Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Scientists from the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics estimate that there are at least 17 billion planets approximately the size of Earth in the Milky Way.
US President U.S. President Barack Obama nominates PIAB Chairman Chuck Hagel to be the next Secretary of Defense and HSC Advisor John O. Brennan to be the next Director of the CIA.
Delhi A court in Delhi, India, charges five men with the murder of a 23-year-old woman who was gang-raped on a bus in Delhi on December 16, 2012.
Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI addresses ambassadors and diplomats from nearly 180 countries gathered in the Apostolic Palace’s Sala Regia. They are present for the Pope’s traditional address to members of the diplomatic corps who are accredited to the Holy See. Pope Benedict urges an end to the “slaughter” in Syria and stresses the “grave responsibility” to work for peace around the world.
United States For $8.5 billion, ten banks settle to stop mortgage foreclosure process audits. The United States government regulators had been engaged in a loan-by-loan review of home loan practices during the Great Recession. Bank of America, Citigroup Inc, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Wells Fargo & Co, MetLife Bank, Aurora Bank FSB, PNC Financial Services Group Inc, Sovereign Bank NA, SunTrust Banks Inc, and U.S. Bancorp settle with regulators to pay out cash up to $125,000 to homeowners whose homes were being foreclosed when the paperwork problems emerged. Further, Bank of America agrees to pay $11.6 billion to government mortgage finance company Fannie Mae.