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France votes no in EU referendum In an unsurprising result, a 55% majority of French voters voted non in Sunday's European Constitution referendum. Of Frances 42m eligible voters, over 70% turned out at the 55,000 polling stations across the country, which were open from 8am to 8pm yesterday (except in Paris and Lyon where voting finished at 10pm). Mothers, teachers concerned about leukemia deaths at California elementary school California State Senator Joseph Dunn, school officials, and environmental professionals met with Kennedy Elementary School parents in a town-hall style meeting in Santa Ana Thursday evening. The parents aired their concerns over health issues at schools and workplaces, including a rash of leukemia cases in the student population, and began a dialogue they have been working toward for years. Defense rests in Michael Jackson case After a final piece of videotaped testimony from the accuser in the Michael Jackson case, the defense rested on Friday. The interview was taped by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department on July 6, 2003. The contents of the tape mostly repeated earlier testimony given by the boy describing Michael Jackson's alleged acts of molestation.

Wikipedia Current Events
A London newspaper reports that Merrill Lynch, New York, is trying to persuade at least seventeen members of the corporate derivatives team of rival investment bank JP Morgan to defect. An anonymous source/headhunter quoted in the newspaper predicted that the seventeen will be working at Merrill Lynch by the end of the summer. According to exit polls, the French electorate have rejected the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe by approximately 55% to 45%. All 25 EU member states must ratify the treaty for it to come into effect - 9 have done so to date, but only Spain has previously held a referendum.

France votes no in EU referendum

In an unsurprising result, a 54.87% majority of French voters voted non in Sunday's European Constitution referendum. Of Frances 42m eligible voters, over 70% turned out at the 55,000 polling stations across the country, which were open from 8am to 8pm yesterday (except in Paris and Lyon where voting finished at 10pm).

According to the polls done by Sofres, voters gave the following reasons for voting no:

46% -- unemployment

40% -- fed up with the current government

35% -- constitution should be renegotiated

34% -- constitution is too economically liberal

34% -- constitution threatens French identity

The result comes as no surprise to European political commentators as opinion polls had consistently suggested that the no camp was on course for a strong victory. Indeed the last opinion poll before the actual referendum suggested a 56% win for the no camp.

You can read the entire proposed European Constitution at Wikisource.

Mobile ringtone tops the UK singles chart

An advert for Crazy Frog

In a true sign of the times, a mobile phone ringtone has topped the UK singles chart. The Crazy Frog ringtone, long marketed to children and teenagers was last week launched as a single - and promptly proved more popular than both Coldplay's comeback release, Speed of Sound and last weeks number one by Oasis.

The song, if it can be called that, is a variation of the hugely popular Crazy Frog ringtone remixed with Axel F - the theme tune from the 1980's film Beverly Hills Cop which stared Eddie Murphy.

The Crazy Frog ringtone has been marketed in Britian, and throughout Europe, by German firm Jamster! It is primarily marketed by multiple TV adverts on music channels which are targeted at teenagers and kids.

Exit poll: 55% of French voters say no to EU constitution

The first exit poll, just published, has shown that 55% of French voters have rejected the new proposed European Constitution. The result which was quoted on French national TV confirms widespread speculation among political commentators that France would say no by a considerable margin - opinion polls before the vote showed 56% were against the constitution.

It is believed that a significant majority of Frances 42m eligible voters have exercised their right to vote. It is believed that turnout exceeded 70%. Polling ended at the 55,000 polling stations across the country 8pm, except in Paris and Lyon where voting finished at 10pm.

Los Angeles firefighters battle Mt. Washington blaze

Saturday evening, at approximately 7:00 p.m. PST on Mt. Washington in Los Angeles, California, a brush fire broke out on the southwestern side of the hill. Firefighters were on the scene by 8:30 p.m. with fire trucks, paramedic units, surveillance helicopters, and water-equipped helicopters. Two fire trucks blasted water at the blaze from higher up on the mountain, while every minute or so, a water-equipped helicopter would swoop down over the flames and release its payload. At the top of the hill, there were five fire trucks and one paramedic unit; the three main entrances to the mountain were barricaded off by fire trucks. By approximately 9:15 p.m., the flame was entirely extinguished, thanks mainly to the water-equipped helicopters. Firefighters were offering bystanders bottles of water and Gatorade to help combat the effects of standing near an open flame.

