- April 2006
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*Chile:Alberto Fujimori (extradition)
*Chile:Augusto Pinochet
*Ethiopia: 111 defendants, including leaders of the CUD and journalists, for charges related to the 2005 elections
*Iraq:Iraqi Special Tribunal
**Saddam Hussein, among others
*Netherlands: ICC
**Thomas Lubanga
*Netherlands: ICTY
*Russia:Nur-Pashi Kulayev
*Sierra Leone: SCfSL
**Charles Taylor
*South Africa:Jacob Zuma
*UK: Leo O'Connor & David Keogh
*U.S.:Brian Nichols
*U.S.:Kenneth Lay andJeffrey Skilling
*U.S.:Tom DeLay
*U.S.:Zacarias Moussaoui Events
1 April 2006 (Saturday)*
Marcos Pontes ,Brazil 's firstastronaut , reaches theInternational Space Station . [http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/04/01/space.brazil.ap/index.html (CNN)]
*A small aircraft goes missing whilst in flight towardsRio de Janeiro ,Brazil with 19 people onboard. It is found to have crashed nearSaquarema , about 100 km from Rio. There are no survivors. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4867130.tm (BBC)]
*TheSerious Organised Crime Agency , dubbed the 'British FBI', is launched in theUnited Kingdom . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4867108.stm (BBC)]
*First Great Western ,First Great Western Link andWessex Trains combined into the new Greater Western franchise. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4523592.stm (BBC)]2 April 2006 (Sunday)* In
Thailand , the 2006 legislative election is held. All three major opposition parties have announced they are boycotting the election. [http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article355333.ece (Indep. UK)]
* An outbreak of tornadoes, theApril 2, 2006 Tornado Outbreak , hits northeasternArkansas , theMissouri Bootheel , and WestTennessee killing 27.
*Lucent Technologies announced its merger agreement withAlcatel . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4870488.stm (BBC)]
*TheHuman Rights Protection Party winsSamoa 's general election. The HRPP was already the ruling party, and its leaderTuila'epa Sailele Malielegaoi the Prime Minister, but the party did better in the election than polls had indicated. [http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest/200604020859/42ee7c1 (Radio NZ)]
*After about 3 months captivity as a hostage in Iraq, American journalistJill Carroll returns to American soil inBoston, Massachusetts . [http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/04/02/carroll.hostage/index.html (CNN)]3 April 2006 (Monday)*The jury in the first phase of the trial of
Zacarias Moussaoui has decided that he is eligible for the death penalty. [http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/04/03/moussaoui.verdict/index.html (CNN)]
*A large air forceC-5 Galaxy military cargo jet crashed when landing atDover Air Force Base in theU.S. state ofDelaware . [http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/04/03/c5.crash/index.html (CNN)]
*JudgeAnand Satyanand has been appointed to succeed DameSilvia Cartwright asGovernor-General of New Zealand . He will take up office onAugust 4 2006 . [http://www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.aspx?DocumentID=25354 (Beehive)]4 April 2006 (Tuesday)*
2006 labor protests in France : Three million people march against theFirst Employment Contract (CPE) law, 700 000 inParis . Student organizations call for ageneral strike . [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/04/AR2006040401632.html (Washington Post)]
*In theRepublic of Ireland ,Denis Donaldson a former seniorSinn Féin member, is found shot dead near the village ofGlenties ,County Donegal , close to where it is believed he had been living since he admitted, inDecember 2005 , to being a paid British agent for over twenty years. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4877516.stm (BBC)]
*Thailand legislative election, 2006 :Thaksin Shinawatra resigns as Prime Minister ofThailand despite his rulingThai Rak Thai party winning an overwhelming majority in the House of Representatives. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4876326.stm (BBC)]
*A security expert testifies to an inquest thatfilm director James Miller was shot intentionally by anIsrael i soldier while making a film in aPalestinian refugee camp in theGaza Strip . [http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/legal/article355599.ece (The Independent)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/4876176.stm (BBC)]
*Former Majority LeaderTom DeLay announces his resignation from theUnited States House of Representatives . [http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1179853,00.html (TIME)]
*The39th Canadian Parliament opens inOttawa , with theSpeech from the Throne delivered by the Governor General on behalf of the newly-elected government ofStephen Harper . [http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1144144328619&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154 (Toronto Star)]5 April 2006 (Wednesday)* US scientists have successfully implanted
artificial bladder s (artificialurinary bladder s) grown in the laboratory from patients' own cells into patients. [http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-04-05-voa35.cfm (VoA)]6 April 2006 (Thursday)*An earthquake of 5.5 magnitude is reported in Western
Gujarat inIndia .
