Portal:Current events/2006 May 1

May 1, 2006 (Monday)

Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association outraged Vatican by planning to ordain another bishop, Liu Xinhong in Anhui Province. On Sunday, China has already ordained Ma Yinglin, not approved by the Holy See, as a bishop in Yunnan. Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen urged the Vatican to stop diplomatic talks with China [1]
King Gyanendra of Nepal swears in Girija Prasad Koirala as the new Prime Minister of Nepal. Baburam Bhattarai of the CPN(M) which controls two thirds of the country, states that his party will respect the results of an election to a constituent assembly, so long as these are "free and fair". (BBC)
President of Chad Idriss Déby refuses to delay upcoming presidential elections despite pressure from U.S. diplomat Donald Yamamoto, high ranking Chadian Christian officials, and the head of the Chadian human rights league. However, he announced the Chadian government is negotiating with the United Front for Democratic Change rebel group to avoid violence. (VOA)
Spain, Portugal, Finland and Greece join the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and Sweden in allowing workers from the ten countries which joined the European Union two years ago free access to their labour markets. (BBC)
Bolivian Gas War: President Evo Morales has signed a decree nationalising the nation's natural gas industry, instructing foreign energy firms to channel their activities through the Bolivian government within a six-month deadline or face expulsion, and ordering the Bolivian military to occupy and secure key energy installations. (BBC)
Puerto Rico budget crisis: The government of Puerto Rico is partially shut down, including public schools. More than 90,000 employees of the public sector are put in license without salary. Their salary will not be paid until further notice, but they will remain employed whether they present themselves to work or not. If they present themselves to work it will be on a voluntary basis without retroactive payment. (Reuters)
Terrorism in Kashmir: At least 22 Hindus in two small villages in Indian-administered Kashmir are killed by Islamic militants. (BBC), (Reuters)
Darfur conflict: The African Union extends the deadline for a peace deal by 48 hours. (BBC), (Reuters)
Beaconsfield mine collapse: Rescuers at a mine in Beaconsfield, Tasmania have begun work after two miners were detected alive. The two had been trapped alive over 1 kilometre underground for the past five days. (BBC)
Immigrant workers and their supporters across the United States stay home from work or school and abstain from commerce during the 2006 Immigration Policy Boycott in the United States, also called the "Great American Boycott" or "Day Without Immigrants", a protest against the enforcement of immigration law. Demonstrations are planned nationwide. In Latin America, a one-day boycott of American products called the "Nothing Gringo Boycott" is planned in conjunction with U.S. events. (Guardian) (CNN) (SFGate)
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: The first day of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the United States.
Sri Lankan Civil War:
- Over 10 rebels are killed and many injured in Batticaloa as the Tamil Tigers attack a breakaway faction led by Col. Karuna Amman. (BBC)
- A claymore mine attack by suspected Tamil Tiger rebels kills 4 civilians and 1 soldier in Trincomalee. In the same district, a suspected Tiger rebel opens fire on two labourers. (Telegraph)^{[permanent dead link‍]}
- Tamil Tiger rebels attack a Sri Lankan Navy vessel, wounding 5 sailors off the coast of Trincomalee. (Daily Times)
A second wave of pollutants from last year's toxic chemical spill in Jilin City, China, trapped in the frozen Amur and Songhua Rivers during the winter, is now being released by the spring thaw, affecting Khabarovsk and other settlements in the Russian Far East. (BBC), (Guardian), (CNN)