Portal:Current events/February 2013

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February 2013 was the second month of that common year. The month, which began on a Friday, ended on a Thursday after 28 days.

Portal:Current events

This is an archived version of Wikipedia's Current events Portal from February 2013.

Current events of February 1, 2013 (2013-02-01) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2013 United States embassy bombing in Ankara: A suicide bombing outside the U.S. embassy in the Turkish capital, Ankara, kills at least two people. (BBC) (CNN) (Reuters) Nigerian Sharia conflict: The Nigerian army bomb a suspected terrorist camp used by Boko Haram killing 18 members and capturing large amounts ammunition, guns and weapons. (BBC) (Premium Times) War in North-West Pakistan: A suicide bomber in a market kills at least 21 people and wounds more than 30 in Hangu, Pakistan. (BBC) (Reuters) (The New York Times) Arts and culture Pat Kenny, most recently presenter of The Frontline, makes his return as host of The Late Late Show after the death this week of regular host Ryan Tubridy's father. (Irish Independent) (The Irish Times) Business and economy Barclays plc chief executive Antony Jenkins says he will waive his bonus for 2012. (BBC) The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 14,000 points for the first time since 2007 as investors welcomed strong economic data from the United States. (CNN) Disasters and accidents At least 26 people are killed on the G30 Expressway in Henan province, China, after a truck carrying fireworks explodes on an elevated highway, with an 80 metres (260 ft) section of road being destroyed and part of it collapsing. (BBC) (CNN) (The New York Times) (The Guardian) Three construction workers are killed and eight are injured after a wall collapses on a construction site in Zhoukou, Henan, China. (Xinhua) Law and crime Metropolitan Police detective April Casburn, who tried to sell information to the News of the World, regarding the investigation into phone hacking scandal, is jailed for 15 months. (BBC) Politics and elections Hillary Clinton steps down as United States Secretary of State; she is succeeded by Senator John Kerry. (BBC) (Reuters) Ed Koch, the former Mayor of New York City, dies at the age of 88 of congestive heart failure in a hospital. (The Washington Post) Chris Evans, the leader of Australian Labor Party in the Senate, announces his resignation from the Ministry of Education. (The Age) Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the former head of Saudi Arabia's Intelligence Directorate, is appointed second deputy Prime Minister, making him second in line to the Saudi throne. (Reuters) Steven Chu steps down as United States Secretary of Energy. (AP via The Washington Post) (Los Angeles Times) (USA Today) Science and technology A Ukrainian–Russian carrier rocket Zenit-3SL carrying a telecommunications satellite Intelsat 27 fails 40 seconds after the lift-off and plunges into the Pacific Ocean shortly during Sea Launch. (BBC) (Space.com) (RIA Novosti) Sport Premier League clubs spent about £120 million in the January transfer window which expired last night, double last year's figures. (BBC) (ITV) In tennis, 2013 Davis Cup begins today with eight matches in the World Group. (Tennis.com) Hurling star Lar Corbett denies media reports claiming he has won a €10.6 million lottery jackpot. (The Irish Times) (Independent) (RTÉ) Current events of February 2, 2013 (2013-02-02) (Saturday) Armed conflicts and attacks War in North-West Pakistan: Militants attack a Pakistani Army base in the Lakki Marwat District in Pakistan killing at least 23 and injuring at least 8. (BBC) (CNN) (Los Angeles Times) 2013 United States embassy bombing in Ankara: The Turkish radical leftist group Revolutionary People's Liberation Party–Front claims responsibility for the bombing in Ankara. (Reuters) (CNN) (NBC News) 2012–2013 Egyptian protests: The protesters clashes with police outside the presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt, after a week of violence in which more than 60 people were killed. (Reuters) (BBC) (CBC News) Senkaku Islands dispute: Prime Minister of Japan Shinzō Abe vows to defend the Senkaku Islands "at all costs" in a speech aimed at the Japan Self-Defense Forces. (Japan Today) (AP via Fox News) Disasters and accidents A bus catches fire after falling into a ravine in Gansu province, China, killing 18 people and injuring 34 others. (Xinhua) (China Daily) (Global Times) Five road accidents in two days claims the lives of at least 58 people in China before Chinese New Year. (IANS via Yahoo!) (AP via Montreal Gazette) An ATR-72 aircraft belonging to Carpatair veers off a runway at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport, injuring at least 6 people. (AP via Montreal Gazette) Law and crime Former United States Navy SEAL Chris Kyle and another man are killed at a shooting range near Glen Rose, Somervell County, Texas. (The New York Times) Science and technology Iran unveils a new Qaher-313 combat jet which is said can evade radar detection. (Fox News) Sport 2013 Africa Cup of Nations: Ghana eliminates Cape Verde to reach the semi-finals of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. (BBC) Mali eliminates hosts South Africa on penalties to reach the semi-finals. (BBC) In other association football news: Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk wins the 2013 Copa del Sol by defeating Poland's Widzew Łódź in the final. (Shakhtar) (Copa del Sol) Italian club A.S. Roma fires coach Zdeněk Zeman after a poor run in Serie A. (ESPN) (AP via Fox Sports) European champions Chelsea loses again in the Premier League, this time to Newcastle in stoppage time. (BBC) In La Liga, Cristiano Ronaldo sensationally scores in his own net as Real Madrid slumps to a shock 0–1 defeat away to Granada. (ESPN) (FIFA) In Gaelic football, the 2013 National Football League gets underway, with wins for Kildare, Dublin, Tyrone and Laois on the opening night of action. (RTÉ) (The Score) (BBC) In rugby union, titleholders Wales are defeated by Ireland on their own ground as the 2013 Six Nations Championship gets underway in Cardiff. (BBC) In tennis, the Czech Republic's Tomáš Berdych and Lukáš Rosol defeat Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka and Marco Chiudinelli in the longest match in Davis Cup history, with a time of 7 hours and 2 minutes. (Reuters) (AFP via France24) Current events of February 3, 2013 (2013-02-03) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal): At least 33 people are killed in Kirkuk, Iraq, when a suicide bomber detonates a truck packed with explosives outside a police headquarters and gunmen disguised as officers tried to storm the compound. (Reuters) (BBC) (ITV) (Sky News) Disasters and accidents Paraguayan politician and presidential candidate Lino Oviedo is killed in a helicopter crash near Puerto Antequera in the Chaco region. (AP via The Washington Post) (The Voice of Russia) (Al Jazeera) A twin-engine Beechcraft BE-58 plane crashes into the sea near Cumaná, Venezuela, leaving one person dead and five survivors who are rescued. (The Hindu) (AP via Edmonton Journal) A charter bus carrying high school students from Philadelphia crashes when it attempted to pass under a low bridge in Boston, United States, injuring 34 people. (Reuters) (Sky News) (CBS News) Special services are held in Brazil in memory of the 237 people killed in last week's Kiss nightclub fire in Santa Maria. (BBC) International relations Iran indicates the possibility it will attend talks on its nuclear program in Kazakhstan if it believes intentions behind them are "authentic". (Al Jazeera) In response to Israeli air strikes on Syria, Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says Israel's government is waging "state terrorism". (Al Jazeera) Sport In association football: Nigeria defeat favourites Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso defeat Togo after extra-time to progress to the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations. (Al Jazeera) (BBC) (Al Jazeera) Colombia wins the 2013 South American Youth Championship defeating Paraguay with a 2–1 score. Also Uruguay and Chile seal berths to the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup. (FIFA) (CONMEBOL) Italian striker Mario Balotelli scores twice in the 2–1 win over Udinese on his A.C. Milan debut in the 2012–13 Serie A. (ESPN) (BBC) (Reuters) Sergio Agüero rescues a point for the reigning Premier League champions Manchester City, while Gareth Bale scores the winner for Tottenham Hotspur after West Brom's Goran Popov is sent off for spitting at Kyle Walker. (Al Jazeera) (The Australian) Lionel Messi extends his record streak by scoring in his 12th consecutive 2012–13 La Liga game to give leader Barcelona a 1–1 draw against Valencia. (ESPN) (CNN) (The Guardian) In mixed martial arts, the UFC Feather Champion José Aldo retains his belt by defeating Frankie Edgar via unanimous decision during UFC 156. (USA Today) In rugby union, Italy win their first match in the 2013 Six Nations Championship against tournament favourites France by a score of 23–18. (BBC) (RTÉ) (Al Jazeera) In bandy, Russia defeates Sweden in the final with a 4–3 score to win the 2013 Bandy World Championship. (World Bandy) (RT) (The Local) In snooker, Ali Carter wins his third ranking title by defeating Marco Fu 9–6 in the final of the 2013 German Masters. (BBC) (Sky Sports) (Daily Mail) In Gaelic football, losing All-Ireland finalists Mayo defeat Kerry and hold them scoreless in the second half of their opening 2013 National Football League game. (The Irish Times) In cricket, England captain Charlotte Edwards becomes the highest run-scorer in women's one-day internationals in England's World Cup victory over India at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. (BBC) In American football, the Baltimore Ravens defeat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII 34–31 after a delay in the game's second half caused by a power outage. (BBC) (The Washington Post) (Mercury News) Current events of February 4, 2013 (2013-02-04) (Monday) Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian civil war At least 20 people die in Aleppo, Syria, after an apartment complex is struck by a rocket belonging to the forces of Bashar Assad. (NBC News) (Toronto Star) Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal): A suicide bomber attacks a government building in Taji, 15 kilometres north of the capital Baghdad, killing 22 and injuring 44 others. Nineteen of the dead are members of the Sahwa militia opposed to al-Qaeda in Iraq, who were waiting for their monthly salaries. (Reuters) (The New York Times) Senkaku Islands dispute The Japan Coast Guard claims that two government ships from the People's Republic of China have entered waters near the disputed Senkaku Islands. (AAP via News Limited) Arts and culture Exhumation of Richard III of England The University of Leicester holds a media conference to announce that a skeleton found in Leicester last year during an archaeological dig is that of former King Richard III of England. (BBC) (The Daily Telegraph) (NBC News) The remains of King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia who died on 15 October 2012 are cremated in Phnom Penh. (BBC) Fall Out Boy announce the end of their 3 year long hiatus, new studio album Save Rock and Roll and new world tour. This includes dates at the infamous Reading and Leeds Festivals. (BBC) Disasters and accidents Eight people are killed and thirty others are injured after a bus is struck by two vehicles and flips over in Yucaipa, California, United States. (Los Angeles Times) (NBC