* TheWorld Meteorological Organization has announced the retirement of a record five storm names from the2005 Atlantic hurricane season . Retired names include Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan and Wilma. [http://www.cnn.com/2006/WEATHER/04/06/hurricane.names/index.html?section=cnn_latest (CNN)]
*TheNational Geographic Society unveils the restoredGospel of Judas inWashington D.C. Written in Coptic, the document is thought to have come from the2nd Century . It had been deteriorating rapidly when found. [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5327692 (NPR)]
*A 1,500 year oldpyramid called theHill of the Star has been found inMexico City . [http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1748658,00.html?gusrc=rss (Guardian Unlimited)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4881792.stm (BBC)]
*Orthodox Jews inBoro Park inNew York City continue to protest after a 75-year-old Hasidic man was beaten and arrested by police for talking on a cell phone while driving. NYPD ChiefJoseph Esposito allegedly cursed out the protestors in anti-Semitic terms, resulting in condemnations and calls for him to step down. [http://www.fox12news.com/Global/story.asp?S=4734568 (FOX news)] [http://www.nysun.com/article/30527 (New York Sun)]
*Palaeontologists announce the discovery of the "Tiktaalik " genus, an importantfossil link between fish and land animals. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4879672.stm (BBC)] [http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,,1747926,00.html (Guardian)] [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/05/science/05cnd-fossil.html?hp&ex=1144296000&en=fe3427d67e965e46&ei=5094&partner=homepage (New York Times)]
*Israel i police arrest and releaseKhaled Abu Arafa , minister ofJerusalem affairs in the newHamas -led government of thePalestinian Authority . [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060406/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_hamas_arrest (Associated Press)]
*TheNew Zealand Parliament passes a bill that on receivingRoyal Assent will makeNew Zealand Sign Language the third official language of New Zealand, alongside English and Māori. [http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/488120/696482 (TVNZ)]
*Health experts announce that a deadswan found inScotland has tested positive for bird flu. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4882946.stm (BBC)] . It has been further confirmed that the bird had the deadlyH5N1 strain of the virus [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000085&sid=aEgX0Zq0jJBM (Bloomberg)] . Scotland and the UK confirm H5N1 virus, but say a GB-wide poultry housing requirement would be "disproportionate." [http://www.fwi.co.uk/home/default.aspx (Farmers Weekly)] .7 April 2006 (Friday)*For the second time in less than a week, a number of
tornado s strike theU.S. state s ofTennessee ,Kentucky , andIndiana . [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,191016,00.html (FOX News)]
*"The Da Vinci Code " authorDan Brown and his publisher,Random House , win the lawsuit that claimed that Brown committedcopyright infringement by using ideas similar to those in "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail ". [http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/04/07/uk.davinci.court/index.html (CNN)]
*At 10 o'clockUTC NASA 'sPluto probe "New Horizons " crossed the orbit ofMars , after 78 days journey. This is a new Earth-to-Mars-distance flight record.8 April 2006 (Saturday)*
Shedden massacre : The bodies of eight members of the infamousBandidos biker group are found by a resident in a cornfield in southwestOntario ,Canada . The incident is considered a cleansing of the gang's inner circle. TheOntario Provincial Police launch a full-scale murder investigation. [http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/04/08/bodies-field060408.html (CBC)] [http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2006/04/09/1526462-sun.html (London Free Press (Ontario))] [http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=95022 (National Nine News)]
* TheUnited Front for Democratic Change has attacked and gained control of the cities ofHaraze Mangueigne ,Am Timan , andAbou-Deia , inChad . Their initial attack came from northernCentral African Republic with the help of theMilitary of Sudan . This is the largest and most successful attack since the start of theChadian-Sudanese conflict despite taking only an hour, with only four men injured and none killed because theChadian military has either fled or refused to fight the rebels. [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L09233053.htm (AlertNet)]
* Thedeath toll in the Djibouti ferry disaster reaches 109. [http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-04-08T181925Z_01_L08396815_RTRUKOC_0_US-DJIBOUTI-SHIP.xml&archived=False (Reuters)]
* The Aligarh Riots betweenHindu s andMuslim s enter its fourth day. At least 5 people have been killed in therioting in theNorth India n town ofAligarh so far. [http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-04-07T174145Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-243967-1.xml (Reuters)]
*Three protesters are wounded and six buildings are burned down in the fourth day of the pro-Democracy general strike inNepal againstKing Gyanendra . [http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060408/wl_sthasia_afp/usnepalindiaenvoy_060408101230 (AFP)]
* TheWorld Health Organization announces that the averagelife expectancy ofZimbabwe ans has declined to 37 years for men and 34 years for women. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4890508.stm (BBC)]
*Newcastle Falcons sevens team win the annualMelrose Sevens rugby tournament inScotland . They beatEdinburgh teamHeriots in the final.9 April 2006 (Sunday)*
Scooter Libby says U.S. PresidentGeorge W. Bush okayed leaks of secretCIA intelligence material. [http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060407/1053134.asp (Buffalo News)]
*Hungarian parliamentary election, 2006 : The rulingHungarian Socialist Party wins the first round.Voter turnout was 67.7 percent. [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-04/10/content_4405517.htm (XinHua)]
*Peru hold presidential election:Peruvian national election, 2006 10 April 2006 (Monday)*Preliminary results from the general election in Peru shows
Ollanta Humala leading, but certain to face a runoff election in lateMay or earlyJune .Alan García is narrowly leadingLourdes Flores for second place and a spot in the runoff. [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000086&sid=aJQ2YVcz681I&refer=latin_america (Bloomberg)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4897186.stm (BBC)]
*Non-violent demonstrations for immigrant rights are held in dozens of U.S. cities today in opposition toH.R. 4437 , which would classifyillegal aliens as felons. [http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=2006-04-10T175733Z_01_N10367945_RTRIDST_0_USA-IMMIGRATION-PICTURE.XML (Reuters)] [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/10/us/10cnd-rallies.html?_r=1&oref=slogin (New York Times)] [http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/story.asp?section=Breaking&storyId=1509365 (AP via Wired)]
