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In its maiden flight, ESA's Vega rocket successfully launches LARES and eight other satellites. Amid protests, the Greek Parliament passes austerity measures by the country's interim coalition government, led by Lucas Papademos (pictured). Adele wins six awards, including Record of the Year and Album of the Year, at the 54th Grammy Awards. In association football, the Africa Cup of Nations concludes with Zambia defeating Côte d'Ivoire. The Artist wins seven awards, including Best Film, at the 65th British Academy Film Awards. American singer Whitney Houston dies at the age of 48. Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón is banned from the legal profession for 11 years after being convicted of illegal wiretapping.

Current events of February 14, 2012 (2012-02-14) (Tuesday) Armed conflict and attacks 2011–2012 Syrian uprising: The Syrian army continues its bombardments of Homs, as Arab officials confirm that regional governments would be prepared to arm the opposition if the fighting does not cease. (Reuters) China says it will "not protect" the Syrian government. (Gulf News) 2011–2012 Bahraini uprising: Security forces fire tear gas on anti-government demonstrators on the first anniversary of the start of protests calling for reforms in the nation. (Al Jazeera) Anonymous marks the anniversary of the Bahraini uprising by hacking U.S. tear gas company Combined Systems Inc., based in Jamestown, Pennsylvania, which has supplied much of the tear gas the U.S.-backed regimes of the Middle East have used against their people. (The Washington Post) (The Atlantic Wire) (ABC News) It is reported that Britain continues to sell arms to Bahrain. (The Guardian) The U.S. aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, accompanied by a cruiser and destroyer, sails through the Strait of Hormuz, close to the coast of Iran, for the second time in recent weeks. (BBC) (Reuters) A Sudanese air strike hits the South Sudanese state of Unity, injuring four soldiers in a contested area. (AFP via Google News) Two explosions are reported in the Thai capital Bangkok, injuring one Iranian man. (Bangkok Post) (Times of India) A Tibetan monk sets himself on fire in western China, in the latest self-immolation protest. (The Himalayan Times) Arts and culture A new statue of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is unveiled in the capital Pyongyang. (The Telegraph) Wellesley College and Baylor University publish online love letters between English poets Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett. (AP via WVEC) China issues new regulations on foreign television programmes being aired in the country - banning all imported programmes during prime time. (New York Times) Business and economy Authorities in the U.S. say that the recent mortgage settlement with the country's largest banks will provide $1 billion to the Federal Housing Administration, replenishing the FHA's badly depleted capital reserves. (Reuters) Jean-Claude Juncker, the head of the Euro Group, cancels a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the Greek bailout stating that they are still seeking information from the Greek government. (AAP via The Age) Disasters Category 4 Cyclone Giovanna hits Madagascar near the city of Toamasina, with at least one person being killed and the death toll expected to rise. (Reuters) (BBC) Gaza's only power station shuts down due to lack of fuel. (BBC) International relations Actor Sean Penn meets Argentina's president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to voice his support for ""the Malvinas Islands of Argentina" and urges Britain to cease its "archaic commitment to colonialist ideology". (The Guardian) (Daily Mail) The Vice-President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping meets with the President of the United States Barack Obama during a visit to the United States. (Wall Street Journal) An employee in the United States embassy in Islamabad is detained in the Pakistani city of Peshawar after bullets are found in his luggage. (CNN) The Venezuelan Supreme Tribunal orders the Opposition not to destroy the voter list following its primary. (AP via Google News) A gay activist in Uganda claims that police accompanied by Ethics Minister Simon Lokodo broke up a workshop at an Entebbe hotel. (AP via ABC News America) Politics Kuwait forms a new cabinet before a new session of the assembly on Wednesday. (IOL) Thousands of opposition supporters from Iran's Green Movement