San Diego) (KTLA) A collision between a truck and a bus carrying Bangladeshi workers kills 22 people and injures 24 others in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Reuters) (Travelers Today) (The Australian) International relations President of Niger Mahamadou Issoufou confirms that French special forces are protecting one of the country's biggest uranium mines, owned by the French company Areva. They are also said to be "strengthening security". (BBC) Law and crime Former UK government Minister Chris Huhne pleads guilty to perverting the course of justice over claims he caused his ex-wife to accept speeding points he had incurred. He also announces his intention to resign his House of Commons seat. (BBC) Three people are injured after a stabbing on a subway platform in the Parsons/Archer subway station in Queens, New York City, United States. (Daily News) (NBC New York) The death of Jimmy Lee Dykes results in the end of the 2013 Alabama bunker hostage crisis. (ABC News) Politics and elections Fidel Castro makes his first public appearance in several months to vote in Cuba's parliamentary elections; he spends an hour talking to voters and the media and a crowd gathers around his car to cheer him. (BBC) The President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announces his desire of becoming the first Iranian astronaut after the successful launching and returning of a monkey sent by its national scientific space program. (Al Jazeera) The Kremlin announces that Russia will hold the 2014 G8 summit in its southern Black Sea resort of Sochi, the host of the 2014 Winter Olympics. (RIA Novosti) In the Liechtenstein parliamentary election the Progressive Citizens' Party wins a plurality of seats in the Landtag. (AFP via France24) (AP via Edmonton Journal) Sport Europol announces that a total of 680 football matches are under investigation for match fixing. Of these, 380 are in Europe, including World Cup and European Championship qualifying matches as well as Champions League matches in England. (CNN) (BBC) (ESPN) (The Guardian) Italian football club Palermo fires coach Gian Piero Gasperini following a disappointing run of form in the 2012–13 Serie A. (ESPN) (FIFA) (AP va Fox Sports) Former Sevilla coach Míchel appointed as new manager of Greek football club Olympiacos. (AP via FIFA) (Reuters via Yahoo!) Current events of February 5, 2013 (2013-02-05) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Senkaku Islands dispute: Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera states that the country has lodged a protest with China after a People's Liberation Army Navy frigate directed weapon-targeting radar at a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer near the disputed Senkaku Islands. (BBC) Business and economy Dell announces it will go private after a $24 billion leveraged buyout deal with a consortium led by founder Michael Dell. (The New York Times) (Reuters) Standard & Poor's says it expects a lawsuit by the US government over its assessment of mortgage bonds prior to the subprime mortgage crisis. (BBC) IBM issues a $1 billion two year corporate bond deal at a negative spread to Libor (the London Interbank Offered Rate). (Reuters) International relations Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad travels to Egypt. It is the first time since 1979 revolution that an Iranian head of state visits that country. (The Guardian) A North Korean propaganda film, which featured New York in flames, is taken down by Activision due to the video using footage from Modern Warfare 3. (BBC) Law and crime Riots take place in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, ahead of the verdict of a trial in the International Crimes Tribunal against Abdul Quader Molla, the assistant secretary general of the Jamaat-e-Islami party dating from the 1971 Bangladeshi War of Independence. He is given a life sentence. (AFP via Dawn.com) (AFP via The Express Tribune) A report into Ireland's Magdalene asylums finds "significant" state collusion in the admission of thousands of "fallen women" into the institutions where they were abused and worked for nothing in conditions of slavery before they were shut down less than two decades ago. (The Irish Times) (The Guardian) (Al Jazeera) (BBC) The trial of five men accused in the 2012 Delhi gang rape case begins today, while President of India Pranab Mukherjee approves the death penalty for rapists. (The Times of India) Three people are shot to death in a house near Forestville, Sonoma County, California, United States. (San Francisco Chronicle) Four people are dead in a possible murder-suicide in Johns Creek, Georgia, United States. (CBS News) Politics and elections Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff launches a new national economy politics based on rising the price of local oil over the reduction of light consumption prices. (Reuters via R7 News) The United Kingdom's House of Commons votes overwhelmingly in favour of government legislation to introduce same-sex marriages. (BBC) (Sky News) (The Guardian) The University of Düsseldorf strips German Minister of Education and Research Annette Schavan of a doctorate and degree following allegations of plagiarism. (BBC) Science and technology Curtis Cooper, a mathematician and computer science professor at the University of Central Missouri, discovers the largest known prime number, a Mersenne prime with over 17.4 million digits. (New Scientist) (GIMPS) Sport The Australian Football League announces an Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority investigation into whether players from the Essendon Football Club were given performance enhancing drugs. (Courier-Mail) Current events of February 6, 2013 (2013-02-06) (Wednesday) Business and economy Liquidation of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC): Plans to liquidate IBRC, formerly Anglo and regarded as "the world's worst bank", are abruptly announced and get underway in dramatic circumstances. (The Guardian) (RTÉ News) (Irish Central) (BBC) Legislators are placed on standby for an emergency late-night debate. (Examiner) Emergency legislation is discussed in both houses of the Oireachtas, the Dáil and then the Seanad. (Examiner) President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins, who left for a three-day visit to Italy in the morning, returns home again in the evening as the full extent of developments become known. (The Irish Times) John Malone's Liberty Global acquires Virgin Media for $23 billion. (Reuters) The United States Postal Service announces that it will no longer deliver first-class mail on Saturdays as of 5 August 2013. (CNN) Authorities in the United States and United Kingdom fine The Royal Bank of Scotland more than $612 million for its role in manipulating the London Interbank Offered Rate or Libor. (AAP via News Limited) The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission hosts a roundtable in which experts and the representatives of affected industries discuss the consequences that decimalisation has had on the market for equity in the U.S., especially regarding small caps. (Themis Trading) Disasters and accidents 2013 Solomon Islands earthquake: A tsunami warning is issued for a wide range of islands in the South Pacific after a magnitude 8.0 earthquake occurs off the coast of the Solomon Islands. (AFP via News Limited) (Pacific Tsunami Warning Center) (The Guardian) There are reports of significant damage to villages in the Solomon Islands west and south of the town of Lata. (The Australian) At least five people have been reported dead in the Solomons' Santa Cruz Islands. (Radio New Zealand News) Law and crime In United States, two children and one woman are killed in a Denver apartment shooting. (The Denver Post) Chokri Belaid, the general secretary of the Patriotic Democratic Party, is shot dead outside his house in Tunis, leading to reported clashes between the police and hundreds of protesters. The Prime Minister of Tunisia Hamadi Jebali claims that a new government will be formed within one day. (The New York Times) Politics and elections U.S. President Barack Obama nominates CEO of REI Sally Jewell to be the next Secretary of the Interior. (CNN) Sport 2013 Africa Cup of Nations: In the first semifinal, Nigeria defeats Mali with a 4–1 score, and progress to the final. (Al Jazeera) (Reuters via The Guardian) The second semifinal between Burkina Faso and Ghana goes to extra-time, with Burkina Faso denied a potentially winning goal by Tunisian referee Slim Jedidi. The referee also ejects Jonathan Pitroipa, when replays show he was fouled. Burkina Faso wins, 1–1 (penalties: 3–2), and advances to the final. (Goal.com) (Al Jazeera) (BBC) Current events of February 7, 2013 (2013-02-07) (Thursday) Arts and culture Eugène Delacroix's famous painting Liberty Leading the People is vandalized while on display at the new Louvre-Lens museum in France. (Le Nouvel Observateur) (France 3) (The Independent) Business and economy Irish lawmakers vote 113 to 36 to liquidate the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC), with Joe Higgins of the opposition Socialist Party describing the rapid developments as "chaotic". (AFP via France 24) Sweden suspends a wolf hunting intended as a cull for the population, after an appeal by the conservationist party. (BBC) Disasters and accidents 2013 Solomon Islands earthquake: The death toll from a magnitude 8.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami in the Solomon Islands rises to nine, while government officials express fear regarding remote areas where emergency personnel are arriving. (Stuff.co.nz) (ABC News Australia) Chibombo bus crash: At least 53 people are killed in a crash involving a bus and truck in Zambia. (BBC) (Irish Independent). Health and environment Frozen food manufacturer Findus withdraws its beef lasagne ready meals after tests showed the product contained horse meat. (The Guardian) International relations Japan scrambles its fighter aircraft to intercept two Russian SU-27 fighter aircraft, claiming that they have violated its airspace off Rishiri Island. Russia denies its aircraft entered Japanese airspace. (CNN) (BBC) A diplomatic dispute between Romania and Hungary erupts as a Hungarian government official and the ambassador in Bucharest make commentaries that trigger large criticism from the Romanian side. (Nine O'clock) The Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei accuses the United States of "holding a gun" to Tehran's head to pressure it to hold direct talks and states that it's very unlikely that these talks may take place. (CNN) South Korean soldiers on the world's most heavily armed border now have orders to shoot back immediately if they come under attack. (Reuters) Law and crime 2013 Southern California shootings: Christopher Dorner, an ex-police officer, is named a suspect wanted in connection with shootings that occurred throughout Southern California in the past week. In those shootings, three people died, including a police officer and an assistant women's basketball coach at California State University, Fullerton, and several others were wounded. (Los Angeles Times) (CNN) Politics and elections A major crisis deepens in Tunisia after the murder of Chokri Belaid. The leading party Ennahda states that it will not accept a new government, even if suggested by its leading member, Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali. In today's clashes at least one person died. (BBC) UK Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove confirms that plans to replace the General Certificate of Secondary Education with a new English Baccalaureate qualification have been abandoned. (BBC) Canadian