*Shedden massacre :Ontario Provincial Police announce that five people have been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the slaying of eight people found dead in southwesternOntario ,Canada . The OPP also confirms that the deaths were connected to an "internal cleansing" of theBandidos biker gang. [http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/04/10/bodies-field060410.html (CBC)]
*Matthias Platzeck resigns from the Chair ofGermany 's Social Democratic Party (SPD) after suffering a majorhearing loss in March 2006 because of occupational stress. The next SPD chairman will beKurt Beck (Minister President ofRhineland-Palatinate ). [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4895958.stm (BBC)]
*Italian general election, 2006 :Romano Prodi declares victory in a tight election as preliminary results show L'Unione (The Union) ahead ofSilvio Berlusconi 'sHouse of Freedoms by 0.1 percent in the Chamber of Deputies, but Berlusconi refuses to concede. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4897994.stm (BBC)] [http://www.lastampa.it/speciali/elezioni2006/ (La Stampa)]
*The government ofFrance announces the withdrawal of its youth employment law. The proposed law had catalyzed more than a month of sometimes-violent protests on the streets ofParis and other cities. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/10/AR2006041000157.html (Washington Post)]
*Sri Lankan Civil War : aclaymore mine explodes in northernJaffna , killing 5 soldiers on patrol and 2 civilians working for the Caritas Internationalis aid agency. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4895570.stm (BBC)]
*Pakistan 's foreign office declares that theUnited States did not keep it fully informed about the Indo-US nuclear deal as the information shared initially with it did not match the final agreement. [http://www.pakistanlink.com/Headlines/Apr06/11/06.htm (Pakistan Link)] [http://www.dawn.com/2006/04/11/top5.htm (The Dawn, Pakistan)]11 April 2006 (Tuesday)* The city of
Essen ,Germany is selected to be theEuropean Capital of Culture of 2010 by theEU jury. [http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,1966773,00.html (Deutsche Welle)]
* A suspected suicide bomber detonates a bomb at a religious gathering inKarachi ,Pakistan , killing at least 47 and injuring more than 80 celebrating Mawlid al-Nabi. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4900402.stm (BBC)]
*Bernardo Provenzano , boss of the SicilianMafia ("capo di tutti i capi"), is caught near the town ofCorleone . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4898930.stm (BBC)]
* The "Venus Express " spacecraft of theEuropean Space Agency approachesVenus approximately 5 months after it was launched and starts its main engine burn to slow itself down and allow the capture intoorbit around Venus. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4895792.stm (BBC)] [http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Venus_Express/SEM7CPNFGLE_0.html (ESA)]
*Sri Lankan Civil War : a bus carrying soldiers fromTrincomalee hits aclaymore mine , killing 10 navy sailors, their driver and leaving another 8 wounded. A pair of British tourists are also injured in the blast. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4898466.stm (BBC)]
* Iranian PresidentMahmoud Ahmadinejad announces thatIran has successfullyenriched uranium . In a televised address from the northeastern city ofMashhad , Ahmadinejad said "I am officially announcing that Iran has joined the group of those countries which have nuclear technology". [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=amtza2zxdhAo&refer=top_world_news (Bloomberg)]
* Musician Proof ofEminem 's hip hop groupD12 is shot to death in aDetroit night club.12 April 2006 (Wednesday)*
United Front for Democratic Change rebels approachN'Djamena , the capital ofChad . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4902342.stm (BBC)]
*Coronary specialist SirMagdi Yacoub operates on Welsh schoolgirlcardiomyopathy patient Hannah Clark, whose originalheart is reconnected, after a donor heart was rejected by her body. This is a UK-firstorgan-replacement reversal . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4904914.stm (BBC)]
*The UK'sTerrorism Act 2006 comes into force, making illegal the act of glorifying terrorism. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4905304.stm (BBC)]
*Sri Lankan Civil War : coordinated bombings and rioting in the north-eastern part of the country leaves 16 dead. A claymore anti-personnel mine explodes inTrincomalee , killing 2 policemen in their vehicle. Another blast set off in a crowded vegetable market kills 1 soldier and civilians. Ensuing rioting leaves more than a dozen dead. Authorities have blamedLTTE rebels for the recent attacks since Monday. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4901952.stm (BBC)] [http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyid=2006-04-12T145905Z_01_COL63331_RTRUKOC_0_US-SRILANKA.xml (Reuters)]
*Fossil s of "Australopithecus anamensis " help bridge a long gap during a crucial phase ofhuman evolution . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4900946.stm (BBC)]13 April 2006 (Thursday)*
Battle of N'Djamena : TheUnited Front for Democratic Change 's attack on theChad iancapital ofN'Djamena is repelled by the Chadian army. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/20060413/ca_pr_on_wo/chad_rebels (Canadian Press)] TheUN Security Council condemns the rebel attack. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4908836.stm (BBC)]
*John Howard ,Prime Minister of Australia denies being aware of an Australian company giving "kick-backs" toSaddam Hussein during theUnited Nation 'sOil for food programme. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4901938.stm (BBC)]14 April 2006 (Friday)*
Iran ian presidentMahmoud Ahmadinejad criticizesIsrael in a three-day conference attended byPalestinian Hamas officials. He calls the Israeli regime "a rotten, dried tree that will be eliminated by one storm." [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/14/AR2006041400818.html (Washington Post)]
*Chad severs diplomatic ties withSudan following an attempted coup by Chadian rebels in which around 350 died. Chad accuses Sudan of sponsoring the rebels. [http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1843594 (AP)]
*Burundi lifts a midnight-to-dawncurfew that has been in place for 34 years. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4910214.stm (BBC)]
*2006 European floods : TheDanube , swollen by heavy rain and melting snow, rises to record levels, andfloods hundreds of homes inSerbia ,Bulgaria andRomania . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4910126.stm (BBC)]
* InDelhi ,India , two explosions inside the16th century mosque Jama Masjid injure at least nine people. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4910028.stm (BBC)] [http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-04-14-voa18.cfm (VOA)]
*An editorial in "The Lancet ", an influentialmedical journal , says that researchers should study the effects ofdrug s by using them themselves, and thereby weakening the force of the social demonization of such substances. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/drugs/Story/0,,1754089,00.html (Guardian)]
