Portal:Current events/November 2012

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war
- Syrian rebels kill 28 soldiers in attacks on military checkpoints near the town of Saraqeb in northern Idlib province, hours after a wave of bombings hit Damascus and its outskirts, according to a report from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights; five rebels also died in gun battles following the attacks. (National Post) (The Jerusalem Post)

Business and economy

Internet analytics company ComScore says Google's Gmail has edged out Microsoft's Hotmail as the world's top e-mail service. (CNET)

Disasters and accidents

Hurricane Sandy:
- The death toll in the U.S. attributed to Hurricane Sandy rises to at least 90, nearly half in New York City, as millions of people in the Northeastern United States continue to deal with power outages, gasoline shortages and sparse public transportation. (Wall Street Journal) (ABC News) (US News)
- Damage from the storm is estimated to reach US $50 billion, according to economists, but the impact on the broader U.S. economy is said to be minor. (AFP)
A fuel tank truck crashes and explodes in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh killing 22 people and injuring 111. (BBC) (NBC News)
Yellow fever kills 32 people and sickens at least 50 more in the Darfur region of Sudan. (All Africa)^{[permanent dead link]} (AFP)

International relations

President of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono receives a medal of Knighthood of the Order of the Bath from Queen Elizabeth II. (The Jakarta Globe) (Daily Mail)

Law and crime

Parents kill their 15-year-old daughter in an “honour killing” by pouring acid on her after seeing her talking to a young man, in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. (BBC) (The Express Tribune)
Nine female political prisoners, including Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, begin a hunger strike to protest their conditions in Tehran's Evin prison. (RFERL)
Charges of perjury and child endangerment, among others, are filed against former Penn State President Graham Spanier and two other administrators in connection with the Penn State scandal involving imprisoned former football coach Jerry Sandusky; new charges also are filed against Athletic Director Tim Curley and retired Vice President Gary Schultz, who are already under arrest on perjury and failure to report child abuse charges. (Fox Sports)
A prison officer is killed in an ambush by dissident Irish republicans as he drives to work along Northern Ireland's M1 motorway. The officer, who worked at the province's Maghaberry Prison, is the first member of the Northern Ireland Prison Service to be killed in such an attack in 20 years. (BBC)

Politics and elections

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorses U.S. President Barack Obama over Mitt Romney, citing the need to deal with climate change in the wake of Hurricane Sandy as a reason for his choice. (Fox News) (New York Times) (BusinessWeek)

Science and technology

Astronomers detect what appears to be light from the first stars in the universe based on data from high-energy radiation, indicating that stars were present at least as early as 500 million years after the “big bang”. (National Geographic) (Science News)

November 2, 2012 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Dozens of young men are shot dead by the military in Maiduguri, Nigeria, according to residents of the city. (BBC)

Arts and culture

The film Facing Mirrors hits cinemas in Tehran. Though transsexualism has been legal in Iran since a fatwā was issued in 1987 by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and Iran permits more sex-change operations than any country except Thailand, this is the first time the subject has been treated on the big screen. (The Guardian)
Sir Nicholas Hytner, Sir Nicholas Serota, Julian Lloyd Webber, Richard Rogers, Sir David Hare and Grayson Perry are among the cultural figures to criticise the "incredibly shortsighted" policy of excluding creative subjects from the core qualification at 16. (The Guardian)
Canada and Australia launch women's literary prizes. (The Guardian)
The estate of William Faulkner sues over the use of the writer's quote "we must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it" in an advertisement by American global aerospace and defense technology company Northrop Grumman Corporation. (The Guardian)

Business and economy

The United States Department of Labor says hiring picked up in October, with 171,000 jobs being added, though the unemployment rate rose 0.1% higher to 7.9%. (CNN)

Disasters and accidents

Lirak Bejko, the Albanian former political prisoner who set himself on fire in protest at delays in government compensation for communist-era dissidents, is dead. (BBC)
The New York City Marathon is canceled due to the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Sandy. (RTE)

Politics

Former British Labour Party minister Denis MacShane resigns his House of Commons seat after he wrongfully claimed at least £7,500 in expenses. (BBC)

November 3, 2012 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war: A major assault by rebel forces in Syria takes place against the Taftanaz airbase. (Al Jazeera)
Two suicide bombers attack a restaurant in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, and a security guard is killed in the attack. (The Daily Star)

Sport

The city of Turin, Italy, is chosen as 2015 European Capital of Sport. (Juventus)

November 4, 2012 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war:
- Syrian opposition groups hold a meeting in Doha, Qatar, to discuss reforming the structure of the group, a few days after a War Crime investigation commenced at the UN. (BBC)
- Rebels capture a strategic oilfield in eastern Deir ez-Zor Governorate. (BBC)
A car bomb detonates in Semdinli, Turkey, killing 1 and injuring 12. The attack is blamed on Kurdish rebels. (Reuters)
A policeman is killed and 11 others are injured in a grenade attack on a church in the Kenyan town of Garissa near the border with Somalia. (BBC)

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps establish and inaugurate a new naval base on the Strait of Hormuz, near Bandar Lengeh. (RIA Novosti)

Arts and culture

Danny Boyle and Nicholas Serota write a letter criticising the decision by a Tower Hamlets London Borough Council to sell the Henry Moore sculpture Draped Seated Woman. Moore sold the sculpture at a fraction of its market value in the 1960s on the understanding that it would be displayed in a public space in a socially deprived area. (BBC)

Politics

Somalia's Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon, who lives in Kenya, appoints a new 10-member cabinet, including Somalia's first female Foreign Minister, Fowsiyo Yussuf Haji Aadan. (BBC)

Religion

Bishop Tawadros is selected as the new 118th pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church. (BBC)

Sport

Finnish racing driver Kimi Räikkönen wins Formula One's 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ahead of Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel. (BBC)
In women's tennis, the Czech Republic defeats Serbia 3-1 to win the 2012 Fed Cup. (BBC)

November 5, 2012 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war:
- Heavy fighting is reported in the Palestinian neighborhoods of southern Damascus between rebels and government forces. (The New York Times)
- A suicide car bomber detonates a bomb in the Hama province of Syria killing 50 Syrian military personnel. This attack is the largest attack on Bashar al-Assad's forces in the civil war so far. (Reuters)
Five bombs go off in the neighborhoods of Gudaibiya and Adliya in Manama, Bahrain, killing two foreign workers and injuring another. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

Widespread flooding in Nigeria since July is reported to have killed 363 people and displaced 2.1 million people. (Reuters)

International relations

The biennial naval training exercise Keen Sword between the United States Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force commences off the shore off Okinawa amid tension with China. (BBC)
Asian and European leaders meet at the Ninth Asia–Europe Meeting in Vientiane, Laos to discuss issues including the current financial crisis. 51 foreign leaders are expected to attend including premier of China Wen Jiabao and President of Laos Choummaly Sayasone. (Xinhua)

Law and crime

British Prime Minister David Cameron orders a fresh investigation into allegations of sexual abuse involving a senior Conservative politician from the Thatcher era. The allegations concern sexual abuse at children's homes in Wales during the 1970s and 1980s. (BBC)
A judge in Australia rules that Standard & Poor's misled investors in its rating of two pre-crisis issues of structured debt. (Bloomberg)

Politics and elections

Thousands of people protest against alleged fraud in the recent parliamentary elections in Ukraine. (Al Jazeera)

Television

Disney Junior Season Premiere of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

November 6, 2012 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war:
- The brother of the Syrian parliament speaker is shot and killed by gunmen in the capital Damascus. (Daily Star Lebanon)
- Seven generals defect to Turkey. (CNN)
Charcoal shipments continue in the Somali port of Kismayo under the watch of African Union peacekeepers, despite a national and international ban on such shipments. (Al Jazeera)

International relations

AFP reports on Israel's plans to counter a Palestinian bid for enhanced United Nations status later this month. (Al Jazeera)
Prime Minister of Spain Mariano Rajoy criticises Catalonia's drive for independence on radio, claiming its such an attempt "goes against history, goes against the sign of the times, and goes against simple common sense". (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

