December 2022 Current Events: World News
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The world is a very busy place, and it's hard to stay on top of everything. Infoplease has got you covered. Here are the World news events you need to know so far for December 2022.
- Russia Demands Recognition Of Annexed Region Before Negotiations
- Spokesperson Confirms That President Ramaphosa Will Not Resign
- A Judge In Mexico Was Killed In the State Of Zacatecas
- Two Russian Airbases Far From Ukraine Frontline Rocked By Explosions
- Indonesia Lawmakers Passed Criminal Code Banning Sex Outside Marriage
- Former President Of Argentina, Fernandez De Kirchner, Sentenced To Six Years In Prison For Corruption
- Prisoner Swap: Brittney Griner For “The Merchant Of Death”
- Russia In A Tit-For-Tat Mover Bans 200 Prominent Canadians From Entering Russia
- Morocco Becomes The First Ever African Country To Reach The Semifinal Of A World Cup
- UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Faces New Demand From His Fractious Party
- Iran Executes Majidreza Rahnavard In What Is Seen As The Second Execution Over Protest
- A Top Court In Barbados Strikes Down Laws That Criminalize Gay Sex
- Bodies Of 27 Migrants Found In A Desert In Chad
- Russia's Missile Strike Leaves Ukraine's Second City, Kharkiv, Without Power
- Schools In Shanghai To Continue Classes Online Amid Rise In Covid Infection
- Argentina Defeat France To Win World Cup For The Third Time In Their History
- 33 Crew Missing After Royal Thai Navy Warship Sinks Due To Severe Weather
- Bank Of England Reveals First Pictures Of King Charles Banknotes
- Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky Addresses The Us Congress Upon Visit
- Three People Were Killed And Others Injured When A Gunman Opened Fire In Central Paris
- Health Chief Confirms That Chinese City Are Reporting Half A Million Cases A Day
- Six People Dead, And Two Others were Injured In Spain After A Bus Crashed Into A River
- Three People Dead After Drone Attack On Russian Bomber Base
- Taiwan Extends Their Mandatory Military Service Period
- The Senate has approved Nigeria’s Budget For 2023
Russia Demands Recognition Of Annexed Region Before Negotiations
Photo Source: AP Photo/LIBKOS
Friday, December 2, 2022 – Russia says peace talks will be complicated due to the West's refusal to recognize new territories seized from Ukraine after the president of the United States indicated that he would be ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Kremlin made it clear that it was open to negotiations but will not be on the demand of the West to pull out of Ukraine.
President Biden told reporters that he was ready to meet with the Russian leader if he was interested in putting an end to the war. Beside him in the White House was the President of France, Emmanuel Macron; both of whom had agreed not to urge the Ukrainians to make a compromise that would not be acceptable to them.
Source: BBC
Spokesperson Confirms That President Ramaphosa Will Not Resign
Photo Source: AP Photo/Jerome Delay
Saturday, December 3, 2022 – A South African president's office spokesperson confirmed that the President, Cyril Ramaphosa, will not resign and will seek a second term as the leader of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) with backing from his allies.
The Position of Ramaphosa as the head of state came into question after an independent parliament panel said in a report that the President might have violated the oath of office regarding the millions of dollars in cash discovered at his private game farm.
Vincent Magwenya told the journalist via text message, "President Ramaphosa is not resigning based on a flawed report, neither is he stepping aside.”
Ramaphosa has denied any of the allegations and has not been charged with any crime. The spokesperson also said the President would challenge the report and its finding.
Source: Reuters
A Judge In Mexico Was Killed In the State Of Zacatecas
Photo Source: iStock
Sunday, December 4, 2022 – State government sources confirmed that a judge in Mexico died after he was shot in Zacatecas, a state in Northern Mexico. Arturo Nahle, official personnel, posted on social media that Judge Roberto Elias, presiding magistrate of Zacatecas justice department, died on Sunday. Nahle also called for peace in Zacatecas.
The state of Zacatecas has recently become the most violent region in Mexico amid disputes between organized crime gangs for control of the state.
During an operation against organized crime, the head of the National Guard in the state, who was also one of the highest-ranking commanders of Mexico’s militarized police force, was killed last month.
The state security secretariat told Reuters that police responded to reports of gunfire, and judge Elias was found injured in his vehicle. He was later brought to the hospital in serious condition.