Senator Patrick Brazeau is arrested over an incident relating to domestic violence. The ruling Conservative Party of Canada in response removes him from caucus. (CBC) Science and technology Azerbaijan's first satellite Azerspace-1 is launched aboard an Ariane 5 launch rocket in French Guiana. (RFERL) (Trend.az) Sport An investigation by the Australian Crime Commission finds that there is widespread use of illegal drugs in Australian professional sport. (ABC News Australia) The Deutscher Fußball-Bund establishes a working group intended to help football clubs deal with the potential outing of a professional player. (The Journal.ie) Current events of February 8, 2013 (2013-02-08) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian civil war: Over 110 people are killed nationwide by the Syrian army in Syria. (Al Arabiya) Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal): A string of bombings kill at least 29 people and injure 69 others in central Iraq, including twin blasts in Baghdad's Kadhimiya neighborhood, as well as the city of Hilla. (Al Jazeera) (Japan Today) Northern Mali conflict (2012–present): The country's first reported suicide bomber blows himself up in Gao, injuring one Malian soldier. In the north, French and Chadian forces retake the city of Tessalit. (BBC) (AP via Yahoo News!) War in North-West Pakistan: A bomb at a market kills 16 people and wounds 27 others in Kalaya, capital of Orakzai Agency in Pakistan. (BBC) Nigerian Sharia conflict: Nine women are shot to death in the Nigerian city of Kano. According to reports, all of them were involved in a polio vaccination policy and were most probably killed by the Islamist movement Boko Haram, which has previously threatened to target those involved in vaccinations. (BBC) Arts and culture The cover of the latest edition of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables arouses controversy among readers as the orphan with the "very thick, decidedly red hair" and the "much freckled" face is transformed into a blonde, buxom farm girl with come-hither eyes. This follows the recent controversy over a new cover for Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar which portrays a young woman applying make-up. (The Guardian) Business and economy The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which hears all appeals in U.S. patent cases, hears arguments in CLS Bank v. Alice, a case that may sharpen standards for patentability in the fields of computer software, business methods, and financial services. (Bloomberg) Disasters and accidents February 2013 nor'easter: A massive blizzard hits the northeastern United States and southeastern regions of Canada, with over 5,000 flights cancelled and at least 600,000 thousand people losing power. (BBC) (CNN) (NBC News) (CBC News) A ferry carrying 100 passengers capsizes in the Meghna River in Bangladesh's Munshiganj District near the capital Dhaka. (AP via The New York Times) Law and crime Authorities are investigating how a hacker obtained access to the e-mail accounts of George H. W. Bush as well as several of the former U.S. President's relatives and close friends. (MSN Today News) A murder-suicide on Interstate 80, near Salt Lake City, United States, causes the death of two people. (The Salt Lake Tribune) Politics and elections 2013 Bangladesh protests: In Bangladesh, over 100,000 people join in a mass movement to demand justice for atrocities committed during the Bangladesh Liberation War. (BBC) 2010–2013 Greek protests: As demonstrations, protests and rallies against the government decisions to close down or downgrade schools and hospitals continue, in Ierapetra, Crete, over 7,000 people, including students, stage a peaceful march, holding candles and torches, to protest the forthcoming closure of the one of two technical schools and the only hospital of the region. (Zougla.gr) In Tunisia, the funeral of the opposition politician Chokri Belaid takes place as over a million people gather in mourning amid major protests. A general strike is declared. Tunis Airport is closed and all flights suspended. (BBC) Science and technology TPB AFK: The Pirate Bay Away From Keyboard, a film documentary about the trial for Internet piracy of the popular torrent website The Pirate Bay, is released online. (The Verge) Some scientists express concern that an influenza vaccine marketed by GlaxoSmithKline called Pandemrix may be responsible for an increase in cases of narcolepsy in Europe. (Reuters) Current events of February 9, 2013 (2013-02-09) (Saturday) Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian civil war: Clashes between government forces continue around Damascus and Homs, with heavy aerial bombardment by the Syrian Air Force being reported. (Al Jazeera) President of Syria Bashar al-Assad reshuffles his cabinet, appointing seven new ministers in a move analysts describe as an attempt to stabilize the country's economy. (The New York Times) Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi makes an official statement, extending an invitation to the opposition for dialogue aimed at achieving a political solution to the conflict. (Al Jazeera) Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal): A rocket kills six people and injures over 50 others at Camp Liberty, an Iraqi facility near Baghdad that shelters members of People's Mujahedin of Iran. (BBC) (Al Jazeera) Disasters and accidents February 2013 nor'easter: The death toll from a massive blizzard across the Northeastern United States and southeastern Canada rises to at least 15, with 40 inches of snow reported from Hamden, Connecticut. More than 900,000 customers lost power at the height of the storm, while airports in the region cancelled over 5,300 flights. (Reuters) 2013 Nariño earthquake: A magnitude 6.9 earthquake strikes southwest Colombia causing major disruption to the region and injuring at least 8 people. (AP via USA Today) (USGS) (El Tiempo) Five people are killed when a small airplane Cessna crashes on the side of the runway at Brussels South Charleroi Airport in Belgium after suffering difficulties on take-off. The incident forced the airport to shut down for six hours, before resuming services. (Reuters) (BBC) Health and environment UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Owen Paterson holds a summit with British retailers and the Food Standards Agency to ask how "beef" products containing horse meat were sold in supermarkets. (BBC) Law and crime Former Canadian navy intelligence officer Jeffrey Delisle is jailed for 20 years after pleading guilty to selling classified NATO information to Russia. (BBC) Four people are wounded after a shooting in Bourbon Street, New Orleans, United States, while it was crowded with party-goers and people setting up for Mardi Gras parades. (AP via The New York Times) (Reuters) (Huffington Post) Afzal Guru is hanged at Tihar Jail in New Delhi, India, for his role in the 2001 Indian Parliament attack. (BBC) (CNN) (Fox News) Politics and elections Annette Schavan, the German Federal Minister of Education and Research, resigns after the University of Düsseldorf stripped Schavan of her doctorate for plagiarism. (BBC) 2013 Bangladesh protests: In Bangladesh, mass protests continue, with over 100,000 peacefully congregating and demanding the death penalty for the atrocities committed during the Bangladesh Liberation War. (BBC) Sport In the 2012–13 La Liga, Real Madrid defeated Sevilla 4–1 in a game played at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick. (Fox News) Current events of February 10, 2013 (2013-02-10) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks Northern Mali conflict (2012–present): Firefights between Islamists and the Malian Army break out in Gao, Mali. (BBC) (AFP via Google) (Voice of America) South Thailand insurgency: A roadside bombing in Thailand's southern Yala Province kills 5 soldiers and injures three others. (Straits Times) Nigerian Sharia conflict: Suspected Boko Haram militants kill three doctors in the northeastern Nigerian region of Yobe. Their nationality is disputed, with reports suggesting they are South Korean, North Korean or Chinese. (BBC) (Al Jazeera) War in Afghanistan (2001–present): American general Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. takes over command of NATO forces in Afghanistan, replacing John R. Allen. (AFP via ABC News) (The Guardian) (USA Today) Arts and culture Tens of millions of Hindus bathe in the Ganges River in the Indian city of Allahabad during the Maha Kumbh Mela festival. (AFP via ABC News) A large parade in London celebrates the Chinese New Year. (BBC) The 66th British Academy Film Awards are held in London with Argo winning best film, Ben Affleck winning best director and Daniel Day-Lewis and Emmanuelle Riva winning best actor and actress. (The Guardian) (Sky News Australia) The 2013 Grammy Awards are held in the American city of Los Angeles. (Sydney Morning Herald) (Today) Fun win the Grammy Award for Song of the Year for We Are Young. (Sydney Morning Herald) Gotye featuring Kimbra win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year for "Somebody That I Used To Know". (ABC News Australia) Mumford & Sons win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year for Babel. (Sydney Morning Herald) Disasters and accidents 2013 Kumbh Mela stampede: A stampede of people at the Allahabad railway station, India, coming back from bathing in the Ganges River during the Kumbh Mela festival, kills 36 and injures 39 many others. (Reuters) (BBC) (CNN) (The Hindu) (Hindustan Times) 2013 Hattiesburg, Mississippi tornado: A tornado causes significant damage to the American town of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. (AP via Fox News) A lifeboat falls off of a cruise ship MS Thomson Majesty while it was docked in the port of Santa Cruz de La Palma in the Canary Islands, killing 5 people. (AP via CBS) (BBC) (The Guardian) Three crew members are killed when a Bell 206 helicopter crashes at the Polsa Rosa Movie Ranch in Acton, California, United States, while filming a documentary. (The New York Times) (CNN) Cruise ship Carnival Triumph suffers a fire in the aft engine room. The fire is automatically extinguished, but it results in a loss of power and propulsion. There are no casualties or injuries to passengers or crew. (ABC News) (USA Today) Law and crime Authorities say that there will be a reward for providing information that will lead to the capture of Christopher Dorner, the suspect in the 2013 Southern California shootings. (Los Angeles Times) (The Sun) Politics and elections Prime Minister of Tunisia Hamadi Jebali says he will resign if a new "technocratic" government cannot be formed in a few days. Amid protests one policeman dies and tens of protesters are injured. (BBC) (Tunisia Live) Science and technology Boeing conducts the first test flight of the Dreamliner since it was taken out of service for battery problems. (USA Today) (Slash Gear) (UPI) Sport In association football, Nigeria defeats Burkina Faso by a score of 1–0 in the final to win the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. (ESPN) In ice hockey, Austria, Latvia and Slovenia secure qualification for the men's tournament at the 2014 Winter Olympics. (Reuters) (Eurohockey) (Yahoo! Sports) Current events of February 11, 2013 (2013-02-11) (Monday) Armed conflicts and attacks Northern Mali conflict (2012–present): Insurgents launch an attack on the strategic city of Gao, capturing a police station and sparking a day-long firefight that included Malian troops, as well as French attack helicopters. (Al Jazeera) Syrian civil war: An explosion in a vehicle at the Cilvegözü border gate kills 14 civilians (eleven Syrians and three