2017 Week 50

Content

Sunday December 10, 2017 Armed conflicts and attacks Israeli–Palestinian conflict A 24-year-old Palestinian stabs and seriously wounds an Israeli security guard at Jerusalem's Central Bus Station. The attacker is arrested. (Reuters) (The Washington Post) (The Independent) Arts and culture Iraqi Civil War An Iraqi military parade in Baghdad celebrates final victory over the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declares December 10 an annual national holiday. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents 2017 California wildfires New evacuations are ordered as the fires spread toward a string of California coastal cities. Santa Ana winds and rugged mountain terrain continue to hamper firefighting efforts. Authorities report the Thomas Fire is only 15 percent contained. (Los Angeles Times) (Reuters) Law and crime Capital punishment in Iran The spying charge death sentence against Vrije Universiteit Brussel guest-lecturer Ahmadreza Djalali is now executable, since his Iranian lawyer did not appeal the verdict and sentence within the required three-week limit. (De Standaard) (VRT) Politics and elections Venezuelan presidential election, 2018 Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who is up for re-election, bans the main opposition parties, Justice First, Democratic Action and Popular Will from running in next year's presidential election. (BBC) Science and technology Severe acute respiratory syndrome Scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology trace the source of the deadly 2002–04 SARS virus outbreak, which killed 774 people in 37 countries, to a colony of cave-dwelling horseshoe bats in China's Yunnan province. (The Guardian) Sports 2017–18 Premier League Manchester City beat local rivals Manchester United 2–1 at Old Trafford to set a new record for successive victories in English top-flight games, breaking the record of 13 successive league wins in a single season set by Chelsea, Arsenal, Preston North End and Sunderland. (Metro) (BBC) Major League Baseball Jack Morris and Alan Trammell are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Hall's Modern Baseball Era Committee. They will be formally inducted on July 29, 2018, along with any individuals who may be elected by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. (ESPN)

Monday December 11, 2017 Armed conflicts and attacks 2017 New York City attempted bombing An attempted terrorist attack occurs when a homemade pipe bomb worn by a man exploded near New York City's Port Authority Bus Terminal. Three people, as well as the attacker, are injured. The suspect, identified as Akayed Ullah, is in custody. (The New York Times) (CNN) Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War During a visit to Syria, his first, President Vladimir Putin announces that a significant part of Russian forces will withdraw from Syria now that ISIL has been defeated in the country. (BBC) (RT) Arts and culture Cinema of Saudi Arabia The Ministry of Culture of Saudi Arabia announces that it will lift a ban on commercial cinemas that has lasted more than three decades. (BBC) Business and economy Economy of the United Kingdom A £6 billion ($8 billion) deal to sell 24 Eurofighter Typhoons to Qatar is announced. (BBC) Disasters and accidents December 2017 Southern California wildfires The Thomas Fire is the fifth largest in modern Californian history. (NPR) Law and crime Transgender personnel in the United States military U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly denies a Trump administration request to enforce the ban on transgender troops while this case is under appeal, thereby reaffirming her order that requires the U.S. military to accept transgender recruits effective January 1, 2018. (Reuters) 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt and following purges in Turkey Turkey's state news agency announces that prosecutors in Istanbul have requested life sentences against six people, including journalist brothers Ahmet and Mehmet Altan and chronicler Nazli Ilicak. One of the accusations is reportedly "having committed a crime in the name of a terror organization without being a member of it." (Yenisafak) (RTBF) Politics and elections Hezbollah political activities Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, vows to return to Israel. Tens of thousands of people demonstrate in South Beirut. (VRT) Ukrainian crisis Ukrainian opposition leader Mikheil Saakashvili is freed from detention following Judge Larysa Tsokol's dismissal of prosecutors’ house arrest request. (Reuters) Politics of India Rahul Gandhi is elected unopposed as the head of the opposition Congress Party. On 16 January 2018, he is to take over the reins from his mother Sonia Gandhi, who held the position for 19 years. (Al Jazeera) (The Times of India) Politics of France Corsican nationalists demand talks with the French government after a convincing win in the second round of elections for a reformed regional government in Corsica. (The Guardian) Science and technology British Antarctic Territory Mount Hope, in a disputed region of Antarctica, is found to be the highest mountain in territory claimed by the United Kingdom. Ben Nevis in Scotland is the highest mountain in the United Kingdom. (BBC) Space policy of the United States U.S. President Donald Trump signs the "Space Policy Directive 1" that establishes the foundation for a crewed mission to the Moon, while also maintaining a longer-term NASA goal of landing a man on Mars. (Reuters) Male homosexuality The Y-linked protein NLGN4Y transfer from an older brother to a younger by transfer through the mother's womb, the mother's bloodstream, and her created antibodies reaching her next male fetus' brain, together appear to influence the gayness of the next brother. (CNN) (PNAS)