Malawi suspends its anti-homosexual law amid a parliamentary and public debate on whether to repeal it altogether. (The Daily Telegraph)
At least five people are reported shot at a workplace (Apple Valley Farms, a poultry and meat processing plant with about 50 employees) in central Fresno, California, according to the Fresno Bee newspaper. Initial reports have said that the gunman then shot himself nearby. (MSN)^{[permanent dead link]}

Politics and elections

United States elections, 2012
- Voters in the United States go to the polls for a presidential election. (Al Jazeera) (The Guardian) (Reuters)
- Barack Obama is projected to defeat his Republican opponent Mitt Romney in the electoral college vote and win re-election as President of the United States, after having won the crucial swing states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin. Florida remains too close to call. (CNN)
- In the United States Congress, the Senate is projected to maintain a Democratic majority with a two seat increase, while Republicans lose 8 seats but maintain marginal control in the House. (Businessweek)
- The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico votes to become a U.S. state. If previous procedure is followed, Congress will now request that Puerto Rico establish a state constitution. Then, Congress would vote to approve it as a state, which it usually does. However, Congress is not obligated to follow this procedure, and by its vote, it ultimately must decide, which is not yet certain. Obama and Romney had both pledged to support the result of the referendum and to work with Congress on the issue. (BBC)
Palauan presidential election, 2012: Voters in Palau go to the polls with incumbent President Johnson Toribiong and former President Tommy Remengesau both competing for the presidency. (Radio Australia)
Russian President Vladimir Putin sacks the defence minister Anatoly Serdyukov amid a corruption scandal. (RIA Novosti)
British Conservative Party MP Nadine Dorries is suspended from the party after her decision to become the first serving politician to appear on a reality television series. The move could take her away from Parliamentary business for up to a month. (BBC)

Religion

Patriarch Maxim of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church dies at age 98 at a Sofia hospital. (ABC)

Sports

Green Moon, trained by Robert Hickmott and ridden by Brett Prebble, wins the 2012 Emirates Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia. (BBC Sport)

November 7, 2012 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war: A car bomb in Damascus kills a judge. (New York Times)
A gunman opens fire in northeast Moscow, killing five and injuring two. (Xinhua) (RIA NOVOSTI)

Disasters and accidents

An earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale kills 48 people in northern Guatemala. (El País)

Politics and elections

United States elections, 2012
- Voters in the states of Maine, Maryland, and Washington approve measures that would allow same-sex marriage, while Minnesota votes down an amendment that would define marriage as between one man and one woman. (Los Angeles Times)
- Voters in the states of Colorado and Washington approve the legalization of recreational use of marijuana in voter ballot initiatives, while the state of Massachusetts approves a referendum legalizing the use of medical marijuana. (CNN)
- Voters in the state of California approve a tax increase to fund public schools, community colleges and state universities. (The New York Times)
- The results from the state of Florida and its 29 electoral votes remain too close to call in projecting a winner in the presidential election, despite the fact President Barack Obama is still the projected winner nationwide. (Orlando Sentinel)^{[permanent dead link]}

Sport

Celtic shock Barcelona in the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League group stage. (The Guardian) (CBC News) (Irish Independent) (Bangkok Post)
British cyclist Bradley Wiggins is hospitalized following a collision with a vehicle. (BBC Sport)

November 8, 2012 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad rejects an offer to safely leave Syria and vows to "live and die" in the country. (CBC)

Business and economy

Mario Draghi, president of the European Central Bank, confirms the overhaul of euro banknotes, beginning with the €5 note. (The Journal)

Law and crime

Jared Lee Loughner, the perpetrator in the 2011 Tucson shooting, is given 7 consecutive life sentences. (Los Angeles Times)

Politics and elections

Two days ahead of the Irish children's referendum, the Supreme Court—ruling against the government's distribution of information on the referendum—finds the government has breached the 1995 McKenna judgement requiring that referendums be explained to the public in an unbiased manner. The referendum's website is immediately taken down. (Irish Independent)
The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China is opened in Beijing, during which current Paramount Leader Hu Jintao is expected to step down to make way for presumptive leader Xi Jinping. (BBC)
- Tibetans launch protests in response to the congress. (Los Angeles Times)
U.S. President Barack Obama announces his intention to visit Burma later this month, which would make him the first U.S. President to visit the country. (BBC)

November 9, 2012 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war: The United Nations says 4 million people could require humanitarian aid by 2013. (Al Jazeera)
A security guard is found shot dead at the Sager House, the official residence of the Swedish prime minister, in the capital Stockholm. (BBC)
Two Iranian Revolutionary Guard fighter jets fire on an unmanned American General Atomics MQ-1 Predator drone in international airspace near Kuwait. (CNN)
Clashes break out at a jail in Colombo, Sri Lanka, killing at least 13 inmates and injuring 32 others. At least nine police officers, a prison guard and a bystander were also injured during the disturbances. (Al Jazeera) (AP)
Bahraini uprising: A teenager is killed during a crackdown on protesters near the capital Manama. (AFP via Google News)

Disasters and accidents

A train carrying liquid fuel crashes and bursts into flames in northern Burma, killing at least 25 people and injuring up to 62 others. (BBC)
An Algerian C-295 military transport plane with six people on board crashes near Avignon in southern France. Rescuers locate the remains of four of the passengers, while two others remain missing. (Reuters) (Trust.org)^{[permanent dead link]}

Law and crime

North Wales child abuse scandal and fallout of the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal:
- The UK broadcaster ITV faces an investigation by the media regulator Ofcom after television presenter Phillip Schofield handed Prime Minister David Cameron an internet-generated list of potential suspects in a child abuse case involving a care home during a live interview on Thursday, and asked him to comment. (The Independent) (BBC)
- An individual included on the list issues a lengthy statement denying all involvement in the abuse case, dating from the 1980s. (The Daily Telegraph) (Statement)
- The BBC issues an apology after a key witness in a Newsnight report aired on 2 November wrongly identified a senior politician as a pedophile. (The Daily Telegraph)

Politics and elections

CIA Director David Petraeus submits his resignation to President Barack Obama, citing an extramarital affair he had. (NBC News) (NBC News via USA Today)
Russian president Vladimir Putin sacks the chief of the armed forces Nikolai Makarov, three days after sacking the defence minister amid a corruption scandal. (RIA Novosti)
Hundreds of Tibetan students and monks protest against education policies in China's western Qinghai Province, shortly after a series of self-immolations by Tibetan monks. (VOA)
The UK's Secretary of State for International Development Justine Greening confirms Britain will cease giving financial aid to India by 2015. (BBC)

Religion

The current Bishop of Durham Justin Welby is officially named as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, the leader of the Anglican Church. He will succeed the present incumbent, Rowan Williams, who is set to retire in December. (BBC)

November 10, 2012 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war:
- Two suicide bombings in Daraa killed at least 20 Syrian troops. (Fox News)
At least 27 people are killed and dozens are wounded in conflicts between inmates and guards at Welikada prison in Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka. (BBC)
Palestinian militants fire a barrage of rockets from Gaza into southern Israel, in a cross-border escalation following an earlier attack in which four Israeli soldiers are injured, two seriously, when an anti-tank missile fired from the Gaza Strip hits an Israeli army jeep patrolling some 200 meters inside the Israeli border with Gaza; Israel carries out counter-strikes, killing five Palestinians and wounding 30. (The Times of Israel)

Disasters and accidents

Seventeen Turkish soldiers are killed in a helicopter crash on Herekol mountain in the Pervari area of Siirt province. The crash occurred due to bad weather conditions. (Reuters)
A married couple is presumed dead, seven are hospitalized, and five houses are completely destroyed (at least 27 were damaged and up to 81 were affected) in a massive explosion in the Richmond Hill neighborhood of the far southside of Indianapolis. A faulty furnace or gas leak is suspected. The blast, with an affected area of several blocks, was so large it registered on IUPUI earthquake detectors and was felt for several miles. (Indianapolis Star)