Turks), and injures more than 25 others in Reyhanlı district of Hatay Province, Turkey. The gate is on the Turkish–Syrian border. (Hürriyet Daily News) Disasters and accidents Six top Guinean military officials, including the head of the Guinean armed forces, are killed in a plane crash in Liberia. (Reuters) 18 miners are killed in explosion at the Vorkutinskaya coal mine in Russia's Komi Region. (Al Jazeera) (RT) Law and crime A mass shooting takes place at a courthouse in New Castle County, Delaware, United States, where a gunman shot and killed two women and injures two police officers. He is later found dead at the scene. (USA Today) Politics and elections In Monaco's parliamentary elections, Horizon Monaco alliance wins 50.3% of the vote, 20 of 24 seats in the National Council. (Mairie de Monaco) Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands Benigno Fitial is impeached by the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives on 13 charges of felony, corruption, and neglect of duty. (Saipan Tribune) Religion Pope Benedict XVI announces his resignation, effective February 28 at 8pm CET (7pm UTC). He will become the first pope to resign since Gregory XII in 1415. (BBC) (The Guardian) (The New York Times) Current events of February 12, 2013 (2013-02-12) (Tuesday) International relations 2013 North Korean nuclear test: The South Korean officials report that an "artificial earthquake" has occurred in North Korea suggesting that a nuclear test has occurred. (The Australian) (CNN) North Korea confirms that it has successfully tested a nuclear device, claiming that it is small enough to be weaponized. (Reuters) (BBC) (AP via The Miami Herald) Law and crime Two people are dead, including the perpetrator and one of his two victims, in a murder-suicide, in a home in College Park, Maryland, United States. The three were student roommates at the University of Maryland, College Park. (Reuters) (The Baltimore Sun) At Manchester Crown Court Dale Cregan pleads guilty to the murders of Police officers Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone, but denies two other accounts of murder. (BBC) 2013 Southern California shootings: Christopher Dorner kills a sheriff's deputy and injures another in the Big Bear Lake, California, United States. He then barricades himself in a cabin, which catches on fire during a police assault. The suspect was killed in the fire. (AP via Huffington Post) (CNN) Three people are dead and 11 are wounded in a stabbing attack on the U.S. territory island of Guam. (CNN) Three people are killed in a drug-related shooting in a house in Midvale, Utah, United States. (CBS News) The UK government's back-to-work programme suffers a setback when judges at the Court of Appeal of England and Wales rule in favour of a university graduate's claim that unpaid schemes are legally flawed. (BBC) Politics and elections Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a member of the House of Saud and the governor of the Riyadh Province, dies at the age of 72 in Riyadh. (Al Arabiya) Sport The International Olympic Committee drops wrestling from the 2020 Summer Olympics. (BBC) (AP via The Washington Post) Juan Ramón López Caro is named the new coach of Saudi Arabia's national football team, replacing Frank Rijkaard. (Al Arabiya) Current events of February 13, 2013 (2013-02-13) (Wednesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian civil war: Rebels clash with the Syrian military at an army base protecting Aleppo's international airport. The opposition claims that 40 Syrian soldiers were killed in the fighting, as large parts of the base are overrun. (AP via USA Today) South Thailand insurgency: 16 Muslim insurgents are killed during an attack on a military base in the Thai province of Narathiwat. (Reuters) War in Afghanistan (2001–present): Afghan officials say that a NATO airstrike in the Kunar Province of Afghanistan kills 10 civilians and injures more including 3 children. (BBC) Business and economy Iranian officials say that they are beginning to install advanced centrifuges in their main uranium enrichment plant which they say will help create better fuel. (Fox News) Apple Inc. is denied their request to sell their phones under the name "iPhone" in Brazil after regulators voted in favor of IGB Electronica who won the rights to use the name in 2008. (Bloomberg) Disasters and accidents South Airlines Flight 8971: An Antonov An-24 aircraft carrying 44 passengers and 8 crew members crash lands near the Eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, killing 4 people on board and injuring 8 others. (RIA Novosti) A Tibetan monk sets himself on fire near Boudhanath in Nepal in protest of the Chinese occupation of Tibet. (The Indian Express) Health and environment The European Union urges member states to conduct random tests to tackle an ongoing horse meat contamination scandal. Simon Coveney, Ireland's Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, says that the scandal is a "Europe-wide issue that needs a Europe-wide solution". (BBC) International relations The International Atomic Energy Agency begins a new round of talks with Iran over their nuclear program. (The New York Times) Law and crime Former President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed takes refuge in the Indian embassy in the city of Malé, Maldives saying that his trial for political abuse and corruption is a "politically motivated sham". (Channel News Asia) A lawyer representing Barry Bonds appeals his obstruction of justice charge to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. (Los Angeles Times) After a 12-mile (19 km) chase, a man was caught for shooting a woman and her stepfather near a South Carolina courthouse. (Fox News) Israel confirms that in 2010 it secretly imprisoned an Australian–Israeli man, known as Prisoner X, and that he committed suicide in custody. (BBC) Politics and elections The U.S. administration's nominee to become next Treasury Secretary, Jack Lew, testifies before the financial committee of the United States Senate at the start of his confirmation hearing. (United States Senate Finance Committee) Sport International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge is meeting with the head of wrestling's governing body in an attempt to revive the sport for the 2020 Summer Olympics. (AP via ABC News) Current events of February 14, 2013 (2013-02-14) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks Bahraini uprising (2011–present): A 16-year-old child is shot dead at close range in Al-Daih, a village west of Manama, Bahrain. (Al Jazeera) A police officer is also killed after rioters threw firebombs at his patrol in Sehla, a village west of Manama, Bahrain. (Gulf Daily News) Amnesty International calls on the Bahraini regime to release prisoners of conscience it is holding in captivity. (BBC) Insurgency in the North Caucasus: Four police officers are killed and five injured after a suicide bombing in the Russian republic of Dagestan. (RT) Business and economy The eurozone slides into deeper recession, making 2012 the first year with no growth in any quarter since tracking began in 1995. Economic experts, who had not expected this, say that 2013's "early indicators are all pointing upwards". (Reuters via The Irish Times) The Economy of Japan declined by 0.4% from October to December 2012 indicating that Japan is still in a recession. (CNN Money) US Airways and the bankrupt American Airlines announce a merger to form the world's largest air carrier trading as American Airlines. (Reuters) (The Washington Post) Warren Buffett and Jorge Paulo Lemann announce that they are allying to buy H. J. Heinz Company for $28 billion. (Reuters) (BBC) Disasters and accidents Two people are killed and a third injured following an avalanche in the Scottish Highlands. (BBC) Health and environment 2013 meat adulteration scandal: German authorities find horse meat in lasagne sold in Germany, as in Italy further tests will be conducted soon. (BBC) French sources find traces of phenylbutazone, a suspected harmful drug, in several horse carcasses slaughtered in Somerset, England, and fear they could be part of lasagne or other food sold in France. (CNN) Spanghero has its selling licence retired in France. (BBC) Police in the UK arrest three men in connection with the alleged mislabelling of food. (BBC) Law and crime South African amputee sprint runner Oscar Pistorius, who competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics, is charged with the murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, who was shot dead at Pistorius's home in Pretoria. (BBC) (The Guardian) (Al Jazeera) (CBC News) (RTÉ News) The husband of Savita Halappanavar, the pregnant Indian woman at the centre of Ireland's latest abortion scandal, is reported to be "not in a condition" to respond after a report into her death is leaked to the public before he has a chance to even read it. (The Irish Times) Denis O'Brien receives €150,000 in his case against the Irish Daily Mail, marking the first time the defence of honest opinion was used in a defamation case in Ireland after its introduction as part of the Defamation Act 2009. (RTÉ News) (The Irish Times) Politics and elections Republican Senators filibuster the nomination of Chuck Hagel as US Secretary of Defence. (AP via the Guardian) Science and technology The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) will switch off for two years, giving time for engineers and scientists to install upgrades to the machine. (BBC) Steam for Linux is released, beginning the expansion of Valve's game service onto the free and open-source platform. This leads to 2000 games being ported to the platform in a span of a little over 3 years. Current events of February 15, 2013 (2013-02-15) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian civil war: After intense fighting 40,000 people become displaced in the city of Shadadah, Hasakah, adding to the 3 million people already internally displaced in Syria. (Al Jazeera) Disasters and accidents Chelyabinsk meteor: A meteor breaks up in the vicinity of the city of Chelyabinsk, Russia. More than 1,200 people are injured, two of them seriously, from the shattering of windows caused by the shockwaves and the debris. (BBC) (Reuters) (RT) The number of fatalities from Thursday's avalanche in the Scottish Highlands rises to three following the death of a man being treated in hospital. (BBC) International relations 2013 North Korean nuclear test: In reaction to North Korea's latest nuclear test the European Union will tighten sanctions against the country in the form of blocking the trade of gold and diamonds, as well as cracking down on financial ties between them. (NDTV) North Korea tells China that it is prepared to stage one or even two more nuclear tests this year in an effort to force the United States into diplomatic talks. (Reuters) Health and environment The British catering firm Compass Group and hotel chain Whitbread both identify horse meat in products sold as beef. (BBC) Law and crime The social networking giant Facebook announces that it was the target of sophisticated hackers, who through a then-unknown bug from Oracle's Java on an infected website, managed to infiltrate employees' laptops, and then the internal networks. There was no user data collected, but certain code and corporate e-mails could have been exfiltrated. (NBC News) Securities regulators file a lawsuit against traders in options on the stock of H.J. Heinz, alleging they had inside information of the planned acquisition of that company before the announcement thereof by Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital. (Reuters) Politics and elections