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Suicide bombers blast two Bangladeshi cities Two bomb attacks on courts in southeastern Bangladesh have killed at least eight people and wounded at least 20 others on Tuesday morning. According to officials in the port city of Chittagong, two suicide bombers set off explosives at a police checkpoint outside the main court around 9 a.m. Two police officers and one of the bombers died. Tens of thousands of workers demonstrate in Ljubljana, Slovenia Despite heavy snowing, tens of thousands of workers and supporters assembled today in Ljubljana, Slovenia to demonstrate against the government programme of economic reforms.

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Further details about Bush-Blair memo stopped The U.K. attorney general Lord Goldsmith has warned British media that further reporting of details from an allegedly leaked memo about a dispute between Tony Blair and George Bush "could be in breach of section 5 of the Official Secrets Act."
Wikipedia Current Events
Virginia Governor Mark R. Warner grants clemency in the case of convicted murderer Robin Lovitt, about 24 hours before he was scheduled to be executed. Evidence against Lovitt had been illegally destroyed after his trial by a court clerk, preventing DNA testing that may have exonerated him from the crime. Host country Philippines leads in the medal tally in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games. Former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres says he may leave the Labour Party to join Ariel Sharon's government after the next election if he is re-elected and if Sharon's new party is to form a government. A German woman is kidnapped in Iraq. The Government of Lesotho offers all its citizens a free HIV test. This is believed to be the first programme of its kind. President of the Palestinian Authority, Abu Mazen, has cancelled the Fatah Primary Elections after accusations of Voter Fraud were made. Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, a top aide to former Secretary of State Colin Powell, accused Vice-President Dick Cheney of ignoring a decision by President Bush on the treatment of prisoners in the war on terror. Tropical Storm Epsilon becomes the 26th named storm, a record of most named storms in a hurricane season.

Tropical Storm Epsilon forms as 2005 Atlantic hurricane season comes to an end
Tropical Storm Epsilon formed today as the record breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season comes to a close tomorrow. The storm is the 26th storm in a season that has broken many records including number of storms.

The storm formed 845 miles (1,360 km) east of Bermuda. According to forecasters, the storm is only a threat to shipping. At 10am EST, the storm had sustained winds of 45 mph. The storm is moving west at 8 mph and is expected to continue that movment for 24 hours.

The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season broke many records including number of storms and number of Category 5 hurricanes and number of tropical storms that evolved into hurricanes. Although the season ends tomrrow, forecasters warn that tropical storms can form in December.

Thai Government rejects amnesty proposal for southern insurgents
Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Vanasatidya has rejected calls by Prawes Wasi, the leader of the government-appointed National Reconciliation Commission for an amnesty to be offered to insurgents in Thailand's troubled Muslim-majority south.

Government and police officials claim that current action targeting the funding of the insurgency is proving effective and an increasing number of local people are cooperating with authorities. It is widely believed that drugs play a role in the violence, with traffickers believed to be involved in funding the militants and recruiting for them.

Raids last Friday in Sungai Padi and Tak Bai districts netted more than ten million Baht in assets from suspected drug dealers who the local governor, Pracha Terat, said were involved in the insurgency.

Suicide bombers blast two Bangladeshi cities
Police in Bangladesh have blamed Islamic militants for what's believed to be the country's first suicide bombings. Up to nine people were killed and dozens of others injured in the two attacks.

Two bomb attacks on courts in southeastern Bangladesh have killed nine people and wounded at least 20 others on Tuesday morning. According to officials in the port city of Chittagong, two suicide bombers set off explosives at a police checkpoint outside the main court around 9 a.m. Two police officers and at least one of the bombers wer killed in the attack.

Minutes later, a bomb exploded inside a court in the city of Gazipur, about 20 miles north of the capital, Dhaka. Three people were killed and many more injured, including many lawyers. There have been reports that the explosion was the work of a suicide bomber. Police immediately arrested two alleged attackers on the spot.

The attacks left at least 50 people wounded with many of them said to be in critical condition.

"This seems to be the first ever case of suicide attacks in the country... as security has been beefed up everywhere, the attackers have been changing their strategy," said Inspector General of Bangladesh Police Abdul Quayyum.

"The bombers apparently turned more violent as we set up checkposts trying to reinforce security at court premises," said Majedul Huq, police commissioner in Chittagong. He said the blasts were appear to be the work of suicide bombers, who had explosives strapped to their bodies or hidden in bags.

Earlier this month, two judges were killed in a bomb attack in the south of the country, and in recent weeks lawyers and judges have received threats. In a Daily Star report, outlawed Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) has threatened to kill three judges and blow up Mymensingh Press Club.

A wave of bombings has rattled Bangladesh in recent months after fundamentalist groups led by Afghan war veterans launched a campaign for Islamic rule based on the Shariat. The militants have often targeted lawyers. On November 14, two judges were killed when bombs were thrown at their car. In October, militants attacked courts in three districts.

On Aug 17, there were nearly 400 simultaneous bombings across the country. The outlawed JMB, led by Afghan war veteran Shaikh Abdur Rahman has been held responsible for the attacks.

Although no one has claimed responsibility for the attacks as yet, police suspect the banned group Jamaat-ul-Mujahedin, which wants to establish Islamic rule. Bangladesh police have arrested six men including a suicide squad member in different parts of the country in the last two days.

Police believe the courts and judges are targeted because they represent secular laws. They say a 2,000-strong "suicide squad" has been formed from members of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen and two other banned groups, Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh and Harkatul Jihad.