Tuesday December 12, 2017 Business and economy Unibail-Rodamco agrees to purchase shopping mall owner Westfield Corporation for $15.7 billion. (Business Insider) Disasters and accidents An explosion and fire at the Gas Connect Austria pipeline hub in Baumgarten an der March kills one person and injures 21. Service to Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia and Italy is suspended. Italy declares a state of emergency. (Reuters) (Deutsche Welle) Law and crime Crime in Peru A 22-year-old student is found dead inside the National University of San Marcos, of Lima, and the most important and oldest of Peru. Everything seems to indicate that he had been killed. Authorities have identified a possible suspect, who is also a student at the university. (La República) (ATV) (América Televisión) Health and environment Regulation of chemicals Reacting to a petition from more than a million EU citizens, the European Commission releases a 16-page report on glyphosate. It adopts a renewal of the approval of glyphosate for a 5-year period and plans to improve the science reviewing process. (Le Figaro and Reuters) International relations Syrian Civil War The Syrian opposition urges Russian president Vladimir Putin to put pressure on Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in order to "rescue" the Geneva peace talks and begin face-to-face bilateral talks. (The Guardian) Foreign relations of Rwanda, Foreign relations of France Rwanda steps up pressure on France to admit alleged complicity in the 1994 genocide by publishing a report by law firm Cunningham Levy Muse. (Financial Times) Politics and elections Government of San Francisco Mayor of San Francisco Ed Lee dies of an apparent heart attack. Supervisor London Breed becomes acting Mayor. (SFGate) United States Senate special election in Alabama, 2017 Voters in Alabama go to the polls to fill the United States Senate seat vacated by current United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The race is between Roy Moore (R) and Doug Jones (D). (CNN) The Associated Press declares Doug Jones the winner. (AP via New York Times) Science and technology Climate change in the Arctic This year's Arctic Report Card reveals that the plunge in sea ice extent as well as the amount of ocean surface warming is unprecedented in at least the last 1,500 years. (Mashable) Sports Weinstein effect Marshall Faulk, Ike Taylor, and Heath Evans are suspended from the NFL Network due to allegations of sexual harassment. (The Washington Post) 2017 EAFF E-1 Football Championship South Korea beats North Korea 1–0 in Tokyo. The Japanese authorities gave the North Korean players a special visa to enable their participation in the event that was formerly known as the East Asian Cup. (Sporza)

Wednesday December 13, 2017 Armed conflicts and attacks Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen At least 30 people are reported to have been killed in Saudi-led coalition air strikes on a rebel military police camp in Yemen's capital, Sanaa. (BBC) Israeli–Palestinian conflict Militant Palestinians fire rockets towards Israel from the Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces say that the Iron Dome system intercepted two missiles, while one rocket fell in a flat open area and nobody was hurt. (Het Laatste Nieuws) The leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, calls for a new revolt or intifada. (Het Laatste Nieuws) Arts and culture Rohingya persecution in Myanmar Dublin City Councillors vote 59–2 to revoke the Freedom of the City of Dublin given to Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi for her apparent failure to protect the Rohingya minority from violence. Singer Bob Geldof returned his Freedom one month ago, protesting that Suu Kyi also held the honour. (The Guardian) (The Guardian) Disasters and accidents Marine Corps Air Station Futenma A 17-pound (8 kg) CH-53E transport helicopter window lands on school grounds in Okinawa, Japan, marking the second time in less than a week that an American aircraft part has fallen on a school there. Today, a child sustains "minor injuries". The United States Marine Corps apologizes. (ABC News) Law and crime Proclamation No. 216 The Congress of the Philippines votes to approve President Rodrigo Duterte's request to extend the declaration of martial law in Mindanao until December 31, 2018. (AFP) Operation Car Wash Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas is sentenced to six years imprisonment for financial corruption involving the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. The decision will not be enforced until the court confirms the ruling. The court's decision can be appealed. (BBC News) (El Universo) (in Spanish) Rohingya insurgency in Western Myanmar Two Reuters journalists are arrested in Myanmar for trying to illegally obtain official documents. The were reporting about the Rohingya Muslim community in Rakhine State. (The New York Times) Politics and elections Politics of the United States Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton announces the appointment of Lt. Gov. Tina Smith to replace resigning Sen. Al Franken in the United States Senate. (St. Paul Pioneer Press) Politics of the United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May suffers a 309–305 defeat, her first, in the House of Commons when MPs from both major parties approve an amendment to the Brexit bill subjecting a Brexit agreement to a preliminary vote by Parliament. (The Guardian) (BBC) 2017 United States political sexual scandals Kentucky state legislator Dan Johnson, who had been accused of sexual assault of a teenager, dies of a gunshot wound, an apparent suicide. (AP) Sports Road cycling Team Sky professional cyclist Chris Froome returns a non-negative result for asthma medication salbutamol, during the Vuelta a España in September. (Cyclingnews.com)

