Portal:Current events/2010 December 17

Current events of December 17, 2010 (2010-12-17) (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Maoist rebels abduct seven villagers in the Purulia district of India's West Bengal state. (NDTV)
• American missile attacks kill 57 suspected militants in a region in northwest Pakistan. (Washington Times) (Associated Press) (CNN)

Business and economy

• Suncor and Total SA sign a deal to develop in the Alberta tar sands for bitumen extraction, while a procedure to clean up tailings ponds by multiple companies is approved by an energy watchdog. (Globe and Mail) (Reuters Africa) (Calgary Herald)

Disasters

• The death toll from the Christmas Island wreck rises to 30 with many still missing. (AP via Yahoo! News)
• Further disruption is caused by blizzards and widespread ice in many parts of the United Kingdom, with more wintry weather forecast for the weekend. (BBC)
• Cuba is hit by a cold wave, and some locations register 50-year record low temperatures. (Cuban News Agency) (Radio Cadena Agramonte)

International relations

• Bolivia recognizes the State of Palestine. (Ynetnews)

Politics

• The United Kingdom government announces plans to make prisoners serving less than four years eligible to vote. (BBC)

Science

• The Cook Islands announces the country's first ever HIV infection. (ABC Radio Australia)
• China launches 7th Beidou navigation satellite. (Kunming via Xinhua)