This article contains first-hand journalism by a Wikinews Reporter.

Lapp Plats becomes first firm to float on IEX

Little known mining company, Lapp Plats, has become the first company to list on Ireland's newly created Irish Enterprise Exchange (IEX). The firm has also applied to be listed on London's fluorishing Alternative Investment Market (AIM).

Lapp Plats' admission to the exchange brings to nine the total number of firms listed on the IEX - the other eight were all previously listed on the Exploration Securities Market, which was the precursor to the IEX.

At present Lapp Plats is involved in platinum and nickel exploration; but intends to broaden its interests into to other areas such as minerals, other metals, oil and gas.

American Samoa asks again to be removed from U.N. colonies list

American Samoa's government delivered another message to United Nations representatives asking to be removed from the U.N.'s list of world colonies. Commerce Department Deputy Director Lelei Peau was participating in a regional seminar held from May 17-19 in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines by the U.N. Decolonization Committee.

The U.N. has promoted decolonization since its founding, particularly since its Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples was adopted in 1960. In 1945, about one-third of the world's population lived in dependent, non-self governing Territories. Today the U.N. lists 16 remaining colonies with fewer than 2 million total people.

American Samoa is asking to be removed from that list, on the grounds that it wishes to remain a freely associated territory of the United States. Its position has remained unchanged since the Lieutenant Governor first asked to be removed from the list in 1993.

"The position of the people of American Samoa, and its duly elected legislative representatives and government officials is that the current status of the Territory and the United States government is the desired relationship we wish to have," said Governor Togiola T. A. Tulafono last year. His message was delivered to the U.N. Decolonization Committee in their regional seminar held in the Pacific island country of Papua New Guinea.

American Samoan Governor

Togiola T.A. Tulafono

"It has been a partnership that has aided both our peoples and the bonds of friendship between us are strong. We ask again that American Samoa be delisted as a 'colony' of the United States," said the governor's message.

The United States position, expressed to the U.N. General Assembly in 2003, is that its remaining territories are already in large measure self-governing. These territories should be able to choose whether to be independent states as "equal and sovereign partners" of the United States, or remain integrated within the United States.

Corruption endangers Brazilian government

Waldomiro Diniz (left) and his lawyer, Luis Guilherme Vieira (right), leaving the Federal Police office.

Photo:J. Freitas/Abr.

Brazil – Denunciations of political corruption threaten the Brazilian government. The most recent case involves a deputy of the political party PTB (who supports the government of the Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva) in a scandal of the services of post office.

Lula's government representatives said that they will investigate all the denunciations and affirmed that the government is a victim of political enemies.

Mauricio Marinho speaks to press after inquiry of Brazilian Federal Police.

Photo: Wilson Dias/ABr.

Deputy Roberto Jefferson (PTB-RJ) is accused of directing a corrupt scheme that involves the Brazilian postal service.

The case began after Veja, a magazine, made known a 110 minute video tape recording which shows former Post Office Chief Maurício Marinho during a supposed bribe negotiation with a businessman.

In the tape, Marinho receives and puts in his pocket R$3,000 (about 1,259 USD) in cash. He insinuates that the scheme is commanded by deputy Roberto Jefferson. The recording was aired by the major Brazilian television stations.

A group of deputies mobilized to create a special investigation congress commission in order to investigate the denunciations. The Brazilian government tried to prevent the creation of the Congress' special commission convincing some deputies not to endorse the Congress investigations commission creation, however it failed. Now the government is trying to control how the special commissions works.

Waldomiro Diniz, former adviser to the government of President Lula, is accused of negotiating with "bicheiros" (illegal gambling enterprises), traffic of influences and extortions of money for Workers' Party (PT) electoral campaigns. The case was known in 2004 after a businessman revealed a tape exposing Diniz. The Brazilian magazine Epoca published a history on the case in February, 2004.

The recorded audio tape by the businessman Carlos Augusto Ramos, known as Carlinhos Cachoeira, shows him supposedly being extorted by Waldomiro Diniz. The tape's authenticity has been verified by experts and it was aired by the major Brazilian television stations.

