2007 royal blackmail plot: Ian Strachan and Sean McGuigan are jailed for five years each for attempting to extort money from an unidentified royal ("Witness A"). They demanded £50,000 from Witness A in exchange for audio tapes alleging
gay sex.
(BBC News)
At least 18
prisoners are killed during a fight in a
jail in
Tegucigalpa, the capital of
Honduras. This follows the recent deaths of nine prisoners in a riot in
San Pedro Sula with both riots being blamed on overcrowding and
gang rivalry.
(BBC News)
An international relief operation begins after cyclone Nargis strikes Burma, with at least 63,500 people reported killed or missing.
(Reuters via NineMSN)
A
Katyusha rocket fired at the Israeli city of
Ashqelon struck a clinic in the third floor of the Huzot shopping mall. This attack resulted in three people seriously injured, two moderately injured and eleven people suffered minor wounds. The
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine claims responsibility.
(Haaretz)
General Electric has stated that it wants to auction off its domestic appliances business. GE has been involved in that field of business since 1907.
(Bloomberg.com)
The
People's Republic of China holds three minutes silence at 2:28 pm marking a week since the earthquake. All public entertainment events have been cancelled.
(AP via Time)
Two civilians and a
Lithuanian soldier are killed as an Afghan protest over the
Koran shooting outside the Chagcharan Airfield in the
Ghor Province of
Afghanistan turns violent.
(CNN)
The
International Court of Justice awards sovereignty of
Pedra Branca to
Singapore, ending a 28-year dispute over the islet between Singapore and
Malaysia. Malaysia was awarded sovereignty of an outcropping of Pedra Branca,
Middle Rocks, while the sovereignty of
South Ledge was left to be determined by the maritime boundary between the two nations, which is also a contentious point.
(Channel NewsAsia)
Seven
Moroccan tourists are killed in a bus crash in central
France, near the city of
Blois.
(RTÉ)
An independent investigation into $8.2 billion in
United States Department of Defense spending in
Iraq, as well as aid to
Egypt and
Kuwait since 2001 finds that 95% of payments to contractors failed to meet requirements for documentation to determine what was paid for.
(The New York Times)
Rights groups say afghan women committing suicide at alarming rate; Women rights groups say that last year, almost 500 women chose death or disfigurement to life of despair by setting themselves on fire to escape forced marriages, slavery or sexual and other types of abuse.
(VOA)
Aid agencies say logistical difficulties hamper
Burma aid deliveries; to date, the
United Nations reports about 180 planes carrying relief supplies have been unloaded in
Rangoon.
(VOA)
Fishermen in
Spain,
Portugal and
Italy strike to protest against high
fuel prices; Spain's economy minister says his government cannot cut fuel taxes, but is looking into ways to help fishermen.
(VOA)
Sadr supporters protest against a planned
U.S.–
Iraq security agreement to replace the current United Nations mandate for U.S. troops in Iraq, which expires at end of 2008.
(VOA)
Zimbabwe's
Morgan Tsvangirai claims ruling party status as the leader of the opposition
Movement for Democratic Change, delivers a "state of the nation" address to elected lawmakers from his party, and promises a "new era of opportunity" for Zimbabwe.
(VOA)
2008 Atlantic hurricane season: The first storm of the season,
Tropical Storm Arthur, forms one day before the official season begins. It is located about 45 mi (75 km) NNW of
Belize City. It has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (55 km/h), and with higher gusts.
(NHC)
2007 royal blackmail plot: Ian Strachan and Sean McGuigan are jailed for five years each for attempting to extort money from an unidentified royal ("Witness A"). They demanded £50,000 from Witness A in exchange for audio tapes alleging
gay sex.
(BBC News)
At least 18
prisoners are killed during a fight in a
jail in
Tegucigalpa, the capital of
Honduras. This follows the recent deaths of nine prisoners in a riot in
San Pedro Sula with both riots being blamed on overcrowding and
gang rivalry.
(BBC News)
An international relief operation begins after cyclone Nargis strikes Burma, with at least 63,500 people reported killed or missing.
(Reuters via NineMSN)
A
Katyusha rocket fired at the Israeli city of
Ashqelon struck a clinic in the third floor of the Huzot shopping mall. This attack resulted in three people seriously injured, two moderately injured and eleven people suffered minor wounds. The
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine claims responsibility.
(Haaretz)
General Electric has stated that it wants to auction off its domestic appliances business. GE has been involved in that field of business since 1907.
(Bloomberg.com)
The
People's Republic of China holds three minutes silence at 2:28 pm marking a week since the earthquake. All public entertainment events have been cancelled.
(AP via Time)
Two civilians and a
Lithuanian soldier are killed as an Afghan protest over the
Koran shooting outside the Chagcharan Airfield in the
Ghor Province of
Afghanistan turns violent.
(CNN)
The
International Court of Justice awards sovereignty of
Pedra Branca to
Singapore, ending a 28-year dispute over the islet between Singapore and
Malaysia. Malaysia was awarded sovereignty of an outcropping of Pedra Branca,
Middle Rocks, while the sovereignty of
South Ledge was left to be determined by the maritime boundary between the two nations, which is also a contentious point.
(Channel NewsAsia)
Seven
Moroccan tourists are killed in a bus crash in central
France, near the city of
Blois.
(RTÉ)
An independent investigation into $8.2 billion in
United States Department of Defense spending in
Iraq, as well as aid to
Egypt and
Kuwait since 2001 finds that 95% of payments to contractors failed to meet requirements for documentation to determine what was paid for.
(The New York Times)
Rights groups say afghan women committing suicide at alarming rate; Women rights groups say that last year, almost 500 women chose death or disfigurement to life of despair by setting themselves on fire to escape forced marriages, slavery or sexual and other types of abuse.
(VOA)
Aid agencies say logistical difficulties hamper
Burma aid deliveries; to date, the
United Nations reports about 180 planes carrying relief supplies have been unloaded in
Rangoon.
(VOA)
Fishermen in
Spain,
Portugal and
Italy strike to protest against high
fuel prices; Spain's economy minister says his government cannot cut fuel taxes, but is looking into ways to help fishermen.
(VOA)
Sadr supporters protest against a planned
U.S.–
Iraq security agreement to replace the current United Nations mandate for U.S. troops in Iraq, which expires at end of 2008.
(VOA)
Zimbabwe's
Morgan Tsvangirai claims ruling party status as the leader of the opposition
Movement for Democratic Change, delivers a "state of the nation" address to elected lawmakers from his party, and promises a "new era of opportunity" for Zimbabwe.
(VOA)
2008 Atlantic hurricane season: The first storm of the season,
Tropical Storm Arthur, forms one day before the official season begins. It is located about 45 mi (75 km) NNW of
Belize City. It has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (55 km/h), and with higher gusts.
(NHC)
