Current Events for the Week of 12 December 2011

Current Events for Monday, 12 December 2011

Pakistani Taliban commander Maulvi Faqir Mohammad admits group is in peace talks with Pakistani government
Pakistani Director-General of Military Operations Major General Ashfaq Nadeem: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) raid last month was planned
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani tells BBC blockage of NATO convoys may last for weeks
The Financial Times: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has told at least 12 U.S.-listed companies to disclose business activity in, with state-sponsors of terrorism
At least five U.N. peacekeepers, one Lebanese soldier injured by bomb attack in southern Lebanon
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé accuses Syria of orchestrating Lebanon attack
U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D., NY), New York State Senator Michael Gianaris (D.) call for on-site advocates after U.S. Transportation and Safety Administration (TSA) agents “heavily frisk” four elderly women
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., KY) expects bipartisan tax cut deal
Syria holds local elections despite opposition party boycott
Indian factory output fell by a more-than-expected 5.1% in October
South Korea cuts growth forecasts due to projected slump in exports
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki visits Washington, D.C. for talks with U.S. President Barack Obama (D.)
U.S. Army names Captain Pratima Dharm as first Hindu chaplain
China vows to boost imports to mark the 10^th anniversary of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
Greece braces for “troika” scrutiny, creditor talks
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin faces uphill battle after mass protests against his proposed presidency
Russian President Dimitry Medvedev’s Facebook status draws ire
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe wins Zimbabwe African National Union—Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party endorsement for reelections, faces doubts about age, health
Argentine President Cristine Fernández de Kirchner begins second term vowing to fine-tune model of government
Mexican drug cartels up ante with high-tech cross-border tunnels
Iranian Minister of Petroleum Rostam Qasemi: E.U. will “definitely” not impose oil sanctions
Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega arrives in home country to begin 20-year prison sentence for murders committed during his reign
Filippino gunmen free American citizen after being held hostage for nearly five months
Former Massachuetts Governor Mitt Romney (R.) caught in “$10,000“ gaffe at political debate
U.N.-sponsored climate talks in Durban, South Africa lead to pact to force all big polluters to take action to slow growth of climate change
Peruvian President Ollanta Humala replaces Prime Minister Salomon Lerner with former military instructor, current Minister of the Interior Oscar Valdés after surprise resignation
Powerful 6.5-magnitude earthquake strikes Mexico, knocks-out power in parts of capital
Libyan Central Bank Governor Saddeq Omar Elkaber sends new request for U.N. to unfreeze funds
Western powers warn Syria against storming Homs
Forty-seven arrested after police clear #OccupyBoston encampment
Senior Palestinian officials: former U.S. House of Representatives (House) Speaker Newt Gingrich (R., GA) fuels more Mideast conflict
U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Darrell Issa (R., CA) releases documents detailing in-fighting at U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Thompson Reuters/University of Michigan prelimary reading on December consumer sentiment shows highest growth in six months, trade deficit narrowed slightly in October
Virginia State Police confirm identity of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) shooter as 22-year-old Radford University student Ross Ashley
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley (R.) promises revisions to controversial new immigration law
U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) dismisses case against The Boeing Company
U.S. judge approves $2.2 billion tranfer from MF Global Holdings Ltd. to U.S. commodities customers
Ford Motor Co. recalls 129,000 Focus and Mercury Milan vehicles due to wheel issues
Family of former U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent Robert Levinson releases video showing him alive, needing help
Former French Prime Minister, conservative politician Dominique de Villepin to stand for president in 2012 election
North Korea warns of “unexpected consquences” if South Korean government goes-through with border Christmas tree lighting
Low turnout expected in Ivorian parliamentary voting after violence marred last year’s presidential elections
Carter Center international observers declare Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) recent presidential vote that reelected Joseph Kabila lacked “credibility”
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) General Martin Dempsey warns of “the potential for civil unrest” cause by eurozone problems
Hewlett-Packard Co. donates WebOS to the open source community, will continue to fund some of it
Parcel bomb hurts head of local Italian tax agency
South Sudan Foreign Minister Nhial Deng Nhial warns of impending war with Sudan after days of border clashes
Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) stays Texas redistricting plan
Quinnipiac University poll shows Pennsylvania State University (PSU, Penn State) sexual abuse scandal has not hurt Pennyslvania Governor Tom Corbett’s (R.) approval rating
Gallup poll: 76% of Americans feel most members of U.S. Congress do not deserve reelection