Law and crime

Two members of the Kuwaiti royal family are released after being held for tweeting messages supporting the opposition. (Al Jazeera)
The president of the Central African Republic François Bozizé orders the detention of his son after he refuses to pay a hotel bill. (AFP via Google News)

Media

George Entwistle steps down as Director-General of the BBC following the Newsnight child abuse broadcast row. (The Telegraph) (BBC)
Tim Davie, the BBC's head of audio and music will succeed Entwistle as Acting Director General from Sunday. (Sky News)

Politics and elections

United States elections, 2012:
- President of the United States Barack Obama officially wins the state of Florida and its 29 electoral votes in the presidential election, putting the final count to 332 electoral votes for Obama—more than the 270 needed to ensure election—to Mitt Romney's 206 electoral votes. (Reuters)
- Democrat Jay Inslee is elected Governor of Washington against Republican candidate Rob McKenna. (The Seattle Times)

Sports

Ulsan Hyundai defeat Al-Ahli 3-0 in the final match of the AFC Champions League, winning the trophy for the first time. (Goal.com)

November 11, 2012 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war:
- Syrian opposition groups sign a deal in Qatar to form a coalition against president Bashar al-Assad. (Reuters)
- Clashes take place between Syrian troops and rebels near the borders of Iraq and Turkey. (Khaleej Times)
- The Israel Defense Forces has fired an anti-tank missile in the direction of a mortar position in Syria after a 120mm mortar shell exploded near an Israeli post in the Golan Heights. Although the missile was reportedly intended as a "warning shot" and directed to miss the mortar position on purpose, the IDF's response marks the first time since the 1973 Yom Kippur War that Israel has fired at Syrian territory. (Ynetnews) (Arutz Sheva)
2012 Northern Mali conflict: West African nations agree to send a 3,300-strong force to northern Mali to regain area controlled by Islamist insurgent groups. (Daily Nation Kenya)
Bangladesh detains five Rohingya Muslims who fled fighting between Buddhists and Muslims in Burma. (Bangkok Post)^{[permanent dead link]}

Disasters and accidents

A strong earthquake with the magnitude 6.8 hits northern Burma, killing at least 12 people. (The Guardian)

Law and crime

Mohammad al-Dahabi, the former spy chief of Jordan, is sentenced to 13 years imprisonment after being convicted of corruption. (Al Jazeera)
Authorities in Paraguay arrest a Bolivian drug lord and seize nearly 1700kg of cocaine near the border with Brazil. (AP via Google News)

Politics and elections

A Tibetan teenager dies after self-immolating in Gansu, China, in the seventh such incident this week and 70th since 2009. (Hindustan Times)
The Iranian parliament is to investigate the death of prominent blogger Sattar Beheshti in police custody. (Gulf News)

November 12, 2012 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war:
- A second mortar shell from Syria has been fired at an Israeli military outpost in the Golan Heights, after a similar incident the day before. The Israel Defence Forces have responded with tank fire at the source of the bombardment, scoring several direct hits on artillery units belonging to the Syrian Army. (NY Times)
At least 38 police officers are killed in northern Kenya amid clashes with cattle rustlers. (CNN)

Arts and culture

Into the Silence by Wade Davis, a biography of George Mallory wins the 2012 Samuel Johnson Prize for Non Fiction. (BBC)

Law and crime

Muslim cleric Abu Qatada will be released on bail after winning an appeal against deportation from the United Kingdom to Jordan. The UK government says it will appeal against the ruling. (BBC)

Media

Newsnight controversy:
- Helen Boaden, the BBC's Director of News, and her deputy Steve Mitchell relinquish their roles in the wake of the Newsnight scandal. (RTÉ News)
- Fran Unsworth, head of newsgathering, and Ceri Thomas, the editor of Radio 4's Today are named Acting Director and Deputy Director of News respectively. (The Scotsman)
- British Prime Minister David Cameron questions the BBC's decision to give former Director-General George Entwistle a year's pay by way of severance after he resigned on Saturday. (The Guardian)

Politics

Sir Rex Hunt, who was Governor of the Falkland Islands at the time of the 1982 invasion dies aged 86. (BBC)

Physics

2012 EPS Edison Volta Prize was awarded to Rolf-Dieter Heuer, CERN Director General, and two his colleagues.(EPS)

Sport

Serbian Novak Djokovic beats Swiss Roger Federer 7-6 (8-6), 7-5 in final to win 2012 ATP World Tour Finals in singles. (BBC) (The Guardian) (The Telegraph)

November 13, 2012 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war:
- Three Syrian tanks have entered the demilitarized zone in the Golan Heights. Israel has launched a formal complaint to the United Nations. (Haaretz)
- France and six other states recognize the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people. (France24)
Following over 150 rockets being fired into Israel over the past four days from Gaza and attacks by Israel, Egypt has mediated a truce. Both Hamas and Ehud Barak praise the efforts for peace. (JPost)

Home Video

Brave on Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D and DVD
Pixar Short Films Collection, Volume 2 on Blu-ray and DVD
Sequel: Pixar Short Films Collection, Volume 1 (2007)

Politics and elections

The San Marino Common Good alliance wins a majority of the Grand and General Council of San Marino in the Sammarinese general election. (Politics Abroad)^{[permanent dead link]}

Science and technology

A total solar eclipse occurred in parts of Australia and the South Pacific. The most populous city to experience totality was Cairns. (BBC)
A pinch of fine sand and dust became the first solid Martian sample deposited into the Sample Analysis at Mars, the biggest instrument on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity. The sample came from the patch of windblown material called Rocknest, which had provided a sample previously for mineralogical analysis by CheMin instrument. (JPL-NASA)

Medicine

Scott Routley, a 39-year-old Canadian man, makes medical history by becoming the first person believed to have been in a vegetative state to tell scientists that he is not in any pain. The discovery requires the rewriting of medical textbooks. (BBC)

November 14, 2012 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Operation Pillar of Defense:
- Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari is killed in a targeted air strike carried out by the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet.(YNetnews)

Law and crime

The death of a pregnant woman from septicaemia in an Irish hospital prompts international outrage, protests and condemnation. University College Hospital Galway refused numerous requests from Savita Halappanavar and her family for an abortion on the grounds that "this is a Catholic country." (The Independent) (Irish Independent) (NDTV)
A 23-year-old man who accused the award-winning Sesame Street puppeteer Kevin Clash of abusing him while under-age admits he lied. (BBC)
John Logue, President of the Union of Students in Ireland, is arrested and taken from Dáil Éireann in handcuffs after turning his back on legislators while peacefully protesting against budget cuts. (Donegal Daily) (University Times)
Backed by the Russian domestic security service, Federal Security Service, Russian president Vladimir Putin signs a new treason law, which opponents expect him to use to silence critics and almost anyone who associates with foreigners. (Reuters) (Daily Times)

Politics and elections

Protests against unemployment and austerity measures take place across several European countries. The largest protests reportedly take place in Spain and Portugal, with smaller protests in Greece, Italy, and Belgium. (BBC) (Al Jazeera) (The Guardian)
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda announces he will dissolve the House of Representatives of the Diet on Friday after the ruling DPJ government and opposition LDP come to an agreement regarding a reduction of seats in the House. A general election is scheduled for December 16. (NHK)^{[permanent dead link]} (Bloomberg)

Science and technology

Astronomers announce the discovery of CFBDSIR 2149−0403, the closest known rogue planet to Earth at approximately 100 light-years away. (BBC)

Sport

Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimović scores four goals in a friendly match against England, with his last coming from a 30-metre bicycle kick. (The Irish Times) (The Guardian) (JOE) (New York Daily News)

