Portal:Current events/2014 January 8

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Current events of January 8, 2014 (2014-01-08) (Wednesday)

South Yemen insurgency:
- Two suspected Al-Qaeda militants are killed in a U.S. drone strike in the southeastern province of Hadhramaut. (Reuters)

A Canadian National Railway train from Toronto carrying crude oil and propane derails and catches fire in Plaster Rock, New Brunswick, in the northwest part of the province, causing 45 homes to be evacuated in a rural area. No one has yet been injured, and the fire has diminished, so far without the propane exploding. (MSN)
Nine passengers on the Dehradun Express from Mumbai die when the train catches fire. (AFP, BBC News, CNN, UPI)
One crew member has died and another is missing after a U.S. Navy MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter makes an emergency water landing off the Virginia coast, east of Virginia Beach; the three survivors are being treated at a Norfolk hospital. (NBC)

The nominees for the 67th British Academy Film Awards are announced in London. (BBC)
U.S. sports personality Dennis Rodman defends his visits to North Korea after he is criticized by the family of an American detainee. (CNN)
The Triple Package, a book written by Amy Chua, describes American Jews, Chinese Americans, Cuban Americans, Indian Americans, Iranian Americans, Lebanese Americans, Mormons, and Nigerian Americans as the most successful ethnic groups in the United States causing controversy. (The Daily Mail)

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1:
- Alberta Health Services confirms first Avian flu death in Alberta. A person admitted to hospital on January 1, 2014, died on January 3 in Calgary.

Imelda Marcos's former aide is sentenced in New York City for attempting to sell a painting of Claude Monet allegedly bought with embezzled funds. (GMA News)
The U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctions the Sinaloa Cartel enforcer El Chino Ántrax under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, which virtually prohibits U.S. citizens from conducting any financial deal with the drug lord and freezes his assets. (The Wall Street Journal)

A book released by former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates criticizes President Barack Obama for his handling of the War in Afghanistan. (Fox News)
The U.S. Republican Party criticizes Pope Francis for his comments on capitalism. (The New York Times)

FIFA secretary-general Jérôme Valcke, second in the FIFA hierarchy to president Sepp Blatter, tells Radio France that the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will not be played in summer between June, July and will be held in the winter time. FIFA responds by saying no official decision will be made until after the 2014 World Cup. (Sky News), (BBC), (Times of India)
Thomas Hitzlsperger, recently retired former German international, publicly announces he is gay, the most prominent association football player to do so. (BBC)