Portal:Current events/2005 July 5

July 5, 2005 (Tuesday)

Kansas City Southern Railway names Francisco Javier Rión as the new CEO, succeeding interim CEO Vicente Corta Fernandez, for its subsidiary Grupo Transportación Ferroviaria Mexicana. Before joining TFM, Rión was president of Bombardier's Rail Control Solutions Division in London, England, from 2001 to 2005, president and managing director of Bombardier's Mexican division from 1995 to 2001, and general director of Dina Autobuses/Consorción-Grupo Dina from 1991 to 1995. (Business Journal of Kansas City) (KCS)
The Al Jazeera Network states it will be expanding by broadcasting English language content into the United States by March 2006. (CNN)
The United Church of Christ becomes the first mainline U.S. Christian denomination to officially support same-sex marriages by passing a resolution calling for member churches to consider wedding policies "that do not discriminate against couples based on gender." It also asks churches to consider supporting legislation granting equal marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples and to work against laws banning gay marriage. (San Jose Mercury News) (BBC) (Turkish Weekly) (United Church of Christ) (AP)
Scientists uncover evidence that humans lived in the Americas 45,000 years ago, 30,000 years earlier than previously thought. (BBC)
Elections in Albania: Vote tallying in the 2005 Albanian general election continues. Voter turnout was over 50% and results are expected later in the day. International observers, including OSCE, have expressed reservations about the voting process. Three people have been killed during the election. (Euro-Reporters) (Reuters) (Guardian Unlimited)
In Indonesia, an earthquake ranking from 6.0-6.7 on the Richter scale hits Sumatra. No reports on any damage have yet been released. (Channel News Asia) (Malaysian Star) (Reuters AlertNet)
In India, militants attack and try to storm a makeshift temple of Ram in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh; most of them die in a firefight with the security forces. There are differing reports about the number of attackers and how many were killed. The temple site is a source of dispute between Muslims and Hindus. (Newindpress) (Rediff) (Reuters AlertNet)
In Germany, Sven Jaschan, suspected creator of Sasser worm, goes on trial. (BBC)
In Brazil, secretary general Silvio Pereira of the ruling Worker's Party resigns for the duration of the parliamentary inquiry into vote-buying. (BBC)
In Iraq, gunmen attack envoys from Pakistan and Bahrain. The attacks come three days after Egypt's top envoy was ambushed in the street and injured. The attempted kidnappings are meant to discourage other nations from having ties with Iraq. (LA Times) Archived 2005-09-11 at the Wayback Machine
The government of Indonesia announced the extension of its immunization campaign against polio. The second round in this campaign was originally scheduled to end yesterday. (Bloomberg)
In Germany, workmen remove the unofficial Berlin Wall Freedom Memorial at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin, after the original builders refuse to obey a court order to do so. (Deutsche Welle) (IHT)
In Peru, former president Alberto Fujimori receives new identity papers and may return to the country. Peru still wants him for charges of murder and corruption. (Reuters AlertNet)
In Austria, state prosecutors investigate allegations that Iran's president-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would have been involved with the 1989 assassination of Kurdish leader Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou in Vienna. (Reuters AlertNet) (BBC)
In France, large forest fires rage in the French Riviera. Authorities evacuate thousands. (BBC)
Sudanese government and two rebels groups, including Sudan Liberation Movement and Justice and Equality Movement, sign a declaration of principles towards the peace talks. This ends three weeks of negotiations in the Nigerian capital Abuja. Talks are adjourned until August 24. (Reuters AlertNet) (Reuters) (BBC)
United States The ABC reality series Dancing with the Stars premiered, Kelly Monaco won the competition.
Yahoo! Answers, Yahoo!'s current question-and-answer service, is launched. Their first question is posted just a couple of hours after their 9 A.M. launch time.