Westminster's Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority launches an investigation into expenses claims submitted by MP Nadine Dorries. (BBC) Former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. is charged with misusing campaign funds while in office. (USA Today) (Chicago Tribune) Science and technology Near-Earth asteroid 2012 DA14 with an estimated diameter of about 50 meters (160 ft) comes within 17,200 miles (27,700 km) from the Earth's surface. This distance is a record close approach for a known object of such size. (JPL/NASA) (Huffington Post) Current events of February 16, 2013 (2013-02-16) (Saturday) Armed conflicts and attacks February 2013 Quetta bombing: At least 84 people are killed and more than 190 injured after a bomb explodes at a market in Hazara Town on the outskirts of Quetta, in Pakistan. Most of the victims are members of the predominantly Twelver Shia Hazara minority that was targeted by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi only a month earlier. The organization later claims responsibility for the blasts. (Al Jazeera) (RT) (Dawn.com) (Ary News) Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal): A suicide bombing kills General Ali Aouni, the head of the Iraqi intelligence academy, and three of his bodyguards in Tal Afar. (BBC) Arts and culture 2013 Romanian drama film Child's Pose wins the Golden Bear at the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival in Berlin, Germany. (BBC) (Reuters) (Los Angeles Times) Business and economy A G20 finance ministers meeting occurs in Moscow, Russia, with the focus on so-called currency wars. (The Independent) Disasters and accidents A magnitude 6.2 earthquake occurs near the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. (CNN) Two firefighters are killed and two others are injured extinguishing an inferno at a Knights of Columbus fraternal lodge in Bryan, Texas, United States. (Los Angeles Times) (AP via USA Today) (FOX News) International relations Malaysia detains Australian Senator Nick Xenophon who was visiting as part of a delegation to discuss forthcoming elections and seeks to deport him for taking part in a protest in Kuala Lumpur last year. (BBC) Politics and elections During presidential election Anthony Carmona is elected to be the next President of Trinidad and Tobago from 18 March 2013. (Trinidad Express) Sport Lionel Messi extends his record streak by scoring in his 14th consecutive 2012–13 La Liga game to give leader Barcelona a 2–1 win against Granada. The Argentine forward completes his 300th goal during 365th appearance for Catalan club. (Goal.com) (Reuters via Yahoo!) Current events of February 17, 2013 (2013-02-17) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal): A series of car bombs kill at least 37 people and injure more than 130 others in mostly Shiite areas of the capital Baghdad. (BBC) (AP) (Los Angeles Times) Nigerian Sharia conflict: In Nigeria six foreign workers, of which one Italian, one Greek and two Lebanese, are kidnapped in a construction site, one security guard is killed. (BBC) Arts and culture American country music singer Mindy McCready dies as the result of a suspected suicide at the age of 37. (E! Online) (BBC) Business and economy Government of Venezuela opens a granite processing plant in the state of Bolívar, with the intention of providing about 25% of the granite required nationwide. (Pub Memo) Disasters and accidents Five people are killed and eleven are injured, two seriously, when an apartment complex is destroyed by a gas explosion in Frenštát pod Radhoštěm, Czech Republic. (Prague Daily Monitor) Politics and elections Voters in Ecuador go to the polls for a general election with incumbent President Rafael Correa claiming a landslide victory. (Reuters) (BBC) (The New York Times) (IOL News) Voters in Cyprus go to the polls for a presidential election with Nicos Anastasiades of the Democratic Rally and Stavros Malas of AKEL to contest a runoff on 24 February. (AAP via NineMSN) Protests occur in Pakistan demanding protection for Shiite Muslims following yesterday's bombing in Quetta that killed 84 people. (AFP via Channel News Asia) (Ary News) Sport In cricket, Australia defeats West Indies in the final of the 2013 Women's Cricket World Cup. (BBC Sport) (Cricket Country) In biathlon, Norway's Emil Hegle Svendsen and Tora Berger become the main heroes of the 2013 Biathlon World Championships in Nové Město, Czech Republic. (IBU) (Biathlon WC2013) In beach soccer, Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil secure qualification for the 2013 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. (FIFA) (BeachSoccer) In motorsport, Danica Patrick becomes the first woman to win pole position at the Daytona 500 and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. (AP via ESPN) (CNN) In speed skating, Sven Kramer wins the men's 2013 World Allround Speed Skating Championships for a record sixth time. Ireen Wüst wins the women's title. (Eurosport) (NRC.nl) (Le Matin) Current events of February 18, 2013 (2013-02-18) (Monday) Arts and culture Artist Ruth Stage, who uses the ancient egg tempera painting technique, wins the 2013 Lynn Painter-Stainers art prize for her work The Isabella Plantation. (BBC) English singer-songwriter Kevin Ayers dies at the age of 68. (The Guardian) Disasters and accidents A fishing vessel capsizes off of Liverpool, Nova Scotia, Canada, leaving 5 fishermen missing in the frigid waters. (The Chronicle Herald) At least 15 people are killed in Indonesia after flooding and multiple landslides ravage the North Sulawesi province. (AP via USA Today) (BBC) Health and environment Food giant Nestlé removes its beef pasta meals from supermarkets in France, Spain, and Italy, after tests confirmed that the product contained horse meat. (BBC) Law and crime 2013 Belgium diamond heist: Armed robbers steal a haul of diamonds worth $50 million during a raid at Brussels Airport in Belgium. (BBC) (AP via Google) (The Guardian) The perpetrator and his girlfriend's father are dead in a murder-suicide near Fairdealing, Missouri, United States, and two others are injured. (AP via STL Today) Politics and elections Voters in Armenia go to the polls for a presidential election with incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan expected to win. Independent observers including the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe have expressed concern about the conduct of the elections. (BBC) President of Venezuela Hugo Chávez returns home after undergoing cancer surgery in Cuba. (The New York Times) Prime Minister of Tunisia Hamadi Jebali announces that plans for a new government of technocrats has failed. (AAP via SBS News) Sport In cycling, Team Katusha is granted a World Tour licence by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) last week upheld the Russian team's appeal against the UCI's original decision to deny it a ProTeam licence. (Cycling Weekly) (Velonation) (RCUK) Current events of February 19, 2013 (2013-02-19) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Nigerian Sharia conflict: Seven French tourists are kidnapped by gunmen near Waza National Park in northern Cameroon, near the border with Nigeria. President of France François Hollande states that the Islamist group Boko Haram may be responsible. (BBC) War in North-West Pakistan: Pakistani police arrest 170 suspected militants following the February 2013 Quetta bombing that killed 84 people and injured another 190. (BBC) Disasters and accidents A Yemeni Air Force plane crashes in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen, killing 12 people and injuring 11 others. (Reuters) (BBC) Two people are missing and at least 14 injured after a car struck a gas main causing an explosion at the Country Club Plaza in the American city of Kansas City, Missouri. (NBC News) (CNN) Business and economy European sovereign-debt crisis: Workers for the Spanish flag carrier airline Iberia strike over plans to axe 3,807 jobs. (The Guardian) International relations The governments of Singapore and Malaysia announce plans to build a high-speed rail link between the city-state of Singapore and Kuala Lumpur by 2020. (AAP via News Limited) The New York Times publishes allegations that a Chinese People's Liberation Army unit called PLA Unit 61398 may be the source of hacking attacks on the West. (The New York Times) The People's Republic of China rejects an attempt by the Philippines to seek international arbitration over conflicting claims to the South China Sea. (AP via The Sydney Morning Herald) North Korea threatens the "final destruction" of South Korea during a United Nations conference on disarmament. (BBC) Law and crime A one-man carjacking and shooting spree in Orange County, California, United States, results in the death of 4 people including the alleged gunman. (KTLA) (CNN) A memorial service is held for South African Reeva Steenkamp, who was shot dead at the home of athlete Oscar Pistorius last week. Pistorius faced murder hearings. (BBC) (The Guardian) The City Hall of the Canadian city of Montreal is shut down as the Quebec police conduct anti-corruption raids. (CTV News) Politics and elections Christine Milne, the leader of The Australian Greens, announces that the party has ended its agreement with the Australian Labor Party which led to the formation of the minority government led by Prime Minister Julia Gillard. (The Australian) Official partial returns from the Armenian presidential election indicate that incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan will be reelected in a landslide with the leading Opposition candidate Raffi Hovannisian raising concerns about irregularities. (Al Jazeera) Prime Minister of Tunisia Hamadi Jebali resigns after failing to reach an agreement on forming a new technocratic government. (BBC) 2013 Bulgarian protests: At least 10 people are injured in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, as tens of thousands turn up for rallies in 10 cities, a day after Prime Minister Boyko Borisov sacked his Finance Minister Simeon Djankov. The government revokes the license of Czech company ČEZ due to high electricity prices, which helped fuel the 9-day protests. (Reuters) Nepal's major political parties agree to form an interim government led by the Supreme Court Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi, pending a new Constituent Assembly election to write a new constitution. (AP via NDTV) Science and technology 1996 Nobel Prize winning physicist Robert Coleman Richardson dies at the age of 75. (The New York Times) NASA loses direct contact with the International Space Station due to an equipment failure. Communications are restored three hours later. (Space.com) (NASA) Sport 2012–13 UEFA Champions League: FC Bayern Munich puts themselves in a strong position to reach the quarterfinals with a 3–1 away victory at Arsenal F.C. in London, England. (BBC) (ESPN) Portugal's F.C. Porto earns a 1–0 win over Champions League newcomers Málaga CF with João Moutinho's winning goal in Porto, Portugal. (BBC) (ESPN) In a widening doping scandal, an ESPN report links five additional Major League Baseball players to the purchase of performance-enhancing drugs from the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic in Miami. The report indicates that Gio Gonzalez, previously linked to PED purchases from Biogenesis, did not receive any banned substances from the clinic. (ESPN) In ice hockey, the National Hockey League's Chicago Blackhawks defeat the Vancouver Canucks in a shooutout for the Blackhawks' sixteenth consecutive game without a regulation loss to start the 2012–13 NHL season, tying the 2006–07 Anaheim Ducks' record. Blackhawks forward