Portal:Current events/2012 December 6

December 6, 2012 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2012 Egyptian protests:
- At least 7 people are killed and more than 770 are injured during clashes between supporters and opponents of the President of Egypt Mohamed Morsi in front of the Presidential Palace in Cairo. The Egyptian Army deploys several tanks and armoured troop carriers to secure the building. (Al Jazeera) (BBC)
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021):
- The chief of Afghanistan's intelligence service, Asadullah Khalid, is injured in an assassination attempt in the country's capital, Kabul. (Al Jazeera)
2011–2012 conflict in Lebanon:
- At least 5 people are shot dead on the third day of clashes between Alawites and Sunnis in Tripoli, Lebanon. The casualty toll of the three days is at least 10 killed and 73 injured. (Reuters)

Arts and culture

Business and economy

Google announces Google+ now has more than 500 million user accounts, 235 million of which actively use Google+ features. (VentureBeat)
Virgin Trains is awarded a 23-month franchise to run the UK's West Coast Main Line until 9 November 2014. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

Three people are dead and 250 others forced to evacuate after wild weather including a tornado hits the city of Auckland in New Zealand. (Daily Telegraph) (AP via The Washington Post) (BBC)
The death toll from Typhoon Bopha rises to at least 418, with 383 still missing in southern Philippines. At least 179,000 others have been left homeless after the passage of the storm. (Reuters) (Al Jazeera) (BBC) (NDRRMC)

International relations

South Korea and the People's Republic of China hold discussions about measures in response to North Korea's plans to launch a Unha rocket later this month. (Yonhap)

Law and crime

Possession of marijuana for personal use of people aged over 21 becomes legal according to state law in the US state of Washington. (AP)
John Burbine, a level one sex offender from Wakefield, Massachusetts (USA) is charged with Sexual assault of 13 infants and young children under his care. (Boston Globe/AP)

Politics and elections

Republican Jim DeMint announces that he will resign from the Senate of the United States in January to lead the Heritage Foundation. (Washington Post)
In the Netherlands State Secretary for Economic Affairs Co Verdaas resigns following an expense-affair after only thirty-one days in office. (DutchNews)
The U.S. Senate votes to repeal the Jackson–Vanik amendment, a long-standing trade restriction with Russia. In its place, the Magnitsky bill is adopted instead. The law requires the United States to place financial and visa restrictions on a list of officials associated with the torture and death of Sergei Magnitsky three years ago. (BBC) (RT) (RIA Novosti)

Science and technology

NASA's twin GRAIL probes have revealed the surface of the Moon in unprecedented detail, showing unexpectedly-deep cracks, craters and tectonic structures. (Los Angeles Times) (BBC)
The extinct reptile Nyasasaurus is described as the possible oldest known dinosaur from 243-million-year old fossils discovered in Tanzania. (BBC) (Huffington Post) (Nature)

Sport

Four athletes who won medals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens are disqualified for doping. Ukraine's Yuriy Bilonoh will lose his gold medal in the shot put, while Belarus hammer thrower Ivan Tsikhan must return his silver. Two Athens bronze medalists, Russian shot putter Svetlana Krivelyova and discus thrower Irina Yatchenko of Belarus, are also affected by the IOC decision. No decision was taken on reallocating the medals yet. (IOC) (BBC) (RT) (Fox News)
The 2012 FIFA Club World Cup begins today in Japan with a qualifying game between Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Auckland City FC. (FIFA)
American professional basketball player Kobe Bryant becomes the fifth player in NBA history to reach 30,000 points. (ESPN)
UEFA announces Olympiastadion in Berlin will host the 2015 UEFA Champions League Final while Milan's San Siro will host the 2016 final. (ESPN)
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo is named the greatest Ibero-American athlete of last year. He receives the Ibero-American Community Trophy from Queen Sofía of Spain at the 2011 National Awards ceremony held at the Royal Palace of El Pardo near Madrid, Spain. (Daily Mail) (Real Madrid)
UEFA announces Euro 2020 final tournament will be staged across the continent in various major cities throughout Europe. (UEFA)