Portal:Current events/2015 December 30

Current events of December 30, 2015 (2015-12-30) (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian Civil War 2015 al-Qamishli bombings Several suicide-bomb attacks targeting Assyrian Christians celebrating New Year's Eve at restaurants in the Kurdish-controlled Syrian city of Al-Qamishli, Al-Hasakah Governorate, leave at least 16 people dead and 35 wounded. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant are suspected to be behind the bombings. (RT) 2015 Burundian unrest Burundi's President, Pierre Nkurunziza, says Burundians will fight against any African Union peacekeepers sent into the country in response to the ongoing crisis, "everyone has to respect Burundian borders," Nkurunziza said. The African Union said this earlier this month it was ready to send 5,000 peacekeepers to protect civilians caught up in months of violence. (Reuters) Business and economy South China Sea disputes The Philippines says it will join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank despite disputes between it and the bank's founder, China. (Rappler) Governor Alejandro García Padilla indicates Puerto Rico will default on bonds issued by the island’s Infrastructure Financing Authority and Public Finance Corporation. (New York Times) Disasters and Accidents 2015–16 UK and Ireland windstorm season Storm Frank hits the United Kingdom and Ireland, contributing to the 2015 Great Britain and Ireland floods following previous heavy rainfall. (ITV News) International relations Iraqi Civil War (2014–present), Iraq–Turkey relations Iraq's Foreign Minister, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, renewed demands that Turkey fully withdraw its troops from northern Iraq, asserting that Turkey must respect Iraq's sovereignty or face potential military action. Last month the Turkish army mounted a big offensive invasion into Iraq's Kurdish territory including tanks and artillery without permission or even negotiation with the Iraqi government. (Reuters) War on Terror Belgium cancels New Year's Eve firework celebrations in Brussels amid fears of an Islamic terrorist attack in an unspecified European capital city. (Sky News) Law and crime Bill Cosby sexual assault allegations American entertainer Bill Cosby is charged with aggravated indecent assault in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The county's District Attorney-elect said his office is also examining evidence related to other cases. The current charges relate to one particular 2004 incident. (New York Times) 2015 Brussels lockdown Two Belgian policewomen and eight soldiers reportedly held an orgy at a police station in the Brussels neighbourhood of Ganshoren while colleagues hunted for the Paris terror attacks suspects. The police station was near Molenbeek, where anti-terror raids had been taking place. Police spokesman, Johan Berckmans, said “we have launched an investigation to find out what exactly happened". (The Guardian) Politics and elections Central African general election, 2015–16 Voters in the Central African Republic are heading to the polls for the rescheduled parliamentary elections and the first round of the presidential election, where 30 candidates are running to replace Acting President Catherine Samba-Panza. The presidential runoff election is scheduled for 31 January 2016. The Central African Republic has been rocked by unrest since the March 2013 coup of president François Bozizé by Séléka, a mostly Muslim alliance of anti-government groups. Thousands have died and about one million people have been displaced in the ongoing sectarian violence between Séléka and the Christian anti-balaka militia. The United Nations peacekeeping mission has promised a heavy security presence today. (AP via The Washington Post) (Pulse News Agency) Ballot counting is underway after a peaceful election day in this country plagued by years of sectarian violence. National Elections Authority President Marie-Madeleine Koue says at least 65 percent turnout was expected. (EuroNews) (Bloomberg via The National) Science and technology The freak weather system responsible for heavy rain and tornadoes in the U.S., and high winds and rainfall in the British Isles, also has impacted the Arctic where the average winter temperature is normally around −20 °F (−29 °C). Temperatures around the North Pole have surpassed the 32 °F (0 °C) threshold for a brief moment, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Ocean Prediction Center, which is 50 °F (27.8 °C) higher than usual for December. (The Washington Post) (South China Morning Post) (Sputnik News)