Portal:Current events/2012 November 20

November 20, 2012 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Operation Pillar of Defense:
- The pro-Israel non-governmental organization HonestReporting brings attention to footage captured by the BBC and transmitted by CNN that shows a Palestinian man being carried away from a bomb blast only to reappear moments later uninjured. CNN's Anderson Cooper who was reporting on the original story issued a retraction during his television show. (Honest Reporting) (Fox News)
- The BBC is further caught in controversy after tweeting a photograph of a young girl on a stretcher as being killed in Gaza when the photograph is 3 weeks old and of a child killed in Syria. (Fox News)
- In another instance brought forward by Breitbart, a dead child was featured on CNN as being killed by an Israeli airstrike, with the body being kissed by Ismail Haniyeh and Egyptian Prime Minister Hesham Kandil. Later investigation by Palestinian Center for Human Rights revealed the child was killed by a Hamas rocket which had malfunctioned and landed within the Gaza Strip. (The Telegraph) (Breitbart)
- Israel's President Shimon Peres accuses Iran of encouraging the Palestinians to continue rocket attacks on Israel rather than negotiating a ceasefire, saying "they are out of their mind." (SBS)
- Russia’s Foreign Ministry urges an immediate ceasefire and UN Chief Ban Ki-moon is to meet Israeli and Palestinian leaders as he calls on an end to the violence as over 100 die. (Al Jazeera) (RT)
- Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly delays an IDF ground invasion into Gaza by 24 hours; the announcement precedes a series of critical international negotiations pushing for a ceasefire between the two sides. (RT) (BBC)
- Hamas gunmen publicly and summarily execute without trial 6 men they accused of spying for Israel. One of the men is dragged through the streets by a motorcycle. (National Post) (The Times of Israel)
Colombian conflict:
- Move comes as FARC rebels declare two-month unilateral truce after holding meetings in Cuba with peace negotiators. (Al Jazeera)
Syrian civil war:
- Islamist rebel groups in Aleppo denounce what they call a "conspiratorial project" and the new Syrian opposition, and say they seek to establish an "Islamic state". (Al Jazeera)
2012 East DR Congo conflict:
- Tension between central African neighbours is reaching breaking point over an uprising in Congo's eastern hills. (Al Jazeera)
- M23 fighters reportedly enter centre of Goma after seizing military airport in largest city in mineral-rich east. (Al Jazeera)

Arts and culture

Sesame Street puppeteer Kevin Clash, known for being the voice of Elmo, resigns after a second accuser files a complaint that Clash had underage sexual relations with him. (BBC)

Business and economy

David Cameron announces that the 39th G8 summit will be held in Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland on June 2013. (Irish Examiner) (Democrat) (BBC)

Law and crime

Wildlife officials investigate the killing and mutilations of dolphins along the coast of the United States over the past year. (BBC)
Kazakh opposition leader Vladimir Kozlov will face seven-and-a-half years in jail on charges relating to causing the 2011 Mangystau riots in Zhanaozen, Mangystau Province. (Al Jazeera)
Former Croatian prime minister Ivo Sanader is sentenced to 10 years in prison in a first-degree verdict. He is the highest official in Croatia to be convicted of corruption. (BBC)
Rogue trader at Swiss bank UBS Kweku Adoboli is found guilty and is sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in the 2011 UBS rogue trader scandal. (BBC)

Politics and elections

China appoints Sun Zhengcai as new chief for the city of Chongqing, once led by disgraced politician Bo Xilai. (BBC)

Religion

The General Synod of the Church of England narrowly rejects a motion to allow women to become bishops. (The Guardian)

Science and technology

The United Nations World Meteorological Organisation says that greenhouse gases reached record levels in 2011. (Bangkok Post)