Portal:Current events/2019 December 8
December 8, 2019 (Sunday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen, Yemeni Crisis (2011–present)
- Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok says the government has reduced the number of Sudanese Armed Forces troops in Yemen from 15,000 to 5,000, saying the conflict "can no longer be solved militarily". (Reuters)
Disasters and accidents
- 2019 Delhi factory fire
- Forty-three workers are killed in a fire in a factory in Delhi, India. (BBC News)
International relations
- Pope Francis appoints Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the Archbishop of Manila, Philippines, to head the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. It is a congregation of the Roman Curia, responsible for world-wide missionary work and related activities. (Catholic News Agency)
Law and crime
- Women's rights in Saudi Arabia
- The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs of Saudi Arabia announces that gender-segregated entrances are no longer mandatory for restaurants. This change is not considered compulsory however, and there are no announcements for similar changes to other public institutions. (Al Jazeera)
Politics and elections
- 2019 Hong Kong protests
- After a massive march in the city, Civil Human Rights Front leader and Rainbow of Hong Kong activist Jimmy Sham says "it is the last chance for Carrie Lam to listen to the people". (Economic Times India)
- 2019 Sammarinese general election
- Citizens of San Marino are called to the polls in the first round to elect the 60 members of the Grand and General Council. (Il Resto del Carlino)
- Politics of Finland
- The Social Democratic Party of Finland selects Minister of Transport and Communications Sanna Marin for Prime Minister, following the resignation of Antti Rinne. If confirmed, she will become Finland's youngest ever Prime Minister and the world's youngest serving Prime Minister at age 34. (Reuters)
- 2019–20 Lebanese protests
- Businessman Samir Khatib withdraws his candidacy for the Prime Minister position after failing to secure enough votes from the Sunni Muslim bloc last week. This leaves the ousted Saad Hariri as the only potential candidate. Massive protests are formed outside the Parliament building in response to Hariri’s possible return. (Al Jazeera)