November 15, 2012 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war:
- At least 95 people are killed across Syria according to the Local Coordination Committees, including 46 in Damascus and its suburbs. (CNN)
- According to the UN refugee office, at least 414,838 Syrians are in neighboring countries registered as refugees or waiting to register. Turkey has the single highest number, with 114,944. (CNN)
- Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced that his government recognizes the newly formed Syrian National Coalition as the legitimate leader of the Syrian people, two days after France became the first Western country to recognize the council. (New York Times)
Operation Pillar of Defense:
- Three Israeli civilians are killed in Kiryat Malachi, Israel, in a further barrage of rocket attacks on southern Israel from Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Rockets have hit apartment buildings, schools and private houses so far. (The Times of Israel)
- The Palestinian death toll rises to at least 16, including 2 children. Officials in Gaza report at least 150 have been injured since the start of the Israeli operation. (Al Jazeera)
- Two rockets are fired at Tel Aviv, with one landing in the sea and the other hitting an uninhabited area in the city's suburbs. Islamic Jihad has claimed responsibility for the incident, which was the first attack against the city since the 1991 Gulf War. (The Jerusalem Post) (KleineOnline)
As nationwide protests over fuel price hikes continue in Jordan, unidentified gunmen storm a police station in the northern town of Irbid, leading to the fatal shooting of 22-year-old civilian, and injuries to 13 police officers and 4 protesters. Protests and sporadic looting are reported from Al Karak, Salt and Madaba. (Al Jazeera)

Business and Economy

Deepwater Horizon oil spill:
- BP announces it will plead guilty to charges of manslaughter and obstruction of Congress, and will pay a total of US$4.5 billion to the US Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission. (Wall Street Journal) (Bloomberg)
- Separately, the two highest-ranking BP supervisors on board the Deepwater Horizon on the day of the explosion have been indicted on 23 criminal counts. (CNN)

Disasters and accidents

Four people are killed and 17 others are injured in the Midland train crash after a Union Pacific train struck a parade float in Midland, Texas. (Chicago Tribune)

Law and crime

A former BBC Radio 1 disc jockey is detained by police in the ongoing investigation into the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal. (The Daily Telegraph) (BBC)

Politics and elections

Chinese leadership transition at the 18th Party Congress
- Xi Jinping is chosen as the General Secretary and Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party and the next leader of the People's Republic of China. (BBC)
- Other members of the Politburo Standing Committee include Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli. (BBC)
- Xi Jinping delivers his first speech as General Secretary in a "plain-spoken" style very different from that of his predecessor, Hu Jintao. (BBC) (BBC Transcript)
The Myanmar government pardons 452 prisoners under an amnesty in a goodwill gesture before a visit by US President Barack Obama. State media said some of the people released were foreigners, though it remained unknown if any dissidents are among them at all. Human Rights Watch accuses the government of using strategically timed prisoner releases to appease the international community. (Al Jazeera)
Elections are held to choose 41 Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales. Three by-elections also take place in Cardiff South and Penarth, Corby and Manchester Central. (BBC)

November 16, 2012 (Friday)

Business and economy

Hostess Brands announces it will file for bankruptcy and liquidate its assets, stating that a bakery union's worker strike stemming from contract disputes "crippled" its operations. 18,500 workers are expected to be laid off. (Bloomberg)
The furniture retailer IKEA says it "deeply regrets" the use of political prisoners in the former German Democratic Republic as forced labour by some of its suppliers. (BBC)
Call of Duty: Black Ops II, published by Activision, grossed $500 million within 24 hours, becoming the biggest entertainment launch of all time. (The Telegraph)

Disasters and accidents

Two people are missing and at least 4 are injured after an oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, near Louisiana. (Fox News)

International relations

Egyptian Prime Minister Hesham Qandil makes a visit to Gaza City in hopes of lulling the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. (Los Angeles Times)

Law and crime

The war crime convictions of Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markač are overturned by a war crimes tribunal in The Hague. The Croatian generals had been convicted and sentenced last year for atrocities against Serbs during the 1990's Yugoslav Wars. (BBC)
A photo of New York City Counterterrorism Officer Lawrence DePrimo, 25, taken today by an Arizona woman and posted on the New York City Police Department's Facebook page, which shows him buying a (normally $100) pair of waterproof winter boots from Skechers for a homeless Times Square man on 42nd Street without any shoes, goes viral, with 1.6 million views and 275,000 likes. (MSNBC)

Politics and elections

Elections to choose Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales are marked by voter apathy with a turnout of just 14.9%. The Electoral Commission says it will investigate the low turnout. (BBC)
Labour wins all three by-elections contested in the UK on Thursday, including gaining Corby from the Conservatives. Andy Sawford is elected MP for Corby, Lucy Powell for Manchester Central and Stephen Doughty for Cardiff South and Penarth. (BBC)
The U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to end a Jackson–Vanik amendment, long-standing trade restriction with Russia. Also Magnitsky Law was adopted instead, it requires the United States to place financial and visa restrictions on a list of officials associated with the torture and death, three years ago, of Sergei Magnitsky. (Washington Post)

Sport

Saint Louis University announces that Saint Louis Billikens men's basketball head coach Rick Majerus will permanently retire due to health issues. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

November 17, 2012 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Suspected insurgents detonate a motorcycle bomb in Mueang Yala District, southern Thailand, killing one person and wounding 20, one day ahead of the United States President Barack Obama’s visit to the country. (Washington Post) (Bangkok Post)^{[permanent dead link]}
Operation Pillar of Defense:
- Two unguided rockets from Gaza land outside Jerusalem and two more land outside Tel-Aviv. Out of the 350 rockets fired since the start of Operation Pillar of Defense, the Iron Dome missile system has shot down over 200 rockets. (The Jerusalem Post)

Disasters and accidents

A school bus carrying about 60 schoolchildren is hit by a train near Manfalut, 350 km (230 miles) south of Egyptian capital Cairo. At least 50 children and the driver are killed in the crash. The Egyptian minister of transport, Mohamed Rashad Al Matini, resigns. (BBC) (Xinhuanet)

Politics

Bal Thackeray, the founder and chief of shivsena died on 17 November as a consequence of a cardiac arrest.

Law and crime

Authorities in Bolivar, Missouri, arrest Blaec Lammers, 20, after he is accused of stockpiling weapons in an attempt to commit a copycat crime mirroring the 2012 Aurora, Colorado shooting, this time targeting the premiere of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2. (FoxNews.com)

November 18, 2012 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Operation Pillar of Defense:
- An Israeli strike on a home in Gaza has killed at least 10 people, officials say, as Sunday became the deadliest day since Israel launched an operation against Hamas militants last week. Over 80 Israeli alleged terrorist targets were hit today by IDF bombs including rocket firing sites and weapon smuggling tunnels. The IDF releases a video showing rocket launching sites adjacent to a Mosque and accuses Hamas of using human shields. (BBC) (The Jerusalem Post)
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells foreign leaders Israel is ready to accept a cease fire agreement with Hamas if their rocket attacks cease. Israel launched Operation Pillar of Defense in response to rocket attacks from Gaza and is currently amassing troops in preparation for a ground incursion. (HaAretz)
- Israel has been shelling Gaza from the sea and air as its bombardment of the coastal enclave moves into a fifth day as over 492 rockets have been fired into Israel. (BBC)
- At the same time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also told a meeting of the Israeli Cabinet that, if necessary, he would be prepared to authorize a substantially broader operation, though he did not indicate whether the 75,000 Israeli soldiers put on reserve would be used in a future ground operation or not. Egypt, whose leaders have been working with the U.S., Hamas leaders, the Arab League (which has convened an emergency meeting), Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been trying to secure a (lasting) cease-fire, to avoid a repeat of the 2008 war. During his Asia trip, U.S. President Barack Obama reiterated that Israel had a right to use any means possible to keep its citizens safe from external attacks. (NBC News)
Syrian civil war:
- Gunfire from conflict in Syria hits an Israeli army position in the Golan Heights, prompting return fire. (Al Arabiya)
- The Syrian government criticises countries that recognise the opposition Syrian National Council. (New York Times)
2012 East DR Congo conflict:
- M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo advance on the city of Goma. (BBC)
2012 terrorist attacks in Kenya:
- Five people are killed after a grenade destroys a bus in Nairobi, Kenya. (Al Jazeera)

Arts and culture

Martial arts star Jackie Chan confirm his next film Chinese Zodiac will be his last as an action star. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

A fire breaks out at a residential highrise, the Tamweel Tower in the Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai, UAE. (Al Arabiya)

