Portal:Current events/2018 December 12

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;Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
The Afghan National Army abandons the western Shib Koh District after the government failed to resupply troops stationed there. The district, which borders Iran, is now effectively under Taliban control. [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-security/afghan-forces-abandon-district-after-taliban-pressure-idUSKBN1OB1SH (Reuters)]
The Taliban claims responsibility for a suicide bombing that killed 12 people, including 8 civilians in Kabul. [https://www.tolonews.com/afghanistan/blast-targets-security-forces-convoy-kabul (Tolo News)]
Two police officers are injured after a man throws a grenade at them at a shopping centre in Nazran, Ingushetia, Russia. The attacker and his accomplice are later shot dead. [http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-12/13/c_137669668.htm (Xinhuanet)]

;Arts and culture

Pope Francis removes Australian prelate George Pell and Chilean prelate Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa from the Council of Cardinal Advisers. Both are accused of covering up child sexual abuse scandals. Former Archbishop of Kinshasa Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya also leaves the Council for unrelated reasons. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-46539341 (BBC)]

;International relations

North Korea–South Korea relations
Soldiers from North Korea and South Korea peacefully cross the Korean Demilitarized Zone for the first time since it was created in 1953. [https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/north-korea-south-korea-troops-cross-demilitarized-zone-in-peace-first-time/ (CBS News)]
United States–Venezuela relations
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accuses United States National Security Advisor John R. Bolton of personally leading a plot to assassinate him, declining to provide evidence. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-46546984 (BBC)]

;Law and crime

Michael Cohen, the former lawyer of U.S. President Donald Trump, is sentenced to three years in prison for making illegal hush money payments to two women with whom Trump allegedly had affairs, and a concurrent sentence of two months for making false statements to Congress about a possible Trump Tower deal in Russia. [https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2177721/donald-trumps-former-lawyer-michael-cohen-sentenced (South China Morning Post)]
Prosecutors in Goiás, Brazil request the preventive detention of medium João de Deus over more than 200 allegations of sexual abuse. João de Deus became internationally famous in 2013, when his controversial psychic healing methods were broadcast on Oprah Winfrey's show Oprah's Next Chapter. [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-healer-abuse/brazil-miracle-healer-who-appeared-on-oprah-faces-arrest-in-sex-probe-idUSKBN1OB2VS (Reuters)]

;Politics and elections

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