Current Events for the Week of 26 April 2010

Current Events for Monday, 26 April 2010

Kyrgyz interim government: Russian police have detained, plan to extradict former Interior Minister Moldomusa Kongantiyev
Explosion near British Ambassador to Yemen Tim Torlot’s convoy kills one, envoy unhurt
6.9-magnitude earthquake hits ocean area north of Philippines, tremors felt in Taiwan, no immediate reports of damage and no tsunami alert issued
Grenade attack on senior Thai politician’s home increases tensions
Thai Red Shirts vow to “intensify” campaign after Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva rejects most recent offer
Israeli Defense Force (IDF) surrounds home in West Bank, kill Hamas operative wanted for 2004 gun attack
Austrian President Heinz Fischer wins reelection with almost 79% of the vote
Government supporters block planned Cuban Ladies in White march
Arizona protesters continue push against new immigration laws
U.S. Senate said to be near financial regulation agreement
United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan: Iran must end “occupation” of Abu Musa, Greater and Lesser Tunbs
Military judge in Guantánamo Bay Naval Base detention center commission to hear case of Canadian man alleging the U.S. tortured him
Iranian Revolutionary Guard test-fire five nuclear-capable missiles
Afghanistan: Afghanistan will be self-secure within five years
Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko raps Russian Federation over failure to pay for military bases, may snub Russian-led security summit next month
No headway in nuclear deal as Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Manouchehr Mottaki meets International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Yukiya Amano
U.S. President Barack Obama attends memorial service for West Virginia miners, stresses mine safety in statement
Eyjafjallajokull volcano spewing less ash, some lava
U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell wraps-up three-days of talks between Israel and Palestinians, sees no movement by either side
Scores of Afghan girls fall ill, unconscious after suspected poison gas attack by insurgents
Pakistan to seek extradition of Mumbai attack survivor
Revelations of Indian government telephone tapping of senior politicians likely to cripple parliament for forseeable future
Ten dead after deadly tornadoes rip through central Mississippi
U.S. Coast Guard (USCG): well under sunken oil rig in Gulf of Mexico streaming oil
Pakistani intelligence officials: U.S. unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, “drone”) attack killed seven Taliban fighters in North Waziristan region
U.S. President Obama marks anniversary of World War I-era killing of Armenians as “atrocity”
U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations releases documents showing Goldman Sachs chief executive officer (CEO) Lloyd Blankfein boasting about profit from betting against mortgages
Iraqi cleric critical of U.S. Moqtada al-Sadr offers Iraqi government assistance after bomb attacks against Shi’a kill fifty-six in Baghdad
U.S. military confirms suicide bomber as cause for explosion on U.S. Kabul base that killed on soldier
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas asks U.S. President Obama to “impose” Mideast peace solution
Ford to recall 33,256 vehicles with seat reclining issue
European Union (E.U.) minister meet to discuss one unified European airspace
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius calls on WellPoint to stop dropping coverage for insured who are diagnosed with cancer
Hundreds of shanty homes destroyed in massive Manila fire
Darfuri tribe accuses south Sudanese soldiers of attacking, killing fifty-five
Nearly 100,000 Okinawans protest against U.S. military base
Mexican Public Safety Secretary Minerva Bautista’s convoy ambushed in western Mexico, four killed and ten wounded