Source: Reuters
Two Russian Airbases Far From Ukraine Frontline Rocked By Explosions
Photo Source: AP Photo/Johnson Lai
Monday, December 5, 2022 - Two Russian airbases, far from the frontlines, had been rocked by explosions as it appeared that Kyiv had launched a pre-emptive strike on bombers that Kremlin had used to cripple the electrical grid in Ukraine.
The Ministry of Defence in Russia confirmed the attack on Monday, claiming that two of its airplanes were damaged when it intercepted two Ukrainian drones.
Another explosion took place at the Dyagilevo military airbase near Ryaza, a city that is less than 150 miles from Moscow. A fuel truck exploded, resulting in three deaths, and five others were wounded.
The Kremlin confirmed that it had already briefed President Vladimir Putin of the incidents. The president was reopening the Crimean Bridge on Monday, where an explosion that happened in October raised doubts that Russia could protect the peninsula it occupied from Ukraine in 2014.
Source: The Guardian
Indonesia Lawmakers Passed Criminal Code Banning Sex Outside Marriage
Photo Source: AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim
Tuesday, December 6, 2022 - The Indonesian Parliament has banned anyone in the country from having extramarital sex and restricts political freedoms. With the law to take effect in three years, sex outside marriage under the new law will attract a penalty of 1 year in jail.
The legislation was protested by several groups, which mainly consist of young people outside parliament in Jakarta this week. The new law is expected to be challenged in court. The law does not only apply to citizens of Indonesia, it also applies to foreigners living in the country or visiting destinations such as Bali.
Aside from banning sex before marriage, they also banned people from living together, and offenders could be jailed for up to six months. People can as well be jailed for adultery.
Many businesses had also opposed the new law, saying it discouraged visitors and investment.
Source: BBC
Former President Of Argentina, Fernandez De Kirchner, Sentenced To Six Years In Prison For Corruption
Photo Source: AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko
Wednesday, December 7, 2022 - The Vice President of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, has been sentenced to six years in prison by a court and has also been disqualified from holding public office again after being found guilty of corruption during her time as the President.
Her current role gives her temporary immunity, so she will not be jailed immediately and can appeal.
Fernandez de Kirchner was found guilty of fraudulent administration for the distribution of public funds to a construction company for road works in the province of Santa Cruz when she served as president from 2007 to 2011 and from 2011 to 2015.
80% of the national public road works in Santa Cruz were awarded in favor of Baez companies between 2003 and 2015. Baez was handed a sentence of Six years in prison, and the former secrets of public works, Jose Lopez and former Director of national roads, Nestor Perotti.
Source: CNN
Prisoner Swap: Brittney Griner For “The Merchant Of Death”
Photo Source: AP Photo/Eric Gay
Thursday, December 8, 2022 – WNBA player Brittney Griner was released as part of a prisoner swap involving Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Griner’s February detention in Russia caused diplomatic turmoil between the US and the Kremlin that played out alongside Russia’s war in Ukraine. Along with severe sanctions in reaction to the Ukraine war, US officials also maintained contact with Moscow over prisoner discussions.
She had been held since February when she was caught on drug smuggling accusations at an airport in the Moscow region. She had played in the off-season for a Russian women's basketball club. She was sentenced to nine years in prison in early August and was transferred to a Mordovia republic penal colony in mid-November after losing her appeal.
Bout, dubbed the "Merchant of Death," is a former Soviet military commander receiving a 25-year jail sentence in the United States for planning to kill Americans, acquiring and exporting anti-aircraft missiles, and providing material support to a terrorist group. A sentence that Moscow called "baseless and biased."
Source: CNN
Russia In A Tit-For-Tat Mover Bans 200 Prominent Canadians From Entering Russia
Photo Source: AP Images/Jordan Strauss/Invision
Friday, December 9, 2022 - Russia’s foreign ministry in Moscow is banning 200 prominent Canadians from entering the country in direct response to personal sanctions by Ottawa. The ministry said, “in response to personal sanctions imposed by Ottawa, 200 Canadian citizens are denied entry on a reciprocal basis.”
33 current and former officials of Russia and six entities involved in alleged “systematic human rights violations” against citizens who protested against the invasion of Ukraine were earlier sanctioned by Canada.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Canada has imposed sanctions on more than 1,500 individuals and entities from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.
Russian ministry earlier on Friday confirmed it had summoned Canada’s ambassador to Moscow. In a statement, it said Alison LeClaire had been told Ottawa was “fomenting an atmosphere of Russophobia.”
