Portal:Current events/2012 December 23

Current events of December 23, 2012 (2012-12-23) (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian civil war: Up to 200 civilians are killed by Syrian government warplanes in the town of Helfaya, Hama province. (Reuters) (BBC) (Al Arabiya) Piracy in Somalia: Troops in Somalia's region of Puntland free 22 hostages seized by pirates nearly three years ago. (BBC) 2012 Northern Mali conflict: Islamists in Mali are reported to have resumed a campaign to destroy mausoleums that they consider idolatrous in the historic city of Timbuktu. (BBC) 2012 Central African Republic rebellion: The Seleka rebel coalition takes over Bambari, the country's third largest town, after a string of similar successes in recent weeks. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents The governments of Chile and Argentina issue volcanic activity alerts in areas close to the Copahue volcano after it started spewing ash. (BBC) (AFP via Google) (Al Jazeera) A plane en route from Winnipeg to Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, crashes with nine people aboard, killing a six-month-old child. (CBC News) (The Globe and Mail) Emergency services are dealing with major flooding in the Aberdeenshire town of Stonehaven in Scotland. (BBC) A train derails in the Swiss Alps after ramming into mounds of snow from an avalanche blocking the tracks with no injuries. (The New Age) At least 600 shops are destroyed as a fire sweeps through a market and money exchange in Kabul, Afghanistan. (BBC) International relations The South Korean defence ministry says the launch of a satellite into space by North Korea was a disguised test of a 10,000 km range missile. (BBC) (Reuters) (Al Jazeera) Law and crime Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe says his force will launch "a ruthless search for the truth" in the Andrew Mitchell "plebgate" controversy. (BBC) Politics and elections Egyptian constitutional referendum, 2012: A Draft constitution by the Constitutuent Assembly is approved by a majority of Egyptians in a referendum on 15 and 22 December. (BBC) (Reuters) (Al Jazeera) Egypt's main opposition demands an investigation into the referendum on the Draft constitution, citing "fraud and violations" in the voting. (BBC) (AP) Sport 2014 FIFA World Cup host Brazil will play Italy in a friendly game in Geneva, Switzerland, on 21 March 2013 ahead of their 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup match on 22 June 2013 in Salvador, Bahia. (Goal.com) (ESPN) Manchester United striker Robin van Persie is "lucky to be alive", according to his manager Sir Alex Ferguson, after a nasty incident during a Premier League game in Wales which ended in a 1–1 draw. (Goal.com) (BBC) (CNN) (ESPN) (New Straits Times) Chelsea miss numerous chances, including a penalty, though still manage an 8–0 Premier League victory over Aston Villa, the team's worst defeat in their 138-year history. (The Guardian) (ESPN) (The Daily Telegraph) Aykut Kocaman resigns as Fenerbahçe coach after pressure from fans mounted following defeat to Karabükspor in the 2012–13 Süper Lig. (Goal.com)