march silently through the capital Tehran calling for the release of political prisoners. (Financial Times) Sport FIFA warns the Argentine Football Association (AFA) against renaming their top league after the ARA General Belgrano cruiser on which hundreds of people were killed after it was sunk by a British nuclear submarine in 1982. FIFA says such a move might breach rules on mixing politics with football. (RTÉ Sport) Rangers enter administration and are docked 10 points, effectively ending their 2011–12 Scottish Premier League challenge and giving the title to bitter rivals Celtic. (BBC Sport) 93 people, including the Fenerbahçe S.K. president, go to trial on match fixing charges involving 19 Süper Lig matches in the Turkish city of Istanbul. (Sports Illustrated) The Six Nations Council announces that the match between France versus Ireland in the 2012 Six Nations Championship, called off minutes prior to kick-off on Saturday night, has been rescheduled for Sunday 4 March, with a 3.00pm kick-off, Irish time. (RTÉ Sport) (BBC Sport) February 14, 2012 Wikinews articles Santorum neologism spreads to Romney Current events of February 13, 2012 (2012-02-13) (Monday) Armed conflict and attacks Syria: The Syrian Army continues its bombardment of Homs. (Reuters) Navanethem Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, accuses the Syrian government of launching an "indiscriminate attack" on civilians. (ABC News Australia) The Free Syrian Army claims to have repelled a push by the Syrian Army into the town of Rastan. (AP via Herald-Tribune) 13 February 2012 attacks on Israeli diplomats: An explosion tears through an Israeli diplomat's car in the vicinity of the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi, India; one woman is injured. (Ynet) Explosives are found near the Israeli Embassy building in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi; the device is neutralized safely. (Ynet) 2011–2012 Bahraini uprising: Police use tear gas on protesters attempting to occupy the Pearl Roundabout in the capital Manama a day before the anniversary of the start of anti-government protests. (Al Jazeera) Arts and culture Beverley Hills police confirm Whitney Houston was underwater and unconscious when found in a bath in her Los Angeles hotel room last Saturday. (BBC) David Kelly, the "grand old man of Irish acting", dies in Dublin. (The Irish Times) (BBC) (Irish Examiner) The UK broadcaster ITV1 screens the first ever British advert aimed specifically at dogs. The 60-second commercial for the Bakers dog food brand features high-pitched sounds that cannot be heard by humans, and is a send up of the 1969 film The Italian Job. (The Daily Telegraph) Barack Obama, the President of the United States presents 16 people with the National Medal of Arts at the White House including actor Al Pacino, country music singer Mel Tillis and former United States Poet Laureate Rita Dove. (BBC) Business and economy The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group announces plans to cut 1000 jobs in Australia. (Herald Sun) Japan suffers negative economic growth for the fourth quarter of 2011 making it three out of four quarters that the Japanese economy shrinks. (CNN) Rangers F.C. announces an intent to enter administration. (BBC) The European Union and United States approve Google's $12.5 billion acquisition of smartphone maker Motorola. (Wall Street Journal) (AP via Seattle-PI) Moody's Investors Service downgrades the credit ratings of several European Union members including Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain and issues a negative outlook for the ratings of Austria, France and the United Kingdom. (Reuters) Disasters A 5.5-magnitude earthquake hits Northern California, near Weitchpec, according to the United States Geological Survey. (CNN) International relations Azerbaijan rejects a claim by Iran that it has been helping Israeli spies in the killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist. (Trend News Agency) Law and crime The Prime Minister of Pakistan Yousuf Raza Gilani appears before the Supreme Court of Pakistan to face contempt of court charges. (IBN Live) Abu Qatada, accused of being one of the United Kingdom's most dangerous preachers of Islamic extremism, is released from prison following a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights last week. (BBC) Politics The president of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov, wins a new five-year term with 97% of the vote, according to election officials. (The