Current Events for Tuesday, 13 December 2011

Two U.S. Army helicopters crash in Washington state during training exercise, four dead
Japan “likely” to pick-up Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
Washington Mutual Inc. reaches agreement with shareholders, eyes exit to bankruptcy
U.S. House, Senate joint panel votes to freeze some $700 million in Pakistani aid
Eurozone fiscal pact fails to mullify markets, European Central Bank (ECB) forced to step back-in
European Council President Herman Van Rompuy believes eurozone E.U. pact would be signed by most member-states by March 2012
Gloves stay on in Lincoln-Douglas debate between Republican Party (GOP) presidential hopefuls former U.S. House Speaker Gingrich, former U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman
U.S. lawmakers reach tentative agreement on $1 trillion omnibus spending bill
Canada becomes first nation to formally pull-out of Kyoto Protocol
Canadian parliament bans wearing of veils during citizenship ceremonies
U.S. President Obama says U.S. will be loyal partner for Iraq moving forward
Conservative publisher Newsmax says Donald Trump debate still-on, despite only former U.S. House Speaker Gingrich, former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R., PA) agreeing to take-part
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (R.) stumped by gay veteran
Anti-Wall Street advocates rally at many West Coast ports, police in several cities report arrests
SCOTUS agrees to hear Arizona immigration law challenge
Intel Corp. warns hard-drive shortages may impact fourth-quarter (Q4) revenue
Human Rights Watch warns West turning blind-eye to Uzbek human rights abuse allegations
European Organization for Nuclear Research’s (CERN) Large Hadron Collider (LHC) scientists expected to announce glimpse of Higgs boson particle
Switzerland cuts 2012 growth forecast
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem “Navi” Pillay says Syrian uprising deaths top 5,000, urges U.N. Security Council (UNSECO) to refer Syria to International Criminal Court (ICC)
Hunted Zeta drug cartel drug lord Raúl Lucio Hernández Lechuga captured in Veracruz state
Papua New Guinea (PNG) faces political deadlock after supreme court rules Peter O’Neill was illegally appointed prime minister in-place of Sir Michael Somare
U.S. formally requests Iran return unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, “drone”) they claim to have taken-down
Iranian steel factory blast kills seven, including foreign nationals
Israeli authorities close wooden bridge to Moughrabi Gate, which leadis to the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount stoking Palestinian outrage, anger
Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov announces he will stand against Russian Prime Minister Putin in next year’s presidential election
French President Nicolas Sarközy: there are clearly two Europes
Twelve al-Qaeda militants break-out of southern Yemeni prison
U.S. Congress rewrites defense spending bill to avoid promised presidential veto
Gallup poll: 64% of Americans view “big government” as nation’s greatest threat
U.S. House Speaker John Boehner (R., OH) names former Secret Service official Paul Irving as new U.S. House Sargeant-at-Arms