*An accident occurs on theYurikamome rail line inTokyo ,Japan when a damaged axle causes a rubber traction tire on a train to fall off, forcing the cancellation of all weekend train services. [http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060415/kyodo/d8h0fp2o0.html (Kyodo News)]
* Suspected militants kill at least four civilians in a series ofgrenade attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir. A fifth civilian dies after police opens fire on the suspected militants. At least 17 others are injured. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4909126.stm (BBC)]
* A man disfigured in a bear attack becomes the first in China to have aface transplant . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4910372.stm (BBC)]15 April 2006 (Saturday)*
2006 European floods : TheDanube rises to its highest level in more than a century. [http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WEATHER/04/15/danube.floods.reut/index.html (CNN)]
*In a gunfight with theAfghani Police Force , theTaliban lose 41 fighters and the police lose 6. [http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=64924 (National Nine News)]
* Two trains collide in Java,Indonesia , killing at least 13 people and injuring 26 others. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4911392.stm (BBC)]
* TheJammu and Kashmir police arrest nine suspectedJaish-e-Mohammad members in connection with thegrenade attacks that shookSrinagar killing five and injuring 40 others. [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060416/main4.htm (The Tribune)] [http://www.hindu.com/2006/04/16/stories/2006041612580100.htm (The Hindu)]
*April 2006 Nepalese general strike : Thousands of people have taken part in pro-democracy marches in towns and cities acrossNepal . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4911780.stm (BBC)]16 April 2006 (Sunday)* In
Dublin , Irish military forces parade for the first time since 1970 in commemoration of the 1916Easter Rising .Taoiseach Bertie Ahern lays a wreath atKilmainham Jail , where most of the rebel leaders were subsequently shot, in memory of the civilian and military dead of both sides. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4913914.stm (BBC)]
*Hu Jintao ,General Secretary of the Communist Party of China , holds an official meeting and banquet with the Honorary Chairman of theNationalist Party of China (Kuomintang),Lien Chan . The two reached on the new "15 Favourable Policies" on relations between the Chinese mainland andTaiwan . [http://english.people.com.cn/200604/16/eng20060416_258791.html (People's Daily)]17 April 2006 (Monday)* A general strike in
Nepal called by political parties opposed to King Gyanendra enters its 12th day, with food shortages and price rises triggeringpanic buying in some areas. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4915108.stm (BBC)] Security forces fatally shot a protester and wounded five inNijgadh , 75 miles south ofKatmandu . [http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/04/17/nepal.ap/index.html (CNN)]
* 21-year-old PalestinianSami Hammad , a suicide bomber, blew himself up at the old central bus station in southernTel Aviv , in the Neveh Sha'anan neighborhood. Eleven people were killed and 70 more were wounded in the blast. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad has taken responsibility for the bombing. AHamas spokesman calls the attack an "act of self-defense." [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/706785.html (Haaretz)] [http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3240687,00.html (Ynetnews)] [http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/04/17/telaviv.blast/index.html (CNN)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4915868.stm (BBC)]18 April 2006 (Tuesday)*
Hu Jintao arrives inSeattle , Washington on his first visit to theUnited States since becomingPresident of the People's Republic of China in 2003. [http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/04/18/china.hu.visit/index.html (CNN)] .
* TheH5N1 strain ofavian influenza is reported inSudan following reports in neighbouringEgypt . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4919852.stm (BBC)]
* TheNew York Stock Exchange is in merger talks withLondon Stock Exchange . If the merger went ahead, it would create a stock exchange giant. [http://go.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=businessNews&storyID=1185759§ion=finance&src=rss/uk/businessNews (Reuters)]
* The Tenth National Congress of theCommunist Party of Vietnam opens inHanoi amid the PMU-18 corruption scandal. [http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyid=2006-04-18T025808Z_01_HO810247_RTRUKOC_0_US-VIETNAM.xml (Reuters)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4917466.stm (BBC)]
*2006 European floods : Thousands of emergency workers inRomania ,Bulgaria andSerbia try to bolster dikes to preventflooding along the swollenDanube River, which has surged to its highest level in more than a century. [http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WEATHER/04/17/balkans.floods/index.html (CNN)] Several thousand people have been evacuated from their homes. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4915342.stm (BBC)]
*AnEl Al airplane in which a malfunction had been detected made a successfulemergency landing at theBen Gurion Airport . The flight, which had departed forMoscow made its way back toTel Aviv after a malfunction was discovered in one of its wheels upon liftoff. The plane emptied its fuel tank above the sea and then landed at the Ben Gurion airport. [http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3241045,00.html (Ynetnews)]
*Today marks the 100th Anniversary of the1906 San Francisco earthquake . Events marking the centennial will be held today and will continue through the end of the year. [http://cbs5.com/topstories/local_story_108040535.html (CBS)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4917600.stm (BBC)]
*The head ofGazprom , Russia's natural-gas monopoly, told officials of theEuropean Union not to "politicize" the gas market -- the speech was part of an escalating war of words between Russia as supplier and the EU as customer. [http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2006/04/20/047.html (Moscow Times)]
=19 April 2006 (Wednesday)=
* The Italian Supreme Court has confirmed the victory of centre-left opposition candidateRomano Prodi in last week's contestedItalian general election, 2006 , dismissing complaints by Prime MinisterSilvio Berlusconi that the vote was marred by irregularities. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4922092.stm (BBC)] [http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyid=2006-04-19T163218Z_01_L19724709_RTRUKOC_0_US-ITALY.xml (Reuters)]
*White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan announces his resignation.Karl Rove is expected to lose his position as Deputy Chief of Staff for political development. PresidentGeorge W. Bush tries to shake up his cabinet because of the mid-term elections in November. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4923384.stm (BBC)]
*TheBolivia n army frees three ministers taken hostage by local village people inEl Mutún , the world's largestiron ore deposit [http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3222,36-763116@51-763324,0.html ("Le Monde")] .