International relations

7th East Asia Summit:
- ASEAN leaders sign a controversial human rights declaration. (Global Post)
- ASEAN nations ask China to begin talks over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. (Radio Television Hong Kong)
- Leaders describe ongoing violence in Burma between Buddhists and Muslims as "disturbing". (Financial Express Bangladesh)

Politics and elections

Clashes take place at an anti-gay marriage protest in Paris, France. (Times of India)

Sport

Brazil wins the 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup after a thrilling final in which they beat Spain 3-2 after extra time in Bangkok, Thailand. (FIFA)
In the 2012 Davis Cup final Czech Republic defeats Spain 3-2 in Prague. Radek Štěpánek wins a decisive fifth match against Nicolás Almagro. (BBC)
British racing driver Lewis Hamilton wins Formula One's 2012 United States Grand Prix ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso. (BBC)
Brad Keselowski wins the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship ahead of Clint Bowyer and former 5-time champion Jimmie Johnson. (Speed.com)

November 19, 2012 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Operation Pillar of Defense:
- Israeli air strikes kill at least 20 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip including Islamic Jihad members, while over 130 rockets are fired towards Israel injuring several, amid ceasefire talks in Egypt. (BBC) (The Jerusalem Post)
- Rockets originating from the Egyptian-administrated Sinai Peninsula strike parts of southern Israel. (Weekly Standard)
Syrian civil war:
- The Syrian opposition makes the Egyptian capital Cairo its headquarters. (Al Jazeera)
- International charity Save The Children warns that 200,000 Syrian refugee children are at risk as winter sets in the Middle East. (Pan Armenian)
- The European Union recognizes the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces as a legitimate representative of the Syrian people. (AFP via Google)
- Rebel forces capture a major government special forces base in Aleppo Province following a two-month siege. (AFP via Al Arabiya)
2012 terrorist attacks in Kenya:
- Police in Kenya fire tear gas amid clashes between rioters and ethnic Somalis in the capital Nairobi, after a bus bombing yesterday killed nine people. (Times of India)
- Scores of Kenyan soldiers go on the rampage in the northeastern town of Garissa after three soldiers are shot dead by unknown gunmen. (BBC) (Capital FM Kenya)

International relations

Barack Obama becomes the first sitting US President to visit Burma, meeting both Burmese President Thein Sein and National League for Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. (BBC)

Law and crime

In the Netherlands a 45-year-old man is arrested following a DNA profiling match in connection with a high-profile rape and murder case of a sixteen-year-old girl on May 1, 1999. (DutchNews)
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert Drain orders the baker's union and Hostess Brands to negotiate through mediation, which was skipped when the company gave its ultimatum to shut down and release its employees and the strike continued. This halts the shutdown process and the moves by other companies to acquire it, for now. (Peoria Journal Star)
Indianapolis and Indiana state homeland security and police authorities now say that the $4.4 million explosion in Richmond Hill neighborhood may not be due to gas or a faulty furnace, but may somehow have been an intentional criminal homicide; they are seeking a white van that was seen in that subdivision the day of the blast with a $10,000 reward. (MSN) (The Indianapolis Star)

Politics and elections

The battle to succeed Nicolas Sarkozy as leader of the centre-right UMP party takes a farcical turn with both François Fillon and rival Jean-François Copé claiming the crown. (The New York Times)

Science and technology

Astronauts Yuri Malenchenko, Sunita Williams, and Akihiko Hoshide return from ISS to Earth with spacecraft Soyuz TMA-05M marked the end of Expedition 33 and the start of Expedition 34. (Reuters) (AP)

November 20, 2012 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Operation Pillar of Defense:
- The pro-Israel non-governmental organization HonestReporting brings attention to footage captured by the BBC and transmitted by CNN that shows a Palestinian man being carried away from a bomb blast only to reappear moments later uninjured. CNN's Anderson Cooper who was reporting on the original story issued a retraction during his television show. (Honest Reporting) (Fox News)
- The BBC is further caught in controversy after tweeting a photograph of a young girl on a stretcher as being killed in Gaza when the photograph is 3 weeks old and of a child killed in Syria. (Fox News)
- In another instance brought forward by Breitbart, a dead child was featured on CNN as being killed by an Israeli airstrike, with the body being kissed by Ismail Haniyeh and Egyptian Prime Minister Hesham Kandil. Later investigation by Palestinian Center for Human Rights revealed the child was killed by a Hamas rocket which had malfunctioned and landed within the Gaza Strip. (The Telegraph) (Breitbart)
- Israel's President Shimon Peres accuses Iran of encouraging the Palestinians to continue rocket attacks on Israel rather than negotiating a ceasefire, saying "they are out of their mind." (SBS)
- Russia’s Foreign Ministry urges an immediate ceasefire and UN Chief Ban Ki-moon is to meet Israeli and Palestinian leaders as he calls on an end to the violence as over 100 die. (Al Jazeera) (RT)
- Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly delays an IDF ground invasion into Gaza by 24 hours; the announcement precedes a series of critical international negotiations pushing for a ceasefire between the two sides. (RT) (BBC)
- Hamas gunmen publicly and summarily execute without trial 6 men they accused of spying for Israel. One of the men is dragged through the streets by a motorcycle. (National Post) (The Times of Israel)
Colombian conflict:
- Move comes as FARC rebels declare two-month unilateral truce after holding meetings in Cuba with peace negotiators. (Al Jazeera)
Syrian civil war:
- Islamist rebel groups in Aleppo denounce what they call a "conspiratorial project" and the new Syrian opposition, and say they seek to establish an "Islamic state". (Al Jazeera)
2012 East DR Congo conflict:
- Tension between central African neighbours is reaching breaking point over an uprising in Congo's eastern hills. (Al Jazeera)
- M23 fighters reportedly enter centre of Goma after seizing military airport in largest city in mineral-rich east. (Al Jazeera)

Arts and culture

Sesame Street puppeteer Kevin Clash, known for being the voice of Elmo, resigns after a second accuser files a complaint that Clash had underage sexual relations with him. (BBC)

Business and economy

David Cameron announces that the 39th G8 summit will be held in Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland on June 2013. (Irish Examiner) (Democrat) (BBC)

Law and crime

Wildlife officials investigate the killing and mutilations of dolphins along the coast of the United States over the past year. (BBC)
Kazakh opposition leader Vladimir Kozlov will face seven-and-a-half years in jail on charges relating to causing the 2011 Mangystau riots in Zhanaozen, Mangystau Province. (Al Jazeera)
Former Croatian prime minister Ivo Sanader is sentenced to 10 years in prison in a first-degree verdict. He is the highest official in Croatia to be convicted of corruption. (BBC)
Rogue trader at Swiss bank UBS Kweku Adoboli is found guilty and is sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in the 2011 UBS rogue trader scandal. (BBC)

Politics and elections

China appoints Sun Zhengcai as new chief for the city of Chongqing, once led by disgraced politician Bo Xilai. (BBC)

Religion

The General Synod of the Church of England narrowly rejects a motion to allow women to become bishops. (The Guardian)

Science and technology

The United Nations World Meteorological Organisation says that greenhouse gases reached record levels in 2011. (Bangkok Post)

November 21, 2012 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Operation Pillar of Defense:
- A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, announced by Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, comes into effect at 7:00 pm local time. (CBC News) (The Jerusalem Post) (CNN)
- Over 160 rockets were fired into Israel on Tuesday killing one Israeli soldier and a civilian. One of the rockets fired from Gaza landed near Bethlehem, in the West Bank. Israel drones and airstrikes also kill 31 Palestinians, including civilians. (The Jerusalem Post)
- At least 28 are wounded after a bomb is thrown onto a bus in Tel Aviv, including three seriously wounded. Hamas claims responsibility for the explosion and there are widespread celebrations in the streets of Gaza. (Al Jazeera) (The Jerusalem Post)
- The Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube accounts of Israeli Deputy Premier Silvan Shalom are hacked and filled with pro-Palestine status updates. ZCompanyHackingCrew claims responsibility for the act. (RT)
Syrian civil war:
- Turkey asks for Patriot missiles to be deployed on its territory at the border with Syria. (Reuters)
- Syrian warplanes bomb the suburbs of the capital Damascus as fighting continues. (RTÉ) (Times Live South Africa)
- In Aleppo, a hospital is bombed by an airstrike, killing 40. (CNN)
2012 East DR Congo conflict:
- Hundreds of government soldiers and policemen surrender to M23 rebels at a stadium in the city of Goma, which fell to rebel forces on November 20. (Al Jazeera)
2011–2012 Libyan factional fighting:
- Unidentified gunmen shoot and kill Benghazi's police chief Faraj al-Deirsy in front of his home in the latest attack against security officials in Libya's second largest city. (Al Jazeera)

