamist militants. (AFP via Yahoo News) Justice and Equality Movement rebels in Darfur release 49 UNAMID peacekeepers but retain three other people they accuse of being Sudanese security agents. (BBC) Business and economy Samsung Electronics announces plans to spin off its LCD business. (Reuters) The Thai economy shrinks by 7 percent (%) during the last quarter as a result of the floods. Japan's balance of trade deficit reaches a record high due to the strong value of the Japanese yen and higher fuel costs following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. (BBC) The price of oil reaches an eight month high following Iran banning sales to Britain and France on Sunday. (BBC) Disasters Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of the Indian state of Gujarat, orders an inquiry into the death of six people at a stampede at the Bhavnath Hindu temple in the Junagadh district over the weekend. (NDTV) International relations International Atomic Energy Agency nuclear inspectors arrive in Tehran to hold discussions about Iran's nuclear program. (Deutsche Welle) Politics and elections The ruling Workers Party in North Korea calls a conference in mid-April to consolidate the transfer of leadership to Kim Jong-un from his father Kim Jong-Il. (Reuters via Malaysia Star) In the Netherlands, Job Cohen, the leader of the Labour Party, resigns his position after increasing criticism of his performance. (NOS) In the United Kingdom, Home Secretary Theresa May announces plans to split the UK Border Agency into two separate organisations after revelations that hundreds of thousands of people were let into the country without appropriate checks. (BBC) Science Scientists report regenerating specimens of Silene stenophylla from a 31,800 year old piece of fruit, greatly surpassing the previous record for oldest plant successfully regenerated. (NY Times) Sport In football, the start of the Peruvian Primera División is disrupted due to a players strike due to outstanding payments. (Reuters via Eurosport) February 21, 2012 (2012-02-21) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011–2012 Syrian uprising: The bombardment of Homs in Syria continues for an 18th successive day, killing over 100 people. (Reuters) Syrian forces open fire on protesters in the capital Damascus. (Channel News Asia) US General John R. Allen, the head of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan commissions an inquiry into allegations that Qurans were burnt at an American Air Force base as Afghans protest. (AP via Google News) Thailand sends an extradition request to Malaysia for one of the five Iranian nationals suspected of involvement in the bombings in Bangkok earlier this month. (Bernama) Rioting inmates take control of Indonesia's Kerobokan Prison on the island of Bali. (Sydney Morning Herald) Arts and culture The 2012 BRIT Awards for British popular music are held in O2 Arena in London with Adele, One Direction, Ed Sheeran and Coldplay among the winners. (Capital FM) (BBC) Business and economy Euro zone finance ministers reach an agreement on a second Greek bailout. (Reuters via Sydney Morning Herald) Disasters and accidents A blast at a steel plant in Liaoning, northeastern China, kills 13 people and injures 17. (Bangkok Post) International relations Christian Life Movement spokesman Regis Iglesias Ramirez in Cuba announces the launch of a new Facebook page called “Waiting for Benedict XVI” to promote the pontiff's upcoming visit and defend the right of all Cubans to welcome him. (Catholic News Agency) Politics and elections The speaker of the South Korean National Assembly is charged with bribery. (Yonhap) Voters in Yemen go to the polls for a presidential election with current Vice-President Abd Rabbuh Mansur al-Hadi the only candidate on the ballot paper. (Wall Street Journal) Burma lifts restrictions on election campaigning. (BBC) Palestinian prisoner Khader Adnan ends a 66-day hunger strike over his detention in a deal that will see him released in two months. (Daily Star Lebanon) Celebrations of Losar, the Tibetan Buddhist New Year, are cancelled in the People's Republic of China due to a wave of immolations. (The Telegraph) The President of Venezuela Hugo Chávez confirms that doctors in Cuba have found a lesion and he will have to undergo an operation. (BBC) Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg uses the 29-letter word “floccinaucinihilipilification“ in Parliament.