RationalWiki:What is going on in the world?/December 2018

December 2018
US citizen arrested in Moscow on suspicion of spying. How legal marijuana failed on its promises of racial equality The Vatican spokesman and his deputy resign over strategy disagreements. Arab Regimes are using White Nationalist lies to attack Muslim-American politicians Elizabeth Warren announces her intention to run for President in 2020 To the surprise of no one, Trump continues to act like a fucking child and not the mature adult one would expect the POTUS to act like by denying responsibility for the deaths of migrant children at the border, conveniently blaming the Democrats instead. There has been criticism of a ferry company that has received a public contract to produce ferry services between Ramsgate and Oostende in case of a no-deal Brexit. The company has never run services in the past, doesn’t own any ferries and the port is currently unsuitable to provide shipping services. Fingers are being pointed at the closeness between the ferry company and a large donor to the Conservative Party. Videos from a shelter for migrant children that has since been shut down show staffers dragging and pushing children. Slime mold solves traveling salesman problem in linear time. Retrial ordered for Canadian sentenced in China for drug smuggling. Bangladesh shuts down mobile internet in lead up to election day. Leader of ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect and three followers accused of child kidnapping. Saudi Arabia has been using Sudanese child soldiers in Yemen. Physicians and food scientists call for a ban on nitrites, used as a colouring and preservative in processed meat, due to mounting evidence that they cause cancer and other health problems. Trump threatens to close the border with Mexico unless the border wall is given funding. Russia to deploy a hypersonic missile system in 2019. Richard Overton, Oldest American veteran dies at the age of 112. Personal data of almost 1,000 North Korean defectors leaked. Michael Cohen filings renew discussion of Trump's impeachment MSNBC beats Fox News in key ratings for the first time in 17 years. Belgium's Flemish Christian-Democrats say they would like to expand the laws governing medicinal cannabis to include plant cannabis. Currently only Sativex cannabis spray is allowed in the country, in limited circumstances for people with epilepsy and multiple-scoliosis. Protests in the city of Kasserine have turned violent in the background of the funeral of Abdel Razaq Zorgi, who had set himself on fire over harsh living conditions in the country. It was the self-immolation of a street vendor in Tunisia eight years ago in protest at police harassment that sparked Tunisia's revolution and the Arab Spring uprisings across the rest of the region the next year.

Thailand becomes the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize medical marijuana. Medical checks ordered for all kids held in US custody after death of second immigrant child this month. Iraq officially makes Christmas a national holiday. Militants storm government building in Afghan capital, taking civilians hostage. Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved the Knesset, leading Israel to have general elections in early April. A man has been arrested and taken in to Tromsø police station after he tried to rob the bank in the remote community of Longyearbyen, the northernmost settlement in the world. Update: Police have announced that gentleman is a 29-year-old Russian tourist. Hundreds dead, more injured after tsunami hits Indonesia Simcha Rotem, one of the last surviving fighters of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, has died. Germany's last black hard coal mine Prosper-Haniel closes, ending over 150 years of black coal mining in the country. However, the country is expending lignite (brown coal) mining, which is ironically dirtier than black coal. Russia has banned outdoor exchange rate advertising boards which are common throughout the Eurasian region, except legitimate retail banks. It is speculated the reason is to prevent the bad publicity of the falling rate of the Russian ruble. Cuban lawmakers have approved a new constitution that will head to referendum in February. Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, has resigned in protest of President Trump's withdrawal order. Paddy Ashdown, Lord Ashdown, former leader of the Liberal Democrats and former High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, has died of bladder cancer aged 77. Government shutdown begins as talks falter over Trump's border wall. A Gandhi statue has been removed from the campus of the University of Ghana due to derogatory comments he made about black Africans. Ohio has passed a law banning the method used for most second term abortions, though a bill to ban abortion after a heartbeat is detected was vetoed. The Supreme Court rejected a request from the Trump administration to restart an asylum ban that would have prevented migrants who enter the country illegally from applying for asylum. It was revealed by Greenpeace's Unearthed team that lobbyists from American agribusinesses and -linked think-tank (IEA) paid for former Brexit secretary David Davis and influential  backbencher Owen Paterson to visit Washington and Oklahoma, a major beef producing state. The USDA has announced that all GMO products must be labeled by 2022. Pope urges predator priests to turn themselves in. Porn sites will require proof of age in the UK starting April 2019. Defense secretary James Mattis has resigned as Pentagon chief after Trump disagreements President Trump "to pull thousands of troops" from Afghanistan. Alabama police department blames crimes on rejection of God. Japan to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission in a bid to resume commercial whaling. The Folketing has approved funding to turn the small island of Lindholm into a holding centre for failed asylum seekers and immigrants that Denmark cannot extradite. Controversially, Lindholm was previously used by scientists as a laboratory to test toxic pathogens such as swine flu and foot-and-mouth. After repeated near collisions with aircraft at Gatwick airport, police and Army units are now hunting down careless or malicious drone users in the area, with all flights suspended for the duration. Update 2 arrests have been made The US and UK have accused China of state-sponsored hacking of aerospace and pharmaceutical corporations to steal hundreds of gigabytes of information to keep up with foreign powers. The Illinois attorney general says the Catholic Church dramatically underreported the number of priests in the state with sexual misconduct allegations. Libel suit against BuzzFeed thrown out. US plans full withdrawal of troops from Syria. Huge bipartisan criminal justice bill passes Congress, reducing sentences for drug offenders. Swedish women-only music festival found guilty of discrimination for banning men, although this referred to its promotional material rather than its admission policies (apparently they didn't check genders at the entrances.) In a rare U-turn, the constitutional commission for Cuba’s new constitution has removed an article which will allow constitutional provision for same-sex marriage due to pressure from the country's growing evangelical churches. However, the government will put forward legislation for same-sex marriage in the future. 83 judicial ethics complaints against Brett Kavanaugh have been dismissed because he's on the Supreme Court. [https://www.rtbf.be/info/belgique/detail_le-parlement-deposera-t-il-une-motion-de-mefiance-contre-le-gouvernement-michel-ii-reponse-ce-mardi?id=10101030 Following the vote of no confidence of the government tabled by the socialists and greens, Charles Michel has stood down as prime minister. King Philippe I is now looking for a new prime minister to replace him.] A Bankrupcy Court approves a $25 million bonus for the executives of bankrupt department retailer Sears, while thousands of laid off workers will not get severance The Trump administration has instituted a nationwide ban on bump stocks. Trump charity agrees to dissolve amid allegations of a "shocking pattern of illegality." 3500 troops to be put on standby in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Turkey announces that cigarettes will be sold in plain packaging from 2019, and later plans to raise the minimum age for buying tobacco to 21, which would be the highest in the world. A deer poacher has been ordered to watch Bambi at least once a month for each month of his year-long prison sentence. Israel’s prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu's son Yair was banned on Facebook for 24 hours for posting Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian messages. CRISPR used (in vitro) to remove evolved chemotherapy resistance from cancer A large scale study has found genetic networks can be linked to a number of mental illnesses. The Channel Island of Guernsey has quietly changed its local referendum laws, leading to speculation that an independence referendum in on the cards in the future. Malaysia is filing charges against the American investment bank Goldman Sachs after allegations of impropriety of the 1MDB scandal. A Brazilian faith healer accused of sexually abusing more than 300 women has handed himself in to police. New report on Russian disinformation around the 2016 election shows the operation's scale and sweep. The Sri Lankan PM who was sacked by the president has been reinstated, ending a 51-day constitutional crisis. Theresa May's most senior allies accused of "betrayal" over "secret second referendum plot". A 90 year old US Army veteran