December 17, 2010 (Friday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Maoist rebels abduct seven villagers in the Purulia district of India's West Bengal state. (NDTV)
- American missile attacks kill 57 suspected militants in a region in northwest Pakistan. (Washington Times) (Associated Press) (CNN)
Business and economy
- Suncor and Total SA sign a deal to develop in the Alberta tar sands for bitumen extraction, while a procedure to clean up tailings ponds by multiple companies is approved by an energy watchdog. (Globe and Mail) (Reuters Africa) (Calgary Herald)[permanent dead link]
Disasters
- The death toll from the Christmas Island wreck rises to 30 with many still missing. (AP via Yahoo! News)
- Further disruption is caused by blizzards and widespread ice in many parts of the United Kingdom, with more wintry weather forecast for the weekend. (BBC)
- Cuba is hit by a cold wave, and some locations register 50-year record low temperatures. (Cuban News Agency)[permanent dead link] (Radio Cadena Agramonte)
International relations
- Bolivia recognizes the State of Palestine. (Ynetnews)
Politics
- The United Kingdom government announces plans to make prisoners serving less than four years eligible to vote. (BBC)
Science
- The Cook Islands announces the country's first ever HIV infection. (ABC Radio Australia)
- China launches 7th Beidou navigation satellite. (Kunming via Xinhua)