Source: Reuters
Morocco Becomes The First Ever African Country To Reach The Semifinal Of A World Cup
Photo Source: AP Images/ Mosa'ab Elshamy
Saturday, December 10, 2022 – Morocco made history by becoming the first African team to reach the semifinal of a World Cup after defeating Portugal 1-0 to continue its impressive performance in Qatar.
The match's only goal was scored by Youssef En-Nesyri just before halftime, while Morocco kept another clean sheet. The Manager, Walid Regragui, said only the Moroccans supported them, but now it is the Africans and Arabs.
Portugal’s defeat marked the end of what is likely to be the last World Cup of Cristiano Ronaldo, as he could not penetrate the defense of Morocco. The Atlas lion launched Regragui into the air ten their now trademark victory celebration.
The two teams last met at the 2018 World Cup, where Cristiano Ronaldo scored the match's only goal.
Source: CNN
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Faces New Demand From His Fractious Party
Photo Source: AP Images/Alastair Grant
Sunday, December 11, 2022 - Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s attempt to unite a fractured Conservative petty received a major challenge when politicians of the Conservative Party on Sunday launched two campaigns to address concerns about the direction of the party and government. The Conservative Party has already ousted two Prime Ministers, Boris Johnson, and Liz Truss.
On Sunday, a group of 40 Conservative lawmakers wrote to the minister for finance Jeremy Hunt that “in the recent budget, the government decided to tax the British public at levels not seen since the end of the Second World War.”
The group, which goes by the name Conservative Way Forward, confirmed that it would publish a report on Monday to outline 7 billion pounds ($8.58 billion) of waste that could be shed, which allows the government to cut taxes or spend more on frontline services.
Source: Reuters
Iran Executes Majidreza Rahnavard In What Is Seen As The Second Execution Over Protest
Photo Source: AP Images/Amr Nabil
Monday, December 12, 2022 - Iran confirmed that it had publicly executed a 23-year-old in what is the second execution linked to the recent anti-government protests. A court charged Majidreza Rahnavard with “enmity against God” after they discovered that he had stabbed two members of the paramilitary Basij Resistance Force to death; he was hanged in the early hours of Monday.
The government did not inform his mother about the execution until after his execution. They gave his family the name of a cemetery and a plot number. His body was been buried by a security agent when they turned up.
Though it is not clear how many people witnessed the execution or who they were, it was reported that Rahnavard was hanged “in the presence of a group of Mashhadi citizens” and posted several pre-dawn photographs reportedly showing the execution.
Source: BBC
A Top Court In Barbados Strikes Down Laws That Criminalize Gay Sex
Photo Source: AP Images/Kofi Jones
Tuesday, December 13, 2022 - The colonial-era laws that criminalize gay sex have been struck down by a top court in Barbados, becoming the third nation in the conservative Caribbean region to do so this year.
The ruling by the Barbados high court is an important moment for activists and non-profit organizations who have long fought against such laws on the eastern Caribbean Island.
Tea Braun, a chief executive of the London-based Human Dignity Trust, said the striking down of the law reverses the fact that LGBTQ+ people are seen as criminals and lesser citizens. She told society that “this is a consensual contact and what people choose to do with their private relationship is not the business of the law.”
Only an oral ruling was issued by Barbados high court, saying it found such laws unconstitutional and will not release a written judgment detailing its reasons until late January.
Source: The Guardian
Bodies Of 27 Migrants Found In A Desert In Chad
Photo Source: iStock
Wednesday, December 14, 2022 - United Nations migration agency confirmed that the bodies of 27 migrants believed to have died of thirst had been found in the Chadian desert.
International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the migrants reportedly left Moussoro, a crossroads town in central Chad, 17 months ago on a pick-up truck. It also said that “it is believed the truck got lost in the deep desert, broke down due to mechanical issues, and the migrants subsequently died of thirst.” Out of the 27 people, four of them were believed to be children.
Deaths and disappearances of over 5,600 people have been documented by IOM, transiting through the Sahara since 2014, with 148 deaths recorded so far in 2022.
The Agency said 110 migrants deaths had been reported in Chad since 2014, but since many deaths go unrecorded, the deaths a believed to be higher.
Source: Reuters
Russia’s Missile Strike Leaves Ukraine’s Second City, Kharkiv, Without Power
Friday, December 16, 2022 - The most recent wave of Russian strikes targeted at energy stations across Ukraine caused a blackout for hours in the second city of Kharkiv. Local officials confirmed that mine power facilities were hit due to the 76 missiles fired by Russia and the drone attacks on Friday.