has been stranded in Manchester with his wife, as a Chechen DAESH fighter once used his name as an alias. Facebook bug exposed up to 6.8 million users' unposted photos to app developers. Ukraine announces the creation of an independent Orthodox church. Congress has voted to legalize hemp nationwide. Nations at UN climate talks back universal emissions rules. A Texan federal judge has ruled Obamacare unconstitutional. As a result, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act could end up at the Supreme Court for a third time. Australia recognizes West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, causing some criticism from Netanyahu for them not recognising the whole of Jerusalem. Roy Moore, the disgraced U.S. Senate candidate from Alabama, was duped into appearing on the Showtime satire series Now he's suing actor Sacha Baron Cohen, saying he was "defrauded." Mick Mulvaney is to become the Acting White House Chief of Staff. DeVos cancels $150 million in student loan debt after losing court battle. A Jewish cemetery in Strasbourg has had thirty-seven gravestones defaced with Nazi phrases and symbols. [https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/abortion-campaigners-hail-historic-day-but-eye-changes-1.3730715 The Seanad has passed the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018. It is now in the hands of the President,] which means that Ireland will soon legalize abortion for up to 12 weeks, enabling the 36th amendment. Despite Trump's attempts by trying to get rid of federal tax credits for vehicles, according to Politico he can't kill off the electric car. The Syrian Democratic Forces have captured the last town held by ISIS. Mark Green, recently elected U.S. Representative from Tennessee, states "there is some concern that the rise in autism is the result of the preservatives that are in our vaccines." Adverts that promote gender stereotypes (including men being useless at housework) will be banned in the UK from next year. New class of eukaryote discovered by Nova Scotia researchers. Protests in Hungary as a result of a law being passed allowing employers to demand 400 hours of overtime a year and go up to three years without paying it. Alleged Russian agent Maria Butina pleads guilty to engaging in conspiracy against the US. Sri Lanka’s supreme court has ruled that the president's order to dissolve parliament and hold snap elections was unconstitutional. The warring sides in the Yemeni Civil War have agreed to a ceasefire for the crucial port city of Hodeidah. The FCC affirms that wireless carriers can block unwanted text messages. Newt "Moon Base" Gingrich is apparently under consideration as a potential candidate for Trump's next chief of staff. UPDATE: Gingrich dismissed speculation that he's in the running for the position. The chief financial officer of Huawei, a Chinese tech giant, was arrested while transferring flights in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, at the request of U.S. authorities. She was released on bail but could be extradited to the U.S. on charges of Iran sanctions dodging and fraud. In response, China demanded her immediate release and has detained a former Canadian diplomat. Update: another Canadian in China has disappeared. The third most powerful Vatican official has been convicted on charges of sexually abusing two choir boys. Michael Cohen has been sentenced to three years in prison. According to statistics released by the Catholic Church in Belgium, only 17% of marriages are celebrated in church today compared to 77% forty years ago in the 1970's. Theresa May now faces a vote of no confidence. A vote of confidence scheduled for 12 December, 2018 from 06:00PM(18:00) to 08:00PM (20:00) GMT. May has stated that she "will contest that vote with everything I have got." So far 28 MPs have publicly acknowledged that they have sent in a 'no confidence letter'. If May wins the vote of confidence on 12 December, she is safe from a leadership challenge for 1 year. Update: She won with 200 votes to 117. Two former executives of an Argentine Ford Motor plant have been convicted of human rights crimes during the Dirty War. Trump threatens partial government shutdown if funding isn't provided for a border wall. Strasbourg shooting: At least three dead, several seriously injured in attack at Christmas market. UPDATE: The attacker, a radical Islamist named Cherif Chekatt, has been shot dead in a gunfight with police forces The Yemeni government and the Houthis have agreed to swap 16,000 prisoners. The Arctic is experiencing its "most unprecedented transition in history." Scientist's accidental discovery could make coral grow 40x faster The Trump administration promoted coal at a climate change conference. New Zealand passes laws to make medical marijuana widely available. The Supreme Court declined to hear a case concerning