Bangladesh is the world's third-most-populous Muslim country after Indonesia and Pakistan.

TV Show ''7th Heaven'' comes to an end
The longest running family drama, 7th Heaven, with the recent celebration of the 200th episode, will conclude its final season. 7th Heaven has been the WB's time slot on Mondays 8:00 p.m. for the past ten years, since August 26, 1996. David Janollari, President of Entertainment for The WB, and Brenda Hampton, Executive Producer, discuss their finishing touches to the final season. Brenda Hampton states, "We owe a compelling and unforgettable final season to the Camden family and to the millions of viewers who helped grow this program into a huge hit"; and states, "Although we had anticipated this could be the last season, it was difficult breaking the news to the cast and crew," Aaron Spelling, Executive Producer, also notes, "Not many shows make it to 10 years and it's even rarer for a series to go out on top after 10 seasons."

7th Heaven achieved the top 20 viewers of WB of all times. At the "birth of the twins" in the episode, In Praise of Women, on February 8, 1999, the show got the highest viewer ratings of 12.5 million viewers, making it number one in the time slot against all viewers.

7th Heaven dealt with several social aspects of real life situation/issues ranging from "teen suicide and sibling rivalry to violence in schools". Episodes even touch on subject matters of the Iraq War and the death of "real-life American serviceman who was killed in Afghanistan". 7th Heaven also achieved over a dozen honors/awards from organizations.

7th Heaven had many honored guest stars such as Wayne Newton, Richard Lewis, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, and Ashley Simpson. Other guest stars appear from WB own shows' from Felicity, Smallville, Gilmore Girls, and Charmed.

7th Heaven stars Stephen Collins as Reverend Eric Camden, Catherine Hicks as Annie Camden, David Gallagher as Simon Camden, Beverley Mitchell as Lucy Kinkirk, Mackenzie Rosman as Ruthie Camden, Nikolas and Lorenzo Brino as Sam and David Camden, George Stults as Kevin Kinkirk and Tyler Hoechlin as Martin Brewer. Jessica Biel and Barry Watson was also members of the original series' cast.

Stephen Collins as Reverend Camden sincerely states, "7th Heaven has been a gift", "Plus making a bit of TV history while watching our wonderful cast grow up in real time, has been the experience of a lifetime."

Greenpeace protest disrupts Tony Blair CBI speech
Two Greenpeace protestors entered the CBI conference at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London and delayed a speech being made by the Prime Minister Tony Blair, in which he was expected to announce the consideration of further nuclear power stations to offset the increasing gas prices being experienced by industry in the UK. The protestors, wearing yellow safety jackets over business suits, climbed up into the ceiling rafters and held banners saying "NUCLEAR: WRONG ANSWER", and dropped 'radioactive confetti' onto the delegates down below.

Greenpeace threatened to make noise and throw missiles at the Prime Minister should he make his speech. They requested a ten minute speech before Tony Blair's speech, but this was turned down by the conference organisers and the speech was been delayed whilst delegates move into an alternative room in the building so that the speech could continue without disruption.

German, Iraqi driver abducted in Iraq
A German citizen and her Iraqi driver were abducted in Iraq on Friday.The Baghdad bureau of the German TV station ARD received a tape from the hostage-takers on Monday evening. In it three armed men are demading that Germany breaks off diplomatic relations with the Iraqi government in exchange for the lifes of the hostages. The station has refused to air the tape and only released a still image.

The hostage is a 43-year old archaeologist working in Iraq. She is a converted muslim and married to a Jordanian. Her 10-year old daughter is living with friends in Germany.

The German foreign ministry has established a crisis squad and is trying to negotiate the release of the hostages. But the vice chair of the parliamentary foreign commitee, Hans-Ulrich Klose, called the demands of the kidnappers "unacceptable".

Germany did not participate in the Iraq War and does not have soldiers stationed there. It is however training Iraqi police officers in neighbouring countries.

Canadian government falls in non-confidence vote
The Canadian Liberal minority was defeated 171-133 today in a historic vote of non-confidence. The minority goverment only survived for one year and five months. This is the first time a Canadian goverment has fallen on a simple vote of no-confidence. As a result of the vote, Prime Minister Paul Martin is expected to ask the governor general Michaëlle Jean to dissolve Parliament Tuesday morning. Expectations are that the election will be held Janurary 23rd 2006 providing a much longer election campaign than usual and only the second wintertime election in Canada's history.

The leaders of all 4 major political parties in Canada made campaign style speeches after the vote. According to mainstream media predictions, the campaign will focus on the major themes contained in the 2004 federal election campaign.

This is the third time many Canadians have gone to the polls in the last 12 months with municipial, provincial and now federal elections being called.

Today in History
1853 - Russian battleships led by Pavel Nakhimov destroyed an Ottoman fleet at the Battle of Sinop, precipitating the Crimean War.

1936 - The Crystal Palace (pictured), built for the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London, England, was destroyed by fire.

1939 - The Winter War: The Red Army invaded Finland, but were stalled at the Mannerheim Line.

1979 - The Wall, a rock opera and concept album by Pink Floyd, was first released .

1999 - Large-scale anti-globalization protests disrupted the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference in Seattle, USA.

November 30 is Independence Day in Barbados (1966), Saint Andrew's Day in Scotland, Bonifacio Day in the Philippines.

Quote of the Day

"Hello. My name is Iñigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." ~ Mandy Patinkin as "Iñigo Montoya" in The Princess Bride

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2005-11-29T20:19:31