Current Events for Wednesday, 14 December 2011

CERN LHC scientists confirm possible glipse of Higgs boson particle
Disgraced Japanese imaging, optics company Olympus Corp. irons-out crooked accounts, sees $1.1 billion hole
Egyptians head back to polls for second-round of voting, Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood will try to maintain lead
China pledges economic growth despite “extremely grim” global outlook
Reuters/Ipsos poll: former U.S. House Speaker Gingrich fares worse in general election against U.S. President Obama than former Governor Romney
Investigative arm of CME Group Inc. turns interviews over to U.S. Department of Justice alleging former MF Global Holdings Ltd. chief executive officer (CEO) Jon Corzine knew of customer fund misuse
Belgian authorities confirm Nordine Amrani killed four, wounded another 125 in gun, grenade attack in Liège; authorities do not believe this was a terrorist attack, but are not sure of motive
U.S. Federal Reserve Board (Fed) sees contagion possible from eurozone crisis, some improvement in U.S. economic data
U.S. Fed announces it will keep key rates low, continue with bond-buying stimulus program
U.S. congressional Democrats, Republicans once again in gridlock over Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tax holiday as U.S. House Republicans pass bill to expediate approval of Keystone XL Pipeline despite unlikely U.S. Senate passage and promised U.S. White House veto
Three former Washington Mutual, Inc. (WaMu) executives reach $64 million settlement with U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
Former Pennsylvania State University (PSU) football assistance coach Jerry Sandusky waives right to preliminary trial
Iranian Foreign Ministry announces it will not return downed UAV, demands U.S. President Obama apoligize
U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta makes “surprise” trip to Afghanistan
Israel reopens wooden bridge to Moughrabi Gate
Magnitude 7.1 earthquake hits PNG, no injuries or major damage reported
Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki urges U.S. investment in Iraq
World Economic Forum (WEF) report: Hong Kong “most developed” financial market
U.S. Attorney-General Eric Holder: federal government will intervene, protect voters against new state laws aimed at supressing citizens’ right to vote
Microsoft Inc. co-founder Paul Allen announces plans for commercial spaceship
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers develop one trillion frames per second (fps) camera that can track pulses of light
Deadly clashes hit northern Syria, kill 28
Yemeni Interior Ministry announces plan to release hundreds of political protesters currently jailed
Italian man opens-fire in Florentine market, kills two and wounds three others
ICC refers Malawi to UNSECO for refusing to arrest Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas raises Palestinian flag above U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
U.S. retail sales grew at 0.2% in November, much lower than Black Friday expectations set
European regulators dragging feet over Google Inc. buyout of Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc.
World Health Organization (WHO): global malaria deaths falling, but more drug-resistant infections are rising
U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) admits hackers have attacked infrastructure systems in at least three cities
New U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations on commercial volume go into effect
“All-Star lineup” of technology luminaries set to lobby U.S. Congress against S.968 (Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act of 2011, PROTECT IP Act) and H.R.3261 (Stop Online Piracy Act, SOPA)
NBC News/The Wall Street Journal poll: former U.S. House Speaker Gingrich has opened national double-digit lead over former Governor Romney
U.S. National Tranportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommends harsh new anti-technology motoring regulations
Public Policy Polling (PPP) poll shows U.S. Representative Ron Paul (R., TX) closing gap in Iowa
American billionaire Donald Trump bows-out as moderator of NewsMax debate
U.S. President Obama’s reelection campaign manager Jim Messina confirms former U.S. President Bill Clinton (D.) will campaign for the President
NBC confirms Union Leader will co-sponsor Republican debate with Meet the Press next month
Gallup/USA Today poll shows U.S. President Obama trails Republicans in five swing states

