Current Events for the Week of 5 December 2011

Current Events for Monday, 5 December 2011

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) research panel: U.S. power grid needs cybersecurity protection
HSBC purchasing managers’ index shows Chinese slowdown spreading to all sectors
Peruvian President Ollanta Humala declares state of emergency in northern region affected by bitter protests against huge gold mine
Some “original” planning #OccupyWhiteHouse
Western economic issues overshadow Afghan meeting
Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti unveils sweeping austerity measures sure to anger Italians
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s Yedìnaya Rossìya (United Russia) party suffers parliamentary elections set-back
Investigative panel finds Olympus Corp. his up to $1.67 billion in losses from investors, stopped short of recommending criminal charges
Germany would support changes to European Stability Mechanism (ESM) with tightening of budget rules
Swedish Automobile NV, Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile agree Bank of China to become part-owner of troubled automaker
U.S. Senate Democrats set to unveil new compromise Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tax holiday plan
At least one dozen Syrian secret police defect, join anti-government protests
Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reports U.S. unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, “drone”) reconaissance vehicle, U.S. denies
Former U.S. House of Representatives (House) Speaker Newt Gingrich (R., GA) surges to first-place in Des Moines Register
Iran warns crude oil would likely exceed $250 per barrel if their exports were restricted
Former Godfather’s Pizza chief executive officer (CEO), Republican party (GOP) presidential hopeful Herman Cain formally announces he is dropping out of the race
Newly formed Comunidad de Estados Latinoamericanos y Caribeños (CELAC, Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) raps U.K. over Falkland Islands claim, criticizes U.S. over Cuban embargo
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani over North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) strike last week that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers
Pakistan announces rules-of-engagement change
Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood leads in run-off
Apple Inc. fails to convince U.S. judge to halt sales of The Samsung Group’s Galaxy smartphones, tablets
U.S. unemployment rate fell to a two-year-low of 8.6% in November
Royal Dutch Shell plc announce Syria pull-out
Australian parliament agrees to overturn long-standing ban on exporting uranium to India, Pakistan claims it should have equal access
Bahraini Interior Minitry: small bomb was cause of explosion near British embassy in Manama
Slovenian voters expected to choose center-right party in parliamentary elections
Center-left Croatian Kukuriku bloc on-course for parliamentary win
France reduces Tehran embassy staff
Kosovo, Serbia reach shared border crossing agreement
Rwandan journalist critical of President Paul Kagame found shot to death in Uganda
YouTube.com rolls-out new look amid user criticism
World Health Organization (WHO) warns Europe over impending measles outbreak
U.S. hands Camp Victory over to Iraqi security forces
U.S. Department of Education issues new guidelines on how institutions may use race to boost diversity
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R.) vows to crush “union bosses”

Current Events for Tuesday, 6 December 2011

At least 30 killed, 67 wounded in Kabul Shi’a shrine suicide attack, deathtoll expected to rise
At least 30 killed in series of attacks on Iraqi Shi’a pilgrims marking Ashura
U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Kepler Space Telescope team discovers Earth-like planet, Kepler-22b, orbiting in habitable zone of star some 600 light years away
U.N. Security Council (UNSECO) toughens sanctions against Eritrea for its alleged support of al-Shabab Islamist militants
New York Police Department (NYPD) resume search for suspected serial killer after ten sets of human remains found at Oak Beach, NY
U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) “concerned” over loss of Lockheed-Martin RQ-170 Sentinel UAV in Iran
Several thousand anti-Putin protesters clog Moscow streets
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) warns of unprecedented mass downgrade of European debt if E.U. ministers fail to deliver on financial promises
U.S. Postal Service (USPS) plans to end next-day mail, trim 28,000 jobs as cost-cutting measures
Reuters: former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (R.) spent almost $100,000 in state funds to replace office computers at end of gubernatorial term in 2007
Italian Prime Minister Monti warns of Greek-style economic collapse without austerity
BP plc accuses Halliburton Co. of destroying evidence relating to Macondo well blow-out last year
Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s), S&P warn of long-term problems caused to states by congressional indecision over debt
U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administer Randy Babbitt on leave after driving while intoxicated (DWI) arrest
America’s Research Group survey: more than one-third of U.S. shoppers already done for holiday season
Former hedge fund multimillionare Raj Rajaratnam begins 11-year insider trading sentence
Chicago Federal Reserve Bank President Charles Evans: U.S. Federal Reserve Board must act now to ensure economic growth
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., NV): U.S. Senate may vote by end-of-week on FICA tax plan
U.S. service sector growth cooled in November, factory orders fell
The Wall Street Journal: bankruptcy estate of collapse Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. close to naming new board of directors
British Supreme Court to hear WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s extradition appeal
Asian Development Bank (ADB) again downgrades 2012 forecast
Belgian King Albert II formally names Socialist Elio Di Rupo prime minister, bringing country closer to ending 18-month political impasse
Swiss-based research team uses molybdenite (MoS2) to create thinner, smaller, low-energy consuming microchip
Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report: global wage inequality “getting worse”
International Court of Justice (ICJ) rules Greece was wrong to block Macedonian bid to join North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) due to name
Japanese officials confirm Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant has radioactive water leak
Syria “to sign Arab League deal”
Facebook details expansion plans, acquires location-based Gowalla