[1] February 22, 2012 (2012-02-22) (Wednesday) Armed conflict and attacks Afghanistan Quran protests: Hundreds of Afghans hold violent protests against the alleged burning of Qurans at the Bagram Airbase north of Kabul. (Reuters) The United States Embassy in Kabul goes into lockdown as a result of the protests. (Reuters) 2011–2012 Syrian uprising: Two Western journalists are killed in the Syrian city of Homs, American Marie Colvin working for the Sunday Times and French photographer Remi Ochlik. (Reuters) Activists report that at least 92 people have been killed across Syria after security force shelling intensified in the rebel-held Baba Amr district in the city of Homs. (Al Arabiya) Explosions are reported in the northern Nigerian city of Kano. (AFP via Google News) Somalian Civil War: Operation Linda Nchi: The al-Shabaab militant base of Baidoa is captured by Ethiopian and Somali forces. (BBC) The United Nations Security Council votes to increase the size of the African Union peacekeeping force to 18,000. (The Guardian) Disasters Thousands of people in the New Zealand city of Christchurch commemorate the first anniversary of the earthquake that killed 185 people last year. (TV New Zealand) A train crash in Buenos Aires, Argentina, kills at least 50 people and injures hundreds. (BBC) Seven US Marines die in a helicopter crash on the border of the states of California and Arizona. (CNN) International relations Azerbaijan's National Security Ministry says it has uncovered a terrorist plot aimed at Jewish targets organized by a non-state group linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard and Lebanon's Hezbollah. (RIA Novosti) The International Atomic Energy Agency states that Iran has denied inspectors access to the Parchin military site where it believes that suspicious nuclear activities may be taking place. (Al Jazeera) Law and crime Indonesian police storm Kerobokan Prison on the island of Bali to end a riot with two prisoners injured. (AAP via News Limited) (Reuters) In Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., former University of Virginia men's lacrosse player George Huguely is found guilty of second-degree murder in the 2010 death of former UVA women's lacrosse player Yeardley Love. The jury recommends a 26-year prison sentence, with formal sentencing scheduled for April. (ABC News) Politics Yoaz Hendel, the top spokesman for Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, resigns following a disagreement over handling an issue involving another aide. (AP via Washington Post) Kevin Rudd resigns as Foreign Minister of Australia after alleged "attacks on credibility" by supporters of Prime Minister Julia Gillard. (Herald-Sun) February 23, 2012 (2012-02-23) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks A series of attacks across Iraq leave at least 60 killed and more than 200 injured. (AP via MSNBC) (The Telegraph) (Reuters) Afghanistan: The Taliban urges Afghans to target foreign bases and kill westerners in response to burnings of the Koran at a US base as a third day of violent protests occurs, with six people having been shot dead so far. (Reuters) Afghan protesters attack a Norwegian base in Faryab province on the Turkmenistan border. (Reuters via Alertnet) The bombardment of Homs continues for the 20th successive day, with water and food supplies quickly dwindling for residents. (DPA via Sydney Morning Herald) Law and crime Indonesian authorities evacuate foreign and female prisoners from Kerobokan Prison on Bali following a second night of unrest. (News Limited) Wikileaks suspect United States Army Private Bradley Manning is formally charged ahead of a court martial. (AFP via Yahoo News) The case against Gabe Watson in relation to the death of his newlywed wife Tina on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is dismissed in the US state of Alabama. (CBS News) Politics Eric Joyce, the Labour Member of Parliament for Falkirk, is arrested after an alleged brawl in a House of Commons of the United Kingdom bar. (Daily Mail) The Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard calls for a ballot of a caucus of the Australian Labor Party for Monday as a result of the resignation of Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd. (AAP via Sydney Morning Herald) Tens of thousands rally at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium in support of the Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's candidacy for President of Russia in the upcoming election on March 4th. (RIA Novosti) (BBC) Crown Princess Victoria, the heir to the Swedish throne, gives birth to a baby girl who is second in line. (The Guardian) The Maryland State Senate approves a bill that would allow same-sex marriage in the state. (CNN) Elections Canada has traced allegations of fraudulent robocalls engaging in voter suppression in 18 ridings during the Canadian federal election, 2011 to Racknine Inc., a small Edmonton call centre that worked for the Conservative Party of Canada party's national campaign. (Ottawa Citizen) CBC February 24, 2012 (2012-02-24) (Friday) Armed conflict and attacks Arab Spring: Aftermath of the Libyan civil war: Reporter Nicholas Davies and cameraman