- May 11, 2005
May 11 2005 (Wednesday)*
President George W. Bush signs the Real ID Act into effect
*Guantánamo Bay Qur'an desecration allegations : Riots over a "Newsweek " story (later retracted) lead to dozens of injuries and at least three deaths inJalalabad , EasternAfghanistan . Afghan police uselive ammunition to stop theAnti-American rioting organized in protest of the alleged desecration of a copy of theQur'an . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4535491.stm (BBC)] , [http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=8453298 (Reuters)]
* AKatyusha rocket hits the northernIsrael i town ofShlomi , damaging a bakery but no injuries. The rocket appears to have been launched from withinLebanon whileIsrael celebrated its 57th Independence Day. [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/575335.html (Haaretz)]
* Justice officials inKuwait , with assistance fromUnited Nations war crime s expertSharif Basyouni , complete an indictment againstSaddam Hussein and several formerIraq i officials for crimes against humanity during the1990 invasion of Kuwait. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/kuwaitiraqcrimes (Yahoo!)]
* The Irish government gives the go-ahead for the building of the controversial M3 motorway through the archaeologically sensitive Tara-Skyrne Valley, amid an international outcry by academics and environmentalists. [http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0511/m3.html (RTÉ)]
* TheWhite House andUnited States Capitol inWashington, D.C. are evacuated, amid reports of an incoming aircraft. The US Secret Service subsequently issues an all-clear. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/4538019.stm (BBC)]
* Canadian Prime MinisterPaul Martin has setMay 19 for a vote in the House of Commons on the federal budget. He said if his government loses the vote of confidence, he will seek the dissolution of Parliament. This means an election could come as early as June 27. [http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/05/11/pm-budget050511.html (CBC)]
* TheAustria n parliament ratifies the European Union constitution with only one dissenting vote. [http://www.orf.at/050511-86830/index.html (ORF)]
*Conflict in Iraq : At least 60 people die following a series of bombings throughoutIraq . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4535323.stm (BBC)]
* TheBulgaria n parliament ratifies the EU membership treaty. [http://www.bgnewsnet.com/story.php?lang=en&sid=20140 (Bulgarian News Network)] [http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=47567 (Sofia News Agency)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4535585.stm (BBC)] [http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/05/11/bulgaria.eu.reut/ (CNN)]
* Authorities in theIndia n state ofMadhya Pradesh investigate the attack of social workerShakuntala Verma after she had investigated claims of illegalchild marriage s. One of her hands was severed and the other was badly wounded. [http://www.newindpress.com/Newsitems.asp?ID=IEP20050511102045&Title=States&Topic=0 (Newindpress)] [http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050512/asp/frontpage/story_4728864.asp (Telegraph)] [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1107079.cms (Times of India)]
* InYemen , the number of cases in apolio outbreak rises to 63. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4537049.stm (BBC)] [http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=746876 (ABC)] [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L10413930.htm (Reuters AlertNet)]
*Javier Zanetti , captain of the Inter Milan football club, says the team could accept the invitation to a game to play againstMexico 's Zapatistarebels. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4537859.stm (BBC)]
* The presidents ofNigeria andCameroon have not made progress in talks on the disputedBakassi peninsula. They agree to negotiate a new date for the pullout of Nigerian troops. [http://www.cameroon-info.net/cmi_show_news.php?id=16282 (Cameroon-Info)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4537611.stm (BBC)] [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L1135139.htm (Reuters AlertNet)]
* Medical researchers and health organizations condemnAIDS dissidentMatthias Rath who had placed full-page ads in theNew York Times andInternational Herald Tribune with a slogan "Stop AIDSGenocide bydrug cartel ". Rath claims thatantiretroviral drug s are poisonous and hisvitamin supplements can cure the disease. Researchers ofHarvard University state that Rath misrepresents their findings.South Africa 'sMedicine Control Council announces investigation of the Rath Foundation. [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L1120421.htm (Reuters AlertNet)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4538477.stm (BBC)] [http://www.pretorianews.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=665&fArticleId=2517252 (Pretoria News)] [http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/topstories.aspx?ID=BD4A44439 (Business Day)] [http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/Aids_Focus/0,,2-7-659_1703316,00.html (News24)]
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