Current Events for Wednesday, 7 December 2011

Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood claims most votes in parliamentary election run-off
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari suffers minor heart attack
U.S. DoD: malfunction likely culrit in UAV downing
U.S. Department of State: U.S. “wary” of Israeli Iran plans
#Occupy movement turns focus to foreclosures
U.S. Federal Reserve to hold-off on any additional quantitative easing (QE)
U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner heads to Europe, to meet with French President Nicolas Sarközy over European debt problems
Massachusetts to permit public access to hundreds of previously off-limits offical records
U.S. FAA Administrator Babbitt resigns
U.S. President Barack Obama (D.) slams Republicans, Wall Street in populist speech
Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. receives final judicial permission to exit bankruptcy
U.S. Senate Republicans block Caitlin Halligan’ nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals or the District of Columbia Circuit
European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) turns table on rating agencies, investigating their motives
India urges social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter, to remove offensive content
China warns of “severe challenges” as exports slowdown
British study: extreme sport training may contain heart risk
Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav begins seven-year prison sentence for rape conviction
Australian officials confirm citizen sentenced to 500 lashes, one year in prison for basphemy in Saudi Arabia
Brazilian economic growth comes to screeching halt with no growth seen in quarter-three (Q3)
U.S. Secretary of State Clinton: “gay rights are human rights”
Technical difficulties delay publication of Congolese election results by 48-hours, President Joseph Kabila in lead
One Palestinian militant killed, two injured in Israeli air raid in Gaza Strip
U.S. Department of State opens “virtual embassy” for Iran
Australian economy grew by more than expected 2.5% in Q3
Citigroup Inc. announces plans to cut some 4,500 jobs
American coal firm Massey Energy Co. to pay record $210 million for Upper Big Branch mine disaster that claimed 29 lives in 2010
Google Inc.: more than 10 billion applications (apps) have been downloaded for Android platform
U.S. Department of State confirms U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford to return to Damascus
British Prime Minister David Cameron gunks-up hopes for new E.U. treaty
Kuwaiti Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah dissolves parliament in corruption row
Internet Corporation for the Assignment of Names and Numbers (ICANN) confirms .xxx domain names up for sale
Meiji Dairies Corp. recalls baby formula after discovery its tainted with radioactive cæsium
Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah makes rare Beirut appearance
French parliament begins debate on criminalization of prostitution
U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D., VT), U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R., TX) to “push through” online piracy bills
Surging GOP contender Gingrich forces Romney “reboot”
U.S. Obama administration announces it will “step-up” Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) protection
Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman (R.): climate scientists “owe us” better explanation

