Portal:Current events/2005 July 12

July 12 2005 (Tuesday)

• London police identify four suspects in the 7 July 2005 London bombings; all are British citizens apparently from Leeds, West Yorkshire, and at least one is believed to have died in the blasts. Raids find explosive materials and other forensic evidence. (Reuters) (BBC)
• Palestinian Islamic Jihad claims responsibility for two suicide bombings against Israelis. A car bomb detonates in the Shavey Shomron Israeli settlement on the West Bank causing no Israeli casualties. In Netanya, a suicide bomber kills three women at the HaSharon Mall. (Ynet) , (Haaretz), (Ynet), (BBC)
• In Monaco, Prince Albert is inaugurated as ruling prince, in succession to his father Prince Rainier who died in April. The unmarried Prince Albert acknowledged last week that he has a 22-month old illegitimate son, Alexandre, and that there may be other paternity suits. (BBC), (CNN), (Mail&Guardian)
• According to the Cuban government, Hurricane Dennis killed 16 and caused $1.4 billion in damages. (Reuters)
• In Singapore, president Sellapan Ramanathan announces that he will seek re-election. Seventeen others have filed papers for candidacy (Channel News Asia)
• In China, the death toll of the Xinjiang mine explosion rises to 65. Eighteen are still missing. (Xinhua) (China Daily) (People's Daily) (Reuters)
• In Spain, a bomb explosion in Barcelona injures a policeman. (BBC)
• The European Court supports tighter controls over vitamin and mineral supplements. (ThisIsLondon) (BBC)
• In Lebanon, a bomb explosion injures pro-Syrian defence minister Elias Murr. (Al-Jazeera)
• In France, bus company Transports Schiocchet Excursions sues a group of cleaning women for operating a carpool using their own cars, on the ground of "unfair competition". (Guardian)
• In Washington, D.C., Presidential Press Secretary Scott McClellan refused for the second day in a row to respond to reporters' questions about Newsweek's revelation that Karl Rove disclosed the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame. McClellan had asserted Rove's innocence on many occasions in the past. The President, at a photo-op today, ignored reporters who asked if his pledge to fire any staffer involved was still operative. (Bloomberg)
• Stockholders of both Procter & Gamble and Gillette overwhelmingly approve a combination of the two huge consumer-product companies, although the deal faces regulatory scrutiny both in Europe and in the United States. (Forbes)
• US federal judge Barbara Jones denies former WorldCom CEO Bernie Ebbers, who faces up to 85 years in prison, a retrial in federal court (New York Times) (Reuters)
• In Costa Rica, fire in Rafael Angel Calderon Guardia Hospital in San José kills at least 18 (Reuters AlertNet)
• In Myanmar (Burma), the government begins a trial against Khin Nyunt, former prime minister, accused of bribery and corruption. The trial is held inside Insein prison in Rangoon. (Channel News Asia) (Irrawaddy)
• In Spain's Basque region, four bombs explode near a power station at Amorebieta near Bilbao. Separatist group ETA claims responsibility (EITB) (EuroNews) (Reuters)
• In Somalia, United Nations World Food Programme threatens to stop food shipments to the country for ten years if the hijacked food ship and its crew are not released (BBC) (Reuters AlertNet) (AllAfrica)
• The European Court of Justice fines France €20 million ($24 million) for flouting European Union fishing quotas (Reuters) (BBC)
• In Fiji, head of the military, Frank Bainimarama threatens to declare martial law and oust the government if it gives amnesty to those involved with 2000 coup attempt (Fiji Times) (Reuters AlertNet)
• Lord King of Wartnaby, mastermind of the privatisation of British Airways under former prime minister Margaret Thatcher and chairman of B.A. for 12 years, dies in his sleep.
• Thunder Horse PDQ, the largest semi-submersible oil platform in the world, was found listing badly after hurricane Dennis.
• American rapper Slim Thug releases his debut album Already Platinum.
• In the United States, the Washington Capitals-focused blog, Japers' Rink, launched.