Thursday December 14, 2017 Armed conflicts and attacks Internal armed conflict in Colombia, Paramilitarism in Colombia, Illegal drug trade in Colombia Colombia's biggest narcotics gang, Clan del Golfo (AGC), declares a cease-fire in effect since December 13. They say the gesture is meant "to contribute to a full, total and lasting peace." The Colombian government says that it welcomes the move but also that it will continue their pressure on the organization. (GMA Network) Business and economy Proposed acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney The Walt Disney Company announces its intent to acquire a large portion of 21st Century Fox for $52.4 billion, pending regulatory approval. (CBS) Economy of Israel Israeli company Teva Pharmaceutical, the world's largest generic drug manufacturer, is restructuring in order to pay off debt, and will be cutting its work force by about a quarter. (Reuters) Repeal of net neutrality in the United States The Federal Communications Commission votes 3-to-2 to dismantle its net neutrality regulations. (Wired) (Wired) Disasters and accidents Perpignan crash A train crashes into a school bus at a level crossing in the Arrondissement of Perpignan in France, killing six pupils on the bus. (BBC) Southern California wildfires A firefighter is killed while battling the Thomas Fire, the second death linked to the fourth largest wildfire in California history. (The Washington Post) West Wind Aviation Flight 280 A plane crash in Fond-du-Lac, Saskatchewan, causes 24 injuries and 1 death. (CBC) Health and environment Health education in Guatemala The Supreme Court of Justice of Guatemala rules not to allow the implementation of a usage manual from the Procuratorate of Human Rights for talks and workshops about sexuality due to the document's views on abortion, which, except risk for mother's life, is illegal in the country. (Prensa Libre) International relations Iran–United States relations Nikki Haley, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, accuses Iran of violating the 2015 nuclear deal by allegedly supplying the missile fired last month on Saudi Arabia from Yemen. Iran refutes the claim as based on "fabricated" evidence. (Bloomberg News) Somalia–United States relations, Somali Civil War (2009–present) The U.S. government cuts aid to some Somali military units for allegedly misusing funds. (CNN) Law and crime Education in the United States Attorneys general for California, New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts sue the Trump Administration's Department of Education for not granting loan relief to students defrauded by for-profit schools. (Reuters) Politics and elections Operation Car Wash The main opposition party of Peru, Popular Force, which has the absolute majority in Congress, gives the president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski less than 24 hours to present his resignation. This comes after it revealed that he received large sums of money from the Odebrecht construction company, through a financial advisory firm of his property, in exchange of the concession of important infrastructures for the country. (Reuters) Donald Trump's political appointments Michael Dourson, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine professor, withdraws his nomination for an assistant administrator position with the Environmental Protection Agency. (NBC News)