Marián Hossa is forced to leave the game after being struck in the back of the head by Canucks forward Jannik Hansen. (ESPN) Current events of February 20, 2013 (2013-02-20) (Wednesday) Arts and culture The 2013 BRIT Awards are held in London with Ben Howard winning best British male artist and British breakthrough act, Emeli Sande winning best British female act and album of the year for Our Version of Events and Mumford & Sons winning Best British group. (The Daily Telegraph) Business and economy Marius Kloppers announces that he will resign as the CEO of the world's largest mining company BHP Billiton in May to be replaced by Andrew MacKenzie. (Sydney Morning Herald) Japan records an unprecedented trade deficit of 1.63 trillion yen ($17.4 billion USD) for January 2013. (Bloomberg) (AP via Time) Estonia becomes the first country in the world to install a nationwide system of fast chargers for electric vehicles. (The Guardian) (Reuters) International relations David Cameron, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, visits the Indian city of Amritsar to express remorse for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on 13 April 1919. (Daily Mail) Japanese whaling vessels clash with Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Neptune's Navy boats in the Southern Ocean with the MY Steve Irwin and MY Bob Barker sustaining damage. (Sydney Morning Herald) Law and crime The jury sitting in the case of R v Huhne and Pryce fails to reach a verdict on Vicky Pryce regarding driving licence penalty points she accepted on behalf of her former husband, Chris Huhne, requiring a retrial. (BBC) A United States federal grand jury in Georgia indicts four employees of bankrupt Virginia-based Peanut Corporation of America for the 2009 salmonella outbreak that killed nine people and infected hundreds. The 75–count indictment describes contaminated or misbranded food by company owner Stewart Parnell, his brother and company vice president Michael Parnell, and two company managers. The charges are conspiracy, wire fraud, and obstruction of justice. This infection triggered the most extensive food recall ever in United States history. (FoxNews) Politics and elections Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands Benigno Fitial resigns from office ahead of a Senate trial on 18 articles of impeachment. Lt. Governor Eloy Inos is sworn in as Governor. Senate President Jude Hofschneider takes office as the new Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. (Saipan Tribune) (Radio New Zealand International) 2013 Bulgarian protests: Prime Minister of Bulgaria Boyko Borisov says he will resign with all his cabinet due to widespread protests amid a financial crisis. (BBC) Science and technology Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Sergey Brin of Google and venture capitalist Yuri Milner jointly establish the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences to reward excellence in life sciences with 11 individual prizes of $3 million. (The Guardian) Sony announces their eighth generation console, the PlayStation 4. (BBC) (IGN) NASA reports the discovery of Kepler-37b, the smallest exoplanet yet known. (NASA) (Science World Report) Sport AC Milan defeat FC Barcelona 2–0 in the first leg of the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League round of 16, while Galatasaray S.K. and FC Schalke 04 draw 1–1. (BBC) (The Guardian) Lindy Ruff, the active longest tenured coach in the National Hockey League is fired by the Buffalo Sabres after serving as the team's head coach for fifteen seasons. Ruff leaves the Sabres as the franchise's all time leader in wins and games coached. Ruff's 571 victories with the Sabres, rank second to Al Arbour's 709 with the New York Islanders. (TSN) Current events of February 21, 2013 (2013-02-21) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian civil war: At least 61 people are killed and more than 200 injured following a car bombing near Syria's Baath Party headquarters in Damascus. Three other bombings kill 22 people and injure 50 others in the suburb of Barzeh, most of them government soldiers. These are the deadliest attacks in the Syrian capital since the outbreak of the civil war. (Reuters) (AP) (BBC) (The Wall Street Journal) 2013 Hyderabad blasts: At least 20 people are dead and 54 injured following several bombings in the Indian city of Hyderabad. (BBC) (Sky News Australia) Arts and culture Michael Edwards becomes the first British writer elected at the Académie française. (The Connexion) Business and economy PayPal, the online payments business, a division of eBay, launches a European version of the PayPal Here mobile payments system. (Reuters) A watchdog group releases a report that details write-downs of $19 billion on more than 168,000 properties by five United States banks. Under terms of a federal and state settlement of foreclosure-processing violations reached one year ago in March, Bank of America lost the most and had $13.5 billion in homeowner debts written off. The other banks are Citigroup Inc, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Wells Fargo & Co, and Ally Financial Inc. (FoxBusiness) Disasters and accidents A major snowstorm occurs in the Midwestern United States leading to two deaths so far. (BBC) Law and crime A car crash and shooting occurs at the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States. Three people are dead, and six others are wounded. (CNN) (AP) Three young girls are kidnapped, raped, and killed in the Bhandara district of India. (CNN) Retired police sergeant Drew Peterson, whose fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, disappeared in 2007, is sentenced by the US state of Illinois to 38 years incarceration for the 2004 murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. (AP) Japan executes by hanging three convicted murderers, Kaoru Kobayashi, Masahiro Kanagawa and Keiki Muto. The number of death-row inmates in Japan now stands at 134. (Japan Today) Politics and elections An adviser to the President of Egypt Mohamed Morsi claims that parliamentary elections will commence in late April 2013. (CNN) Science and technology The remains of a pyramid for an adviser to Pharaoh Ramses II is found in an archaeological excavation in Luxor, Egypt. (AAP via Sydney Morning Herald) A study finds that bumblebees can sense electric fields around flowers. (Science News) Sport The second legs of the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League round of 32 are held across Europe. Among the football teams eliminated are titleholders Atlético Madrid, Ajax (in the first ever penalty shootout in the knockout phase of the competition) and European giants Liverpool, while both London sides left, Tottenham and Chelsea, advance into the last 16. (UEFA) (Setanta Sports) (Reuters) 29-year-old superheavyweight amateur boxer Jerimiah Moen dies in the hospital after his fight during Upper Midwest Golden Gloves tournament in East Grand Forks, Minnesota, United States. (Star Tribune) (AP via CBS Sports) The 2013 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships begin today in Val di Fiemme, Italy, with men's and women's sprint in cross-country skiing. (FIS) Current events of February 22, 2013 (2013-02-22) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian civil war: Three missiles launched by the Syrian army crash into residential areas of Syria's northern city of Aleppo, killing at least 29 civilians and injuring 150 others. (Reuters) (BBC) Northern Mali conflict: 13 Chadian soldiers and 65 Islamist insurgents are killed in heavy fighting in a remote part of northern Mali. (Reuters) (BBC) 2013 Bangladesh protests: At least four people are dead in Bangladesh following clashes between the Islamists and the police. (CNN) Business and economy For the first time ever, Moody's Investors Service downgrades the United Kingdom's bond credit rating from AAA to AA1. (The Wall Street Journal) (BBC) Disasters and accidents Several hours of heavy rain and thunderstorms in the Greek capital Athens flood roads, houses, and causes disruption to train and tram networks. (BBC) Health and environment The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves Kadcyla, a new drug manufactured by Roche, for treating late-stage breast cancer. (Reuters) International relations Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan, meets with the President of the United States Barack Obama at the White House to discuss trade, economic, and security issues including North Korea and the Senkaku Islands dispute with China. (USA Today) (Reuters) North Korea announces plans to allow foreign residents mobile access to the Internet. (AP via ABC News Australia) Japan vows to continue its whale hunting despite pressure from environmentalist group Sea Shepherd. (Japan Today) Law and crime The United States Justice Department joins a lawsuit against cyclist Lance Armstrong for allegedly defrauding the United States Postal Service by using money from it to buy performance-enhancing drugs. (The Washington Post) Six people are stabbed and wounded in downtown Los Angeles, California. Two suspects are arrested. (AP via The Sacramento Bee) Paralympian Oscar Pistorius is released on 1 million rand bail, pending trial for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp. (Reuters) (The Guardian) (The Telegraph) Politics and elections UK Independence Party MEP Marta Andreasen announces she is leaving the party to join the Conservatives. (BBC) Science and technology Plans are announced to attempt to intercept 65803 Didymos, a non-threatening near-Earth asteroid, in 2022 using AIDA. (Space.com) Koryo Tours and Nosotek release the first North Korean video game, titled Pyongyang Racer. (Fox News) Sport In boxing, on the "B" sample of the doping tests for his November 2012 fight with Wladimir Klitschko, Mariusz Wach also tested positive for anabolic steroids. (Boxing Scene) Current events of February 23, 2013 (2013-02-23) (Saturday) Armed conflicts and attacks South Yemen insurgency: Three people are killed and 14 injured in clashes between civilians and government security forces in Aden and Mukalla, as thousands turn up for a day of planned protests. In a separate attack, a senior Yemeni security chief and two of his bodyguards are injured in a shooting. (Reuters) Sudanese nomadic conflicts: Fighting between rival Arab tribes in Sudan's Darfur region kills 51 people and injures 62 others. (Reuters) Israeli–Palestinian conflict: Two Palestinians are shot by Jewish settlers when conflict erupts in the West Bank. (AP via The New York Times) Arts and culture The 33rd Golden Raspberry Awards are held with The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 winning Worst Picture. (BBC) Business and economy Iran announces that it has discovered new uranium deposits and that it is planning to build 16 new nuclear power plants. (Haaretz) The United States Air Force grounds its entire $400 billion fleet of 51 F-35 jets due to a major engine technical issue. During a routine inspection of the aircraft, maintenance personnel detected a cracked engine blade. (BBC) (CNN) Disasters and accidents The death toll from flooding in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) rises to two as residents in northern NSW towns including Kempsey, Port Macquarie and Bellingen are evacuated. (ABC via Yahoo!7) Six tanks at Hanford Nuclear Reservation in the U.S. state of Washington are leaking radioactive waste, but the leak has not posed an immediate public health risk. (AP via CBC News) (Reuters) (Fox News) (The Guardian) A container truck slams into several vehicles in Sukabumi, West Java, Indonesia, killing 16 people and injuring several others. (AP