February 17, 2012 (Friday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Arab Spring:
- 2011-2012 Syrian uprising:
- The Syrian opposition warns that the Syrian army is preparing to "massacre" the neighborhood of Bab Amr, Homs, in a ground assault on the city. The city has been under constant artillery bombardment by the Syrian army for an 11th day in a row. (CNN)
- Opposition activists claim that Syrian security forces shot dead three pro-democracy activists in Damascus. (Al-Jazeera)
- 2011 Libyan civil war:
- Libya celebrates the first anniversary of the start of the uprising against Muammar Gaddafi. (Hindustan Times)
- 2011-2012 Syrian uprising:
- Insurgency in the North Caucasus: Dozens are killed and wounded as fighting intensifies between the Russian forces and the local Muslim insurgents in Chechnya and Dagestan. (RFE/RL)
- Thai police search for two more suspects in an attempted terror attack on Israeli diplomats widely blamed on Iran. (AP)
- United States Capitol Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Amine El Khalifi, a man from Morocco who allegedly planned a suicide attack on the United States Capitol. (CNN) (Washington Post)
- Security forces in Sudan raid student dormitories at the University of Khartoum, arresting and beating students after they demanded the right to form a union. (Al Jazeera)
- The office of President of Haiti Michel Martelly claims that his motorcade was attacked by people throwing rocks when he was walking through Port-au-Prince. (AP via Washington Post)
Arts and culture
- Archaeological Museum of Olympia robbery:
- Thieves break into the Archaeological Museum of Olympia in Greece. stealing between 60 and 70 artifacts of the ancient Olympic Games. (Ekathimerini)
- Pavlos Geroulanos, the Minister for Culture and Tourism, reportedly resigns after the robbery. (BBC)
- A US Federal Court judge orders Tampa-based Odyssey Marine Exploration to return treasures from the shipwreck of the Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes to Spain. (AP via ABC News)
- Rupert Murdoch tells staff at The Sun he will launch a Sunday edition of the newspaper, titled The Sun on Sunday "very soon". (BBC)
Business and economy
- The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes at its highest level since May 2008. (CNN)
- The World Bank announces plans to select a new President to replace Robert Zoellick when his term expires in June. (AP via Boston Globe)
Disasters and accidents
- Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau, a member of the Dutch royal family, is severely injured in an avalanche at an Austrian ski resort and is reported to be in critical but stable condition. (CNN)
International relations
- The United Kingdom and France sign a deal to improve cooperation on nuclear energy. (BBC)
Politics and elections
- Christian Wulff, the President of Germany, resigns over a corruption scandal. (Reuters) (BBC)
- The Senate of the United States passes a resolution condemning the Government of Syria for its violent crackdown on anti-Assad protests. (Al-Jazeera)
- New Jersey Governor Chris Christie vetoes a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in the state. (The Washington Post)
Sport
- Leeds Rhinos became rugby league World Club Champions for the third time by beating Manly in the World Club Challenge.
- English footballer Ravel Morrison is charged by The Football Association in connection with homophobic remarks he made on Twitter. (BBC)
- Manchester City lodge an official complaint to UEFA after their players were targeted by racial abuse during Thursday's Europa League game at defending champions Porto. Ivorian footballer Yaya Touré, one of those targeted, tells Sky Sports News: "That's why we like the Premier League, it never happens there." (BBC)