Current Events for Tuesday, 27 April 2010

Kyrgyz interim government charges ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev with “mass killing”
United Nations (U.N.) shuts mission in Kandahar ahead of planned offensive
Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama “finalizing” U.S. military base plan
Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega arrives in France from U.S. after extradition
Gizmodo.com: California police raid blogger’s home, search for iPhone 4G photographs, other material
Red Shirts momentarily block Bangkok elevated train
Republicans unite to block procedural bill in U.S. Senate
Massey Electric board member Bobby Inman blames unions for spreading “lies” about mine safety
Former Polish President Lech Kaczynski’s twin brother, Jaroslaw, declares candidacy
Moroccan security forces break-up al-Qa`ida-linked cell
Iraqi election review panel invalidates votes cast for fifty-two candidates in recent election
Amnesty International: unsure Iraqi election heightens violence
U.S. Minerals Management Service evacuates oil rig near sunken well as oil spill spreads dangerously close
Ukrainian parliament erupts into chaos on debate over Russian military bases
BP announces $5.6 billion quarter-one 2010 profits
University of Texas researchers: blocking capsaicin-like chemical found at pain centers could yield relief
Nationwide strikes over rising food prices cripple India
University of California, San Diego researchers: those who eat one bar of chocolate per week are more likely to suffer depression than those who eat one occasionally
Playboy founder Hugh Hefner saves “Hollywood” sign with $900,000 donation
Two separate primate studies conclude chimpanzees “feel” death similarly to humans
Former U.S. President George W. Bush to release memoirs this November
Belgian King Albert II accepts Prime Minister Yves Leterme’s government after ruling coalition falls apart
Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking postulates on extraterrestrial alien species, intent
Avatar becomes fastest-selling home entertainment release of all-time, 6.7 million in one day
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir wins reelection in mixed polls
U.S. President Obama hosts Muslim-focused entrepreneurship summit
Key Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (SC) walks-out of climate change bill talks

Current Events for Wednesday, 28 April 2010

U.S. Federal Reserve expected to keep key interest rates at historic lows for “extended period” at meeting today
The Thomson Reuters Consumer Healthcare Sentiment Index: Americans are still losing confidence in their ability to afford healthcare, despite healthcare reform being passed by U.S. Congress
Thai troops fire rubber bullets, into air to break-up Red Shirt convoy moving into suburbs of Bangkok
U.S. plays-down Canadian announcement it will not fund groups that provide abortions in poor nations
Environmentalists: Gulf of Mexico oil spill may reach coast by this weekend
Commander, U.S. Southern Command (USSOCOM) U.S. Army General Douglas Fraser: Iranian interest in Venezuela purely diplomatic, economic
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano: Arizona law may divert funds away from law enforcement pursuing those illegal immigrants who have committed more serious crimes
U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) agrees to provide some, not all, information sought in congressional probe of last year’s shooting rampage at Fort Hood
Iraqi election officials delay ruling on possible banning of nine candidates due to irregularities
Standard & Poor’s downgrades Greek debt to “junk” status
Ukrainian parliament votes to approve Russian military base extension, protests erupt in street of Kiev
Human Rights Watch: “routine torture” committed at secret Baghdad prison
Peshawar suicide car bomb kills four policemen
British Foreign Office issues official warning against travel to Thailand
British National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC): over two million child abuse photographs circulated by 100 offenders convicted over the last twenty months
U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates: Hezbollah has “improved missiles,” more arms than most countries
Only person to ever admit role in killing of black leader Malcolm X, Thomas Hagan, paroled from New York prison
French judge rules former Panamanian dictator Noriega must remain in-custody until trial
Leader of Southern Sudan opposition Lam Akol vows to challenge recent election results in court
Ford reports $2.1 billion in quarter-one 2010 profits, best in six years
India detains own diplomat on charges of spying for Pakistan
Several senior Burmese military commanders resign army posts to run in upcoming elections
Norway, Russian Federation come to agreement over Barents Sea border
Sierra Leone launches healthcare program providing free care for pregnant women, breast-feeding mothers, and children under five years of age
Russian Federation publishes secret documents from 1940 Katyn massacre in which some 22,000 Poles were killed
Four U.S. Senators call on Facebook to revise privacy policy, suggest U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should streamline guidelines regarding privacy on social networks