via The New Zealand Herald) International relations The Canadian Security Intelligence Service warns of possible attacks within Canada due to the presence of Al-Qaeda affiliated groups in the country. (CBC News) (The Globe and Mail) Politics and elections Egyptian parliamentary election, 2013: The scheduled start date of the parliamentary elections Egypt is moved from April 29 to April 22. (Reuters) Opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei calls for a boycott of upcoming parliamentary elections in Egypt. (CNN) Science and technology Space tourist Dennis Tito founds Inspiration Mars Foundation and announces plans for a privately funded crewed trip to Mars in 2018. (The Space Reporter) Sport A crash during the final lap of the 2013 NASCAR DRIVE4COPD 300 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Florida, United States, sends debris flying into the stands, injuring at least 33 spectators. (AP) Current events of February 24, 2013 (2013-02-24) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian civil war: French freelance photographer Olivier Voisin, who was wounded near Idlib in January 2013, dies in Antakya, Turkey, after surgery. (France24) Northern Mali conflict: 10 Chadian soldiers and 28 Islamist insurgents are killed in heavy fighting in the Adrar des Ifoghas mountains of northern Mali. (Reuters) War in Afghanistan: Two guards and an Afghan police officer are killed in coordinated suicide bombing attacks in Jalalabad and Logar Province in eastern Afghanistan, while a third such attack on the National Directorate of Security in Kabul is foiled. (Los Angeles Times) President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai orders the United States to leave Wardak province amid allegations of torture associated with US special forces. (BBC) Nigerian Sharia conflict: At least six people die in an attack in Ngalda, Yobe State, Nigeria. (AP via Google) M23 rebellion: Eleven African nations including all the members of the African Great Lakes region sign a United Nations brokered peace deal for the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (BBC) Arts and culture The 85th Academy Awards are held at the Dolby Theatre in the Los Angeles district of Hollywood. (CNN) Argo wins the Academy Award for Best Picture. (BBC) Ang Lee wins the Academy Award for Best Director for Life of Pi. (AP) Daniel Day-Lewis wins his third Academy Award for Best Actor for Lincoln. (Reuters) Jennifer Lawrence wins the Academy Award for Best Actress for Silver Linings Playbook. (AFP via The Australian) Health and environment Anemia drug Omontys is recalled due to reports of fatal anaphylactic reactions in 0.02% of patients. (Medpage Today) Politics and elections Voters in Italy go to the polls for the first day of a general election. (Business Insider) Nicos Anastasiades of the conservative Democratic Rally party wins the Cypriot presidential election. (Bloomberg) Raúl Castro is elected by the National Assembly of People's Power to a second term as the President of Cuba with Miguel Díaz-Canel announced as the First Vice-President of the Council of State. (Reuters) Science and technology A new study finds that chimpanzees will solve puzzles for the fun of it. (The Telegraph) Sport In stock car racing, Jimmie Johnson wins the 2013 Daytona 500. Pole winner Danica Patrick finishes eighth, marking the highest ever finish by a woman. (USA Today) In association football, Swansea City beat Bradford City 5–0 to win the 2013 Football League Cup Final. (BBC) Derby della Madonnina: Inter Milan and AC Milan battle to a 1–1 draw in their 2012–13 Serie A local derby. AC Milan's striker Mario Balotelli was the target of racial abuse from fans of his ex-club Inter Milan. (Goal.com) (BBC) Slovenian alpine ski racer Tina Maze secures the ladies overall title in the 2013 Alpine Skiing World Cup with nine races still remaining. (AP via The New York Times) (Eurosport) Current events of February 25, 2013 (2013-02-25) (Monday) Armed conflicts and attacks Terrorism in Thailand: At least four people are dead and 20 injured after a homemade bomb is detonated at a Buddhist festival in Thailand's Maha Sarakham Province. (AAP via News Limited) Syrian civil war: For the first time since the start of the Syrian civil war, President Bashar al-Assad's government offers to talk with rebels in hopes of a diplomatic solution to the conflict. (Christian Science Monitor) The Syrian opposition agrees to attend an international summit in Rome, Italy, after foreign aid pledge. (BBC) Business and economy Telecommunications giant BT expands its investment in sports broadcasting with the purchase of ESPN's channels in Britain and Ireland. (The Guardian) BlackBerry, the company formally known as Research in Motion, launches its BlackBerry Z10 smartphone in India, where it costs 43,490 rupees, or roughly US$800. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents Severe Tropical Cyclone Rusty intensifies to Category 2 status with concerns that it may intensify further before crossing the West Australian coast later this week. (AAP via The Australian) Cyclone Oswald: Heavy rain causes flooding in the Australian state of Queensland with one man reported dead in the northern Brisbane suburb of Caboolture. (Brisbane Times) A 6.2 magnitude earthquake strikes Tokyo, Japan, with no injuries reported. (Voice of America) Health and environment 2013 meat adulteration scandal: Ikea withdraws Swedish meatballs from sale in 14 countries after tests in the Czech Republic revealed traces of horse meat. (BBC) A study from Spain published in the New England Journal of Medicine finds that following a Mediterranean diet high in olive oil, nuts, fish and fresh fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of heart disease. (Reuters) Former United States Surgeon General C. Everett Koop dies at the age of 96. (Bloomberg) International relations NATO says it has found no evidence to back the Afghan claim of misconduct by United States forces. (CNN) Law and crime Russia enacts a law banning smoking on subways and in schools. (Reuters) The retrial of Vicky Pryce, the ex-wife of former UK Cabinet Minister Chris Huhne, begins hearing evidence. (BBC) Politics and elections The centre-left alliance Italy Common Good led by the Democratic Party wins the Italian general election. However the number of seats will not guarantee the majority in the Senate, paving the way to instability. (BBC) (Reuters) (The Telegraph) (Deutsche Welle) Park Geun-hye is sworn in as the first female President of South Korea in the capital Seoul. (Radio Australia) President of Cuba Raúl Castro announces he will not seek another term as president when his current one expires in 2018. He also states he will seek to put term limits and age caps for political offices in Cuba, including the presidency. (The New York Times) Religion Cardinal Keith O'Brien resigns as the Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh due to allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour towards priests in the 1980s. (BBC) Science and technology Scientists announce they have found fragments of Rodinia, an ancient "lost" continent, in what is now the Indian Ocean. (BBC) Indian Space Research Organisation successfully launches Indo-French satellite SARAL using PSLV rocket from the spaceport in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India. (Zee News) British explorer Ranulph Fiennes abandons The Coldest Journey expedition, his attempt to cross Antarctica in the heart of the region's winter due to a case of frostbite. (BBC) (The Telegraph) (AP via USA Today) (Sky News) Current events of February 26, 2013 (2013-02-26) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Israeli–Palestinian conflict: A rocket is fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel, marking the first such attack since a ceasefire was signed in November 2012. (The New York Times) Mexican Drug War: Gunmen break into a prison in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Miguel Alemán, Tamaulipas, and liberate 12 inmates. (KRGV) Nigerian Sharia conflict: Gunmen kill seven guards guarding a marketplace in Yobe State, Nigeria. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents Low-lying parts of the Western Australian town of Port Hedland are evacuated with Severe Tropical Cyclone Rusty expected to reach the coast tomorrow. (AAP via SBS News) (ABC News Australia) 2013 Luxor hot air balloon crash: A hot air balloon crashes near the Egyptian town of Luxor killing 19 Asian and European tourists. (BBC) (Reuters) (CNN) (USA Today) February 2013 Great Plains blizzard: A 71-year-old man is killed in Woodward, Oklahoma, United States, when his roof collapses after a powerful winter storm affecting much of the central United States. (Koco.com) (Huffington Post) Health and environment A study finds that sleep loss can alter gene behavior, which may explain why it often precedes medical problems such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. (Bloomberg) Pediatric clinical trials of Amgen's Sensipar, used to treat various hyperparathyroidism problems which result in abnormal levels of serum calcium, are halted in the United States after a 14-year-old patient dies. (MedPage Today) International relations Representatives of six major world powers – China, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Russia and the United States – meet with Iranian officials to discuss the nation's nuclear program. (JTA) Law and crime Mexican teacher's union leader Elba Esther Gordillo is arrested on corruption charges. (BBC) 2013 Santa Cruz shooting: Two police officers are fatally shot in Santa Cruz, California, United States. The suspect is shot and killed. (Santa Cruz Sentinel) Politics and elections The National Salvation Front, Egypt's main opposition party, announces it will boycott the upcoming parliamentary election. (Xinhua) Chuck Hagel is confirmed by the Senate as the United States Secretary of Defense. (The New York Times) Science and technology United States researchers announce a flexible battery that can be charged wirelessly and will continue to work when folded, twisted, or stretched. (UPI) Sport El Clásico: Real Madrid defeat rivals FC Barcelona 3–1 to complete a 4–2 aggregate win in the 2012–13 Copa del Rey semifinal. (The Guardian) (BBC) The group stage of the 2013 AFC Champions League officially starts. Tractor Sazi defeats Al Jazira 3–1 at their first match played in the history of AFC Champions League. (AFC) In team handball, the draw for the 2012–13 EHF Champions League Round of 16 is held in Vienna, Austria. Defending champions THW Kiel will play Chekhovskiye Medvedi. (EHF CL) Current events of February 27, 2013 (2013-02-27) (Wednesday) Armed conflicts and attacks War in Afghanistan: Taliban insurgents kill 17 Afghan government-affiliated militia personnel in an overnight attack in Andar District of eastern Ghazni Province. (AP via ABC News) Arts and culture American classical pianist Van Cliburn dies in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, at the age of 78. (Fox News) Business and economy JPMorgan announces it plans to cut 17,000 jobs over the next two years, primarily from the company's mortgage unit. (Reuters) Reuters reports that the Treasury of the Republic of Italy is working on the terms of a bailout for the third-largest lender in the country, Monte dei Paschi. