Current Events for the Week of 30 January 2012

Current Events for Monday, 30 January 2012

Oakland riot police fire tear gas, bean bag projectiles at #OccupyOakland anti-Wall Street protesters, over 400 arrested
Top Goldman Sachs Group Inc. executives given access to previously frozen stocks valued at $47.7 million
Fitch Ratings downgrades sovereign debt ratings of Belgium, Cyprus, Italy, Slovenia, Spain, warns of impending additional cuts
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announces 11 new subpoenas in subprime mortgage investigation
Apple Inc.’s new chief executive officer (CEO) Tim Cook: company has not taken “blind eye” to supply chain problems
The Wall Street Journal: Facebook plans to file documents as early as Wednesday for highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO)
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulators detained three shipments of orange juice from Brazil, six from Canada for testing positive for banned fungicide carbendazim
Ford Motor Co. reports lower-than-expected fourth quarter (Q4) 2011 earnings, blames commodity costs, international woes
U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geither: U.S. economy growing between two and three percent
Samsung Electronics Co. posts record $4.7 billion Q4 2011 profits on booming smartphone sales, to spend $22 billion this coming year on chip, flat screen production to “pull ahead of rivals”
Starbucks Corp. Q4 2011 profits beat Wall Street forecasts, shares tumble on European weakness
BP plc loses bid to place $15 billion of $42 billion cost of Gulf of Mexico cleanup onto Transocean Ltd.
Intel Corp. buys $120 million in RealNetworks video patents
E.U. leaders agree to permanent financial rescue fund, balanced budget rule in national legislation for eurozone at summit
French President Nicolas Sarközy announces “Robin Hood” tax on financial institutions
German Federal Minister of Economics and Technology Philipp Rösler: Greece should surrender budget control to outside institutions
German Chancellor Angela Merkel tries to deflect calls led by International Monetary Fund Managing-Director Christine Lagarde for Germany to agree to increase in euozone bailout funds
Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos meets with political parties, tries to reform coalition
Top Republican (GOP) congressional leaders expect payroll tax deal before end of February
Former GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain announces his endoresement for former U.S. House of Representatives (House) Speaker Newton “Newt” Gingrich (R., GA)
Reuters/Ipsos: former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (R.) opens double-digit lead over former Speaker Gingrich in Florida
Former U.S. Senator Bob Dole (R., KS): about defeating former Speaker Gingrich, “This is our last stand”
National Broadcasting Company (NBC) legally bound to air former Governor Romney attack adverstisement despite not liking its content
Retiring U.S. Representative Barney Frank (D., MA) to wed same-sex partner
U.S. Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus likens U.S. President Barack Obama (D.) to Costa Concordia Captain Francesco Schettino
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R.) sets 17 April, 12 June as primary, special election day for U.S. House seat left vacant by resignation of former U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D., AZ)
U.S. Department of Justice amicus curiæ Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) brief: only two provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) would go if struck-down by the Court
Arab League formally suspends Syria mission as violence flares
Around 2,000 Syrian troops retake Damascus suburbs from anti-government rebels, dozens dead
Syrian forces kill at least 33 in rebel border town of Rankous near Lebanese border
Iran announces it will stop exports of crude oil to some countries
Iran “upbeat” over U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts visit
Barely clinging to power, Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh arrives in U.S. for medical treatment
Iraqi opposition Iraqiyya bloc ends boycott of parliament
British Prime Minister David Cameron: U.K. troops exit from Afghanistan must be carefully phased
BBC: Afghan President Hamid Karzai planning meeting with senior Taliban officials
U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta “fears” Dr. Shikal Afridi, detained by Pakistani authorities, accused of assisting U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operation that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden
China announces plans to make Shanghai yuan (¥) trading hub “by 2020”
Voting begins in key elections in Punjab, Uttarakhand states
Pro-democracy advocate Aung San Suu Kyi hits campaign trail in Burma, Myanmar
Coast of central Peru hit by powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake, dozens injured in early reports
Cuban ruling Communist Party mulls term limits for political offices
U.N.’s High-Level Panel on Global Sustainability report: growing inequality, environmental decline, “teetering” economies mean the world must change, make the future one worth having
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk issues statement to trade cheats around the world: the U.S. is on to, after you
Senegalese Constitutional Council throws-out opposition point, rules President Abdoulaye Wade can run for third term
Nigerian army attacks, kills 11 Boko Haram insurgents at security checkpoint in Maiduguri
South Sudan warns it has stopped exporting oil in row with Sudan over pipeline fees
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez warns banks they could be nationalized if they refuse to fund agricultural projects backed by his government
University of North Carolina researchers: dose of ultrasound may stop production of sperm
Bad weather stops work on Costa Concordia