Guardian) Washington governor Christine Gregoire signs a bill into law that legalizes same-sex marriage in the state. (Reuters) The New Jersey state Senate passes a bill to legalize marriage for same-sex couples by a vote of 24-16. (NJ Today) Science The first launch of a new ESA carrier rocket Vega takes place from the Guiana Space Centre. (ESA) Sport The victorious Zambia national football team arrives back in Lusaka after winning the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in a penalty shoot-out. (BBC News) The Six Nations Council announces that the match between France versus Ireland in the 2012 Six Nations Championship, called off minutes prior to kick-off on Saturday night, will not take place this weekend. A date has not yet been announced. (RTÉ Sport) (BBC Sport) February 13, 2012 Wikinews articles Current events of February 12, 2012 (2012-02-12) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian uprising: The Arab League calls for a peace keeping force to be sent to Syria to halt violence. (Al-Jazeera) There is a lull in the bombardment of Homs allowing some families to escape and for protesters to go to the streets. (Reuters) The Arab League meets in Cairo to discuss sending a joint mission to Syria with the United Nations. (Al-Jazeera) The head of the suspended Arab League's observer mission in Syria, Mohammed Ahmed Mustafa al-Dabi, resigns. (Emirates 24/7) Turkish warplanes carry out strikes against PKK hideouts in northern Iraq. (IOL) Greek bailout and protests: The Hellenic Parliament votes to approve austerity measures demanded in return for another bailout from the eurozone. (CNN) Police in Greece fire tear gas at protesters in Athens including composer Mikis Theodorakis and World War II resistance leader and leftist politician Manolis Glezos. (Athens News) Up to 60 police officers are injured in fighting and at least ten buildings are burnt down as a minority of the tens of thousands of protesters turn violent. (AP via The Australian) (BBC) The historic Attikon cinema in Athens is set on fire following demonstrations over the latest round of economic austerity measures proposed by the government. (Reuters)(Ekathimerini) Comrade Artemio, leader of the Shining Path Peruvian rebel movement, is captured in the Huallaga Valley area by the Army and National Police. (AP via Washington Post) Arts and culture Grammy Awards: The 54th Grammy Awards for music are held at the Staples Center in the U.S. city of Los Angeles, with some of the show being re-worked to commemorate the late Whitney Houston. (Los Angeles Times) British singer Adele wins the awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year for "Rolling in the Deep", as well as the Album of the Year for 21. (Los Angeles Times) (Los Angeles Times) The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Film Awards is held in London with The Artist winning the Award for best film. (The Telegraph) (The Australian) Disasters The Australian town of Walgett, New South Wales, is evacuated due to flood waters. (AAP via Melbourne Age) A senior aide to the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Joseph Kabila, is killed, and the Finance Minister Matata Ponyo Mapon is injured in a plane crash near the town of Bukavu. (Reuters) International relations The International Air Transport Association calls for the United Nations to intervene in the dispute between the People's Republic of China and the European Union over airlines' involvement in the EU's carbon tax scheme for airlines. (Reuters) A teenage Tibetan Buddhist nun Tenzin Choedon dies after setting herself on fire in protest against Chinese rule of Tibet in Sichuan province. (The Telegraph) Iran rebukes Azerbaijan for allegedly assisting Israel's Mossad secret service in operations against it. (Haaretz) Law and crime Malaysia deports Saudi Arabian journalist Hamzar Kashgari, accused of insulting the prophet Muhammad in a tweet. (BBC) Politics Turkmenistan has a presidential election; incumbent Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow is re-elected with 97% of the vote. (BBC) The Chinese village that staged a rebellion last year takes part in its first democratic elections to elect its governing committee. (Bangkok Post) Emperor Akihito is to undertake heart bypass surgery on 18 February 2012. (Reuters via Chicago Tribune) Nigeria's ruling People's Democratic Party wins a gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State with its candidate Henry Dickson receiving 90% of the vote. (Reuters) The Venezuelan