Gareth Montgomery-Johnson are seized by militia in Misrata while working for the English language Press TV news network. Two local residents are also seized. (AFP) (Press TV) 2011–2012 Syrian uprising: Representatives of more than seventy countries meet in Tunisia to discuss supporting the opposition in the Syrian uprising. (Voice of America) World powers demand an immediate ceasefire at the Tunis meeting. (DPA via Brisbane Times) 2011–2012 Bahraini uprising: A medic reveals that injured protesters are being treated by "underground medics" in fear of arrest. (BBC) A Palestinian man is shot and killed after clashes at an Israeli checkpoint near Ramallah in the West Bank. (BBC) At least 12 people are killed in the deadliest day of protests so far resulting from U.S. soldiers incineration of copies of the Koran in Afghanistan. (Al Jazeera) Suspected Boko Haram Islamist militants launch simultaneous gun and bomb attacks in the northern Nigerian city of Gombe. (Hindustan Times) The Taliban attacks a Pakistani police station in Peshawar killing four officers. (AP via Newsday) Business and economy Air Zimbabwe suspends all of its flights indefinitely. (IOL) A member of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission cautions against that agency's current draft of the Volcker rule, suggesting that it will have to scrap the rule as it stands and start over. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau, who was buried under an avalanche in Lech, Austria, while skiing off piste, is reported to have suffered massive brain damage due to oxygen shortage; it remains unclear whether he will ever regain consciousness. (AFP) International relations The International Atomic Energy Agency reports that Iran is expanding its nuclear activities. (New York Times) Law and crime A fourth inquest begins into the disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain at Uluru in outback Australia in the Northern Territory. (AFP via Yahoo News) The trial begins of former US student Dharun Ravi, accused of spying on a homosexual encounter involving his room-mate, which resulted in his death. The case has triggered debate about the difficulties faced by young gay men in America. (BBC) Politics Haiti's prime minister Garry Conille resigns after a power struggle within the government. (BBC) Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announces that he will contest the leadership of the Australian Labor Party with current PM Julia Gillard on Monday. (Sydney Morning Herald) The Governor of the Mexican state of Nuevo León fires the states' public safety secretary General Jaime Castaneda following the Apodaca prison riot where 44 inmates were killed. (AP via Google News) February 25, 2012 (2012-02-25) (Saturday) Armed conflict and attacks 2012 Afghanistan Quran burning protests: Two U.S. officers are killed inside the Ministry of Interior in the Afghan capital Kabul. (BBC) Four people are killed in protests in Kunduz. (CNN) Syria: Over 100 civilians are killed by the Syrian army, primarily in the artillery shelling of the cities of Homs and Hama. (Al Arabiya) Yemen: An Al Qaeda suicide bombing claims at least 26 people in the city of Mukalla. (Reuters) Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi is sworn in as the new President of Yemen. (Reuters) Bahrain's Opposition Al-Wefaq group claims that a woman has died from tear gas inhalation. (AFP via Google News) Arts and culture Treasure from the Spanish Navy frigate Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes returns to Spain after being recovered by Odyssey Marine Exploration in 2007. (Reuters) The Artist wins four awards including best film at the Independent Spirit Awards 2011 held in Santa Monica. (Associated Press) Business and economy A G-20 finance ministers meeting is held in Mexico City to discuss progress in the Eurozone bailout. (Reuters) Disasters The Australian town of Gympie, Queensland is threatened by the flooded Mary River following heavy rain overnight of up to 300 mm. (News Limited) A fire forces the evacuation of the Comandante Ferraz Brazilian Antarctic Base with two people dying. (AFP via Google) (BBC) Law and crime A bribery case against former Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi is dismissed due to the statute of limitations having expired. (The Telegraph) Politics Pakistani authorities start demolition of Osama bin Laden's former compound in Abbottabad. (AP via Google) A thousand people hold a protest in Tel Aviv over Israel's proposed plan to deport hundreds of migrant workers. (Jerusalem Post) Liberal Party of Canada leader Bob Rae states that recent evidence of voter suppressing "robo-calls" played a factor in his party's defeat in the 2011 Canadian federal election. (The Gazette) Science The World Health Organisation removes India from the list