Portal:Current events/2004 April 15

April 15, 2004 (Thursday)

A further 2000 pro-democracy demonstrators are arrested in Nepal; all but 22 are later released.
War on Terrorism:
- An audio tape, purportedly made by Osama bin Laden, is broadcast by Al-Arabiya. In it, a voice offers to cease terrorist operations in European countries which withdraw their troops from Muslim nations. The tape includes a vow of revenge on Israel and the United States for the death of Hamas leader, Ahmed Yassin. (Khaleej Times) (transcript)
- The CIA claims to have determined that the voice on the tape is likely to be bin Laden. European Commission President Romano Prodi rejects negotiation under a "terrorist threat". Britain, Spain, Italy, and Germany also reject the offer. (Xinhuanet) (Reuters) Archived 2004-06-03 at archive.today (Washington Post)^{[permanent dead link‍]}
India beats Pakistan 2-1 in the historic friendship Test cricket series. This is India's first away win after 11 years and the first against archrivals Pakistan, in Pakistan.
United Nations' nuclear watchdog group and other U.N. diplomats state that nuclear-related equipment, some contaminated, and a number of missile engines have been smuggled out of Iraq for recycling in Jewometaal Stainless Processing B.V. scrap yards. Satellite photos detect "the extensive removal of equipment and, in some instances, removal of entire buildings" from sites that had been subject to U.N. monitoring before the Iraq war. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has also reiterated a call for arms inspectors to return to Iraq. (Washington Post)^{[permanent dead link‍]} (Spacewar) (ABC AU)
Iraq Occupation and Insurgency:
- Khalil Naimi, a senior Iranian diplomat in Iraq, is killed while driving to the Iranian diplomatic mission in Baghdad by three unknown assailants, who drove up and shot him. He died shortly afterwards and the motives for the killing are unknown. The killing could complicate the mission of an Iranian government delegation which is in Iraq trying to mediate in the standoff between Iraq Alliance troops and Muqtada al-Sadr's militia, led by the radical Shiite cleric who is fortified in the town of Najaf. (NYT) (BBC) (VOA) (CommandPost)
- Iraqi militants execute Fabrizio Quattrocchi, one of four Italian hostages, in the first known murder from among the nearly two dozen foreigners being held in Iraq. (NYT)
- Three Japanese civilians taken hostage in Iraq are released unharmed after one week in captivity. (Japan Times) (NYT)
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, reacting to the United States President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon summit, states Palestinian will never give up their struggle for an independent homeland, never abandon the claims of their refugees, nor make more territorial concessions. He states that Jerusalem will be its capital. Sharon, who wants to withdraw Israel from the Gaza Strip, faces opposition to his withdrawal plan. (VOA)
LindowsOS changes its name to Linspire, in a move to counter Microsoft's lawsuit strategy against the company. (eWeek)
Long-time Canadian NDP member of Parliament Svend Robinson admits that he stole a piece of jewelry at a public sale in what he describes as "a moment of total, utter irrationality." He states he has turned the ring into police, with whom he is cooperating, and that he is putting his career on hold, taking medical leave to obtain psychological help. The auction house later accepted Svend's apology and decided not to press charges, but a special prosecuter was appointed by the government to weigh the decision of whether to prosecute Robinson.(CBC)
U.S. and German researchers report the sunset could recalibrate the internal compasses of migrating songbirds. (CBS News) (Reuters) Archived 2004-12-08 at the Wayback Machine (National Geographic)
Three planets are discovered via gravitational microlensing orbiting stars many light years away, including one that is more than three times farther away than the previous record holder. (Space.com)
Voting begins in South Korean parliamentary elections.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa submits a report on the constitutional development to NPC, asking Beijing's permission to reform the way HK's legislature and the top leadership are chosen in 2007 and 2008.