opposition Mesa de la Unidad Democrática holds a primary election, selecting Henrique Capriles as its candidate for the presidential election in early October. (AP via Washington Post) Sport In football, the final of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations played at Libreville, Gabon, between Zambia and Ivory Coast, with Zambia winning 8-7 on penalties in a shock result. (Bleacher Report) (Irish Examiner) February 12, 2012 Wikinews articles Anti-ACTA activists protest across Europe Amartya Sen among the scholars for US National Humanities Medal American pop star Whitney Houston dies at 48 Current events of February 11, 2012 (2012-02-11) (Saturday) Armed conflict and attacks Arab Spring: 2011–2012 Syrian uprising: A draft resolution is circulated by Saudi Arabia at the United Nations General Assembly calling for an end to the violence, as the Syrian city of Homs is besieged by the Syrian army. (BBC) A Syrian army general is shot dead in Damascus, according to state media. (China Radio International) At least three people are killed and several wounded in Tripoli, Lebanon, in clashes between supporters and opponents of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. (Jerusalem Post) 2011–2012 Bahraini uprising: Bahrain security forces tear-gas dozens of demonstrators, injuring three, ahead of the anniversary of the uprising. (AFP) Human rights activist Nabeel Rajab says two Americans have been detained by Bahraini security forces and US Embassy is looking into the reports. (Associated Press) 2011–2012 Saudi Arabian protests: A second protester is shot dead in eastern Saudi Arabia amid an ongoing anti-government protests. (Al Jazeera) 2011 Egyptian revolution: Activists in Egypt mark the first anniversary of the overthrow of former President Hosni Mubarak in the 2011 Egyptian revolution with a strike and a day of civil disobedience. (BBC) Three people including an Australian journalist, an American student and their Egyptian guide are arrested in the city of El-Mahalla El-Kubra for allegedly offering inducements to people to join. (News Limited) Labour activist Kamal al-Fayyumi is also arrested in El-Mahalla El-Kubra. (Al-Jazeera) The Israel Air Force conducts four air strikes in the Gaza Strip with claims that two people were injured. (AFP via France 24) Arts and culture American singer and actress Whitney Houston dies suddenly at the age of 48 at the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel. (AP via Herald-Sun) (BBC) (Los Angeles Times) International relations Sudan and South Sudan sign a non-aggression treaty. (IOL) Sir Mark Lyall Grant, the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations, describes claims by Argentina that the United Kingdom is militarising the Falkland Islands as "manifestly absurd". (Sky News) Law and crime Arid Uka, an Islamic extremist, is convicted in Germany of murdering two U.S. soldiers and injuring another two in a shooting at Frankfurt Airport last year. (AP) Five journalists from The Sun are among eight people arrested in connection with allegations of corrupt payments to police. News International boss Rupert Murdoch says he is commited to the newspaper. (BBC) Politics Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is to make an "important nuclear announcement" within days. (Al Jazeera) Burmese protest leader U Gambira is released by authorities in Yangon after being held overnight. (BBC) Thousands of people march in Japan against the resumption of nuclear reactors that were closed after the Fukushima disaster last year. (AP via Jakarta Post) Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper meets privately with Chongqing party boss Bo Xilai. The latter is currently embroiled in the Wang Lijun affair in what is rumoured to be an intense political struggle. (Globe and Mail) (The National Post) Hundreds of thousands of people march in the Portuguese capital Lisbon against austerity measures. (AFP via Google News) The Republican caucuses in the state of Maine finish with Mitt Romney finishing just ahead of Ron Paul. (New York Times) Sport The live televised France versus Ireland match in the 2012 Six Nations Championship is cancelled minutes prior to kick-off, prompting boos to ring out among disgruntled spectators inside a packed Stade de France. It is the first time such an event has happened since 1985. (RTÉ News) (BBC Sport) (The Guardian) February 11, 2012 Wikinews articles 'Stop being so damn respectful' say free speech supporters in London Attention drawn to high suicide rates