of polio endemic countries with only Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria remaining. (AFP via Google News) February 26, 2012 (2012-02-26) (Sunday) Armed conflict and attacks A mass suicide bomber kills at least two people outside a church in the Nigerian city of Jos. (BBC) France and Germany follow the United States and United Kingdom in withdrawing civilian staff from Afghan government facilities following the killing of two senior NATO officers. (BBC) Colombia's Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC announces that it has abandoned kidnapping and will soon release its last remaining captives. (AP via Newsday) Arts and culture 84th Academy Awards: The 84th Academy Awards are held at the Hollywood and Highland Center Theatre (formerly Kodak Theatre) in Hollywood, California. (NineMSN) The Artist wins five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, the first silent film to win such an award since Wings in 1927. (Los Angeles Times) A Separation wins the Best Foreign Language Film Award. (Tabnak) Chandra Bahadur Dangi is verified by Guinness World Records to be the world's shortest person ever, beating the record long held by Gul Mohammed. (CNN) Business and economy Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation launches the The Sun on Sunday to replace the News of the World, which closed due to a phone hacking controversy. (PA via Sydney Morning Herald) Disasters A bus plunges off a cliff in Shanxi, China, killing 15 tourists. (AFP) A train derails in Burlington, Ontario, Canada killing at least three people and injuring 45.(CBC) Law and crime A trial begins in Cairo of 16 Americans and 27 others linked to an Egyptian government crackdown on non-government organizations which has created tension between the United States and Egypt. (AP via Google) Two members of the Italian Marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen will be prosecuted under Indian law. (PTI via DNA India) In Sanford, Florida, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin is shot and killed by George Zimmerman. Politics and elections Thousands of Chinese postings inundate U.S. president Barack Obama's Google+ page after restrictions are lifted in China. (BBC) (Russia Today) 2011–2012 Russian protests: Thousands of Russians form a human chain around the centre of Moscow in protest against Vladimir Putin. (Times of India) Voters in Senegal go to the polls for the Senegalese presidential election which has been marked by violence. (Voice of America) Voters in Syria go to the polls for a referendum on a new constitution. (Reuters) Three thousand Malaysians protest a rare-earth refinery being built by Australian miner Lynas. (AP via MSNBC) February 27, 2012 (2012-02-27) (Monday) Armed conflict and attacks 2012 Afghanistan Quran burning protests: A suicide car bomber explodes at Jalalabad Airport in Afghanistan, killing nine. (The Guardian) An alleged plot to assassinate Vladimir Putin after this year's Russian presidential election is foiled by Ukrainian and Russian intelligence services. (New York Times)(BBC) (Daily Mail) (Russia Today) (1TV.ru) 2011-2012 Syrian uprising: 125 civilians are killed nationwide by the Syrian army, included 64 people reportedly summarily executed after being caught trying to flee the city of Homs. (CNN) The Syrian military launches a new offensive against towns in the Idlib Governorate. (BBC) Arts and culture Jailed U.S. serviceman Bradley Manning, U.S. political scientist Gene Sharp and news network Al Jazeera are among those known to have been nominated for the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize. (AFP via The National Post) Business and economy The German Bundestag votes overwhelmingly in support for a Greek bailout. (AP via Washington Post) (ABC News) Internet portal company Yahoo warns social network company Facebook that it believes Facebook has infringed on several Yahoo patents, between 10 and 20. (Dealbook) Disasters A section of a nine-story apartment building in the city of Astrakhan, Russia, collapses in a natural gas explosion, injuring at least 12 people with 11 people missing (Huffington Post) East Africa's high-speed internet access is severely damaged by a ship dropping its anchor onto the fibre-optic cables of the TEAMS and EASSy cable systems off the coast of Mombasa, Kenya. (BBC) A farming alert is issued in Wales as an outbreak of Schmallenberg virus affects livestock in at least 74 farms in England. (Wales Online) The Costa Allegra cruise ship is left adrift in the Indian Ocean near the Seychelles following an engine room fire. (AFP via Herald Sun) The Transportation Safety Board of Canada begins its investigation into the Burlington train derailment. (National Post) A report by the Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation claims