Planned Parenthood, effectively allowing people to continue to use its non-abortion services with Medicaid funds. Notably, three conservative judges, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, dissented, but the other two, John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh, did not. After repeatedly saying she wouldn't delay the Brexit deal vote, Theresa May has delayed the vote. According to a British academic, the rise of the far-right Vox party in the recent Andalusian regional elections in Spain, is due to a backlash against the Catalan nationalists. [https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/dec/09/interserve-in-rescue-talks-as-labour-calls-for-ban-on-new-contracts Concern is put on the public sector outsourcing company, Interserve on the worry that it might collapse like the noted company Carillion which happen earlier this year. ]  The EU’s court the European Court of Justice, based in Luxembourg City has said that the UK can revoke Article 50 without any permission from the other member states. Federal investigators are looking into millions of fraudulent letters on net neutrality sent to the FCC during the public commenting period. The Malaysian government has decided against ratifying a key UN anti-discrimination treaty. Prosecutors connect Trump to illegal payments during the campaign. The head of the FBI in Oregon says that the Proud Boys were never designated as an extremist group. He Jiankui's claims of gene edited babies are sparking outrage, as He has at best protected only one of the twins and at worst caused irrevocable damage with CRISPR. Dow Jones plummets 800 points as bond markets signal looming recession. James Alex Fields Jr. has been convicted of first-degree murder. Angela Merkel steps down as leader of the CDU. UPDATE: Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer has been chosen as her successor. A proposal to loosen restrictions on coal power plants has been unveiled. Counterterrorism police have arrested three suspected members of the Neo-Nazi group Sonnenkrieg Division, following calls to assassinate the Duke of Sussex and murder police officers on Discord. Sonnenkrieg is affiliated with the American organisation Atomwaffen Division, and includes ex-members of National Action and System Resistance Network. In a bid to encourage people out of their cars, the government of Luxembourg has agreed to remove the charges and make all public transport completely free throughout the Grand Duchy from 2020 at a cost of €30 million. The Republican-controlled Wisconsin legislature has passed a bill to weaken the incoming Democratic governor's powers. Four have been criminally charged in the US government's investigation of the Panama Papers. Theresa May's government has been found in contempt of Parliament for refusing to publish legal advice received on Brexit. The emails of top National Republican Congressional Committee officials were stolen in a major hack. Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage has quit the party in opposition to current leader Gerard Batten's decision to appoint Tommy Robinson as an advisor. In response to violent protests in many major cities across France, fuel tax hikes have been suspended for six months. The COP24 environmental conference in Katowice has been criticized for being literally a coal festival, with coal sponsorship, coal displays and coal miners brass band greeting the delegates. Italy's antivax health minister Giulia Grillo has sacked all of the members of the country's higher health board. Qatar to withdraw from OPEC in January 2019. Social media platform Tumblr announces that is banning all adult content from the site from December 17th. The Soros-founded Central European University has been forced out of Hungary. Police have shut down a gig in Saxony after the audience began shouting "Sieg Heil". Israeli police recommends the attorney general to indict prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara for alleged bribery with a telecoms tycoon. Trump and Xi have reached a truce on the trade war. Denmark to banish foreign convicted criminals to deserted island. The charities' ombudsman, the Charity Commission, has slapped the right-wing think tank the over publishing a pro-Brexit report as ‘overstepped the line of what is permissible charitable activity’. While another related think think the  has removed a section mentioning "cash-for-access" of power lunches with ministers. Florida Gov. Rick Scott has suspended the Broward County elections supervisor. Theresa May announces that the UK is to pull out of the European Galileo satellite navigation system, and plans for the UK to set up its own satellite system. This causes the UK to lose over a billion pounds worth of investment. This has, in turn, led to the resignation of science and universities minister Sam Gyimah.