in Scotland, Russia, Australia US regulators approve new nuclear reactors for first time in 34 years Current events of February 10, 2012 (2012-02-10) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks Arab Spring: 2011-2012 Syrian uprising: The Syrian Army offensive in Homs continues with further heavy fighting expected over the weekend. (Reuters) Two explosions are recorded in Syrian government security compounds in the northern city of Aleppo with casualties reported. (AP via ABC News America) A bipartisan group of US Senators led by Bob Casey and Marco Rubio will introduce a resolution calling for the Obama administration to start assisting the Opposition. (Foreign Policy) Saudi Arabia circulates a draft resolution amongst the General Assembly of the United Nations with similar wording to that vetoed in the Security Council. (Al-Jazeera) 2011–2012 Bahraini uprising: Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters march towards an area outside the capital Manama as the one year anniversary of the uprising (Feb. 14) approaches. (Washington Post) Egypt since the Revolution: Egyptian protesters march towards the Defense Ministry in Cairo, demanding the return of a civilian government. (UPI) Egypt's military rulers warn of conspiracies that seek to topple the state and spread chaos one day before the one-year anniversary of the toppling of former President Hosni Mubarak. (AP via Google News) People in Greece protest against the latest austerity measures imposed on their country, as more senior politicians resign. (The Guardian) An internal plot among cardinals to kill Pope Benedict XVI is alleged in Italy. (The Guardian) A protester is shot dead by security forces in Qatif, eastern Saudi Arabia, amid a demonstration calling for the release of Shia prisoners and democratic reforms. (BBC) In England, three men who distributed and posted through letterboxes leaflets calling for the execution of gay people are jailed. (BBC) Secessionists battle with forces from Somaliland near the border with Puntland in northern Somalia. (IOL) The United States Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta tells the Marine Corps to re-investigate and take appropriate action against snipers who posed with a logo resembling that of the Nazi Schutzstaffel in Afghanistan. (AP via MSNBC) The United States Central Intelligence Agency website and Alabama state websites go down with reports that Anonymous is responsible. (MSNBC) Arts and culture A new book of poetry by President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins is negatively reviewed by leading critic Professor Kevin Kiely, who says the President "can be accused of crimes against literature". (Irish Independent) The Cats of Copenhagen, a children's story by James Joyce, is published for the first time in Dublin, and is called an "outrage". (BBC) The Guard wins The Guardian's annual First Film award. (BBC) Spanish photographer Samuel Aranda wins the 2011 World Press Photo of the Year with an image of a veiled woman holding a wounded relative in her arms after a demonstration in Yemen. (BBC) Business and economy A Histadrut general strike in Israel continues for a third day with banks, ports and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange closed. (Reuters) Reuters cites sources "familiar with the matter" as saying that Google will soon receive approval from both the European Union and the United States for its proposed acquisition of Motorola Mobility. (Reuters) Disasters The death toll of a boat sunk with more than 70 people from Samaná, Dominican Republic, trying to illegally enter Puerto Rico, reaches 47. (Reuters) International relations Argentina's foreign minister Héctor Timerman issues a formal complaint to the United Nations about British "militarisation" of seas around the Falkland Islands. (The Guardian) (Merco Press) A group of South Korean lawmakers make a rare visit to North Korea's Kaesong Industrial Region. (AFP) Law and crime A Ugandan lawmaker who propose the Anti-Homosexuality Bill scraps the proposed death penalty clause. (Times of India) Banking scion Nat Rothschild loses his libel action against the Daily Mail for a statement that he is "puppet master" for Peter Mandelson and Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. (The Guardian) Luka Bojović, an alleged member of the Zemun Clan, is arrested in Valencia, Spain, for involvement in over 20 murders in Serbia, the Netherlands and Spain, including the killing of former Prime Minister of Serbia Zoran Đinđić. (BBC) An