Arts and culture

The United States bans Tim Pat Coogan, one of Ireland's most recognisable historians and a leading authority on Éamon de Valera and Michael Collins. As a result his book tour is cancelled. The decision is described as a major shock and blot against United States Ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney. (Irish Central)
Will Rogers World Airport in the U.S. state of Oklahoma is shut down over the discovery of a painted golden object with a hole in the bottom in the luggage of musician Wayne Coyne. The object is mistaken for a live grenade by frightened staff. (The Guardian)

Disasters and accidents

Mount Tongariro, a volcano on the North Island of New Zealand, erupts for the second time in four months, with efforts underway to rescue people on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. (News Limited)
An Antonov military plane crashes in the Sana'a, capital of Yemen, killing all 10 people on board included five military officers. (BBC)

Law and crime

India executes Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving gunmen in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. He is hanged after his mercy petition is rejected. (ABC News Australia)
Puerto Rican professional boxer Héctor Camacho is shot multiple times in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. The driver of Camacho's car is killed in the attack. Camacho was shot in the neck and face and taken to St. Paul's Hospital in Río Piedras, where he was pronounced to be in critical condition shortly thereafter. (El Nuevo Herald)

Politics and elections

President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins calls for an investigation into the death of Savita Halappanavar to meet the needs of a "concerned public" as Savita's husband Praveen continues his battle against Ireland's government and the Health Service Executive (HSE) to hold a sworn, public inquiry into her death, which he believes occurred due to her being denied an abortion. (Irish Independent)
Jesse Jackson Jr. resigns from U.S. Congress due to health problems and federal criminal investigation of his activities. (Chicago Tribune)

Science and technology

Toshiba Corporation unveil a robot that they believe will help in nuclear disasters and could enter the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant damaged during the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. (Daily Record)

Sport

Roberto Di Matteo is sacked by Chelsea F.C. after a 2012–13 UEFA Champions League defeat 0-3 to Juventus F.C. left them in danger of becoming the first title holders to exit the competition in the group stage. Di Matteo managed Chelsea to their first ever Champions League title in Munich last May. Rafael Benítez appointed Chelsea interim manager until end of season. (ESPN) (The Guardian)
The 2012–13 UEFA Europa League game between Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona F.C. and Athletic Bilbao which was scheduled to take place on 22 November at the Kiryat Eliezer Stadium in Haifa is postponed by UEFA due to the tense security situation in the region. (UEFA)

November 22, 2012 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

In six terrorist and sectarian attacks across Pakistan over last 24 hours at least 37 people were killed and 92 others injured. (Xinhua)

Business and economy

Russia lifts a 16-year ban on the import of British beef and lamb. British farmers had been stopped from exporting to Russia following the 1996 BSE outbreak in the UK, despite the lifting of a worldwide ban in 2006. (The Telegraph) (BBC)
The European Commission gives its backing to commodities giant Glencore's $31 billion (£19.5 billion) bid to take over mining company Xstrata. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

A subway train rear ends another in Busan, South Korea, injuring 40. (Voice of Russia)
Up to 120 people are injured and 2 killed near Beaumont, Texas in a 100-vehicle pileup in dense fog that forced the closure of both directions of Interstate 10 in Southeast Texas. (Reuters)

Law and crime

A hostage situation in the northern city of Thessaloniki, Greece, ends peacefully, as policemen arrest a 72-year-old Greek pensioner who was threatening to set a tax office building on fire due to a financial dispute. (Global Times)
Israeli police and Shin Bet arrest several suspects in relation to the bombing of a public bus in Tel Aviv. The suspects claim affiliation with Hamas and Islamic Jihad and reveal they planted the bomb on the bus and detonated it remotely using a cell phone. (The Jerusalem Post)
Japanese police rescue four hostages from a Toyokawa Shinkin bank and arrest the knife-wielding man who had held them captive for more than 12 hours while demanding that Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda resign. (AFP via Google)

Media

The BBC appoints Tony Hall, Baron Hall of Birkenhead, as the new Director-General of the corporation after the resignation of George Entwistle earlier this month due to the Newsnight controversy. He is expected to start in the role in early March 2013. (The Independent)

Politics and elections

Afghanistan is set to remove a block placed on YouTube more than two months ago over a controversial anti-Islamic video Innocence of Muslims. (Pajhwok)
The United Kingdom's Lord Chancellor Chris Grayling tells the House of Commons that a European Court of Human Rights ruling on prisoner votes can be defied. (BBC)

Science and technology

Sandy Island, a South Pacific island, shown on marine charts and world maps as well as on Google Earth, does not exist, Australian scientists say. (BBC)
ESO says Makemake, one of the Solar System’s five dwarf planets, has been found to have no atmosphere. (The Register)

Sport

The Russian Premier League awards FC Dynamo Moscow a technical 3-0 victory after a league match in Arena Khimki on 17 November was abandoned when a goalkeeper Anton Shunin was hurt by a firecracker thrown from the FC Zenit Saint Petersburg supporters end. (RIA Novosti)

November 23, 2012 (Friday)

Arts and culture

American actor Larry Hagman, best known for starring roles in Dallas, I Dream of Jeannie, and the 2012 revival of Dallas, dies from complications of throat cancer in Dallas. (The Wrap)

Disasters and accidents

Two military OV-10 Bronco aircraft collide in the air during a demonstration flight near military El Libertador Air Base in the state of Aragua, Venezuela. One of the pilots, guiding his aircraft away from a populated area, is killed. Three soldiers are also injured in the crash. (Pravda) (Bernama)
The pilot of a Czech subsonic one-seat military aircraft Aero L-159 Alca that crashed in central Bohemia has been found dead in its wreckage. (Prague Daily Monitor)

Law and crime

The Mexican federal police arrested Joe Saenz, one of the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, in the western city of Guadalajara. (BBC)
After a 2012–13 UEFA Europa League football match between Lazio and Tottenham Hotspur in Rome, Lazio and A.S. Roma fans wearing masks and armed with knives surround a pub while chanting "Jews, Jews". They then attacked the Jewish contingent of Tottenham fans in the pub and injured 10, with one individual severely wounded. (The Jerusalem Post)

Politics and elections

Opposition leaders in Egypt call for large protests after President of Egypt Mohamed Morsi passed a decree giving himself sweeping new powers. Protests for and against his decision are taking place in Cairo, and violence has occurred throughout Egypt. (BBC) (RT)

Science and technology

Britain's top GCHQ code-breakers say they are stumped by a secret code found on the leg of a dead pigeon that was found in a chimney in Surrey, England, with a message from World War II attached. (BBC)
A rail operator JR Tokai unveil a prototype of high-speed maglev L0 train, which it plans to operate on a route Tokyo–Nagoya from 2027. (The Japan Times) (The Asahi Shimbun)

Sport

Harry Redknapp is appointed as the manager of Queens Park Rangers, taking over from Mark Hughes whose contract was terminated after fail to win any of their 12 Premier League games this season. (The Independent) (The Guardian)
Mano Menezes has left his post as Brazil national football team coach two days after winning the 2012 Superclásico de las Américas against Argentina on penalties, and just 19 months before the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. (Goal.com)
A bronze statue of Sir Alex Ferguson, a most successful manager in Manchester United’s history, was unveiled outside Old Trafford. (The Guardian)

November 24, 2012 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Royal Thai Police use tear gas against thousands of protesters calling for the overthrow of the Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, in Bangkok, Thailand. At least 61 people are injured. (BBC) (RIA Novosti)