*Elections in the Solomon Islands : The announcement of the newPrime Minister of the Solomon Islands ,Snyder Rini , causes riots inHoniara . Australia and New Zealand promise to send more troops to keep order. [http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=23509 (Radio NZ)] [http://voanews.com/english/2006-04-19-voa2.cfm (VOA)]20 April 2006 (Thursday)* The
President of Singapore ,Sellapan Ramanathan , "on the advice of the prime minister (Lee Hsien Loong ), has dissolved parliament" to prepare for the 2006 general election, to be held onMay 6 . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4925476.stm (BBC)]
* Following reports of theUK government's hostility to a takeover ofCentrica ,Russia n gas giantGazprom warns of Europe-wide supply disruption [http://www.channel4.com/news/special-reports/special-reports-storypage.jsp?id=2215 (Channel4 News)]
*April 2006 Nepalese general strike :Nepal i police open fire on pro-democracy protesters to prevent them from marching intoKathmandu , the capital, killing at least three people and injuring dozens. [http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-04-20T103657Z_01_L1969978_RTRUKOC_0_UK-NEPAL.xml (Reuters)] TheUnited Nations condemns the "the excessive and deadly use of force by members of the security forces against protesters and innocent bystanders". [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4927556.stm (BBC)]
*Sri Lankan Civil War : TheTamil Tigers have ended peace talks, stating they are not viable indefinitely. [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/CL240006.htm (Reuters)]
* Famous U.S.test pilot Scott Crossfield dies in an air crash of aCessna 210 . [http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1869070 (AP)]
* A vastriver system connecting varioussubglacial lake s is discovered under the Antarctic ice shield. [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12389073/from/RSS (MSNBC)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4908292.stm (BBC)] [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/04/0419_060419_antarctica.html (nationalgeographic.com)]
*U.S. President George W. Bush welcomes the Chinese PresidentHu Jintao at theWhite House . AFalun Gong protester — an accredited journalist from "The Epoch Times " — interrupts Hu's speech at the arrival ceremony before being removed by the Secret Service. The announcer violates protocol by accidentally calling theMarch of the Volunteers the "National Anthem of the Republic of China ". [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4925704.stm (BBC)]
* German automaker Volkswagen is in talks for a restructuring program to cut costs and make the core unitVolkswagen more profitable. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060419/ap_on_bi_ge/germany_volkswagen_2 (AP via Yahoo)]
*Snyder Rini was sworn in as the newPrime Minister of the Solomon Islands and took office in secret, amid continued post-election rioting targeting ethnic Chinese. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1757931,00.html (Guardian)]21 April 2006 (Friday)*
April 2006 Nepalese general strike : King Gyanendra ofNepal asks for Prime Minister nominations to be made to assist in ending unrest in the country. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4931000.stm (BBC)]
*Queen Elizabeth II of theUnited Kingdom and theCommonwealth Realm s celebrates her 80th birthday. On the same day, theBBC marks eighty years since the granting of its firstRoyal Charter . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4928116.stm (BBC)]
* TheCalifornia court of appeal heard oral arguments overblog gers' challenges to an effort byApple Computer to force the ISP of an Apple news site to hand over the email records of bloggers it claims revealed trade secrets. [http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/3991/53/ (ITWire)]
*Haitian elections, 2006 :Voter turnout in the second round of the legislative elections is deemed low. [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N22321732.htm (Reuters)]
* The 2005-2006National Hockey League playoffs started.22 April 2006 (Saturday)*
Colombian Armed Conflict : SeventeenColombia n soldiers and a secret policeman were killed by rebels in an ambush in the mountains near the Venezuelan border. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4933196.stm (BBC)]
* Conflict in Afghanistan: Four Canadian soldiers were killed 75 kilometers north ofKandahar by a roadside bomb planted byTaliban militants. [http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=18996ea9-6dae-4d23-8659-2a5eb7b9982c&k=80274 (Canada.com)]
* April 2006 Nepalese general strike: Opposition leaders inNepal reject King Gyanendra's proposals for restoring democracy. Thousands of protesters approaching theNarayanhity Royal Palace inKathmandu are fired upon by security forces withtear gas . [http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-04-22-voa17.cfm (VOA)] , [http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-04-22T125431Z_01_L1969978_RTRUKOC_0_UK-NEPAL.xml (Reuters)] , [http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/04/22/nepal2206.html (CBC)]
*The first city-wide election inNew Orleans afterHurricane Katrina takes place. [http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=2006-04-22T145302Z_01_N21195446_RTRIDST_0_HURRICANES-ELECTION-PICTURE.XML (Reuters)]
*TheIraq i Parliament meet to vote on choosing a Prime Minister, only the second time since the December elections. The nomineeJawad al-Maliki has been put forward by the dominantShia block. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4933026.stm (BBC)] [http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/04/22/iraq.main/ (CNN International)]
*Kharkiv supermarket bombings : Two homemade bombs exploded at supermarkets in the Ukrainian city ofKharkiv , injuring 14. [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1103AP_Ukraine_Supermarket_Blasts.html (Seattle Post Intelligencer)] [http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/politics/28.html?id_issue=11502894 (Interfax Russia)] [http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1877154 (ABC)]
*In India, BJP leaderPramod Mahajan is shot at his home, and reported to be in critical condition. [http://www.hindustantimes.com/2006/Apr/22/181_1680735,0008.htm (Hindustan Times)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4935704.stm (BBC)]23 April 2006 (Sunday)*
Osama Bin Laden calls forJihad against "Crusaders" inDarfur in audiotape released to Al Jazeera. [http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-04-23T171329Z_01_L23690061_RTRUKOC_0_UK-SECURITY-BINLADEN.xml (Reuters)]
