Portal:Current events/2018 January 12

January 12, 2018 (Friday)

Arts and culture

Women's rights in Saudi Arabia, Mohammad bin Salman, Saudi Vision 2030
- For the first time, Saudi Arabia allows women to spectate at football matches, part of an easing of strict rules on gender separation by the ultra-conservative Muslim country. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

International relations

Turkey–United States relations
- Turkey cautions its citizens against travel to the United States in response to an advisory that warned Americans about terror threats and arbitrary detentions in Turkey. (AP via Fox News)
United Kingdom–United States relations
- United States President Donald Trump cancels his scheduled trip to the United Kingdom next month. (Reuters)
Nepal–United States relations, Botswana–United States relations
- Nepalese authorities state that they are "discussing their response" to Trump's recent comment which referred to their country (among others) as a "shithole". Botswana summoned their U.S. ambassador, asking for clarification and expressed their concerns. (CNN)
Panama–United States relations
- The United States Ambassador to Panama, John D. Feeley, resigns saying he can no longer serve under Trump administration. (The Telegraph)

Law and crime

Murder of Zainab Ansari
- Protesters set a government office on fire in the Pakistani city of Kasur, in a second day of riots after the rape and murder of a six-year-old girl. (BBC)
After European Parliament auditors conclude that he used a parliamentary assistant for UKIP party matters instead of for work related to the duties of a Member of the European Parliament, Nigel Farage will now pay back £35,500 (€40,000) through having half of his salary withheld. (The Independent)

Politics and elections

Cabinet of Germany
- The CDU/CSU (Christian Democrats) and SPD (Social Democrats) agree on a blueprint for formal negotiations on a new "grand coalition" government after the September 2017 federal election. (BBC)
Politics of Mexico
- Mexicans react with incredulity after President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto appointed Alberto Bazbaz to the position of head of the CISEN intelligence service. Bazbaz is known for having overseen a 9-day search for a missing girl, Paulette Gebara Farah, who was eventually found dead in her own bed. (The Guardian)

Science and technology