Current Events for Thursday, 29 April 2010

Afghan Member of Parliament (MP) Safia Sediqi claims U.S. forces raid her home, kill relative
European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council member Axel Weber: there is no acceptable alternative to rescuing Greek economy, aid package must be used to prevent market upheaval and contagion
Egypt, Iran readying for “intense” campaign against U.S. at U.N.-sponsored summit on the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
U.S. Department of State “likely” to issue visitation visa to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for next week’s U.N. meeting
USCG: Gulf of Mexico oil spill larger than previously thought
U.S. President Obama expected to name San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Janet Yellen to be vice-chairman of U.S. Federal Reserve Board
U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent describes Canadian Omar Khadr’s interrogation eight years ago as “comfortable,” “friendly”
Florida Governor Charles “Charlie” Crist (R.) announces independent U.S. Senate run, already leads in some polls
U.S. Department of Justice: Afghanistan, Iraq war veteran charged with making terroristic threats on Delta Airlines flight from Paris, France to Atlanta, U.S.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar gives green-light for nation’s first-ever off-shore wind farm
Toyota announces recall of 50,000 Sequoia sport utility vehicles (SUV’s) due to low-speed acceleration
U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA): Continental Airlines flight from Houston, Texas to Washington, D.C. diverted to North Carolina airport after threatening message found in bathroom
U.S. Senate reaches debate deal over financial reform legislation after Democrats threaten to keep U.S. Senate in-session all night
Iraqi Sunni-backed political bloc, headed by former Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, calls for creation of an internationally-monitored caretaker government
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown makes on-air gaff, calls constituent “bigot”
Nigerian acting president, Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan orders much-criticized election chief to step-down before next year’s elections
Scottish schools facing teacher strikes after spending cuts are announced
At least twenty-eight children, three adults stabbed in Chinese kindergarten attack, third such attack in a month
U.S. Pentagon report: only one-quarter of Afghanistan supports President Hamid Karzai
Australian parliament passes laws banning the use of logos, bright colors on cigarette packaging
Hewlett-Packard pays $1 billion to acquire Palm
Palestinian medics: four Palestinians found dead in smuggling tunnel between Egypt, Gaza Strip
International Olympic Committee (IOC) strips Chinese gymnastics team of 2000 Summer Olympics bronze medals, awards them to the U.S.
Thousands of Maoists converge on Kathmandu ahead of planned protests against the government
U.N. World Food Programme: Niger faces “total crop failure”
Former U.S. First Lady Laura Bush’s memoirs to hit shelves, suggest poisoning attempt at Group of Eight (G8) summit in 2007
U.S. President Obama to deliver eulogy at civil rights leader Dorothy Height’s funeral

Current Events for Friday, 30 April 2010

Thai Red Shirts clumsily storm Bangkok hospital, apologize
E.U.: Sino-European talks over Iranian sanctions have moved to “how,” not “if”
U.S. economic numbers show modest 3.4% growth in quarter-one of 2010
U.S. Senate Democrats unveil immigration reform plan
U.S. government intensifies effort to contain Gulf of Mexico oil spill, calls on BP to do more
Several thousand protesters hit New York City (NYC), New York streets to protest Wal Street “fat cats”
U.S. Senate financial regulation bill expected to be mutilated by amendments
U.S. Democratic lawmakers introduce legislation to blunt Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission decision
U.S. House of Representatives (House) Ways and Means Committee mulling bill to ease U.S. embargo of Cuba
The New York Post: Goldman Sachs may seek to end SEC case soon
Xinhua: a fourth attack on a kindergarten takes place in eastern China, twenty-eight children, two teachers, and a security guard were injured
Chadian army claims to have killed 105 rebels
Athenian police fire tear gas at hundreds of protesters
U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights John Holmes heads to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Belgian parliament passes burqa ban
Women to be permitted to serve on submarines after U.S. Congress raises no objection to U.S. Navy plan
One Laptop Per Child program begins distributing computers to schools in the Gaza Strip
BBC: Pakistani Taliban have returned to Swat Valley
International intelligence sources: Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud survived U.S. unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, “drone”) attack in January
CNN: U.S. President Obama has started meeting with potential SCOTUS nominees
Oklahoma passes law which, in part, protects doctors from being sued if they keep information from pregnant women about birth defects if they believe an abortion would be sought