*Parliamentary elections inHungary : TheHungarian Socialist Party wins with aplurality of the votes and will therefore continue to govern in coalition with theAlliance of Free Democrats ; it also becomes the first re-elected government ofHungary since the end of theCold War . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4935474.stm (BBC)] [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/23/AR2006042300581.html (Washington Post)] [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/23/AR2006042300158.html (Washington Post/Reuters)]
*Elections in the Solomon Islands :Beijing begins to evacuate ethnic Chinese fromSolomon Islands following Anti-Chinese riots during the election protests that destroyed the Chinatown. [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-04/23/content_4462418.htm (Xinhua)] [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/23/AR2006042300065.html (Washington Post)]
*Cyclone Monica , a Category 5 cyclone on the Australian and Saffir-Simpson scales, threatensAustralia 's northern coast including the city of Darwin. The AustralianBureau of Meteorology has warned of "dangerously high tides" that may cause "extensive flooding" along part of the coast and ordered the sounding of emergency sirens in theGove Peninsula .Alcan , the world's second-biggestaluminum producer, has warned customers of potential interruptions to supplies on contracts from its Gove refinery. [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000081&sid=a.BR4z3if15Y&refer=australia (Bloomberg)]
* A silent march throughBrussels ,Belgium , takes place with 80,000 participants, following the murder on April 12 of a teenager, stabbed at rush hour inBrussels Central Railway station when he refused to hand over his MP3 player. [http://www.vrtnieuws.net/nieuwsnet_master/versie2/english/details/060423_prepmarch/index.shtml (VRT)] [http://www.lesoir.be/rubriques/belgique/page_5718_427968.shtml (Le Soir)]
*Sri Lankan Civil War : six Sinhalese rice farmers are executed in their paddy fields by suspected Tamil Tigers terrorists in the northeasternTrincomalee district. [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/COL157189.htm (AlertNet)]
*Peru declares astate of emergency in towns near the volcanoUbinas . [http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-04-23T012342Z_01_N22233465_RTRUKOC_0_UK-PERU-VOLCANO.xml&archived=False (Reuters)]24 April 2006 (Monday)* Famous
Bangladesh i social worker and human rights activist Nasreen Pervin Huq died at his own house inDhaka ,Bangladesh by a tragic accident. She had been the country director of theActionAid Bangladesh (ActionAid ) since2003 up until her death.
* FormerTrinidad and Tobago Prime Minister , and current Leader of the Opposition,Basdeo Panday , is convicted on three counts of failing to declare aLondon bank account in 1997, 1998, and 1999. He is sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labour, fined TT$20,000 on each count, and ordered to forfeit approximately TT$1,600,000 (the accumulated year-end balances of the account in question). He intends to appeal the sentence, but resigned as Leader of the Opposition. [http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=153641644 (T&T Express)] , [http://www.radiojamaica.com/news/story.php?category=2&story=24317 (Radio Jamaica)]
* Iranian PresidentMahmoud Ahmadinejad unexpectedly lifts a 27-year ban onfemale attendance of public sporting events in Iran. They still need permission of the male head of the household to attend and they will sit in a special female-only section. [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/othersports/2050AP_SOC_Iran_Women.html (AP)] [http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,1760745,00.html (Guardian)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4938912.stm (BBC)]
*2006 Democracy movement in Nepal : Hundreds of Maoist rebels stormed the town of Chautara, attacking government offices and a prison. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4937496.stm (BBC)] . King Gyanendra orders the recall next Friday of the parliament which he suspended in 2005 – a key demand of the protestors. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4940278.stm (BBC)]
*2006 Dahab bombings : Witnesses reporting hearing three explosions in theEgypt ian Sinai resort town ofDahab at about 1715 UTC. Dr. Said Essa, who runs the Sinai Peninsula rescue squad, estimates there were at least 100 dead or wounded. [http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060424/egypt_blasts_060424/20060424?hub=TopStories (CTV)]
*Pope Benedict XVI is reported to have agreed to a relaxation of rules for the use ofcondom s. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4938076.stm (BBC)]
*Dubai International Finance Centre , owner of theDubai stock exchange, announces that it has increased its equity stake in Euronext NV, which runs stock exchanges in four European capitals. There are rumors of an impending take-over bid. [http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.asp?feed=AP&Date=20060424&ID=5661570 (MSN)]
*Sri Lankan Civil War : Two suspected Tamil Tiger rebels are shot dead inBatticaloa while being caught planting mines, after rebels reportedly hacked a young mother to death. In the eastern part of the island, two Sinhalese guards are killed as they returned from a funeral and one Tamil is shot dead by unidentified gunmen. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4937624.stm (BBC)]
*Ken Lay , former chairman of the board of defunctEnron Corporation , took the stand in his own defense in hiscriminal trial inHouston ,Texas . [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/special/enron/3814875 (Houston Chronicle)]
* A collision between a passenger bus and a truck kills 10 people, members of two different families, inMarcos Paz ,Argentina . [http://telefe.planetatv.com/Player/Video/?guid={98389346-83F1-4431-B250-12990C9B6EE9}&feed=Telefe&type=ptPniVideo&cat=&feedOAS=Telefe (Telefe video, in Spanish)]25 April 2006 (Tuesday)*
Sri Lankan Civil War : A suspected Tamil Tiger suicide bomber attacks theSri Lankan Army headquarters in the capital,Colombo , killing 8. Twenty-seven have been injured, including the army commander Lieutenant GeneralSarath Fonseka , as thefemale suicide bomber , pretending to bepregnant to concealexplosive s, detonates her bomb near the military's hospital. The Sri Lankan military has begun aerial assaults on rebel positions in the north-eastern part of the island nation. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4941744.stm (BBC)] , [http://www.mumbaimirror.com/nmirror/mmpaper.asp?sectid=5&articleid=4252006212344844252006212247890 (MumbaiMirror)] , [http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyid=2006-04-26T030647Z_01_PEK180392_RTRUKOC_0_US-SRILANKA.xml (Reuters)]