Uzbek man Ulugbek Kodirov pleads guilty to plotting with the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan to assassinate President of the United States Barack Obama in a hearing in Birmingham, Alabama. (AP via Google) Politics Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao pledges greater freedoms in Tibet, hours after two protesters are killed demanding the end of Chinese rule in the region; seven officials are also sacked for "neglecting state duties". (Straits Times) (CNN) Chinese dissident Zhu Yufi is jailed for seven years for "inciting subversion", after publishing a poem in support of freedom. (Radio Television Hong Kong) (BBC) U Gambira, a Bhikkhu or Buddhist monk and a leader of the 2007 Burmese anti-government protests, is reported as having been arrested in Yangon. (BBC) A Saudi blogger is detained by Malaysian police after fleeing Saudi Arabia for allegedly insulting the Prophet Muhammad. (Al Jazeera) Firefighters hose down the Belgian prime minister's office in protest over plans to increase their retirement age. (The Guardian) Mohamed Nasheed, former president of the Maldives, demands new elections and threatens protests if the new government meet the demands. (Reuters) Sport In rugby league, the Australian Rugby League Commission is formed to run the National Rugby League replacing control by representatives of News Limited and the former Australian Rugby League. (Sydney Morning Herald) February 10, 2012 Wikinews articles German judge orders life sentence for nation's 'first Islamic-motivated terror attack' Egypt struggles to recover tourism; investment Wikinews Shorts: February 10, 2012 Current events of February 9, 2012 (2012-02-09) (Thursday) Armed conflict and attacks Syria: Syrian Army troops continue to pour into Homs as part of the latest offensive, with scores of civilians and anti-government protesters reported as having been killed in the past day. (Reuters) Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, condemned the "appalling brutality" of the operation with estimates as high 110 people dead today. (Reuters) The United States Department of Defense issues new guidelines removing restrictions on use of women in combat. (MSNBC News) Business and economy Greek government debt crisis: Talks continue in order to resolve the debt crisis with a tentative agreement made. (AP) (AP via Sydney Morning Herald) Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the Euro Group, gives the Hellenic Parliament a deadline of Sunday to pass legislation. (BBC) Eastman Kodak Co. announces that it will no longer make digital cameras, pocket video cameras and digital picture frames in an effort to save money during bankruptcy. (Reuters) Disasters Another 6000 Australians in northern New South Wales are expected to become isolated over the next few days as a result of flood waters including residents of Goodoga and Lightning Ridge. (Daily Telegraph) The New Zealand Department of Building and Housing issues a report saying that the CTV Building that collapsed during the 2011 Christchurch earthquake killing 115 people did not meet relevant building standards when it was built in 1986. (Fairfax New Zealand via New Zealand Stuff) International Relations Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper goes on an official visit to China, meeting with President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, and Vice-Premier Li Keqiang. The two countries sign trade deals worth over $3 billion. (CBC) Law Spain's best-known judge Baltasar Garzón, who helped arrest Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and was charged with attempting to investigate Franco-era crimes against humanity, is banned from the legal profession for 11 years, without appeal, for illegal wire-tapping. (Aljazeera) (BBC) (The Guardian) Sport Analyst Roland S. Martin is suspended from CNN over numerous offensive comments he made about gay men on Twitter during the broadcast of Super Bowl XLVI. (TIME) In football, UEFA suspends Czech defender David Bystroň of Viktoria Plzeň for two years for testing positive for a banned substance after a Champions League match against Belarus side BATE Borisov. (AFP via Google News) February 9, 2012 Wikinews articles Rick Santorum sweeps three non-binding GOP presidential contests Current events of February 8, 2012 (2012-02-08) (Wednesday) Armed conflict and attacks Pakistani officials claim that US drone missiles have killed ten people in Spalga village in North Waziristan. (AP via Google News) (Reuters) The Syrian