Portal:Current events/2003 November 11

November 11, 2003 (2003-11-11) (Tuesday)

• The US Senate backs legislation imposing sanctions on Syria; the bill allows the president to adjust sanctions as a function of Syria's co-operativeness.
• Following yesterday's WTO decision, the People's Republic of China and Japan indicate that they will retaliate against US tariffs on steel imports if the U.S. fails to amend its policy.
• U.S. Presidential election, 2004: George Soros pledges USD $15.5 million to help defeat President George W. Bush in 2004. Soros says a "supremacist ideology" guides the White House and describes the US under the Bush administration as a danger to the world.
• War on Terrorism: An Arab magazine claims to have received an e-mail from a member of the Al Qaeda group claiming responsibility for Saturday's bombing in Riyadh that killed 17 people and injured over 100.
• Occupation of Iraq:
  • The Coalition detains about 20 people suspected of links to al-Qaida.
  • Mayor of Fallujah says a US general threatens stern measures unless attacks on coalition forces stop.
  • The British government and foreign policy establishment pushes privately for an early handover of sovereignty to Iraqis; they say the US shows too little sense of urgency.
  • An Annenberg Public Policy Center poll, taken during widespread publicity over army helicopter shootdowns, says there has been a shift in US public opinion, now split about evenly over whether the war in Iraq is worthwhile.
  • There is a rising trend of complaints from returning National Guardsmen and reservists as they return to work after assignments.
• The Control Risks Group reports that London is the leading terrorist target in Western Europe due to British involvement in Iraq and the UK's large Muslim population.
• Large parts of central London are to be sealed off during US President George W. Bush's state visit to the United Kingdom next week. Due to security concerns Bush is to be denied the traditional state ceremonial carriage-ride up the Mall to Buckingham Palace normally accorded to heads of state.
• Toyota nudges out Ford in Q3 to become the world's second-largest manufacturer of automobiles behind General Motors.
• Pornographer Larry Flynt states that he has bought topless photos of famous Iraq war soldier Jessica Lynch and was planning to publish them in January 2004; later, he says he bought them to prevent them from ever being published. The photos reportedly show Lynch frolicking with male soldiers prior to her deployment to Iraq.
• Negotiations break down between Montréal 2006 and the Federation of Gay Games on having the Gay Games in Montreal in 2006. Montreal 2006 insist that they will still have an event in 2006, while the FGG mull moving the Games to a different city. The two parties were unable to agree on the size of the event.

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