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Clashes break out in south Russian republic of Kabardino-Balkaria Russian president Vladimir Putin has ordered the army to seal off the city of Nalchik. Clashes between gunmen and police have broken out in the capital of the southern republic where fighting appears to have started as a coordinated set of attacks. Trial of Saddam Hussein to be televised As the start date of the former Iraqi leader's trial approaches, the chief judge of the tribunal has stated that the fate of Saddam Hussein will be broadcast on live television.

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China successfully launches Shenzhou VI manned rocket China launched its second manned rocket.

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The presence of the dangerous H5N1 avian influenza virus is confirmed in dead birds found in Romania and Turkey, marking the first cases of the disease in Europe. In Stockholm, it is announced that British playwright Harold Pinter is the 2005 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. A four day curfew has been announced in order to hamper terrorists. Early voting has begun.

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ABC investigative reporter Brian Ross reports that security at nuclear reactors on US college campuses is easily compromised. Shenzhou 6 could be brought back one day earlier than planned due to weather conditions at the landing area and the physical condition of the astronauts. The People's Republic of China's second human spaceflight was originally planned for the mission to last five days. Scores of suspected Chechen separatist rebels attack the southern Russian city of Nalchik in a coordinated operation against Russian security forces, killing dozens of people.

Dutch court blocks extradition of citizen to US

Citing concerns over the suspect's rights, a court in The Hague has blocked the extradition of a man with dual Dutch-Egyptian nationality.

The lawsuit was started after the Dutch Minister of Justice, Piet Hein Donner, agreed to the extradition. The suspect has apparently been in custody for the past eight months pending his extradition. The court ruled that, following changes in US law after the September 11 attacks of 2001, he could not be guaranteed unrestricted access to a lawyer, and there was the possibility that due to alleged al-Qaeda links he could be detained indefinitely without trial.

A note provided by United States diplomats was not viewed by the district court as adequate assurance of the suspect's right to due process; the Embassy had protested the requirement of assurances and qualified their statement to the court in specifying that a suspect would receive the rights laid out in the U.S. constitution when "at their trial".

The man, who was only identified by his initials, MA, is accused of fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud with the aim of aiding the al-Qaeda terrorist network.

Apple introduces new iPod with video playback capabilities

On Wednesday, Apple introduced an iPod capable of displaying video, as well as a new video section to the iTunes music store. Apple CEO Steve Jobs believes that this may have a large impact on the film industry, in a similar fashion to that of the impact on the music industry when the iPod first was released.

The new iPod comes in a 30GB edition and a 60GB edition for US$299 and US$399, respectively. On the 30GB iPod, 75 hours of video at a resolution of 320x240 can be stored, and on the 60GB iPod, 150 hours can be stored. Despite these features, people claim that the screen may be too small for people to enjoy. However, iPod owners will be able to purchase an optional S-Video cable for playing video from their iPod on a television.

To help complement the new video section, Apple and ABC have agreed to a deal in which episodes of television programs such as Lost and Desperate Housewives will be available the day after airing for $1.99 per episode. Other plans for the video section involve the animation company Pixar, which was founded by current Apple CEO Steve Jobs. There are also plans to distribute content from Disney, Pixar's distributor and owner of ABC. In addition, music videos will also be available at the on-line music store for $1.99 each.

The new iMac

The video iPod was announced along with a new model of its iMac G5, which features a remote control that allows the iMac to act as a home media center as well as a normal personal computer. To control media center capabilities, the new iMac is sold with a program called Front Row. Some customers have complained however that this iMac is missing functionality out-of-the-box that allows a user to watch TV on it.

The new iMac also has an Apple iSight digital camera built-in as well as a thinner design than its predecessor.

Trial of Saddam Hussein to be televised

As the start date of the former Iraqi leader's trial approaches, the chief judge of the tribunal has stated that the fate of Saddam Hussein will be broadcast on live television. In a statement to CNN, Iraqi national security advisor Muwaffaq Rubaie said that "...this is going to be a fair, just trial with a defense counsel in there, with a proper prosecuting council as well there..."

The first charge, filed earlier this month, alleges Hussein's responsibility in the 1982 killing of 143 residents of Dujail, in which he was the target of a botched assassination attempt. The details of other charges are unclear.

The tribunal, which was set up in December 2003, has been marred by delays. There are accusations of bias from the defense council of Hussein, as well as fears for the judges' safety which have consistently pushed the trial back. The defense team has challenged the tribunal's legitimacy and stated they have not been given enough time to prepare.

This concern has been echoed in the past by some human rights groups, "It's really critical that it's done right," says Michael Posner, executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights. "For those who believe in international justice and accountability for human rights crimes, the trial of Saddam Hussein is a rare opportunity to test the system and make it work."

Many Iraqis, particularly Shia and Kurdish, want to see Hussein tried for chemical gas attacks on the Kurds in the 1980s. In 1988, one of these chemical attacks killed as many as 5,000 people. As well, many Iraqis want Hussein punished for reprisals against a Shia uprising in 1991.

The crimes that the special tribunal will focus on include:

A mortar attack on the city of Kirkuk.

The killing of 8,000 members of the Barzani tribe, a Kurdish community.

The invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

Crimes against secular and religious parties.

Forced emigration of thousands of Kurds from northern Iraq into Iran.

Hussein's lawyers have outlined their defense which, according to defense team member Abdul Haq al-Ani, consists of four "pillars":

The first argues that the invasion of Iraq was illegal and as such, Saddam Hussein is still legally president. If so, then under the Saddam era constitution he is entitled to immunity.

The second suggests that Hussein's alleged war crimes were no different than George W. Bush's response to 9/11: A response to insurrection.

The third pillar is to actually call Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Donald Rumsfeld to testify. It will attempt to highlight the support the United States gave to Iraq in the 1980s.

The fourth will be to present an unflattering portrayal of American foreign policy.

The trial is set to begin on Wednesday, October 19th.

Clashes break out in south Russian republic of Kabardino-Balkaria

Clashes between gunmen and police have broken out in the capital of the southern Russian republic of Kabardino-Balkaria where Chechen rebels claimed responsibility for the insurgency.

The fighting in Nalchik started after a coordinated set of attacks were carried out against city security forces and police stations. The airport and government buildings were also targeted. The strike is believed to have come from anywhere between 60 to 500 insurgents. The insurgents used heavy arms fire, coupled with explosions out the outset, that lasted five hours. A police station has been captured and hostages taken.

According to reports from Russian press sources, 61 of the gunmen have been killed and 17 have been captured, and there may be dozens of civilian casualties. Seven policemen were also killed. Several government buildings throughout the city are on fire and some schools have been involved and evacuated accordingly.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has ordered the army to seal off the city and shoot any insurgent who tries to escape. Officials in the city are saying the situation is slowly returning to normal.

Today in History
1066: Battle of Hastings: The Norman invasion forces of William the Conqueror (pictured) defeated the English army and killed Harold Godwinson, the last Anglo-Saxon king of England.

1926: The children's book featuring A. A. Milne's fictional bear Winnie-the-Pooh was first published.

1947: Flying a Bell X-1, test pilot Chuck Yeager became the first person to break the sound barrier.

1953: Qibya massacre: Israeli military commander Ariel Sharon and his Unit 101 special forces were ordered to "inflict heavy damage on the inhabitants" of a village on the West Bank.

1981: Hosni Mubarak was elected President of Egypt, one week after Anwar Sadat was assassinated.

Quote of the Day

"Forgive us the breach of positive commands and negative commands, whether or not they involve an act, whether or not they are known to us." ~ Liturgy for Yom Kippur

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