government launches an offensive in Homs, with tanks reported in neighbourhoods and dozens of people reported as dying over the past few hours. (Al-Jazeera) (BBC/AFP via ABC Online) The Islamist group Al-Shabab claims responsibility for a car bombing in the Somalian capital Mogadishu which claims at least ten people and injures at least 20. (BBC) Business and economy Histadrut, Israel's trade union organisation, calls a nationwide strike with Ben Gurion Airport to be closed until midday. (AP via Google News) Air France cancels long-haul flights due to a strike by staff. (AFP via Sydney Morning Herald) Airbus announces that it will inspect the wings of all Airbus 380 aircraft for cracks. (BBC) A meeting of the leaders of the parties comprising the Greek Government breaks up without agreeing to cuts prescribed by the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund. (AP via Google News) Culture Vincent Van Gogh, Edgar Degas and Camille Pissarro artworks, from the personal collection of Elizabeth Taylor, sell for £13.7 million at Christie's in London. (BBC) Zsa Zsa Gabor, suffering from life-threatening health problems, has a party for her 95th birthday. (Daily Mail) (Reuters) Disasters The death toll from a factory collapse in Lahore, Pakistan, rises to 21. (AP via MSNBC) The New Zealand Royal Commission on the Pike River Mine disaster hears that a collapse in the coal extraction area was the most likely cause of the fatal blast in the mine on November 19, 2010 that claimed 29 lives. (TV New Zealand) Early 2012 European cold wave: The death toll throughout Europe rises to over 400 with the Danube River freezing over for 170 km. (Sydney Morning Herald) Politics The new President of the Maldives Mohammed Waheed Hassan calls for the formation of a national unity government while supporters of former President Mohamed Nasheed riot. (AP via Herald-Sun) (AP via Christian Science Monitor) Three Bharatiya Janata Party Ministers in the Indian state of Karnataka – Laxman Savadi, C C Patil and J. Krishna Palemar – are forced to resign after footage is shown of them watching a pornographic video in the Legislative Assembly. (Reuters) The Washington State Legislature in the United States approves a bill that will allow same-sex marriage in the state. (CNN) Wang Lijun, former police chief of the central Chinese city of Chongqing, unexpectedly leaves his position and goes to the Chongqing U.S. Consulate, sparking rumours of his political downfall. (BBC) Law and crime Three investigating judges from the Cour de Justice de la République file preliminary charges against former French Minister of Labor, Solidarity and Public service Éric Woerth over "passive influence peddling" in relation to the affairs of L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt. (AP) In Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., the prosecution and defense both make their opening statements in the trial of former University of Virginia men's lacrosse player George Huguely on murder charges in the 2010 death of former UVA women's lacrosse player Yeardley Love. (AP via ESPN0 Sport English football: Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp is cleared of tax evasion at a London court. (BBC) Fabio Capello resigns as the manager of England over continuing clashes with The Football Association (FA) following the sacking of John Terry as team captain, with Terry facing charges of racist abuse. (The Guardian) (Daily Mail) (Sky News) Fabio Capello attacks the English FA following his shock resignation as England manager, accusing them of interfering, insulting him, destroying his authority and contradicting "the much-vaunted Anglo-Saxon sense of justice, as they are the first to claim that everyone is innocent until proven guilty". (RTÉ Sport) The FA announces a press conference to be held at Wembley tomorrow noon. (The Daily Telegraph) The semi-finals of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations take place in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. (BBC Sport) February 8, 2012 Wikinews articles European cold spell kills hundreds Komen executive resigns and criticizes Planned Parenthood More February 2012 events...

