Portal:Current events/2013 December 18

Current events of December 18, 2013 (2013-12-18) (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks 2013 South Sudanese political crisis: The United Nations says that 400 to 500 people may have been killed and up to 800 wounded in recent attacks in the country. (Reuters) Mexican Drug War: High-ranking Sinaloa Cartel leader Gonzalo Inzunza Inzunza is killed in a shootout with the Mexican Navy in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora. (El Debate) Arts and culture Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi settles out of court a U.S. sex scandal libel lawsuit against the U.S.-based overseas alternative news source website Boxun. (BBC) 2014 Winter Olympics: LGBT sportspeople, such as tennis player Billie Jean King and ice hockey player Caitlin Cahow, are to represent the United States in Sochi as a protest against the treatment of LGBT people in Russia. (BBC) Business and economy China launches a crackdown against the internet currency BitCoin, plunging its value by 35%. (Bloomberg) Mega Millions lottery: At least two winners in the US$636 million jackpot are thought to have won, with one in Stone Mountain, Georgia, and another in San Jose, California. (Houston Chronicle) International Relations The United Nations condemns Syria, Iran, and North Korea for human rights violations. (The New York Times) Law and crime Bolotnaya square case prisoners, Pussy Riot and Greenpeace activists are likely to be freed after the Duma votes in favor of a law giving them amnesty. (CNN) 2013 Little India riot: Singapore announces that it will deport 53 foreign workers for their December 8 involvement in the country's worst riot in more than 40 years. (BBC) British criminal Ronnie Biggs, best known for his role in the Great Train Robbery and escape from Wandsworth Prison, dies in the North London suburb of East Barnet. (BBC) (The Washington Post) British singer Ian Watkins (Lostprophets) is sentenced to 29 years imprisonment and 6 years on licence at Cardiff Crown Court for a range of child sex offences including the attempted rape of a baby. (BBC) A United States EPA employee who committed fraud regarding his vacation pay is sentenced to 32 months in prison. John C. Beale had perpetrated a scam whereby he disappeared from work for years at a time saying he was a covert CIA agent. (FOX News)