*Abu Musab al-Zarqawi appears unmasked in a newly released video taunting the "crusade" by the American-led coalition and Iraqi authorities. At one point, he addresses U.S. PresidentGeorge W. Bush . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4944250.stm (BBC)] , [http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/04/25/zarqawi/index.html (CNN)]
* TheUN Security Council votes to impose sanctions on fourSudan ese citizens involved in theDarfur conflict : Maj.-Gen.Gaffar Mohamed Elhassan of theSudanese Air Force ;Sheikh Musa Hilal , paramount chief of theJalul Janjaweed tribe inNorth Darfur ; CommanderAdam Yacub Shant of the Sudanese Liberation Army; and CommanderGabril Abdul Kareem Badri of theNational Movement for Reform and Development . The vote marks the first time UN sanctions have been adopted against individuals involved in this conflict. [http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/04/25/darfur060425.html (CBC)] , [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4942026.stm (BBC)]
* In thePhilippines , 49 people are charged withrebellion over an alleged plot to overthrow PresidentGloria Macapagal-Arroyo inFebruary 2006 . [http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/04/25/arroyo060425.html (CBC)] , [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4939820.stm (BBC)]
* TheCommunist Party of Vietnam announces at the closing of the Tenth National Congress thatNông Ðức Mạnh will be re-appointed as itsgeneral secretary for another five year term. Other key positions, such as those of prime minister and president, are yet to be appointed. New faces are expected. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4941144.stm (BBC)]
* Darwin,Australia is spared a projected direct hit byCyclone Monica . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4941168.stm (BBC)]26 April 2006 (Wednesday)* The
Governor of Puerto Rico ,Aníbal Acevedo Vilá , signs an executive order in which the government's budget will be exclusively used for health and security services. 43 agencies of the government will be shut down, while 15 will provide services partially. Another 60 will continue operating normally. The order is a result of the budget running dry before the end of the fiscal year. [http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1894226&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312 (AP via ABC News)]
*University of California at San Diego psychology researcherTim Gentner reportedly discovers thatsongbirds are capable of learning simplegrammar , which may disproveNoam Chomsky 's long believed hypothesis that humans are the only organism able to comprehendrecursive grammar . [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1501AP_Bird_Grammar.html (AP)]
*Tony Snow is namedWhite House Press Secretary . [http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-5782313,00.html (AP via Guardian)] , [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4945156.stm (BBC)] , [http://voanews.com/english/2006-04-26-voa24.cfm (VoA)]
*Ukraine marks the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power station explosion. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4944898.stm (BBC)] , [http://voanews.com/english/2006-04-26-voa20.cfm (VoA)]
*Snyder Rini resigns asPrime Minister of the Solomon Islands immediately before facing amotion of no confidence in Parliament, prompting celebrations in the streets ofHoniara . [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10379008 (NZ Herald)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4945090.stm (BBC)] , [http://voanews.com/english/2006-04-26-voa8.cfm (VoA)]
*Egypt ian police arrest 10 people in relation to the2006 Dahab bombings , which has killed 24 people and injured more than 80 on24 April . [http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article360209.ece (Independent)]
*Peacekeeping Forces inEgypt were attacked outside theNile Delta by two suicide bombers. No casualties. [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,193163,00.html (Fox News)]27 April 2006 (Thursday)* The
Scottish National Party wins theMoray by-election, 2006 for the Moray constituency to theScottish Parliament . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4949432.stm (BBC)]
* TheGovernment of Chad and theWorld Bank end a four-month long dispute over allocation of Chadianpetroleum funds. The World Bank will allow Chad to spend more of its oil revenue on its military in exchange for a resumption of oil output through theChad-Cameroon pipeline . [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/27/world/africa/27chad.html?_r=1&oref=slogin (New York Times)]
* Construction begins on theFreedom Tower inNew York City breaking a deadlock between thePort Authority of New York and New Jersey , which owns the site, and private developerLarry Silverstein . The 1,776-foot tower is the centerpiece of the rebuilding effort for theWorld Trade Center , which was destroyed in theSeptember 11, 2001 attacks . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4949186.stm (BBC)]
*Nepal Civil War : Maoist insurgents inNepal , responding to a demand by the newly appointed prime ministerGirija Prasad Koirala , announce a unilateral three-monthtruce .Kathmandu gradually resumes normality after weeks of pro-democracy protests. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4949066.stm (BBC)] , [http://voanews.com/english/nepal-ceasfire.cfm (VoA)]
* The head of theLondon Stock Exchange publicly warned the president ofRussia ,Vladimir Putin , that his recent decision to bar the head of a large equity fund from that country could send "a very negative signal" to the world's equity markets. [http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,1762764,00.html?gusrc=ticker-103704 (Guardian)]
* InIsrael , the centristKadima party forms acoalition government with the left-leaning Labor party. [http://www.cbc.ca/storyview/MSN/world/national/2006/04/27/israel-coalition060427.html (CBC)] , [http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyid=2006-04-27T100748Z_01_L24771147_RTRUKOC_0_US-ISRAEL-COALITION.xml (Reuters)]
*The Metro Rail project forBangalore City (India ) has been cleared and work on the project will begin soon. The implementation of this project aims at decongesting the traffic and streamlining the public transport system in the city. Bangalore, also known as theSilicon Valley of India, is one of the most congested cities in India.28 April 2006 (Friday)*
U.S. Army Lt. Col.Steven L. Jordan becomes the highest ranking officer to have charges brought against him in connection with the Abu Ghraib abuse. [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002960310_ghraib29.html (Seattle Times)]