Current Events for Thursday, 15 December 2011

U.S. lowers flag in Baghdad
U.S. congressional Republicans introduce $915 billion spending bill to avoid imminent government shutdown
Russian Prime Minister Putin deflects calls for election rerun because of irregularities, accepts “lawful” protests
The Wall Street Journal: U.S. SEC considering appeal to U.S. judicial system over Citigroup Inc. $285 million settlement
Chinese Ministry of Commerce announces it will impose as high as a 22% import duty on large U.S. cars, sport utility vehicles (SUV)
ECB policymaker Christian Noyer: French debt downgrade “not justified”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Deutsche Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann rebuff calls for more ECB aid to eurozone
U.S. President Obama signals willingness to drop millionaire surtax from FICA tax holiday bill
U.S. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke: U.S. can’t, won’t bail-out Europe
U.S. Representative Paul gaining ground in a number of states
Credit Suisse Group AG New York City (NYC) headquarters evacuated after suspicious package found, determined to be no threat
Thousands rally in southern Chinese village of Wukan against government land-grabs, anger of the death of village leader Xue Jinbo in police custody
Syrian troops storm Hama to break anti-government strike
Time names “The Protester” 2011 Person of the Year
French court finds former President Jacques Chirac guilty of diverting public funds, abusing public confidence
Shocking U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study reports nearly 20% of American women are raped, suffer attempted rape at some point in their lives
U.S. House passes defense spending bill 283-136 including language placing terror suspects into military custody, permit indefinite detention after U.S. White House lifts threatened veto
Brazilian prosecutors to bring $10.6 billion lawsuit against Chevron Corp. for off-shore oil spill
U.S. Department of State warns recent Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) elections were “seriously flawed,” “lacked transparency”
Morocco orders foreign fishing vessels operating in its waters under E.U. deal to leave amid row over over-fishing, Western Sahara
Key 1994 genocide architect Théoneste Bagosora appeals life sentence by International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), wins reduction to 35 years
Internet data transfer speed of 186 gigabits per second (Gbps) achieved between University of Victoria, Washington State Convention Center
eBay Inc.’ online payment program PayPal planning daily deals online coupon service
Euro (€) drops below $1.30 for first time since January 2011
Google Inc. deletes 22 applications (apps) from its Android Market after dangerous text message fraud discovered
Vandals set-fire to 12^th Century mosque in the Jerusalem center, leave graffiti insulting the Prophet Muhammad on the walls
Egyptian Islamists, mainly led by the Muslim Brotherhood, set to take-over parliament
Pennsylvania redistricting plan benefits most-endangered U.S. House GOP seats
U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann (R., MN) stands-by spokesman’s allegations about “money changing hands” in Gingrich campaign
Human Rights Watch condemns Alabama immigration law
U.S. Representative Lamar Smith (R., TX) fires-back at Google, other SOPA critics
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission workers testify to U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform about “verbal assaults” from Chairman Gregory Jaczko

Current Events for Friday, 16 December 2011

U.S. Navy announces plans to station new coastal combat ships in Singapore, possibly Philippines in coming years
U.S. Army Private First Class (PFC) Bradley Manning face first Article 32 hearing in Fort Meade, Maryland
New Apple Inc. A5 processor made in surprising place: Austin, Texas
The New York Times CEO Janet Robinson announces surprise resignation
Reuters: over 150 boxes of documents were “lawfully,” “legitimately” destroyed
Rivals pounce on GOP front-runner, former U.S. House Speaker Gingrich at last Iowa debate
U.S. Congress compromises on $1 trillion spending bill to avert government shutdown
Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM) delays debut of QNX-powered smartphones, offers dismal outlook
Today’s Zynga initial public offering (IPO) expected to net company $1 billion, $10 per share expected
American jobless claims fell to three-and-one-half year low last week, Northeast factory activity increased
Wukan villagers continue to defy Chinese government orders to disperse
CNN: Welsh actor Christian Bale “roughed up” by Chinese security guards as he attempted to visit blind legal activist
Chinese authorities issue new regulations requiring Weibo users to register their identities
Russian Federation to join World Trade Organization (WTO) after 18 years of negotiations
Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti faces another confidence vote
Prosecutor of the ICC José Luis Moreno Ocampo: ousted Libyan dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi’s death may have been war crime
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda declares Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant in “cold shutdown state,” stable
Fitch Ratings upgrades Indonesian investment grade status, puts it on-par with India
Fitch Ratings downgrades world’s six largest banks—American banks Bank of America Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., British Barclays PLC, French BNP Paribas S.A., German Deutsche Bank AG, and Swiss The Credit Suisse Group AG
In surprise move, Russian Federation circulates draft UNSECO resolution aimed at resolving Syrian political crisis
Russian fishing vessel The Sparta taking-on water in Antarctic, rescue being hampered by ice
Google Inc. awarded patent for self-driving car system
Chinese poll chooses kong, “control,” as 2011 word-of-the-year
Toxic alcohol deathtoll hits 143 in West Bengal
Street artist Bansky installs vandalized sculpture of a priest meant to represent the Catholic Church’s child abuse scandal
Economic downturn of 17 eurozone nations slows
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley (R.) set to endorse former Massachusetts Governor Romney
SCOTUS to rule on Texas redistricting map
U.S. federal court upholds Illinois redistricting plan
United Wisconsin coalition claims to have 507,533 signatures of the 540,208 needed to recall Governor Scott Walker (R.)
U.S. Department of Justice accuses Maricopa County, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio of violating constitutional, civil rights