Pope Francis
Resignation
When he turned 75 in December 2011, Bergoglio submitted his resignation as Archbishop of Buenos Aires to Pope Benedict XVI as required by canon law.
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- Lacoste
Lacoste Was accused of Censoring The Work of Palestinian Artist Larissa Sansour
In December 2011 Lacoste was accused of censoring the work of Palestinian artist Larissa Sansour. Sansour had initially been included on a shortlist of eight nominees for the prestigious Lacoste Élysée prize – a competition which had been organized by the Musée de l'Élysée in Lausanne, Switzerland, with Lacoste's sponsorship.A month before the selection jury was to meet to choose the winner, however, the Musée de l'Élysée informed Sansour that Lacoste had changed its mind about including her work in the competition and asked the Museum to remove her as a nominee citing her work to be "too pro-Palestinian". Sansour soon went public with her story and within 48 hours the Musée de l'Élysée came out in her support announcing, in a press release, that it had decided to suspend its relationship with Lacoste as a sponsor of this prize due to its insistence on excluding Sansour from the competition.
- Tony Hawk
The second Most influential Skateboarder
In December 2011, Hawk was identified by Transworld Skateboarding magazine as the second most influential skateboarder of all time after Mark Gonzales.
- Marc Patrick O'Leary: Washington and Colorado Serial Rapist (Unbelievable)
O'leary sentence
In December 2011, O'Leary was sentenced to 327.5 years in prison for the four incidents in Colorado. In June 2012, he was sentenced to an additional 38.5 years for the two incidents in Washington.
- Vodafone
Bluefish Communications Ltd
On 1 December 2011, it acquired the Reading-based Bluefish Communications Ltd, an ICT consultancy company. The acquired operations formed the nucleus of a new Unified Communications and Collaboration practice within its subsidiary Vodafone Global Enterprise.
- Conflict in Myanmar
SSA-S signed a ceasefire agreement with the Government
The SSA-S (the Shan State Army - South) maintains bases along the Myanmar–Thailand border, and signed a ceasefire agreement with the government on 2 December 2011.
- Amancio Ortega
Torre Picasso
In December 2011, Ortega purchased the Torre Picasso skyscraper in Madrid for €400 million.
- Warren Buffett
Renewable Energy
In December 2011, Buffett's MidAmerican Energy Holdings agreed to buy a $2 billion solar energy project under development in California and a 49 percent stake in a $1.8 billion plant in Arizona, his first investments in solar power. He already owned wind farms.
- Best Buy
Best Buy purchased mindSHIFT Technologies
In December 2011, Best Buy purchased mindSHIFT Technologies, a company that provided IT support for small and medium-sized businesses, for $167 million.
- Uber
Expanding into Paris
Uber expands beyond the United States, starting by expanding into Paris, France.
- Uber
Uber announces it has raised $37 million in Series B round
Uber announces it has raised $37 million in Series B round, including investors such as Goldman Sachs, Menlo Ventures (with Shervin Pishevar and Shawn Carolan co-leading Menlo's investment), and Bezos Expeditions.
- Carlos the Jackal
Sentenced to life in prison
On 15 December 2011, Ramírez Sánchez, Weinrich and Issawi were convicted and sentenced to life in prison; Fröhlich was acquitted.
- Bank of America
Justice Department announced a $335 million settlement with Bank of America over discriminatory lending practice at Countrywide Financial
In December 2011, the Justice Department announced a $335 million settlement with Bank of America over discriminatory lending practices at Countrywide Financial. Attorney General Eric Holder said a federal probe found discrimination against qualified African-American and Latino borrowers from 2004 to 2008. He said that minority borrowers who qualified for prime loans were steered into higher-interest-rate subprime loans.
- Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis
Withdrawal of US troops
He returned to Iraq following the withdrawal of US troops (December 2011) to head the Kata'ib Hezbollah militia; he then became deputy chief of the Popular Mobilization Forces.
- Bank of America
Forbes ranked Bank of America's financial wealth 91st out of the nation's largest 100 banks
In December 2011, Forbes ranked Bank of America's financial wealth 91st out of the nation's largest 100 banks and thrift institutions.
- YouTube
YouTube launched a new version of the site interface
In December 2011, YouTube launched a new version of the site interface, with the video channels displayed in a central column on the home page, similar to the news feeds of social networking sites. At the same time, a new version of the YouTube logo was introduced with a darker shade of red, the first change in design since October 2006.
