December 1 – North America: UNITED STATES
According to the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), a U.S. non-profit economics research organization, economic recession in the United States began in December 2007. It was accompanied by a decline in employment. NBER does not predict the length of the recession.
December 1 – Africa: NIGERIA
About 200 people die in sectarian violence in a Nigerian city of Jos, the capital of Plateau State. The fighting was triggered by claims of fraud in local elections after it was announced that the mostly Christian People’s Democratic Party defeated the predominantly Muslim All Nigeria People’s Party. Usually, however, the real reason for this kind of violence in Nigeria is the competition between various social groups for resources.
December 2 – International Organizations/Europe/Former Soviet Republics: NATO/RUSSIA/GEORGIA/UKRAINE
After a two-day meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, the organization agrees that Georgia and Ukraine will join the alliance in the future, but not before implementing more reforms. Also, issues complicating these countries’ membership are territorial disputes with Russia: over Crimea in Ukraine and South Ossetia and Abkhazia in Georgia. Russia also strongly opposes its former republics becoming members of the bloc.
December 2 – Latin America: BRAZIL
Brazil unveils a plan to reduce deforestation by 50 percent of the current annual rate, which amounts to more than 2,300 square miles. The plan is in response to the formation of the Amazon fund to conserve the Amazon region financed by foreign contributions.
December 2 – East Asia: THAILAND
Thailand’s Constitutional Court rules that the governing People Power Party is guilty of fraud during the last election and should be disbanded and its leaders should be barred from politics for five years. The ruling forces Prime Minster Somchai Wongsawat’s from power. In response, the anti-government protesters, who occupied Bangkok’s main airport, stranding thousands of tourists, agree to end their protests. (December 15): Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva wins a special vote in parliament and becomes Thailand’s next prime minister.
December 4 – Africa: ZIMBABWE
Zimbabwe declares a national emergency over cholera outbreak, which began in August. The epidemic has been exacerbated by the collapse of the country’s health system, its sanitation, and water services. Since the beginning of the outbreak more than 29,000 people have contracted the disease and more than 1,500 have died.
December 9 – Europe/Former Soviet Republics: UKRAINE
The pro-Western parties of President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko agree to re-form their coalition government and cancel early parliamentary elections. Although the alliance is fragile, it brings hopes that it will bring the end to the political deadlock that has lasted since September.
December 10 – Asia: CHINA
Police in China arrests dozens of demonstrators who have gathered in front of the foreign ministry on the 60th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights. The gatherers protested a variety of human rights abuses in China, including land disputes, illegal detentions, and corruption of local government officials.
December 12 – North America: UNITED STATES
The former chairman of the NASDAQ stock market and a highly respected U.S. hedge fund manager Bernard Madoff is arrested and charged with securities fraud of up to $50 billion. Madoff offered investors up to 12 percent returns, which he paid off with money from new investors. This Ponzi scheme went undetected for many years despite several audits by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The scheme has affected investors and charities around the world, wiping out their investments.
December 19 – North America: UNITED STATES
The United States government approves loans for Detroit’s Big Three carmakers, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors (GM), amounting to over $17 billion. The money will come from the loan originally designed for the bailout of the U.S. banks. The car companies have warned that the lack of the government support would lead to their bankruptcy and the loss of millions of jobs.
December 23 – Africa: GUINEA
Guinea’s despotic president, Lansana Conte, dies after 24 years in power. Within hours, the army takes over the country, dissolves the government and suspends the constitution. A junior army officer Captain Moussa Camara declares himself president and announces that the newly formed National Council for Democracy and Development will rule the country until elections are held in two years. The coup is condemned by the international community, but many people in Guinea support the change after years of tyranny. (December 29): The African Union suspends Guinea’s membership. (December 30): The military junta appoints a banker Kabine Komara prime minister.
December 28 – Europe: RUSSIA
Russian people vote Alexander Nevsky the greatest Russian in a TV poll with 50 million participants. Nevsky defeated Swedish and Germanic invaders in the 13th century to preserve independent medieval Russia. Joseph Stalin is voted the third greatest Russian, a controversial choice as he was responsible for deaths of millions of people. Many Russians still consider Stalin a hero who defeated Nazi Germany.
December 31 – South Asia: BANGLADESH
The Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina wins a landslide victory over her long-time political rival, Khaleda Zia, who heads Nationalist Party (BNP), in Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections. The vote ends the two-year emergency state and the rule by an army-backed government. International observers declare the elections free and fair.
December 31 – Middle East: ISRAEL/PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
Israel conducts air strikes on targets in the Gaza Strip for the fifth day as a response to Hamas rockets fire into the Israeli territory. As a result of the strikes, almost 400 Palestinians are killed and four Israelis. Israeli Prime Minsiter Ehud Olmert rejects calls for a temporary truce to allow humanitarian aid before he gets guarantees that Hamas attacks will stop.