Portal:Current events/2012 June 28

June 28, 2012 (Thursday)

Armed conflict and attacks

Mexican Drug War: A kidnapped Mexican mayor is found tortured and killed in the state of Oaxaca. (Fox News)
Syrian uprising (2011–present):
- Turkey sends rocket launchers and anti-aircraft guns to its border with Syria following the downing of a Turkish military plane last week. (BBC)
- An explosion occurs in the carpark of the Palace of Justice in Damascus, wounding at least 3 people. (AP via USA Today)
The Taliban releases a video of 17 decapitated Pakistani soldiers. (Global Post)
In Pakistan, a bomb in Quetta explodes next to a bus carrying Shias, killing 10 and leaving 30 injured.(Reuters)
At least 14 people are killed and more than 50 wounded in a series of car bomb attacks in Iraq. (BBC)

Business and economics

The share price of Barclays bank plunges by 17 per cent after it was hit with a record fine for distorting key interest rates to rig international markets. (Al Jazeera)
The Wall Street Journal reports that the board of News Corporation has agreed to split the company into two businesses for publishing and entertainment. (The Wall Street Journal via The Australian)
Eurozone leaders hold an emergency meeting on assistance to Spain and Italy. (AP via Seattle PI)

Disasters

The United Nations expresses concern over the historical city of Timbuktu. (BBC)
2012 Great Britain and Ireland floods:
- A man is killed as torrential rain causes widespread flooding across England. The storms also force the Olympic torch relay to be halted briefly. (BBC)
- Both main rail lines connecting England and Scotland are closed after the tracks are blocked by landslides. (BBC)

International relations

Vice President of Iran Mohammad-Reza Rahimi delivers an anti-Semitic speech at a United Nations conference on the illegal drug trade saying that a central Jewish text, the Talmud, was responsible for the spread of illegal drugs around the world; his speech draws condemnation from U.N. and the European Union diplomats. (The Age) (The Times of Israel)
The Metropolitan Police Service's extradition unit delivers a notice to WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange at Ecuador's London embassy. (BBC)
South Korea announces it will sign a military pact with Japan to encourage sharing of sensitive military intelligence. (New York Times)

Law and crime

The Supreme Court of the United States upholds the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, including the requirement for citizens to acquire health care by 2014. (Reuters) (MSNBC) (Al Jazeera)(New York Times)
The Yugoslav war crimes tribunal acquits Radovan Karadžić of one of two genocide counts. (Al Jazeera)
A New Zealand court rules that search warrants used to raid the home of Kim Dotcom, founder of MegaUpload, in connection to alleged copyright infringement were invalid. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

The BBC uncovers files showing that Raymond Mawby, a Conservative Minister during the 1960s, passed information to Czechoslovak agents in exchange for money. (BBC)
British Prime Minister David Cameron says the management of Barclays faces "serious questions" about its role in distorting key interest rates to rig international markets. (BBC)
The United States House of Representatives holds Attorney-General Eric Holder in contempt for his perceived obstruction of the Congressional investigation into Operation Fast and Furious. Most House Republicans and 17 Democrats approve the decision. (CNN)

Science and technology

Sport

UEFA Euro 2012:
- Italy defeat Germany during their semi-final meeting at the National Stadium in Warsaw, with two first-half goals from Mario Balotelli helping Italy to the UEFA Euro 2012 Final. (TSN) (BBC)
- Mario Balotelli describes his match-winning performance as "the best night of my life". (BBC)
English football:
- Alan Shearer suggests England cannot win the 2014 FIFA World Cup. (BBC)
- The Great Britain Olympic football squad is selected. Los Angeles Galaxy star David Beckham is not named to the squad; former Barcelona star Gary Lineker expresses his shock at the exclusion. (BBC)
In basketball, the 2012 NBA Draft takes place in Newark, New Jersey. (USA Today)
At the 2012 Wimbledon Championships, World No. 100 Lukáš Rosol upsets World No. 2 and two-time Wimbledon champion Rafael Nadal in five sets, to achieve one of the biggest upsets in Grand Slam history. (ESPN)