Waldomiro was an adviser of the Ministry of Civilian Household, directed by the Minister José Dirceu, and president of Loterj (which administers the lotteries of the state of the Rio de Janeiro) from February, 2001 until December, 2002.

The ophthalmologist João Francisco Daniel, brother of the murdered Mayor Celso Daniel (PT) from Santo André, metropolitan area of Sao Paulo, said that the crime had political reasons.

According to him, some mayor's advisers were receiving bribes from businessman. The bribes were allegedly used to collect founds for the Worker's Party and for self-enrichment.

The Mayor Celso Daniel has been murdered in 2002 and until now the case has not been totally solved. At least six witnesses died in suspicious situations.

The Social Security Minister Romero Jucá has been accused of having offered seven non-existent farms as guarantee for a financing from the Banco of Amazonia, among other denunciations of misuse of public loans. The minister attributes the accusations to political adversaries.

Citizen groups ask Congress to file formal "Resolution of Inquiry" against Bush

A coalition of citizen groups will ask Congress to file a formal "Resolution of Inquiry", the first necessary legal step to determine whether U.S. President Bush has committed impeachable offenses. The request, written by Boston constitutional attorney John C. Bonifaz on behalf of the citizen groups, cites the Downing Street memo and issues surrounding the planning and execution of the Iraq war. The full text of the request is available here.

The request was written on behalf of several groups, including:

Veterans for Peace

Progressive Democrats of America (PDA)

911Citizens Watch

Democracy Rising

Code Pink

Global Exchange

Democrats.com

Velvet Revolution

Gold Star Families for Peace

And cites the possible grounds for impeachment:

"[The President] has not given [the Senate] full information, but has concealed important intelligence which he ought to have communicated, and by that means induced them to enter into measures injurious to their country, and which they would not have consented to had the true state of things been disclosed to them."

Bonifaz says that the official minutes of a secret US-UK meeting were the impetus for the request. Those minutes were recently leaked to The Sunday Times, and are popularly known as the "Downing Street memo" or alternatively the "smoking gun memo". In it, British intelligence MI-6 director Richard Dearlove said, "Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy."

The phrase "the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy." has been the center of attention in reports and discussions surrounding the memo. It has received this attention because critics of the Iraq war believe that it reaffirms their fundamental criticisms: that Bush's decision to go to war was not based on the intelligence, but, rather, intelligence was used selectively and exaggerated, while debunking intelligence was forcefully suppressed, for the sole purpose of rallying consent for the war, and that this was all done deliberately.

Bonifaz wrote: "The recent release of the Downing Street Memo provides new and compelling evidence that the President of the United States has been actively engaged in a conspiracy to deceive and mislead the United States Congress and the American people."

Some Republican congressmen who had voted for the war have since stated that they believe the war was a mistake. For example, Walter Jones, the coiner of the phrase "freedom fries", is now the most vociferous opponent on Capitol Hill. "If we were given misinformation intentionally by people in this administration, to commit the authority to send boys, and in some instances girls, to go into Iraq, that is wrong," he has stated, "Congress must be told the truth."

On May 26th, the group AfterDowningStreet.org launched a campaign to Congress to investigate whether President Bush committed impeachable offenses relating to the Iraq war.

Shared history textbook written by scholars from Japan, China,

South Korea

A new history textbook for middle schools has been written by a committee of 54 scholars from Japan, China, and South Korea. It is believed to be the first time these nations have worked together to produce a common history.

Work began in March 2002 in the Chinese city of Nanjing. Eleven committee meetings were needed to work through the more controversial parts.

Chinese authorities have complained in recent years about Japanese history textbooks, and anti-Japanese riots took place in China last month. They argue that the textbooks whitewash Japan's historical record of war aggression in the past century. The new 249-page textbook devotes more than 60 pages to discussion of Japan's invasion of Korea and China in World War II, and wartime atrocities committed by the Japanese.

Some of the more controversial subjects include:

The Nanjing Massacre or "Rape of Nanking", the looting, rape, and mass killings committed by the Japanese in Nanjing, China.

The Korean fight for independence

Forced suicide in Okinawa

The Japanese army's use of "comfort women", mostly Koreans who claim they were forced to serve as sex slaves in brothels run by the military

Unit 731, one of several secret military medical units that researched biological warfare using human beings as experimental subjects, killing at least 3,000 of them.