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents Severe Tropical Cyclone Rusty intensifies to Category 4 status before crossing the coast of Western Australia between Port Hedland and Pardoo. (ABC News Australia) 2013 Calcutta market fire: At least 20 people are killed when a fire breaks out at an illegal market in Calcutta, India. (BBC) (CNN) (The Telegraph) Health and environment 2013 meat adulteration scandal: Gæðakokkar 30% meat pie on Iceland is found to not contain any meat at all. (CBC) (The Reykjavík Grapevine) Law and crime 2013 Menznau shooting: Four people (including the perpetrator) are killed and six injured in a shooting at a factory in Menznau, Switzerland. (BBC) (CNN) (Reuters) In Russia, Leonid Khabarov is convicted for an alleged role in a coup plot. (RT) (RIA Novosti) (RAPSI) Former WBO heavyweight champion Herbie Hide is questioned by police in connection with the supply of illegal drugs after he voluntarily attended a police station. He denies the allegation by The Sun newspaper that he offered to throw a fight for £1 million. (BBC) (WBN) (The Sun) Politics and elections Stéphane Hessel, influential French diplomat, writer, thinker and inspiration for multiple political movements, dies at age 95. (BBC) Chuck Hagel is sworn in as United States Secretary of Defense, replacing Leon Panetta. (CNN) The United States Senate confirms Jack Lew as the Secretary of the Treasury. (Fox Business) Religion Archbishop of Glasgow Philip Tartaglia is appointed apostolic administrator of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh following Monday's resignation of Cardinal Keith O'Brien. (BBC) Pope Benedict XVI gives his farewell address at the Vatican City. (ABC News) Science and technology Inspiration Mars Foundation: First space tourist Dennis Tito announces a plan to send a married couple on the first human mission to Mars in January 2018 on a round-trip journey lasting 501 days. (Popular Mechanics) (The Telegraph) (The Guardian) Sport Atlético Madrid advances to the 2012–13 Copa del Rey Final against city rivals Real Madrid after drawing 2–2 with a Sevilla in the semi-final second leg. (Soccerway) (Goal.com) Current events of February 28, 2013 (2013-02-28) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks South Thailand insurgency: Thailand agrees to peace talks with Muslim rebels for the first time after 20 years of conflict. (BBC) Israeli–Palestinian conflict: 2013 Rishon LeZion car bombing: At least 2 people are killed in a car bombing in Rishon LeZion near Tel Aviv, Israel. (RT) Syrian civil war: The United States announces that it will provide $60 million of food and medical aid, but not weapons, to rebel fighters. (BBC) (The Washington Post) 2013 Bangladesh protests: At least 35 people are killed across Bangladesh in violent demonstrations sparked when Islamic political leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedi was sentenced to death for war crimes. (The New York Times) (BBC) Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal): At least 23 people are killed and 60 others injured in a series of bombings in Shiite districts of Baghdad and surrounding suburbs. (AFP via France24) (Al Jazeera) Arts and culture The Cannes Film Festival board of directors announce that Steven Spielberg will head the 2013 Cannes Film Festival jury. (USA Today) Business and economy Revised data indicates that the United States economy grew 0.1% in the fourth quarter of 2012. (The New York Times) India enacts new rules designed to make it more difficult for foreign investors to use the country as a tax dodge. (Bloomberg) Girls Gone Wild files for bankruptcy protection citing $16 million in debts. (Reuters) (The Independent) Disasters and accidents At least eight people are killed and several are missing after a restaurant boat sinks in the Tigris, in central Baghdad, Iraq. (Fox News) (BBC) Health and environment A study finds common genetic links between five major psychiatric disorders: autism, ADHD, bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia. (Science World Report) Law and crime The war crime convictions of Momčilo Perišić are overturned by a war crimes tribunal in The Hague. The Serbian general had been convicted and sentenced in 2011 for atrocities perpetrated both during wars in Croatia and Bosnia. (ICTY) (BBC) A suspect dies after South African police chained the man to the back of a van and drove off. (AP via USA Today) Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind of the Great Train Robbery, dies in the United Kingdom at the age of 81. (NPR) Ammar Harris, a suspect wanted in connection with a shooting and following car crash that killed three people and wounded five others on the Las Vegas Strip, is detained in Los Angeles, California. (BBC) (KLAS-TV) United States v. Manning: Bradley Manning pleads guilty to 10 counts out of 22 against him for leaking classified material in the WikiLeaks case. (BBC) (Reuters) (CBS News) Politics and elections Parliament of Slovenia ousts Prime Minister Janez Janša amid corruption allegations. Opposition leader Alenka Bratušek is tasked to form a new government. (BBC) Haruhiko Kuroda is selected by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe to lead the Bank of Japan. (CNN) Voters go to the polls in the Eastleigh by-election following the resignation of former UK Cabinet Minister Chris Huhne with Liberal Democrat candidate Mike Thornton retaining the seat for his party. (BBC) (The Guardian) Jack Lew is sworn in as the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. (Reuters) Religion Pope Benedict XVI completes his last day of work before he starts his retirement. (BBC) (The Telegraph) Science and technology A temporary third radiation belt is discovered around planet Earth by NASA's twin Van Allen Probes. (Space.com) A Duke research scientist announces that he has successfully connected the brains of two rats in such a way that they share information. (The New York Times) Sport Sacramento, California mayor Kevin Johnson announces that a local investor will head a group that will seek to buy the NBA's Sacramento Kings, and a second investor will finance a new downtown arena, in an attempt to stop the team's proposed move to Seattle. (AP/ESPN) ESPN reports that the seven Catholic schools that have announced plans to leave the Big East Conference will do so in July 2013, and will keep the "Big East" name. Butler University and Xavier University will reportedly leave the Atlantic 10 Conference to join the new Big East, and Creighton University may leave the Missouri Valley Conference to join as well. (ESPN)

February 2013 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28  Ongoing events Economic Great Recession European sovereign-debt crisis Greek economic crisis Environmental North American drought Food safety Meat adulteration scandal Political Arab Spring Syrian civil war Egyptian protests Bahraini uprising Iraqi protests 2013 Bangladesh protests M23 rebellion Terrorist attacks in Kenya Kachin conflict in Burma Northern Mali conflict  Recent deaths February 28: DJ Ajax 28: Donald A. Glaser 28: Bruce Reynolds 28: Armando Trovajoli 27: Van Cliburn 27: Dale Robertson 27: Richard Street 26: Bert Flugelman 26: Stéphane Hessel 25: C. Everett Koop 25: Ray O'Connor 25: Dan Toler 24: Denis Forman 23: Joan Child 23: Mary Ann McMorrow 23: Julien Ries 22: Bob Godfrey 22: Wolfgang Sawallisch 21: Aleksei Yuryevich German 21: Bruce Millan 21: Magic Slim 20: Kenji Eno 19: Joaquín Cordero 19: Lou Myers 19: Robert Coleman Richardson 18: Kevin Ayers 18: Otto Beisheim 18: Jerry Buss 18: Damon Harris 17: Richard Briers 17: Mindy McCready 16: Tony Sheridan 15: Sanan Kachornprasart 14: Ronald Dworkin 14: Reeva Steenkamp 13: Pieter Kooijmans 12: Sattam bin Abdulaziz Al Saud 12: Hennadiy Udovenko 11: Rem Viakhirev 10: David Hartman 10: Zhuang Zedong 9: Keiko Fukuda 9: Afzal Guru 8: Giovanni Cheli 6: Chokri Belaid 5: Stuart Freeborn 5: Egil Hovland 4: Donald Byrd 4: Reg Presley 3: Cardiss Collins 2: Chris Kyle 2: Lino Oviedo 1: Ed Koch 1: Robin Sachs  Ongoing conflicts Global War on Terror Terrorist incidents Operation Active Endeavour Operation Enduring Freedom War on Drugs Africa Lord's Resistance Army insurgency Maghreb insurgency OEF - Horn of Africa OEF - Trans Sahara DR Congo: M23 rebellion Egypt Egyptian protests Libya: Libyan factional fighting Mali: Northern Mali conflict Nigeria: Nigerian Sharia conflict Niger Delta conflict Somalia: Civil War Piracy Sudan and South Sudan: Sudan internal conflict South Sudan internal conflict Americas Colombian conflict Mexican Drug War Asia Afghanistan War Military operations Taliban insurgency Pakistan: North-West War Sectarian violence India: Naxalite–Maoist insurgency Islamic insurgency in the Philippines Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines Korean maritime border conflict Southeast Asia: Cambodian–Thai border dispute Kachin conflict Papua conflict South Thailand insurgency Territorial disputes in the South China Sea Europe North Caucasus insurgency Dissident Irish Republican campaign Middle East Arab–Israeli conflict Gaza–Israel conflict Israeli–Palestinian conflict Israeli–Lebanese conflict Iraqi insurgency Kurdistan: Kurdish–Turkish conflict Kurdish–Iranian conflict Syrian civil war Yemen: al-Qaeda crackdown South Yemen insurgency Shia insurgency  Elections Recent: February 1 and 3: Liechtenstein, Parliament 3: Cuba, Parliament 10: Monaco, Parliament 15: Trinidad and Tobago, President (indirect) 17: Cyprus, President (1st round) 17: Ecuador, General 18: Armenia, President 19: Grenada, General 21: Barbados, General 22: Djibouti, Parliament 24: Cyprus, President (2nd round) 24–25: Italy, General Upcoming: March 3: Switzerland, Referendum 4: Kenya, President and Parliament 5: Micronesia, Parliament 9: Malta, Parliament 12: Greenland, Parliament 15: Holy See, Conclave 16: Zimbabwe, Referendum 24: Togo, Parliament  Trials Recently concluded Canada: Michael Rafferty Croatia: Ivo Sanader Egypt: Hosni Mubarak, Alaa Mubarak, Gamal Mubarak Germany: Breno Borges Indonesia: Abu Bakar Bashir Netherlands: Ante Gotovina (ICTY), Mladen Markač (ICTY) Norway: Anders Behring Breivik Russia: Leonid Khabarov, Vladimir Kvachkov, Pussy Riot Sierra Leone: Charles Taylor (SCFSL) South Africa: Chris Mahlangu Ukraine: Yulia Tymoshenko United Kingdom: Levi Bellfield, Robert Black, Vincent Tabak, Ali Dizaei, Antoni Imiela, Brian Regan, Donna Air, Ched Evans, Clayton McDonald, Titus Bramble, Dan Penteado, John Terry, Iftikhar and Farzana Ahmed, Asil Nadir, Justin Lee Collins, Kweku Adoboli, Tony McCluskie, Kevin Hutchinson-Foster, Chris Huhne, Nicola Edgington United States: Noshir Gowadia, Buju Banton, Barry Bonds, Raj Rajaratnam, Casey Anthony, Conrad Murray, George Huguely, Allen Stanford, Roger Clemens, Jerry Sandusky, Jared Lee Loughner Ongoing Cambodia: Khmer Rouge Tribunal China: Organized crime in Chongqing France: Church of Scientology Iraq: Supreme Criminal Tribunal Malaysia: Anwar Ibrahim Netherlands: Thomas Lubanga (ICC), Radovan Karadžić (ICTY), Ratko Mladic (ICTY) Palau: Tommy Remengesau Philippines: Andal Ampatuan Jr., Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Russia: Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Platon Lebedev Singapore: Tak Boleh Tahan South Africa: Oscar Pistorius Sudan: Lubna al-Hussein Thailand: Thaksin Shinawatra Turkey: Ergenekon network, Kenan Evren United Kingdom: Koo Stark, Vicky Price, Dale Cregan, Mick Philpott, Mairead Philpott, Paul Mosley, Derek Rose United States: Ahmed Ghailani, David Headley, Charles P. White, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, Viktor Bout, Lauryn Hill Vatican: Vatileaks scandal Upcoming Canada: Luka Magnotta France: Éric Raoult Libya: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi Ivory Coast: Laurent Gbagbo United Kingdom: Dane Bowers, Mark Bridger United States: Nidal Malik Hasan, Javaris Crittenton, Bradley Manning, Robert Bales, George Zimmerman, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Peter Madoff, Christian Gerhartsreiter, Crystal Mangum