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Taiwan to violate Tamiflu patent due to shortage A shortage of the avian flu vaccine prompts health agency to plan domestic production without patent rights out of concerns to protect public health. 45 percent of Iraqis support suicide bombers who attack allied forces A poll conducted by an Iraqi university research team concluded that 45% of Iraqis support suicide bombers.

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Kaczynski elected as the new president of Poland, according to polls Lech Kaczyński has became a new president of Republic of Poland, according to the first polls released. He gained about 53,7% of votes, while his rival, Donald Tusk gained 46,3% in the run-off of polish presidential election.

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The Swedish National Veterinary Institute announces that a dead duck discovered east of Stockholm was infected with an as-yet undetermined strain of avian influenza. Nigerian airline Bellview Airlines Flight 210 crashed in Oyo State, Nigeria shortly after takeoff from Lagos en route to Abuja. The Red Cross reports that there are no survivors. The second round of the Polish Presidential election is being held today between conservative candidates Lech Kaczyński and Donald Tusk. It has been revealed that the Shabak and Israel police last month arrested two Israeli Arabs, residents of the Galilee, suspected of membership in the Hamas.

Kaczynski elected as the new president of Poland, according to polls

Lech Kaczyński has became a new president of Republic of Poland, according to first polls made. He gained about 53,7% of votes, while his rival, Donald Tusk gained 46,3% in the run-off of polish presidential election.

In the first turn Kaczyński from Law and Justice party gained about 34% of votes, while his main rival attracted about 37% of polish society.

Kaczyński, nicknamed "the duck", will replace Aleksander Kwasniewski, who was unable to be elected again, as he was the president of Poland for ten years.

Kaczyński, 56-year-old lawyer and a mayor from Warsaw, would like to build up next Republic of Poland, called "Czwarta Rzeczpospolita" (4th Republic of Poland). Many people in Poland believe that Kaczyński, alongside his twin brother Jarosław, will try to throw out corruption and dishonesty from Polish politics.

Pre-election polls had predicted that pro-business Donald Tusk, the leader of conservative-liberal party Civic Platform, would win the election.

Preliminary Iraqi vote counts cautioned

On October 15, a reported 64% of eligible Iraqis voted in the referendum on the draft Iraqi constitution. One week later, preliminary results are available for thirteen of the eighteen provinces. Election officials caution that these preliminary results should not be construed as forecasts, as the ethnic diversity of those who actually voted may not be represented in these preliminary numbers.

According to election rules, rejection of the draft constitution would occur if three or more provinces vote "no" by at least a 2/3 majority. Preliminary results reflect a substantial "yes" vote in 11 provinces, a narrow "yes" vote in one province (Diyala), and a substantial "no" vote in one province (Salaheddin). Preliminary results were not reported for Anbar, Nineveh, Irbil, Basra and Babil.

The "yes" vote in the province of Diyala, which has a significant Sunni population, has been heralded by supporters of the constitution, who reportedly are predominately the Shiite and Kurd populations.

A "no" vote is expected by analysts in Anbar, which is overwhelmingly Sunni. A third province, the most likely possibility being Nineveh, would have to vote "no" in order to reject the referendum.

45 percent of Iraqis support suicide bombers who attack allied forces

A poll conducted by an Iraqi university research team on behalf of the British government and reported by British newspapers showed that 45% of Iraqis support suicide bombers who attack coalition troops in Iraq. In some areas this rises to 65%. Iraqis are angry at the damage done to their country by the invading forces, and the decrease in standard of living, in freedom of movement and in safety and security which it has brought. Many Iraqis hope that if the coalition forces can be encouraged to leave, the country can return to normal.

Other results of the poll include:

82% of Iraqis are "strongly opposed" to the presence of coalition troops

Less than 1% of the Iraqi population feel that coalition troops have brought any improvement in the country

67% of Iraqis feel less secure because of the occupation

The survey contradicts statements made by UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that there was widespread support for the invasion of Iraq, and that the occupying powers were improving human rights in the country.

UK politician Sir Menzies Campbell said "Such findings are yet another argument in favour of a comprehensive exit strategy". It is not clear what would happen to the many US companies operating in Iraq if the coalition troops were forced out. It seems unlikely that they would retain hold of oil production assets or keep a major role in construction projects, and it is not clear that the US would have benefitted in any way from its incursion into the country.

The poll was "undertaken for the Ministry of Defence and seen by The Sunday Telegraph" in the United Kingdom.

Today in History
1260 - The Cathedral of Chartres was dedicated in the presence of King Louis IX of France.

1648 - The Peace of Westphalia was signed, ending the Thirty Years' War and "officially" recognizing the United Provinces and Swiss Confederation.

1929 - The Great Depression: The New York Stock Exchange crashed on "Black Thursday", setting off a chain of bankruptcies and triggering a worldwide economic depression.

1930 - History of Brazil: A bloodless coup d'état in Brazil ousted President Washington Luís Pereira de Sousa and President-elect Júlio Prestes.

1945 - The UN Charter, the constitution of the United Nations, entered into force.

October 24 is United Nations Day; Independence Day in Zambia (1964); Labour Day in New Zealand (2005).

Quote of the Day

"The world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those who feel." ~ Horace Walpole

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