The world - Dec. 30, 2010

THURSDAY

Ohio State University football players are under investigation for exchanging tattoos for autographs. Police discovered team memorabilia at a local tattoo parlor. No players have been expelled and the university athletic administration has yet to acknowledge the investigation.

FRIDAY

Heavy snow stranded thousands of Christmas travelers in Europe, with Belgium’s main airport closed for most of the day.

Cold weather during the holiday disrupted travel and business across the continent and the severe weather was expected to put a damper on Christmas sales.

A rare, elusive cheetah, called the Saharan cheetah, was recently captured by photograph in Niger, confirming the beast’s existence. The pale, thin creature is currently under research by scientists, who are trying to trace how the cat is related to other cheetahs. The animal is very rare and scientists aren’t sure how many even exist, though they estimate there are less than 10 in existence in the big desert of Termit and Tin Toumma in Niger. No standing water exists in those deserts and scientists believe the animals get their moisture largely from their prey.

A man running from Hawaiian local police crossed an outer security checkpoint of Obama’s vacation home, prompting secret service guards to draw their guns. It was later discovered the man was running from local police for outstanding traffic warrants and had no intention of disturbing the president, who was out playing golf.

At least 38 people died in Christmas Eve attacks in Nigeria, including six killed by a suspected radical Islamic sect living in the central African country. In central Nigeria, several bomb blasts killed another 32 in what is suspected to be a streak of violence against Christians in that nation.

WEEKEND

A country-wide strike was called to protest against the Ivory Coast’s new disputed presidential election, which kept long-time president Laurent Gbagbo in office despite election results which say political rival Alassan Ouattara won. The strike is expected to last until Gbagbo leaves office. At least 173 people have been killed in the violent protests over the vote, renewing concerns that country could, once again, fall into civil war.

The relatives of two imprisoned German journalists in Iran were delayed a holiday visit to the reporters for the second day in a row this weekend. Iranian officials promised the reporter’s sister and photographer’s mother they could see the journalists in Tehran, but have now twice canceled the intended meeting. The journalists were working for a popular German newspaper on a story on the impending stoning of an Iranian woman accused of adultery.

“Octomom” Nadya Suleman is allegedly close to being evicted from her southern Californian home because the previous home-owner is alleging she has not paid on it. Suleman is unemployed and unmarried. She and her 14 children have lived in the home for almost two years.

MONDAY

Israeli archaeologists Monday found the tooth of a “modern man” they date as some 400,000 years old. The earliest Homo Sapien remains found until now are half as old. The discovery of the tooth may trigger new scientific evidence that humans as we know them have existed far longer that once thought.

Authorities have linked the work of anarchist groups in Italy and Greece, saying the Italian faction that tried to bomb Roman embassies was encouraged by the Greek anarchist group. The Italian group, Informal Anarchist Federation, sent mail bombs to embassies to Swiss and Chilean embassies last week, in a effort to raise a “violent revolution” for the cause of imprisoned anarchists.

Actor Natalie Portman is pregnant with her first child and is marrying the father, the choreographer of “Black Swan,” a psychological thriller that stars Portman as a ballet dancer.

President Barack Obama made a personal phone call to Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie to congratulate him on signing on player Michael Vick who was just released from prison.

TUESDAY

West African leaders delivered an ultimatum to alleged president Laurent Gbagbo, threatening a military ouster if the president does not step down from power. Opponents allege the other individual in the November presidential election, Alassane Ouattara, rightfully gained the majority of the country’s vote.

WEDNESDAY

Denmark intelligence officials arrested five men planning to shoot as many people as possible in the newsroom of a paper printing cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.