that the Japanese government considered the evacuation of Tokyo during the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. (New York Times) International relations Argentina turns away two cruise ships from the port of Ushuaia – P&O Cruises Adonia and Princess Cruises' Star Princess – because the ships had earlier visited the Falkland Islands. (MSNBC) Law and crime WikiLeaks begins disclosing 5 million e-mails from the private intelligence company Stratfor. (ABC) (CNN) News International phone hacking scandal: Singer Charlotte Church and her parents agree damages and costs of £600,000 (US$950,000) with Rupert Murdoch's News Group, publishers of the defunct News of the World. (BBC) Three students are killed and two injured in a shooting at Chardon High School in the US state of Ohio. (Los Angeles Times) (BBC) Politics and elections The Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard wins a leadership ballot in the Australian Labor Party, defeating former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. (The Australian) Former Ukrainian interior minister Yuriy Lutsenko is sentenced to fours year in jail for embezzlement and abuse of office. (Reuters via Kyiv Post) Sport In motor sport, the 2012 Daytona 500 is postponed to be run at 7pm Monday due to heavy rain in Daytona. (USA Today) February 28, 2012 (2012-02-28) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011–2012 Syrian uprising: The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay calls for an immediate ceasefire and demands humanitarian access. (Al Jazeera) A new United Nations estimate puts the death toll to date at 7,500. (VOA) Political leaders of Palestinian group Hamas exit Syria for Egypt and Qatar, saying it could no longer operate in the country. (BBC) Pakistani gunmen open fire on a passenger bus in Kohistan, killing 18. (Reuters) A United States Department of Defense report finds that the partial remains of the victims of the September 11 attacks ended up at a military landfill site. (BBC) Business and economy Millions of workers in India go on strike to demand improved rights and express anger at rising prices. (Hindustan Times) Disasters The death toll after the Astrakhan apartment gas explosion rises at 6 with another 11 people missing. (Reuters) International relations European Union Foreign Ministers support Serbia's candidacy to join the European Union despite opposition from Romania. (The Guardian) Belarus expels the ambassadors from the European Union and Poland and recalls its ambassadors in Brussels and Warsaw due to the imposition of sanctions. (Reuters) Law and crime A Thai court sentences leftist political activist Surachai Danwattananusorn to seven and a half years in jail for lese majeste or insulting the Thai monarchy. (Reuters) Politics Voters in the US states of Michigan and Arizona go to the polls for Republican Party primaries. Mitt Romney wins both states. (Voice of America) Occupy London protesters are evicted from outside St. Paul's Cathedral. (The Telegraph) Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine announces that she will not seek re-election in 2012. (New York Times) Science Two new species of prehistoric penguin are discovered - Kairuku grebneffi and Kairuku waitaki. Standing nearly 5ft tall, Kairuku grebneffi is the largest penguin ever discovered. (Discovery) Sport In auto racing, Matt Kenseth wins the Daytona 500 in Daytona, Florida. (USA Today) Technology IBM claims to be on the verge of creating the world's first quantum computer. (PC Magazine) February 29, 2012 (2012-02-29) (Wednesday) Armed conflict and attacks Violence in the Xinjiang region of China leaves 20 people dead. (The Hindu) Syria: A United Nations official claims that Syrian government activities have caused "well over 7,500 deaths" in the Syrian uprising. (CNN) The Syrian Army launches a ground offensive in Homs, as water and food supplies run out for local residents. (Reuters) (USA Today) Arts and culture Davy Jones of The Monkees dies in Florida of a heart attack. (Entertainment Weekly) Business and economy James Murdoch resigns from News International to focus on running News Limited's television business with the News International phone hacking scandal as a factor in the decision. (The Telegraph) (Sydney Morning Herald) Disasters Tornadoes hit the midwestern United States with twelve people killed, six in Harrisburg, Illinois. (AP via Google News) (BBC) International relations North Korea agrees to suspend uranium enrichment and nuclear and long-range missile tests in return for food aid. (BBC) (Al Jazeera) Egypt lifts a travel ban on seven Americans employed by pro-democracy U.S. groups, including the son of U.S. Transportation secretary Ray LaHood, who is among 16 Americans on trial in Egypt for trying to foment unrest and incite protests against the nation's military rulers. (USA Today) In the British parliament Baroness Jenny Tonge resigns the Liberal Democrat party whip after accusations of making offensive remarks about Israel. (The Guardian) Politics The President of Venezuela Hugo Chávez is recovering from the removal of a tumour from his pelvis in a Cuban hospital. (The Guardian) Egypt announces that a presidential election will held on May 23-24. (AP via Business Day) Mitt Romney wins the Republican caucuses held in the US state of Wyoming. (CNN) Sport In soccer, Gold Coast United is axed from the Australian A-league following a dispute between owner Clive Palmer and the Football Federation Australia. (The Australian)