- Kim Jong-un
Kim Jong-il died
On 17 December 2011, Kim Jong-il died.
- PlayStation
PlayStation Vita
Released in Japan on December 17, 2011 and North America on February 22, 2012, the PlayStation Vita was previously code-named Next Generation Portable (NGP). It was officially unveiled by Sony on January 27, 2011 at the PlayStation Meeting 2011.
- Bank of America
Bank of America agreed to pay $335 million to settle a federal government claim that Countrywide Financial had discriminated against Hispanic and African-American homebuyers from 2004 to 2008
That December, Bank of America agreed to pay $335 million to settle a federal government claim that Countrywide Financial had discriminated against Hispanic and African-American homebuyers from 2004 to 2008, prior to being acquired by BofA.
- Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Duke suffered chest pains
While staying at Sandringham House, the royal residence in Norfolk, on 23 December 2011, the Duke suffered chest pains and was taken to the cardio-thoracic unit at Papworth Hospital, Cambridgeshire, where he underwent successful coronary angioplasty and stenting. He was discharged on 27 December.
- Angelina Jolie
The Land of Blood and Honey
Jolie made her feature directorial debut with In the Land of Blood and Honey, released on 23 December 2011. Upon release, the film received mixed reviews; Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Jolie deserves significant credit for creating such a powerfully oppressive atmosphere and staging the ghastly events so credibly, even if it is these very strengths that will make people not want to watch what's onscreen."
- Samsung
Acquiring The Stake of Sony In S-LCD
As of 26 December 2011, it was announced that Samsung had acquired the stake of Sony in S-LCD.
- Kim Jong-un
Chairman of the Central Military Commission and Supreme leader of the country
On 26 December 2011, the leading North Korean newspaper reported that Kim Jong-un had been acting as chairman of the Central Military Commission, and supreme leader of the country, following his father's demise.
- Kim Jong-un
Declared Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army
He was publicly declared Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army on 24 December 2011 and formally appointed to the position on 30 December 2011 when the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party "courteously proclaimed that the dear respected Kim Jong Un, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK, assumed the supreme commandership of the Korean People's Army".
- Johan Cruyff
A Friendly game against Tunisia
On 30 December 2011, Catalonia played Tunisia in a goalless draw at the Lluís Companys.
- Pope Francis
Resignation
When he turned 75 in December 2011, Bergoglio submitted his resignation as Archbishop of Buenos Aires to Pope Benedict XVI as required by canon law.
- Lacoste
Lacoste Was accused of Censoring The Work of Palestinian Artist Larissa Sansour
In December 2011 Lacoste was accused of censoring the work of Palestinian artist Larissa Sansour. Sansour had initially been included on a shortlist of eight nominees for the prestigious Lacoste Élysée prize – a competition which had been organized by the Musée de l'Élysée in Lausanne, Switzerland, with Lacoste's sponsorship.A month before the selection jury was to meet to choose the winner, however, the Musée de l'Élysée informed Sansour that Lacoste had changed its mind about including her work in the competition and asked the Museum to remove her as a nominee citing her work to be "too pro-Palestinian". Sansour soon went public with her story and within 48 hours the Musée de l'Élysée came out in her support announcing, in a press release, that it had decided to suspend its relationship with Lacoste as a sponsor of this prize due to its insistence on excluding Sansour from the competition.
- Tony Hawk
The second Most influential Skateboarder
In December 2011, Hawk was identified by Transworld Skateboarding magazine as the second most influential skateboarder of all time after Mark Gonzales.
- Marc Patrick O'Leary: Washington and Colorado Serial Rapist (Unbelievable)
O'leary sentence
In December 2011, O'Leary was sentenced to 327.5 years in prison for the four incidents in Colorado. In June 2012, he was sentenced to an additional 38.5 years for the two incidents in Washington.
- Vodafone
Bluefish Communications Ltd
On 1 December 2011, it acquired the Reading-based Bluefish Communications Ltd, an ICT consultancy company. The acquired operations formed the nucleus of a new Unified Communications and Collaboration practice within its subsidiary Vodafone Global Enterprise.
- Conflict in Myanmar
SSA-S signed a ceasefire agreement with the Government
The SSA-S (the Shan State Army - South) maintains bases along the Myanmar–Thailand border, and signed a ceasefire agreement with the government on 2 December 2011.
- Amancio Ortega
Torre Picasso
In December 2011, Ortega purchased the Torre Picasso skyscraper in Madrid for €400 million.
