July 12, 2017 (Wednesday)
Arts and culture
- Monkey selfie
- The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco hears a case on whether or not a Celebes crested macaque owns its selfie. (CNET)
Disasters and incidents
- Wildfires in Europe
- Wildfires devastate the Italian provinces of Messina, Naples, Enna and Rome. The Vesuvius National Park is reportedly completely destroyed by flames and ash. Italian police claim the fires are the work of arsonists. (The Local Italy)
Law and crime
- Immigration to the United States
- A U.S. federal judge halts the possible deportation of Iraqi Chaldean Christian refugees until further review. (The Wire) (NBC News)
- Corruption in Brazil, Operation Car Wash
- Former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is convicted on corruption and money laundering charges in connection with the Petrobras investigation. Lula, who remains free on appeal, is sentenced to nine and a half years in prison. (Reuters) (The Washington Post)
Politics and elections
- Human rights in China
- Nobel Peace Laureate Liu Xiaobo, who has been incarcerated in China for organizing the pro-democracy manifesto "Charter 08," is suffering from late-stage liver cancer which is worsening. The Chinese hospital treating him and foreign doctors, who examined Liu the weekend, disagree on future treatment. Germany, the United States, UK, and other countries have appealed that Liu be allowed to go to the hospital of his choice. (The New York Times)[permanent dead link](South China Morning Post) (Reuters)
- Efforts to impeach Donald Trump
- Representative Brad Sherman files the first articles for the formal impeachment of Donald Trump in his position of President of the United States. (The Independent)
- Recognition of same-sex unions in Malta
- A bill allowing same-sex marriage in Malta gets approved by Parliament. (Times of Malta)
Science and technology
- Larsen Ice Shelf
- A giant iceberg covering approximately 6,000 square kilometres (2,300 sq mi) breaks away from the Larsen C Ice Shelf in Antarctica. (BBC)
- Day of Action to Save Net Neutrality
- Several major internet companies and activist groups post messages defending net neutrality. (The Verge)