Ukraine

The beginning of a protest on Monday Dec. 2 showed peacefulness with hundreds of thousands participating. The protest was to call for the ousting of the prime minister and his Cabinet. This came just days after the prime minister turned down an offer from the European Union for closer relations.

During the protest, a group made an attempt to enter President Viktor Yanukovych’s office. After several hours of battle, police eventually outed protesters from the area with the use of tear gas.

These intense events continue to put the already troubled country’s economy at even more of a risk. The current GDP growth in Ukraine is at .2 percent which is 5 percent lower than it was in 2011.  The nation’s external debt is currently at $135 billion, which is $8.8 billion more than it was in 2012.

Indonesia

Sunday Dec. 1 brought a 6.3 magnitude earthquake to Indonesia.  No deaths have been reported. The quake was recorded at 5.5 miles below the water in the Banda Sea, just northwest of the Maluku province.

The following day in Ende there was a 4.9 magnitude earthquake.  According to the U.S. Geological Survey, residents near the area should still remain cautious even though this earthquake was much smaller. It was around ten miles away from the shoreline, which is much closer than the previous quake.

Nigeria

An air force base and international airport were attacked Monday Dec. 2 by hundreds of Islamic militants.  The militants destroyed two helicopters and three decommissioned military aircrafts.

The attack occurred on the outskirts of Maiduguri. Two military workers were reported to have been killed along with 24 insurgents. Locals could hear the use of automatic weapons and explosions during the attack from 2:30 am until 7:00 am.

Iran

Members of the European Union along with Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reached a deal on Nov. 24.

Tehran will now slim its nuclear program, and Iran will gain some relief from the regulations on its economy. Along with this, the Obama administration said that there will be no new penalties within the next six months.

Secretary of State John Kerry said, “We will continue to aggressively enforce our sanctions over the next six months, as we work to determine whether there is a comprehensive solution that gives us confidence the Iranian nuclear program is for exclusively peaceful purposes.”

Thailand

The tourist city of Bangkok has been recently plagued by protests against the government calling for the overthrow of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Tourists are being driven away with the recent violence, which is in close proximity to many attractions such as the Bangkok Zoo and a popular backpack area, the Khao San Rd.

Talks have been occurring between Yingluck and protest leaders, but actions have yet to be taken as far as politicians stepping down.