- February 4, 2005
February 4 2005 * New observations from the
Arecibo radio telescope confirm thatasteroid 2004 MN4 (later named99942 Apophis in July 2005), once briefly considered an impact risk, will passEarth onApril 13 2029 at a distance of 36,350 km (22,600 mi) and will reach magnitude 3.3, easily visible to thenaked eye fromEurope ,Africa and westernAsia . [http://www.space.com/spacewatch/050204_2004_mn4.html (Space.com)]
*United States :Alberto Gonzales becomes the firstHispanic U.S. Attorney General, confirmed by a 60-36 Senate vote split across party lines. [http://www.washtimes.com/national/20050204-123544-7508r.htm (Washington Times)]
* In Congo (Kinshasa), theequestrian statue of King Léopold of the Belgians, who founded theCongo Free State in1885 , is briefly re-erected inKinshasa before it is again removed. [http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_1657506,00.html (News24)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4235237.stm (BBC)]
* The government ofUganda announces a newceasefire of 18 days with theLord's Resistance Army . [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/14cef59bbf62ce081ced71f9b327e214.htm (Reuters AlertNet)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4234087.stm (BBC)]
* InMauritania , four army officers who plottedcoup s against PresidentMaaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya each receive alife sentence instead of the expecteddeath penalty after a four-month trial. The sentenced include former army majorSaleh Ould Hanenna . [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/03c34b7088f9cc1f9c01842adca1c0b9.htm (Reuters AlertNet)] [http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=12597 (Middle East Online)]
*Watergate papers of "Washington Post " reportersBob Woodward andCarl Bernstein are announced to go on public display. The reporters still do not intend to reveal the identity of Deep Throat. [http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=7533015 (Reuters)] [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61824-2005Feb3.html (Washington Post)]
*Same-sex marriage in the United States : TheNew York State Supreme Court rules that the state's ban onsame-sex marriage violates the state constitution. The decision is stayed for 30 days. [http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/02/04/new-york-gay-marriage050204.html (CBC)] [http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/02/04/ny.gaymarriage.ap/index.html (CNN)]
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