Head of Kharkiv regional administration, Oleg Synegubov, later in the evening confirmed that electricity supplies had been restored to 55% of city residents and 85% of the residents in the northeastern region.
Yuriy Sak, the Defense Ministry adviser, said that even though the situation is still difficult, emergency services were working hard to restore the electricity supply. He said repairing the damages is getting more difficult due to frequent attacks from Russia.
Commander-in-Chief General Valeriy Zaluzhny said air defenses intercepted 60 of the 76 missiles fired by Russia. Most of the missiles were said to be cruise missiles.
Source: BBC
Schools In Shanghai To Continue Classes Online Amid Rise In Covid Infection
Saturday, December 17, 2022 – The education bureau has told schools in Shanghai to start online classes from Monday due to the increase in Covid infections across China. According to a statement online, kindergartens and childcare centers in the city were also instructed by the bureau to shut all in-person classes.
There has been an increase in the number of cases n China since the abandonment of some of the toughest restrictions in the world last week. Fear that Covid could spread rapidly in the country’s population of 1.4 billion during the lunar new year holiday next month has risen.
The national health commission confirmed that 2,286 new symptomatic infections were reported in Mainland China on Friday, which is an increase compared t the 2,157 cases reported earlier on Thursday.
Source: The Guardian
Argentina Defeat France To Win World Cup For The Third Time In Their History
Photo Source: AP Images
Sunday, December 18, 2022 – Argentina defeated France in a thrilling World Cup final match on Sunday to win their third World Cup. They defeated France 4-2 on penalties after the match ended in a 3-3 draw. The match saw Kylian Mbappe score a hat-trick and Lionel Messi score a brace.
Argentina was in total control of the match after Messi’s penalty, and a beautiful goal from Angel Di Maria put them 2 goals ahead of France in the first half, but an 80th-minute penalty converted by Mbappe and a volley one minute later saw France level with Argentina and the match headed to extra time.
Argentina had won six of their seven penalty shootouts in World Cups, which includes the quarter-final against the Netherlands a week ago when they lost a 2-0 lead. Also, France has lost three of five penalty shootouts at the world cup, with two defeats coming in the finals.
Source: Reuters
33 Crew Missing After Royal Thai Navy Warship Sinks Due To Severe Weather
Monday, December 19, 2022 – The Thai Navy confirmed that 33 of 106 sailors are missing after a Royal Thai Navy warship capsized and sank during a storm in the Gulf of Thailand. 3 sailors were rescued but in critical condition as operations to search for the missing crew get underway.
The ship's electrical system failed due to seawater that entered into the exhaust pipe after the ship, a 252-foot (76.8-meter) long corvette HTMS Sukhothai was titled by the strong wind. Following the failure of the electrical system, the crew could no longer maneuver or pump out seawater that had to enter its hull.
The Sukhothai, which weighs 960-ton was built in the United States and commissioned into the Thai navy in 1987. Carl Schuster, a retired Captain of the United States Navy, describes that the crew faced difficulties on such an old ship.
Source: CNN
Bank Of England Reveals First Pictures Of King Charles Banknotes
Tuesday, December 20, 2022 – The Bank of England has unveiled the new look of the banknotes that will feature the image of King Charles III. For £5, £10, £20, and £50 notes, the image will be their only change, and it will not enter circulation until mid-2024.
It was confirmed that about 4.5 billion separate Bank of England notes worth about £80bn are in circulation.
According to the Bank of England, it said to act with guidance from the Royal Household; new notes will only be printed to replace worn-out notes or to meet increased demand to cut down the environmental and financial impact of the change.
Fifty pence coins that bear the image of King Charles III are already being circulated. But coins that carry the image of the late Queen will still be accepted in shops.
Source: BBC
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky Addresses The Us Congress Upon Vist
Wednesday, December 21, 2022 - The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, after arriving in the United States on his first foreign visit since the invasion of Ukraine, told the congress that aid to Ukraine is not a charity but an investment in democracy. He thus seeks more support from the United States for Ukraine’s war effort.
Before the arrival of the Ukrainian President, Antony Blinken, the Secretary of State announced that Ukraine would receive another $1.85 billion military aid from the United States, including a Patriot air defense system to help defend itself against Russian missiles.
About $50 billion in assistance have been sent to Ukraine by the United States dues to the biggest land conflict Europe has ever seen since World War II. But concern about the price tag has been shown by Republicans who will take control of the House of Representatives on Jan 3.