Friday December 15, 2017 Armed conflicts and attacks Israeli–Palestinian conflict, United States recognition of Jerusalem as Israeli capital Palestinians and the Israeli army scuffle in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and at the Qalandia border crossing over the status of Jerusalem. Clashes are also reported in Gaza, Ramallah, Hebron and Qalqilya. In conflicts where Israeli law enforcement used live ammunition and Palestinians threw rocks, two Palestinians died in Gaza while 150 were wounded and two more were killed in the West Bank while a further 10 were wounded. (Reuters) Business and economy Beate Uhse AG, supplier of the Pabo erotica catalog, files for bankruptcy in Germany. Only the holding company restructures in order to secure refinancing with the creditors. Beate Uhse-Rotermund opened the first sex shop in 1962, in Flensburg, under the name "Institut für Ehehygiene" ("Institute for marriage hygiene"). (Washington Post) In an effort to avert strikes, the Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair reverses its long-standing policy of refusing to recognize pilots' labour unions. (New York Daily News) Disasters and accidents 2017 Java earthquake A magnitude 6.5 earthquake strikes the island of Java causing massive damage along with two confirmed deaths. (ABC News) Health and medicine Child sexual abuse in Australia A 17-volume report detailing children's experiences of sexual abuse in Australian institutions is published. It concludes that the issue is systemic and "not a case of a few rotten apples". It contains 189 new recommendations, for a total of 406. This report finalizes a five-year Royal Commission inquiry. (Ten News) The most recent U.S. government statistics show a marked increase in the yearly number of deaths by drug overdose. The number for end May 2017 is 66,324, up 17% when compared to the previous 12-month period. (U.S. News & World Report) Law and crime Corruption in Russia Former economy minister Alexey Ulyukaev is found guilty of soliciting a $2 million bribe from Rosneft's Igor Sechin. He is sentenced to 8 years in prison. Ulyukayev is the most senior serving official to be arrested in decades. He previously denied the charges, saying he’d been "set up". (Reuters) Obamacare replacement proposals A Federal District Judge for Eastern Pennsylvania temporarily enjoins the Trump administration from implementing new rules that change the Obamacare contraceptive mandate. California, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Virginia and Washington have also sued the federal government over the rules. (AP via ABC News) Censorship in France France's Constitutional Court rejects a bill to make visiting terrorist websites a criminal offence, citing "inviolability of freedom of communication and expression" as a reason. (Sputnik News) (Le Parisien) Politics and elections Brexit European Union leaders agree to allow the next phase of Brexit. (U.S. News & World Report) Science and technology AOL discontinues its instant messaging app AIM after more than 20 years. (PC Gamer) Sports Association football According to the Spanish newspaper El País, FIFA warned the Royal Spanish Football Federation, threatening to exclude Spain from participation in the 2018 World Cup. FIFA reportedly argues that the Spanish attempt to remove Ángel María Villar (who is accused of corruption) from the national federation's presidency is an illicit government intervention in the Spanish football federation's activities. (The Independent)

Saturday December 16, 2017 Business and economy China–United Kingdom relations, One Belt One Road Initiative The BBC reports that former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron is to head a £750 million ($1 billion) U.K. private fund to improve air, road and railway links between China and its trading partners. (The Independent) (The Guardian) Disasters and accidents December 2017 Southern California wildfires More evacuations are ordered as surging Santa Ana winds drive the 40-percent contained Thomas Fire, now the third-largest in California history, further westward in Santa Barbara County. (Reuters) (The Hill) Six people are killed, including Hilda Hernández, sister of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, in a helicopter accident that was headed to Comayagua from Toncontín International Airport in Tegucigalpa. (Reuters) Five people are killed and at least 15 missing in a mudslide in Villa Santa Lucía, a remote village in southern Chile, after more than 4.5 inches (11.4 cm) of rain the previous 24 hours. President Michelle Bachelet declares a state of emergency. Sunday is the run-off election for Chile's next president. (BBC) (The Washington Post) Politics and elections Politics of Australia The Coalition keep a one-seat majority in the Australian House of Representatives after the Liberals win the Bennelong by-election. (The Guardian) Politics of South Africa Thousands of delegates of the African National Congress gather in Johannesburg to elect a party leader, who may replace President Jacob Zuma before his term expires in 2019. (AP via Newser) Science and technology Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program The existence of a U.S. government program that investigated reports of UFOs is revealed. (The New York Times) Sports 2017 FIFA Club World Cup Real Madrid wins the FIFA Club World Cup for the second time, beating Grêmio 1–0 in the final. Real Madrid becomes the first team to win the tournament back to back. (BBC)

Created 19 Dec 2017 Last updated 11 Feb 2018