Time: 22:57 UTC  |  Day: 14 February  |   << February 2012 >> S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29    More February 2012 events... About this page • Suggest a headline News about Wikipedia  Ongoing events 2010-2012 Southern United States drought 2011 East Africa drought 2011 Tuvalu drought 2012 European cold wave 2012 Fiji floods Economic Global financial crisis European sovereign debt crisis Greek economic crisis Smartphone patent wars Medical HIV/AIDS in Africa Political Occupy movement 2011 United States public employee protests 2011 Chilean protests Anti-austerity protests Greek protests 2011 Spanish protests Israeli social protests Protests following the 2011 Russian elections Arab Spring Post-Tunisian revolution Post-Egyptian revolution Post-Libyan civil war Bahraini uprising - ongoing Syrian uprising - ongoing Yemeni uprising - ongoing Jordanian protests - reforms Moroccan protests - reforms News International phone hacking scandal Scientific Expedition 30  Recent deaths February 13: Freddie Solomon 12: David Kelly 11: Whitney Houston 9: Jill Kinmont Boothe 9: Fred Dickson 9: Josh Gifford 8: Luis Alberto Spinetta 7: Harry Keough 6: Janice E. Voss 6: Noel Kelehan 6: Antoni Tàpies 4: Florence Green 3: Steve Appleton 3: Ben Gazzara 3: Zalman King 1: Don Cornelius 1: Angelo Dundee 1: Wisława Szymborska  Ongoing conflicts Global War on Terror Terrorist incidents Operation Active Endeavour Operation Enduring Freedom War on Drugs Africa Maghreb insurgency OEF - Trans Sahara Casamance conflict Niger Delta conflict Nigerian Sharia conflict South Kordofan conflict South Sudan tribal clashes Lord's Resistance Army insurgency Somalia: Civil war War 2009- Piracy OEF - Horn of Africa Tuareg rebellion Europe North Caucasus insurgency Ingushetia civil war Dissident Irish Republican campaign Middle East Iraqi insurgency Iran-Jundallah conflict Arab–Israeli conflict Israeli–Palestinian conflict Israeli–Lebanese conflict Palestinian political violence and rocket attacks Yemen: Terrorism al-Qaeda crackdown South Yemen insurgency Shia insurgency Kurdistan: Turkey–PKK conflict Asia Afghanistan War Military operations Taliban insurgency Pakistan: Terrorism North-West War Balochistan conflict Drone attacks Sectarian violence India: Terrorism Jammu and Kashmir insurgency Naxalite-Maoist insurgency Northeast India insurgency Nagaland ethnic conflict Kashmir conflict Siachen conflict Korean maritime border incidents Southeast Asia: Laos insurgency South Thailand insurgency Cambodian–Thai border dispute Territorial disputes in the South China Sea Islamic insurgency in the Philippines Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines Papua conflict Americas Colombian armed conflict (1964–present) Mexican Drug War  Elections Recent: January 3–4/10–11: Egypt, Parliament (3rd phase) 13: Kiribati, President 14: Republic of China (Taiwan), President and Legislative Yuan (Parliament) 15: Kazakhstan, Parliament 22: Croatia, Referendum 29–30 January/5–6 February: Egypt, Shura Council (1st phase) Recent: February 2: Kuwait, Parliament 5: Finland, President (2nd round) Upcoming: February 12: Turkmenistan, President 14–15 February/21–22 February: Egypt, Shura Council (2nd phase) 21: Yemen, President 26: Senegal, President  Trials Recently concluded Cambodia: Kang Kek Iew France: Jacques Chirac, John Galliano Germany: John Demjanjuk Italy: Amanda Knox, Raffaele Sollecito Indonesia: Abu Bakar Bashir Netherlands: Geert Wilders Peru: Joran van der Sloot Russia: Bhagavad Gita Ukraine: Yulia Tymoshenko United Kingdom: Levi Bellfield, Robert Black, Vincent Tabak United States: Faisal Shahzad, Noshir Gowadia, Buju Banton, Barry Bonds, Raj Rajaratnam, Rod Blagojevich, Casey Anthony, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Conrad Murray Ongoing Cambodia: Khmer Rouge Tribunal Canada: Russell Williams China: Organized crime in Chongqing France: Church of Scientology, Carlos the Jackal Germany: Heinrich Boere Iraq: Supreme Criminal Tribunal Iran: Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani Malaysia: Anwar Ibrahim Netherlands: Thomas Lubanga (ICC), Radovan Karadžić (ICTY) Palau: Tommy Remengesau Philippines: Andal Ampatuan, Jr. Russia: Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Platon Lebedev Sierra Leone: Charles Taylor (SCFSL) Singapore: Tak Boleh Tahan South Africa: Chris Mahlangu Sudan: Lubna al-Hussein Thailand: Thaksin Shinawatra Tunisia: Zine El Abidine Ben Ali Turkey: Ergenekon network United States: Roger Clemens, Ahmed Ghailani, David Headley, George Huguely, Jared Lee Loughner, Charles P. White, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, Viktor Bout Upcoming Egypt: Hosni Mubarak, Alaa Mubarak, Gamal Mubarak Norway: Anders Behring Breivik United States: Allen Stanford, Nidal Malik Hasan, John Edwards, Javaris Crittenton

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