December 31, 2012 (Monday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2012 Central African Republic rebellion:
- Rebels reject a national unity government offer by President of the Central African Republic François Bozizé. (BBC)
Business and economy
- Tribune Co., the publishing and broadcasting giant that declared bankruptcy in December 2008, emerges from that status with new controlling shareholders including Oaktree Capital and JPMorgan Chase. (Thomson Reuters)
Politics and elections
- United States "fiscal cliff" debate:
- The White House reaches an agreement with congressional Republicans on a "fiscal cliff" deal. (Associated Press)
- The U.S. will miss the midnight deadline and head over the "fiscal cliff", after the House of Representatives announces it will not vote on the deal on Monday night. (BBC) (Reuters)
- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton making "excellent progress" at NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital after a blood clot in a vein was found in a sinus between her brain and skull. (BBC) (Reuters)
- Venezuelan Cabinet ministers get together to pray for the recovery of President Hugo Chávez, who is in Cuba recovering from a cancer operation. (BBC) (Reuters)
Science and technology
- Research by study author Kerry O'Banion, of the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York, announces that a particularly harmful type of space radiation may accelerate the development of Alzheimer's disease. (Space.com)
Sport
- Deportivo de La Coruña announces it has hired former Sporting Lisbon manager Domingos Paciência to replace fired coach José Luis Oltra. (FIFA) (UEFA)
- In ice hockey, Team Canada wins 2012 Spengler Cup after a 7–2 win over HC Davos in the final. (Spengler Cup) (HockeyFans.at) (NZZ.ch)
- Paris Saint-Germain defender Thiago Silva is awarded the 2012 Samba Gold trophy, a football award given to the best Brazilian footballer in Europe. (Sambafoot)