Arts and culture

23-year-old Czech beauty queen Tereza Fajksová wins Miss Earth 2012, the 12th edition of the Miss Earth pageant, in Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines. (RIA Novosti)
The music video for South Korean pop singer Psy's "Gangnam Style" surpasses 808 million views, making it the most viewed video in the history of YouTube. (BBC)

Business and economy

Around 10,000 people demonstrate against austerity in Dublin amid calls for a general strike to shut the country down. (BBC)
Retail analysis says more Americans went out to shop (as opposed to shopping online) on Black Friday, 23 November. However, total sales decreased 1.8% from the previous Black Friday. (CNN)

Disasters and accidents

A natural gas explosion in Springfield, Massachusetts levels two buildings and damages others, injuring at least 18 people. (Sky News)
A coal mine accident in Guizhou province, China's southwest, kills eighteen workers and traps five more. (AP via Yahoo)

Law and crime

Egypt's top judges accuse President of Egypt Mohamed Morsi of staging an "unprecedented attack" on the judiciary, after he passes a decree granting himself extensive new powers. Critics and supporters have staged rallies. Crowds gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square, vowing to stage a sit-in protest. (BBC)
Palestinian officials announce the body of former leader Yasser Arafat will be exhumed to investigate whether his death in Paris in 2004 was caused by poisoning. (BBC)

Media

Irish Daily Star editor Michael O'Kane resigns over his role in the publication of topless photographs of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Ernest Bai Koroma is re-elected President of Sierra Leone in the general election, held on 17 November. (The Guardian) (AFP via Google)
The UK's Education Secretary, Michael Gove, and Rotherham Council announce separate investigations into the case of three children who were removed from their foster parents because the couple belongs to the UK Independence Party. (BBC)
DUP leader and Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson dismisses calls from Sinn Féin for a Scotland-style referendum on independence for Northern Ireland, telling his party's annual conference that a majority of Catholics want Northern Ireland to stay part of the United Kingdom. (BBC)

Sport

Puerto Rican professional boxer and former world champion Héctor Camacho dies four days after being shot in his hometown of Bayamón, Puerto Rico. (AP via WVEC)
In athletics, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and American sprinter Allyson Felix are named 2012 IAAF World Athletes of the Year. (AP via Washington Post)
The NHL cancels all games through 14 December, plus the 2013 NHL All-Star Game scheduled for 27 January in Columbus, Ohio, due to the 2012 NHL lockout. (The Guardian)

November 25, 2012 (Sunday)

Armed attacks and conflicts

At least 11 people are killed and about 30 wounded in twin car bombs that hits a Protestant church in a major military establishment in Jaji, Kaduna State, north central Nigeria. (Reuters)
A teenager is killed and 40 wounded while storming the Muslim Brotherhood headquarters in Damanhur, Egypt, during the third day of protests as a result from the power grab by Mohamed Morsi. (National Post) (CBC)

Arts and culture

The city of Cluj-Napoca, Romania, is chosen as 2015 European Youth Capital. (Hotnews) (Mediafax)
Veteran British film actress Dinah Sheridan dies aged 92. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

The death toll from a fire in a garment factory in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka rises to 112 as the search for victims continues. (AP via WVEC)
A train hits a van at a level crossing near Rossano, Province of Cosenza, Calabria region, Italy, killing at least six workers from Romania and Bulgaria. (CNN) (Reuters)
In a collision between a bus and a truck at kilometer 90 of the highway Anaco-Cantaura, state of Anzoátegui, Venezuela, 8 killed and at least 25 injured. (El Nacional)
16 people are killed and 44 others injured on the spot when a bus carrying a wedding party skids off the road and plunges into a 300-feet deep gorge in Udhampur district, Jammu and Kashmir, India. (India TV)
Two people are killed and more than 800 homes flooded following heavy rain and high winds across England and Wales. (BBC)

Law and crime

A man in Lithonia, Georgia, USA, dies after Walmart employees tackle him to the ground for suspected shoplifting of two DVDs on Black Friday. (Good Morning America)

Politics and elections

Catalonia holds a snap election following a demonstration for independence with the governing Convergence and Union party led by Artur Mas returning with a reduced number of seats. (CNN) (The Telegraph)
President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz returns to Mauritania after being in France for five weeks recovering after being shot by a soldier on 13 October. (Al Jazeera)
Basque separatist group ETA has reportedly indicated a readiness to disband, give up its weapons and enter talks with the governments of France and Spain. (BBC)

Sport

In Formula One, Sebastian Vettel wins the 2012 Championship for the third consecutive year with sixth place in the Brazilian GP, which was won by Jenson Button. (BBC)
English professional boxer Ricky Hatton loses to Ukrainian Vyacheslav Senchenko in his comeback fight at the Manchester Arena. Ricky announces his retirement at the press conference after the fight. (BBC)
Spanish manager Unai Emery is fired as coach of FC Spartak Moscow after a loss 1-5 to FC Dynamo Moscow in a 2012–13 Russian Premier League local derby and elimination from 2012–13 UEFA Champions League. (Goal.com)
In Canadian football, the Toronto Argonauts win the 100th Grey Cup defeating the Calgary Stampeders 35-22. (National Post)

November 26, 2012 (Monday)

Armed attacks and conflicts

Syrian civil war:
- A Syrian government jet aircraft drops a cluster bomb on a playground in the village of Deir al-Asafir, leaving 10 children dead and 15 people wounded, activists say. (BBC)

Business and economy

Mark Carney, current Governor of the Bank of Canada, is named as the next Governor of the Bank of England. He will take up the position when current Governor Mervyn King steps down in June 2013. (BBC)
Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo announces that Hurricane Sandy ran up a bill of $32 billion in New York. (AP)
President of Paraguay Federico Franco announces that his country will become an oil producing nation, after a recent discovery in the Chaco region, close to the border with Argentina. (Buenos Aires Herald)

Disasters and accidents

A fire at a Caritas International workshop for the disabled in Titisee-Neustadt, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, kills at least 14 and injures several others. (CNN)
A scorpion stings a passenger on a flight from Costa Rica to Spain, which forced the sealing of the Iberia airlines Airbus A340 at Madrid's Barajas International Airport. (FoxNews)

Law and crime

Norway's public broadcaster NRK publishes for the first time video footage of Anders Behring Breivik parking his van bomb that killed eight people in Oslo on 22 July 2011. (AFP via Google) (NRK)
Ontario Superior Court of Justice rules that Toronto mayor Rob Ford breached Ontario’s conflict of interest law and orders him to remove from office. (Toronto Star)

Politics and elections

President of Egypt Mohamed Morsi meets judges to try to defuse a crisis over a decree that extends his powers, as a day of opposition protests looms. (BBC)

Science and technology

NASA and Roscosmos announce that veteran spaceflyers Scott Kelly and Mikhail Korniyenko will carry out the first year-long mission to the International Space Station in 2015. (NASA)
Scientists have found life in an Antarctic Lake Vida that was sealed off from the outside world by a thick sheet of ice several thousands of years ago. (The Guardian)
American plastic surgeon and Nobel Prize winner Joseph Murray, who performed the first kidney transplantation, dies at 93. (The New York Times)

Sport

The Spanish club Espanyol fires coach Mauricio Pochettino due to real trouble of facing relegation from La Liga. Mexican manager Javier Aguirre is named as new Espanyol head coach. (FIFA) (Goal.com)

November 27, 2012 (Tuesday)

Armed attacks and conflicts

At least 29 people are killed and 126 wounded in eight car bombings across Iraq. (CNN)
Gunmen attack a pub in central Nigeria's Plateau State and open fire on customers, killing 10 people. (BBC)

Business and economy

The eurozone will pay out of 43.7 billion euros in loans to Greece from December 13 for reducing Greece's debt. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

A Chinese-made training airplane K-8 crashes during an air force flying exhibition in Venezuela, the two pilots ejected successfully. The French-made military helicopter Cougar sent to rescue the pilots also crashes, no one is injured. (The Montreal Gazette)

