December 1, 2016 (Thursday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Ethnic violence in South Sudan (2011–present)
- A United Nations human rights commission in South Sudan claims a "steady process of ethnic cleansing is underway" in the war-torn nation. (Al Jazeera)
- Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017)
- Battle of Mosul (2016–2017)
- At least 15 children are killed by ISIS snipers in Mosul. (Iraqi News)
- In al-Bakr district, Mosul, an ISIS mortar shell kills at least three people and wounded another three. (Iraqi News)
- Four bombs kill two people and injured another seven in Sha'ab, a neighbourhood of Baghdad. (Iraqi News)
- Battle of Mosul (2016–2017)
Arts and culture
Disasters and accidents
- LaMia Flight 2933
- Bolivia's aviation authority suspends the operating license of LaMia. Investigation into the crash in Colombia, which killed 71 people, continues. (BBC)
International relations
- Ukrainian crisis, Russian military intervention in Ukraine (2014–present)
- Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- The Israeli Ministry of Transportation orders a bus company in Beersheba to remove Arabic-language advertisements on their buses following complaints from several Jewish residents. (Al Jazeera)
- Iran–United States relations
- The United States Senate votes 99–0 in favor of a ten-year extension of the Iran Sanctions Act, the measure will now be sent to President Barack Obama to sign into law. The act was due to expire on December 31, 2016, if not renewed. (Reuters)
Law and crime
- Six members of one family, including three children, are found dead in Böheimkirchen, Austria. Police suspect a murder-suicide by one of the female relatives. (BBC News)
Politics and elections
- Despite criticism by UN Special Envoy for Yemen, 42 cabinet members of the National Salvation Government in Yemen have taken oath and convened its first meeting. The new government, led by the former governor of Aden Abdel-Aziz bin Habtour, vowed to help UN efforts for peace and stability in the country.(UN News Center), (Al Manar tv), (SABA NET),(Muslim Times)
- 2016 Gambian presidential election
- Elections are held in The Gambia. (Al-Jazeera)
- 2016 North Carolina gubernatorial election
- Recounts begin in North Carolina. (CNN)
- 2016 United States presidential election recounts
- The Jill Stein-initiated recounts begin in Wisconsin. (Fortune)
- 2017 French presidential election
- François Hollande, the President of France, announces that he will not run in next year's presidential election. This leaves the selection of a candidate for the French Socialist Party wide open. (The Guardian)
- Presidential transition of Donald Trump
- President-elect Donald Trump names retired United States Marine Corps general James Mattis as United States Secretary of Defense. (USA Today)
Science and technology
- Roscosmos cargo spacecraft Progress MS-04 fails to dock with the International Space Station after experiencing a rocket failure. The spacecraft is believed to have mainly burnt up in the atmosphere. (Euronews)