*The Bush administration takes initial steps to use the States Secrets Privilege to block a lawsuit againstAT&T and theNSA brought by theElectronic Frontier Foundation . The EFF has alleged that the government has secret computer rooms conducting broad, illegal surveillance of U.S. citizens. [http://news.com.com/2061-10789_3-6066688.html?part=rss&tag=6066688&subj=news (News.com)]
*United States Congress manJohn Conyers and others file a lawsuit ("Conyers v. Bush ") against President George W. Bush alleging a violation of theUnited States Constitution in the passing of theDeficit Reduction Act of 2005 . [http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1898817 (ABC)]
*Guilliame Mbairessem , the secretary-general of theEpiscopal Conference of Bishops of Chad , joins U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African AffairsDonald Yamamoto in calling for a delay of the upcoming presidential elections inChad . [http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1902278&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312 (ABC News)]
* TheCongress of Mexico passes a bill which, if signed by the President, will decriminalize possession of small amounts ofmarijuana ,cocaine ,heroin ,opium ,LSD ,hallucinogenic mushrooms ,amphetamines , andpeyote . [http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2006-04-28T200009Z_01_N281836_RTRUKOC_0_US-MEXICO-DRUGS.xml (Reuters)]
* Five members of theUnited States Congress are arrested outside theSudan ese embassy inWashington, D.C. , for protesting the Darfur genocide. [http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/04/28/darfur.protest/ (CNN)]
* Around 50,000 people participate in thePuerto Rico Shouts march in San Juan,Puerto Rico , demanding a budget agreement to avert a partial shutdown of government offices andpublic school s. [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N28291933.htm (Reuters)]
*Chung Mong Koo , head ofHyundai Motor Company , is arrested inSouth Korea on charges ofembezzlement of 100 billionwon ($106 million USD), among other corruption charges. [http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/04/28/hyundai.probe.ap/ (CNN)] [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/28/world/asia/28cnd-hyundai.html?hp&ex=1146283200&en=addb42d7d874746e&ei=5094&partner=homepage (NY Times)]
* InPort Arthur, Tasmania ,Australia , memorial services are held to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Port Arthur massacre, in which a lone gunman murdered 35 people at the popular tourist town in the country's worst killing spree. Prime MinisterJohn Howard led prayers at the service. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4953154.stm (BBC)]
* US and Danish scientists conclusively date the massiveThera eruption , which destroyed theMinoan civilization on Crete, to the period around c.1627–1600 BC based on sophisticated radio-carbon analysis. [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/04/28/wolive28.xml (The Telegraph)] [http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12502996/ (MSNBC)]29 April 2006 (Saturday)* In
Italy , after three weeks of wrangling over a narrow election defeat, Prime MinisterSilvio Berlusconi finally says he will resign within a week, clearing the way forRomano Prodi and hisL'Unione coalition to form a new government. [http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/04/30/italy.election.ap/ (CNN)] , [http://www.cbc.ca/storyview/MSN/world/national/2006/04/29/italy_060429.html (CBC)]
*Protesters demonstrate against theIraq war and possible military actions againstIran inNew York City . [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/29/AR2006042900497.html (Washington Post)] [http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200604301012.htm (The Hindu)] [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/71182C17-5E78-4019-BAE2-ACDA0A102356.htm (Al Jazeera)]
*United States-Iran relations continue to deteriorate after US officials called Iran one of the world's most active sponsors ofterrorism , asIAEA reveals thatTehran has successfully enricheduranium and is racing ahead with its nuclear programme.Iran says it does not "give a damn" about the verdict from the IAEA directorMohamed ElBaradei and what it might lead to. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,1764159,00.html (The Guardian)] [http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1902729 (AP/ABC News)]
*U.S. employers, workers, and police brace for a day-long boycott and strike to demonstrate the economic impact of illegal immigrants on the U.S. economy. [http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-mayday28apr28,1,6551283.story?coll=la-headlines-business (Los Angeles Times)] [http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/04/28/boycott/ (CNN)]30 April 2006 (Sunday)*
Darfur conflict :
**TheSudan ese government accepts a peace plan brokered by mediators of theAfrican Union . [http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2006-04-30T144645Z_01_L29362184_RTRUKOC_0_US-SUDAN-DARFUR.xml (Reuters)] , [http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/africa/04/30/sudan.darfur.reut/ (CNN)]
**Various rebelJanjaweed militias, required to be disarmed according to the deal, struggle to extract last-minute concessions and have yet to give a clear signal on whether they would sign. [http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyid=2006-04-30T180341Z_01_L29362184_RTRUKOC_0_US-SUDAN-DARFUR.xml (Reuters)]
*The rebel group theJustice and Equality Movement refuses to sign on to the proposed peace agreement in its current form. [http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyid=2006-04-30T202340Z_01_L30628083_RTRUKOC_0_US-SUDAN-DARFUR-JEM.xml (Reuters)]
*The Government of theCentral African Republic joins theUnited States Government and theGovernment of Chad in formally accusing the Government ofSudan of supporting theUnited Front for Democratic Change rebels and further alleges that UFDC rebels are entering southern Chad through the CAR-Chad-Sudan border area. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060430/wl_afp/centrafricasudanunrest_060430131822 (AFP via Yahoo!)]
* TheParliament of Nepal , reinstated last week after a 4-year hiatus, unanimously approves a proposal by new prime ministerGirija Prasad Koirala to hold elections for a special assembly to draw up a new constitution. [http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-04-30T154930Z_01_SP18250_RTRUKOC_0_UK-NEPAL.xml (Reuters)] , [http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/060430/w043032.html (CBC)]
*24miners have been killed in a mine explosion in the Chinese province ofShaanxi . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4959254.stm (BBC)]
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