- Warren Buffett
Renewable Energy
In December 2011, Buffett's MidAmerican Energy Holdings agreed to buy a $2 billion solar energy project under development in California and a 49 percent stake in a $1.8 billion plant in Arizona, his first investments in solar power. He already owned wind farms.
- Best Buy
Best Buy purchased mindSHIFT Technologies
In December 2011, Best Buy purchased mindSHIFT Technologies, a company that provided IT support for small and medium-sized businesses, for $167 million.
- Uber
Expanding into Paris
Uber expands beyond the United States, starting by expanding into Paris, France.
- Uber
Uber announces it has raised $37 million in Series B round
Uber announces it has raised $37 million in Series B round, including investors such as Goldman Sachs, Menlo Ventures (with Shervin Pishevar and Shawn Carolan co-leading Menlo's investment), and Bezos Expeditions.
- Carlos the Jackal
Sentenced to life in prison
On 15 December 2011, Ramírez Sánchez, Weinrich and Issawi were convicted and sentenced to life in prison; Fröhlich was acquitted.
- Bank of America
Justice Department announced a $335 million settlement with Bank of America over discriminatory lending practice at Countrywide Financial
In December 2011, the Justice Department announced a $335 million settlement with Bank of America over discriminatory lending practices at Countrywide Financial. Attorney General Eric Holder said a federal probe found discrimination against qualified African-American and Latino borrowers from 2004 to 2008. He said that minority borrowers who qualified for prime loans were steered into higher-interest-rate subprime loans.
- Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis
Withdrawal of US troops
He returned to Iraq following the withdrawal of US troops (December 2011) to head the Kata'ib Hezbollah militia; he then became deputy chief of the Popular Mobilization Forces.
- Bank of America
Forbes ranked Bank of America's financial wealth 91st out of the nation's largest 100 banks
In December 2011, Forbes ranked Bank of America's financial wealth 91st out of the nation's largest 100 banks and thrift institutions.
- YouTube
YouTube launched a new version of the site interface
In December 2011, YouTube launched a new version of the site interface, with the video channels displayed in a central column on the home page, similar to the news feeds of social networking sites. At the same time, a new version of the YouTube logo was introduced with a darker shade of red, the first change in design since October 2006.
- Kim Jong-un
Kim Jong-il died
On 17 December 2011, Kim Jong-il died.
- PlayStation
PlayStation Vita
Released in Japan on December 17, 2011 and North America on February 22, 2012, the PlayStation Vita was previously code-named Next Generation Portable (NGP). It was officially unveiled by Sony on January 27, 2011 at the PlayStation Meeting 2011.
- Bank of America
Bank of America agreed to pay $335 million to settle a federal government claim that Countrywide Financial had discriminated against Hispanic and African-American homebuyers from 2004 to 2008
That December, Bank of America agreed to pay $335 million to settle a federal government claim that Countrywide Financial had discriminated against Hispanic and African-American homebuyers from 2004 to 2008, prior to being acquired by BofA.
- Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Duke suffered chest pains
While staying at Sandringham House, the royal residence in Norfolk, on 23 December 2011, the Duke suffered chest pains and was taken to the cardio-thoracic unit at Papworth Hospital, Cambridgeshire, where he underwent successful coronary angioplasty and stenting. He was discharged on 27 December.
- Angelina Jolie
The Land of Blood and Honey
Jolie made her feature directorial debut with In the Land of Blood and Honey, released on 23 December 2011. Upon release, the film received mixed reviews; Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Jolie deserves significant credit for creating such a powerfully oppressive atmosphere and staging the ghastly events so credibly, even if it is these very strengths that will make people not want to watch what's onscreen."
- Samsung
Acquiring The Stake of Sony In S-LCD
As of 26 December 2011, it was announced that Samsung had acquired the stake of Sony in S-LCD.
- Kim Jong-un
Chairman of the Central Military Commission and Supreme leader of the country
On 26 December 2011, the leading North Korean newspaper reported that Kim Jong-un had been acting as chairman of the Central Military Commission, and supreme leader of the country, following his father's demise.
- Kim Jong-un
Declared Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army
He was publicly declared Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army on 24 December 2011 and formally appointed to the position on 30 December 2011 when the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party "courteously proclaimed that the dear respected Kim Jong Un, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK, assumed the supreme commandership of the Korean People's Army".
- Johan Cruyff
A Friendly game against Tunisia
On 30 December 2011, Catalonia played Tunisia in a goalless draw at the Lluís Companys.