Current Events for Thursday, 8 December 2011

Former MF Global Holdings Ltd. CEO Jon Corzine to deliver opening remarks to U.S. congressional panel
France, Germany to push conservative financial agenda in Brussels
Former Pennsylvania State University (PSU) assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky arrested on two new charges
International Association of Machinists to vote on new Boeing Co. offer
S&P reaffirms intent to downgrade European nations, banks if eurozone fix doesn't materialize
European Central Bank (ECB) to cut rates, buy bonds
German police confirms Deutsche Bank CEO Josef Ackermann received envelope filled with “explosive power”
Former Illinois Governor Rod Blogojevich (D.) sentenced to 14-years in-prison
BP plc hit with five more citations from U.S. government, receives legal salvo from Halliburton
AstraZeneca plc plans second wave of U.S. sales jobs cuts
Risk Management Solutions (RMS): Midwest U.S. earthquake could cause $100 billion in economic causes, $50 billion in insured losses
U.S. Department of the Treasury: U.S. Treasury Secretary Geithner met with ECB, International Monetary Fund (IMF) heads on Wednesday
U.S. NASA space survey shows thousands of near-Earth asteroids could cause major damage
Russian Prime Minister Putin officially files candidacy papers for 4 March 2012 presidential election
Russian Prime Minister Putin accuses U.S. of being behind rallies against him
Iranian internet authorities block U.S. “virtual embassy” website hours after it went live
Reuters economists poll: France likely to lose triple-A rating “in months”
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad: only “crazy” leaders kills their own people, denies ordering security forces to kill anti-government protesters
Helmand roadside improvised mine kills 19
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius blocks “Plan B” over-the-counter sales
Chinese officials approve Nestlé S.A. buyout of Hsu Fu Chi International Ltd.
Thailand jails U.S. citizen Joe Gordon for posting online links to banned King Bhumibol biography
U.S. President Obama warns GOP congressmen should not try to link Keystone XL Pipeline to FICA tax holiday
Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams announces his office will no longer push for the death sentence in Mumia Abu Jamal case
Kenyan parliament approves plan to integrate Kenyan troops into African Union (A.U.) forces in Somalia fighting al-Shabab militants
Yemen forms coalition government
Swedish court gives Saab Automobile AB one week to present financial plan or face bankruptcy
Microsoft Inc. unveils Windows app store
Brilliant Corners Research survey: U.S. President Obama’s support among minorities still strong in swing states
U.S. Congress “close to deal” on $1 trillion omnibus spending bill
Bloomberg survey: international investors bullish on U.S. economy

Current Events for Friday, 9 December 2011

The Samsung Group wins round in battle with Apple Inc. over patents in Galaxy smartphones, tablets
U.K. left isolated as most European nations agree to follow France, Germany down path of stronger, separate eurozone treaty
German parliament refuses to authorize strengthening of European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF)
ECB refuses additional help for eurozone, global stocks collapse
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. launches internal, international investigation into its overseas practices
U.S. NASA Mars rover Opportunity discovers gypsum vein
Former MF Global CEO Corzine tells U.S. congressional panel he did not “intend” to break the rules
Two dead, including police officer, in Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) shooting
U.S. House Republicans fall in-line over FICA tax holiday if it also includes Keystone XL Pipeline deal
U.S. House Judiciary Committee Republicans grill U.S. Attorney-General Eric Holder over Operation Fast & Furious
Support for Durban round of international climate talks grows, Greenpeace Executive Director Kumi Naidoo suggests U.S. should be excluded from further meetings
American jobless claims hit nine-month low
Syrian oil pipeline attacked by rebel groups
German exports unexpectedly fell 3.6% in October
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visits Mogadishu, highest-ranking foreign official to visit capital in years
Toyota Motor Corp. slashes profit forecast due to Thai flooding, continuing strong yen (¥)
Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) broadcasts video of purported downed U.S. UAV
Moody’s downgrades three French banks, BNP Paribas S.A., & Crédit Agricole S.A. from Aa2 to Aa3 and Société Générale S.A. from Aa3 to A1
The Netherlands formally apologizes to Indonesia over 1947 massacre committed by its soldiers in the Indonesian war for independence
Five Nobel Peace Prize winners, including the Archbishop Desmond Tutu, urge China to free fellow Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo
Island Smokes tobacco stores in New York City (NYC) to be charged with tax evasion
The Vatican announces Pope Benedict XVI will visit Cuba next year
Chinese inflation hits 14-month low
U.S. Senate Republicans block U.S. President Obama’s nominee to head Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Richard Cordray
Zimbwean President Robert Mugabe calls for elections next year
Twitter announces “brand” pages
American news agency The Associated Press (AP), German broadsheet Süddeutsche Zeitung investigation claims U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) “secret prison” found in Bucharest
Malawian Justice Minister Ephraim Chiume announces his nation will review controversial homosexual laws, cites U.S. foreign aid stance as cause
The Washington Post: the partial remains of at least 274 cremated U.S. soldiers were dumped at landfill between 2004 and 2008 by Dover Air Force Base (AFB)
Oxford University study: reduced levels of Vitamin D caused by rare genetic variant “directly linked” to multiple sclerosis
The Coca-Cola Co. moves recipe from bank vault it’s been in since 1925 to new exhibit at the company’s Atlanta headquarters
Decision on controversial Mekong River hydroelectric dam postponed by involved nations for more environmental studies
China, Microsoft Inc. founder Bill Gates in-talks on ways to develop “low cost, very safe” nuclear power reactor
University of Tokyo study shows penguins “calculate” dive depth based on flap propulsion power
Environmental photojournalist Jenny Ross captures rare footage of polar bear cannibalism
New Gallup poll suggests Americans believe $150,000 per year in salary makes one rich
Gallup poll: GOP 2012 enthusiasm dipping
U.S. 2010 Census: income gap in urban centers widened