Portal:Current events/2005 June 23

June 23, 2005 (Thursday)

The Supreme Court of the United States decides 5-4 in the case Kelo v. New London that local governments can seize residential and commercial property for private development projects against the will of property owners as a "public use" under the 5th Amendment. (Market Watch)^{[permanent dead link‍]},(New York Times)
Elderly former Ku Klux Klansman Edgar Ray Killen was sentenced to 60 years in prison for the 1964 killing of three civil rights workers, the notorious crime that galvanized the civil rights movement and inspired the 1988 movie Mississippi Burning. Circuit Judge Marcus Gordon handed down the maximum possible sentence for the 80-year-old former Baptist preacher, a punishment which will likely keep him in prison for the rest of his life. (Reuters)^{[permanent dead link‍]}
In Indonesia, the team that is investigating the death of human rights campaigner Munir Said Thalib states that the Indonesian intelligence agency BIN may be involved. Munir died of arsenic poisoning en route to the Netherlands on September 7, 2004. (Channel News Asia)
Thousands of workers from UPM-Kymmene and Stora Enso, two leading Finnish companies in the paper industry go on strike over pay and working hours. Finland provides two thirds of the paper supply for the European magazine market. Industry analysts believe that the strike may have serious repercussions on the magazine market of Europe. (BBC)
In the US, large fires break out in Arizona and California. In Arizona, 250 people are evacuated and 10 houses destroyed northeast of Phoenix. Two fires break out in California in Morongo Valley and San Bernardino Valley (Los Angeles Times) (KESQ) (Reuters)
In Spain, regional Basque Parliament elects Juan Jose Ibarretxe as their new president (EITB) (Berria) (Reuters AlertNet)
In Israel, Mordechai Vanunu appeals to the supreme court to order Shin Bet to release letters he wrote during his time in prison. Security service claims that the letters contain sensitive information (Haaretz)^{[permanent dead link‍]} (Reuters)^{[permanent dead link‍]}
In Lebanon, victorious anti-Syria coalition demands resignation of pro-Syrian president Émile Lahoud. They hold him responsible for assassinations of opposition figures (Reuters AlertNet)
In Malawi, parliament debates about possible impeachment of president Bingu wa Mutharika. United Democratic Front accuses him for violation of the constitution and misusing public funds. Debate is interrupted when the speaker of the house Rodwell Munyenyembe collapses. (Nation Online, Malawai (about proposed impeachment) (BBC) (Reuters)^{[permanent dead link‍]}
Cameroon accuses Nigeria of attacks in the disputed and oil-rich Bakassi peninsula (AllAfrica) (BBC) (Reuters AlertNet)
The investment bank Morgan Stanley agrees to an out-of-court settlement with Italian dairy group Parmalat. The new management of the reorganized Italian company sued Morgan Stanley for work it did that may have assisted the old management in looting the company. (BBC)
In the equatorial Pacific Ocean, a Sea Launch Zenit-3SL rocket lifts off at 1403 GMT, and successfully places its payload, the 12,125-pound Intelsat Americas 8 satellite, in orbit. (Spaceflight Now) (Sea Launch)