Current Events for Tuesday, 31 January 2012

Florida GOP voters ready the poll booths
Public Policy Polling: former Governor Romney holds 8-point lead over former Speaker Gingrich
Reuters/Ipsos poll: former Governor Romney opens 15%-point lead over former Speaker Gingrich
U.S. House GOP to propose bill asking for $260 billion for infrastructure improvements
Top U.S. intelligence chiefs to testify before U.S. Congress this week
U.S. Department of Defense (DoD, “Pentagon”) grounds more than 15 Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 Lightning II after under-seat parachutes found to be improperly packed
U.S. Department of State: U.S. embassy in Cairo protecting several American citizens seeking refuge after Egyptian government crackdown on U.S.-funded pro-democracy groups
U.S. President Obama confirms U.S. using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, “drone”) strikes to protect U.S. resources in Iraq
U.S. Senate votes 93-2 to hold full debate on Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act
Pew Research Center/The Washington Post poll: Americans believe U.S. President Obama understands them better than either former Governor Romney or former Speaker Gingrich
U.S. Department of Commerce: U.S. consumer spending stagnated in December, despite higher incomes
Twenty-five of 27 E.U. member-states sign-on to German-led fiscal pact, Britain and Czech Republic only hold-outs
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) threatens to downgrade credit ratings of numerous Group of Twenty (G20) nations if health care reforms are not put in place
Twitter CEO Dick Costolo: new privacy policy meant to be transparent way of handling government requests for information
Toshiba Corp. cuts 2012 forecast after dismal 72% lower quarter 3 (Q3) 2011 profits
Honda Motor Corp. cuts 2012 forecast, blames tsunami
Syria question looms for U.N. Security Council (UNSECO)
IMF economists play-down Chinese “hard fall”
State, federal officials to decide this week on whether or not to accept foreclosure settlement with largest U.S. banks
U.N. report: world running out of time to ensure food, fuel supplies
Costa Concordia likely to flounder “for months”
Iran reasserts plan to cease “some” oil sales
At least six Pakistani soldiers killed, 14 wounded in militant attack on Kurram checkpoint
Banco Santander, S.A. reveals 35% profit loss in 2011
Leading Senegalese opposition activist Alioune Tine released without charge after two days in detention
Yemeni air strikes against al-Qaeda militants in southern Yemen kills 11
China steps-up security in Tibet
Stanford University School of Medicine researchers transform skin cells into brain cells
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigating small Leroy, NY community
World Trade Organization (WTO) rules China violated trade rules by restricting exports of some raw materials
McAfee, Inc. report: Israel “most ready” cyber-security nation
Mexican ambassador to Venezuela, wife released after being kidnapped
Somali al-Shabab militants announce International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) ban
#OccupyDC protesters refuse to evict

Current Events for Wednesday, 1 February 2012

Former Governor Romney trounces former Speaker Gingrich 46% to 32% in Florida GOP primary
Gingrich campaign: we are not hobbled, will push-on
Sony Corp. announces top-level reshuffling to make company relevant again, Vice-President Kazuo Hirai to become CEO
U.S. Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings: political action committees (PACs) raised $42 million in 2011
U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta faces tough meeting with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ministers after severe budget cuts
IMF Greek inspection team leader Poul Thomsen: there must be a limit to Greek fiscal pain
U.S. Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) David Petraeus tells U.S. congressmen Iran sanctions “biting”
Arab, Western states urge UNSECO to act quickly on Syria
U.S. Department of Commerce report: January home prices dropped, consumers turn gloomier
Amazon.com Inc. releases Q4 2011 drop in profits, warns of operating losses in Q1 2012
U.S. Department of Justice preparing to charge four former Credit Suisse Group AG employees in subprime investigation
IFR: Facebook filing to seek $5 billion IPO
U.S. Congressional Budget Office (CBO): U.S. set for fourth straight year of $1 trillion-plus deficit
Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos: investor losses from debt swap may top 70%
Colorado, Washington cannabis-legalization movement forges ahead
Exxon Mobile Corp. beats Wall Street expectations, barely, shares drop 2% on word oil and gas production fell short of estimates
Italian authorities formally end search for Costa Concordia bodies
University of California, Berkley researchers turn brain waves from thoughts of words into actual words
Extradition appeal of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange goes before British Supreme Court
U.S. National Archives release 42-minutes of Air Force One audio on the day U.S. President John Kennedy was assassinated
Yemeni Information Minister Ali al-Amrani escapes Sana’a assassination attempt unharmed
U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R., KY) to join legal challenge to U.S. President Obama’s recess appointments