Education

The UK government is to create a new wave of universities both in the private and public sector, the first new universities in the country for two decades. (BBC)

International relations

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announces that France intends to vote in favor of upgrading Palestine's status at the United Nations from permanent observer as the Palestinian Liberation Organization to a non-member observer state. The vote is scheduled to be held later this week. (BBC)

Media

Aung San Suu Kyi and Thein Sein are ranked first on Foreign Policy’s 2012 Top 100 Global Thinkers list ahead of Moncef Marzouki, Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. Also, Malala Yousafzai is ranked sixth behind Bill Gates and Melinda Gates, but ahead of Barack Obama. (The International News) (Foreign Policy)

Law and crime

The remains of Yasser Arafat are exhumed as part of an investigation into how the Palestinian leader died in November 2004. (BBC)
Mexican beauty queen María Susana Flores Gámez, crowned as 2012 Woman of Sinaloa, is killed during a weekend shootout in Sinaloa, Mexico. (CNN)

Politics and elections

Tens of thousands of protestors demonstrate in Tahrir Square in Cairo against Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi for last week's decree granting himself sweeping powers. (BBC)
A Hungarian MP from the far right Jobbik party calls for a list of Jewish politicians and government employees who are a "threat to national security". The Hungarian Government later released a statement condemning the comments. (BBC)

Sport

UEFA President Michel Platini announces that the administrative body is considering scrapping the Europa League in favour of an extended Champions League. A proposal may involve extending the final phase of the Champions League from 32 to 64 teams from 2015, with the final decision to be made in 2014. (Bangkok Post)

November 28, 2012 (Wednesday)

Armed attacks and conflicts

Syrian civil war:
- At least 54 people are killed and more than 120 injured by two car bomb explosions in a south-eastern district of Damascus, Syria's capital. (BBC) (AFP via MSN News)^{[permanent dead link]}
2012 East D.R. Congo conflict:
- M23 rebels announce their withdrawal from territory captured from government troops after a pullout deal was reached in Uganda. (Al Jazeera)

More than 200 people are wounded in a second day of clashes between Tunisian security forces and thousands of protesters in Siliana, Tunisia. (BBC) (Al Arabiya)

Business and economy

The UK's Home Office launches a ten week consultation on whether to introduce a minimum price for the sale of alcohol of 45p a unit. The plans are aimed at tackling binge drinking and other alcohol related problems. (BBC)
The United States Environmental Protection Agency announces that BP has been suspended from bidding on future US government contracts as a result of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. (Bloomberg)
The European Commission approves a Spanish government plan to shrink and restructure three major Spanish banks (Bankia, NCG Banco and Catalunya Banc) and sell a fourth (Banco de Valencia). (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

Seven students and a teacher are injured as the result of a small explosion in an eighth-grade science classroom in Wilson Middle School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States. Two of the students were flown by helicopter to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. One was released that evening, the other is in fair condition. (AP via MSN)

Law and crime

British student Richard O'Dwyer reaches an agreement with authorities in the United States to avoid being extradited from the United Kingdom to stand trial over infringement of U.S. copyright laws over his TVShack website which hosted links to pirated films and television shows. (BBC)
Zachary Holly, 28, of Bentonville, Arkansas, is charged with the rape and capital murder of his nextdoor neighbor, 6-year-old Jersey Bridgeman, whom he was babysitting. (NBC News)
No violent crime is reported in New York City for an entire day, 26 November, the first time in recent memory. (BBC) (Reuters)

Media

CNN publish a list of the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2012. Pushpa Basnet, a social worker from Nepal, is listed among others. (CNN)

Politics and elections

President of Egypt Mohamed Morsi will address the nation about a decree greatly increasing his powers. (CBS News)

Sport

The draw for the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship is made in Tel Aviv. Hosts Israel will face England, Norway and Italy in group A while title holders Spain will play the Netherlands, Russia and Germany in group B. (UEFA)
River Plate president Daniel Passarella fires a coach Matías Almeyda on disappointing performance by the team in the Torneo Inicial. (Buenos Aires Herald)

November 29, 2012 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war:
- Syrian opposition fighters battle the Syrian Army outside Damascus, forcing the closure of the main airport road, and the suspension of some flights. (Reuters)
- The internet and phone networks in Syria are cut off, in an unprecedented move. (Bangkok Post)^{[permanent dead link]} (Al Arabiya)
Iraqi insurgency (post U.S. withdrawal):
- Bombs in two majority Shia Muslim cities in southern Iraq, Hillah and Karbala, kill at least 30 people and wound more than 100. (The Guardian) (AP via USA Today)
Police in Burma break up a three-month-long protest against the expansion of a copper mine run by the military and a Chinese company. (Al Jazeera)
A roadside bomb explodes under a passenger van in Deh Rahwod District of Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan, killing 10 people, and wounding at least eight. (Reuters) (AFP via Google)

Disasters and accidents

Train services in the Channel Tunnel are suspended after a freight train fire on the French side. Everybody on the train is safely evacuated, traffic is resumed two hours after. (BBC)

International relations

The 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly approves to upgrade Palestine's status from an "observer" to an "observer state", with 138 voting in favor, 9 against and 41 abstaining. (BBC) (AP)
Colombia announces it will leave Pact of Bogotá after the International Court of Justice's ruling in the territorial dispute with Nicaragua. (Reuters) (BBC)

Law and crime

A UN war crimes tribunal acquits former Kosovan Prime Minister and former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army Ramush Haradinaj of war crimes, prompting Serbia to denounce the court. (BBC) (Reuters) (The Guardian)
The Arts and Letters Building at Florida Atlantic University's campus in Boca Raton, Florida, and the nearby Boca Raton campus of Palm Beach State College, are given the all-clear and are back to normal after police locked them both down for three hours searching for a gunman believed to have robbed a student at gunpoint, no injuries. (NBC News)

Politics and elections

Leveson report:
- Lord Leveson announces the findings of the Leveson Inquiry into the British media. (CNN)
- British Prime Minister David Cameron says he backs the principles of the report's recommendations, but has "serious concerns and misgivings" about introducing any new legislation to underpin a regulatory body to oversee the media. (BBC)
U.S. President Barack Obama spent more than an hour with Mitt Romney at the White House, as the one-time rivals shared lunch and discussed their ideas for the first time since the 2012 election. (Reuters)
A committee charged with developing a new Egyptian constitution releases a final draft as protests against sweeping new powers granted to President Mohamed Morsi continue. (CNN)
Michigan State Senator Rick Jones of the Republican Party proposes dissolving the city of Detroit due to financial problems. (CBS Detroit)
Three by-elections are held in the United Kingdom, in Croydon North, Middlesbrough and Rotherham. (BBC)
George H. W. Bush is admitted in stable condition to The Methodist Hospital of the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas. The 88-year-old served as the 41st President of the United States from 1989 till 1993 and was hospitalized due to a severe cough and bronchitis but is expected to be discharged within 72 hours. (NBC News) (CBS News) (Fox News) (CNN)

Science and technology

New data from the NASA space probe MESSENGER indicate that Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun, almost surely has water ice buried beneath the surface at its north pole. (NASA) (Forbes) (AP)
The new species of darter fish are classified and named as Etheostoma obama after U.S. President Barack Obama. (The Guardian)

Sport

Luiz Felipe Scolari takes over as coach of Brazil national football team, 2014 FIFA World Cup hosts, 10 years after leading the team to the 2002 FIFA World Cup title. (Reuters)^{[permanent dead link]}
In cricket, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting announces his retirement from Test matches after the completion of the match against South Africa in Perth. (The Roar)
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Andrés Iniesta, and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo are named in shortlist for 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or prize for best player of the year. (Goal.com)
Argentine football club River Plate confirm Ramón Díaz will replace the sacked Matías Almeyda as manager. (ESPN)
South Korean international Lee Keun-Ho is named as Asian Footballer of the Year in a ceremony held in Kuala Lumpur. Shinji Kagawa, Japanese midfielder of Manchester United, is the first recipient of the Asian International Footballer of the Year award. (AFC) (Goal.com)

November 30, 2012 (Friday)