February 2012 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  Ongoing events 2011 Tuvalu drought 2012 Fiji floods Economic Global financial crisis European sovereign debt crisis Greek economic crisis Smartphone patent wars Medical HIV/AIDS in Africa Political Occupy movement Anti-austerity protests Greek protests Protests following the 2011 Russian elections Arab Spring Post-Tunisian Revolution Post-Egyptian revolution Post-Libyan Civil War Bahraini uprising - ongoing Syrian uprising - ongoing Yemeni uprising - ongoing Jordanian protests - reforms Moroccan protests - reforms News International phone hacking scandal Scientific Expedition 30  Recent deaths February 29: Davy Jones 27: Tina Strobos 25: Lynn Compton 25: Erland Josephson 24: Jan Berenstain 24: Kenneth Price 23: Bruce Surtees 22: Dmitri Nabokov 22: Frank Carson 22: Marie Colvin 22: Rémi Ochlik 21: Pierre Juneau 21: Colin Ireland 20: Katie Hall 20: Sullivan Walker 19: Renato Dulbecco 19: Robin Corbett 18: María Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat 18: Cal Murphy 18: George Brizan 18: Rose Cliver 17: Robert Carr 17: Michael Davis 16: Gary Carter 16: Baddeley Devesi 16: Anthony Shadid 15: Charles Anthony 15: James Whitaker 14: Tonmi Lillman 14: Dory Previn 13: Lillian Bassman 13: Freddie Solomon 12: David Kelly 11: Whitney Houston 9: Jill Kinmont Boothe 9: Fred Dickson 9: Josh Gifford 8: Luis Alberto Spinetta 7: Harry Keough 6: Janice E. Voss 6: Antoni Tàpies 4: Florence Green 3: Steve Appleton 3: Ben Gazzara 3: Zalman King 1: Don Cornelius 1: Angelo Dundee 1: Wisława Szymborska  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 South Sudan tribal clashes Lord's Resistance Army insurgency Somalia: Civil war Somali Civil War (2009–present) Piracy OEF - Horn of Africa Tuareg rebellion Europe North Caucasus insurgency Ingushetia civil war Dissident Irish Republican campaign Middle East Iraqi insurgency Iran–Jundallah 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 South Thailand insurgency Cambodian–Thai border dispute Territorial disputes in the South China Sea Islamic insurgency in the Philippines Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines Papua conflict Americas Colombian conflict Mexican drug war  Elections Recent: February 2: Kuwait, Parliament 5: Finland, President (2nd round) 12: Turkmenistan, President 14–15 February/21–22 February: Egypt, Shura Council (2nd phase) 18: Latvia, Constitutional referendum 21: Yemen, President Upcoming: February 26: Senegal, President 26: Syria, Constitutional referendum Upcoming: March 2: Iran, Parliament 2: Pakistan, Senate (indirect) 4: Russia, President 7: Belize, Parliament 10: Slovakia, Parliament 10: Abkhazia, Parliament 11: El Salvador, Parliament 12: Switzerland, Referendum 17: East Timor, President 18: Germany, President (indirect) 18: Guinea-Bissau, President 25: Hong Kong, Chief Executive (indirect) 25: Slovenia, Same-sex union referendum 25: South Ossetia, President 29: Gambia, Parliament 31: Mauritania, Parliament  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 Peru: Joran van der Sloot Russia: Bhagavad Gita Ukraine: Yulia Tymoshenko United Kingdom: Levi Bellfield, Robert Black, Vincent Tabak, Ali Dizaei United States: Faisal Shahzad, Noshir Gowadia, Buju Banton, Barry Bonds, Raj Rajaratnam, Rod Blagojevich, Casey Anthony, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Conrad Murray, George Huguely 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 Philippines: Andal Ampatuan Jr. Russia: Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Platon Lebedev Sierra Leone]]: Charles Taylor (SCFSL) Singapore: Tak Boleh Tahan South Africa: Chris Mahlangu Sudan: Lubna al-Hussein Thailand: Thaksin Shinawatra Tunisia: Zine El Abidine Ben Ali Turkey: Ergenekon network United States: Roger Clemens, Ahmed Ghailani, David Headley, Jared Lee Loughner, Charles P. White, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, Viktor Bout Upcoming Egypt: Hosni Mubarak, Alaa Mubarak, Gamal Mubarak Norway: Anders Behring Breivik United States: Allen Stanford, Nidal Malik Hasan, John Edwards, Javaris Crittenton, Bradley Manning