Source: Reuters
Three People Were Killed And Others Injured When A Gunman Opened Fire In Central Paris
Friday, December 23, 2022 – Three people have been killed, and others wounded as a gunman opened fire in central Paris. A Kurdish Cultural Centre seems to have been the primary target of the attacker, where he shot members of the local community.
In a short statement by the Kurdish Democratic Council (CDF-K), which was in charge of the center, they condemned the attack and said tribute would be paid to those killed during a vigil on Friday evening.
Anne Hidalgo, Paris Mayor, said she believed that a far-right activist committed the Murder. She added that “Kurds wherever they reside, must be able to live in peace and security. More than ever, Paris is by their side in these dark times.”
Prosecutors have launched a murder investigation.
Source: BBC
Health Chief Confirms That Chinese City Are Reporting Half A Million Cases A Day
Photo Source: AP Images
Saturday, December 24, 2022 – In China, a senior health official confirmed that a single Chinese city is reporting half a million cases of Covid-19. It was reported that the health chief said that the eastern city, Qingdao, was seeing between 490,000 and 530,000 new Covid cases per day.
Just 4,103 new cases were reported by China’s National Health Commission in the country on Friday, with no death recorded. Only 31 cases were reported in Shandong, where Qingdao is located.
China this month has put a stop to its zero-Covid strategy. Pharmacy shelves are being emptied across China as cities struggle to cope with the increasing infection rate.
On Friday, in the eastern Jiangxi province, the government said by March, 80% of its population, which amount to 36 million people, would be infected.
Source: The Guardian
Six People Dead, And Two Others Were Injured In Spain After A Bus Crashed Into A River
Photo Source: Getty Images
Sunday, December 25, 2022 – Emergency service confirmed that six people died and two more were injured after a passenger bus crashed into the river in north-western Spain.
The 63-year-old driver and a female passenger, the two survivors of the accident, were pulled out of the river by firefighters with rope. They were rushed to the hospital after sustaining a different injury. Police spokesman said the driver’s test result for alcohol and drugs came back negative.
It remains unclear what caused the bus to skid off a straight road on the bridge into the water in a fall of at least 131 feet at around 9:30 p.m. local time. Emergency services received the first call from a passer-by before receiving a second call from someone inside the bus.
Source: Reuters
Three People Dead After Drone Attack On Russian Bomber Base
Photo Source: AP Images
Monday, December 26, 2022 – Moscow confirms that 3 people were killed after a drone attack by Ukraine for bombers in southern Russia. The defense ministry said they shot down the drones using air defenses, but the falling debris fatally wounded three technical staff.
However, Ukraine's military did not officially admit to the latest attack.
After the attack, Russia’s FSB security service announced that it had killed a four-strong “sabotage group” trying to infiltrate the Russian region of Bryansk from Ukraine. FSB said the sabotage group was coming in with improvised explosive devices and German-made submachine guns.
The spokesperson for Ukrainian Air Force said imagery of the airfield captured by the satellite would soon reveal the full damage from the attack on Monday. He also said that an earlier blast had damaged aircraft at the base.
Source: BBC
Taiwan Extends Their Mandatory Military Service Period
Photo Source: AP Images
Tuesday, December 27, 2022 – The president of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, said at a Tuesday news conference that mandatory military service for all eligible men had been extended from four months to one year. The extension comes amidst the rise in threats from China.
She added, "they need to prepare for war to prevent war actively, and they need to be able to fight a war to stop a war.” She also said the implementation of the new conscription will start by 2024 and will apply to men that were given birth after 2005
According to the new system, the Taiwan Defense Ministry said that all conscripts must undergo eight weeks of basic military training and 44 weeks of ground training. They will also increase their monthly salary from $195 to $650.
Source: CNN
The Senate has approved Nigeria’s Budget For 2023
Wednesday, December 28, 2022 - The 2023 budget of Nigeria was increased by the Senate by 6.4% to 21.83 trillion Naira ($49 billion) on Wednesday. The president's request to convert central bank overdrafts to his administration to long-term bonds was also delayed by the senate.
The economist believes Nigeria is spending more money on debt repayment than they do on education and health. But President Buhari said his government has no choice but to borrow its way out of two recessions in the past seven years.
In October, the house was presented with the 2023 budget by President Buhari, which was 20.51 trillion Naira. However, Lawmakers passed an increased budget on Wednesday after easing the oil price assumption to $75 a barrel from $70.
Source: Reuters
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