Current Events for Thursday, 2 February 2012

U.S. Secretary of Defense Panetta: U.S. Afghanistan halt combat operations to end earlier than planned
BBC: secret NATO report shows Taliban unweakened by more than a decade of fighting
Sony Corp. posts $2.9 billion Q4 2011 loss
Russian Federations backs-off previous statements on UNSECO Syria resolution, now claims it will only veto “unacceptable” resolutions
Seventy-four killed at Egyptian futbol (soccer) match, fans turn on security forces
U.S. House votes 309-117 for continuence of two federal pay freezes
Two former Credit Suisse Group AG traders admit to “cooking the books”
Market experts revise Facebook IPO value down to $10 billion because of founder Mark Zuckerberg’s control
U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Gary Gensler orders extensive review of how future brokerages are regulated
AMR Corp. plans to cut 13,000 jobs, pensions
Reuters: proposed foreclosure settlement would give states broad powers to punish future transgressors
U.S. Senate considering bill imposing 30% “Buffet Rule” tax on millionaires
Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) urges U.S. military threat for Iran
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia: former Archbishop of Philadelphia, Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua dies, 88
U.S. diplomatic focus turns to Harakat al-Muqāwama al-’Islāmiyya (Hamas)
Former Governor Romney: “I’m not concerned about the poor”
U.S. President Obama pushes U.S. Congress over aid for homeowners
Four radical British Islamists admit in-court to London Stock Exchange bomb plot
Fiat-Chrysler co-developed vehicle branch Q4 2011 profits beat forecasts
Pakistani Supreme Court expected to charge Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani with contempt
Filippino military claims to have killed three senior leaders of rebel groups linked to al-Qaeda
AstraZeneca plc announces plans to cut 7,300 jobs more jobs
Royal Dutch Shell plc profits lifted by higher oil prices
German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Beijing for eurozone talks
E.U. agrees to Pakistan trade waiver after World Trade Organization (WTO) report
University of California team of researchers: U.S. should have a sugar tax
Powerful explosion at Colombian police station kills at least seven
Microsoft Inc. debuts version of Kinect for use with Windows operating system (OS)
E.U. blocks proposed merger of NYSE Euronext, Deutsche Börse AG
British Foreign Minister William Hague in Somalia, calls for renewed push against Islamist militants
Former U.S. Senate candidate, Tea Party favorite Sharron Angle (R.) endorses former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R., PA)
Washington legislature approves same-sex marriage bill
U.S. House Natural Resources Committee votes along party lines 29-13 to move forward on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels (R.) quickly signs right-to-work law
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs sued over same-sex partner benefits refusal

Current Events for Friday, 3 February 2012

U.S. employment growth numbers show January slowing, last week’s jobless claims fell again
New Zealand court denies Megaupload.com founder Kim Dotcom (aka Kim Schmitz, Kim Tim Jim Vestor) bail
U.S. Department of Justice indicts oldest private Swiss bank Wegelin for enabling wealthy Americans to hide at least $1.2 billion from tax collectors
U.S. Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Richard Fisher: no need for another round of quantitative easing (QE)
Susan G. Komen for the Cure struggles to deal with growing criticism over its decision to pull Planned Parenthood funding
American millionaire, one-time GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump endorses former Governor Romney
Arab, Western states begin exploration of prospects for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s exile
Reuters: most hacked companies not telling investors despite new U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requirements
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao: China may play larger role in eurozone bailout
Deadly cold weather in Europe kills three more, deathtoll over 100
U.S. Senate approves STOCK Act 96-3
Six people dead in second attack on Colombian police headquarters in 24-hours
Leading Egyptian comic actor Adel Imam sentenced to three-years in prison for insulting Islam in films and plays
Palestinian protests target visiting U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, briefly hold-up convoy
U.S. President Obama proposes additional $6 billion in veteran spending
GOP presidential hopeful, former U.S. Senator Santorum’s three-year-old daughter Bella released from the hospital
U.S. Representative Heath Shuler (D., NC) will not seek reelection in 2012, claims choice due to redistricting
U.S. President Obama cites Scripture at National Prayer Breakfast in-defense of taxing the wealthy more: “For whom much is given much shall be required” (Luke 12:48)
U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke tells U.S. Congress shrinking the deficit should be their “number one priority”