This subject matter, called "dark history" by some, has been addressed by various Japanese history textbooks in the past decades. How the textbooks address or fail to address these subjects continues to be controversial both within and outside of Japan.

Starting in 1965, educator and dissident Ienaga Saburo brought three lawsuits against the constitutionality of the Japanese Ministry of Education approval process. For about 30 years, Saburo's lawsuits against government censorship continued, enjoying the support of thousands of Japanese educators and winning partial success.

Japanese schools have their choice of textbooks approved by the Ministry of Education. One controversial revisionist textbook was rejected in 2002 by almost all school districts in Japan.

In a ceremony on Thursday to celebrate the publication of the new textbook in South Korea, President Roh Moo-hyun said, "History is a window to the future. When the peoples of Korea, China and Japan together have the correct perception of history, peace and coexistence of the Northeast Asian era can be realized."

The common history book, titled "History to Open the Future", is available in the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages. The scholars have urged Japanese middle schools to adopt the textbook.

German Parliament votes yes on EU constitution; French referendum may vote no

The German Bundesrat ("federal council") voted to approve the European Union's drafted constitution on Friday. Only the government of the state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania abstained from voting. All of the other 15 states voted to approve the treaty. A French referendum to be held on Sunday is hovering on the edge of rejecting the constitution. If it does, and if the Netherlands rejects it next week as expected, that could destroy the chances of the constitution's acceptance.

All 25 member states of the European Union have to approve the constitution for it to take effect. France's support is considered key. The most recent poll on Friday indicates 48% in favor and 52% against.

Supporters say that it will unify Europe, break down internal barriers, and give the EU more strategic power in the world against American interests and other growing international alliances. Germany strongly supported the bill to prevent future European wars, and because Germany has the largest population in the EU which would give it certain political advantages.

Opponents in France are concerned about the possible effect on their country's already double-digit rate of unemployment, as lower-paid foreign workers enter the country and increase competition. They also worry about a decline of national sovereignty and lack of democratic control over European institutions.

Former French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, who led the committee that drafted the constitution, pleaded for its acceptance. On Friday he made a speech in the German Bundesrat, saying, "The day after tomorrow, I hope with all my heart, the French will in their turn ratify the constitution in a referendum. Ratification by Germany and France would mark an historic step forward for the future of the constitution and for Europe."

Rejection would be a major setback for the French leadership under President Jacques Chirac, who is pushing acceptance of the constitution.

Nine nations have already ratified the constitution, including Germany. No countries have rejected the constitution so far.

Defense rests in Michael Jackson case

After a final piece of videotaped testimony from the accuser in the Michael Jackson case, the defense rested on Friday.

The interview was taped by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department on July 6, 2003. The contents of the tape mostly repeated earlier testimony given by the boy describing Michael Jackson's alleged acts of molestation. Judge Rodney S. Melville instructed the jurors "only to observe the demeanor, manner and attitude of the witness", and that the boy's "statements are not to be considered for the truth of the matter stated."

Closing arguments could begin as early as Wednesday.

Actor Eddie Albert Dies at Age 99

Eddie Albert, well-known for his role as back-to-nature attorney Oliver Douglas in the surrealistic '60's TV series "Green Acres," has died at the age of 99.

Albert, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease in later years, succumbed to pneumonia on Thursday at his California home. His son Edward Albert was by his side at the time.

Although he gained his greatest fame in "Green Acres," Albert had a long movie, TV, and stage career stretching back to the 1930's. His first role came in 1938, playing opposite Ronald Reagan in the comedy "Brother Rat." He went on to co-star in such movies as "Roman Holiday" (1953), The Longest Day" (1962), and "The Longest Yard" (1974).

Mr. Albert was also a vigorous environmental and social activist, making many trips on behalf of UNICEF and helping found the Plaza de la Raza foundation in Los Angeles to assist poor Hispanic youth. He played a significant role in urging the US to ban DDT, which it did in 1972, and was instrumental in starting Earth Day.

Eddie Albert's most recent movie role was in 1995's "The Barefoot Executive."

Low fares airline, Ryanair celebrates twenty years in business

Irish low fares airline, Ryanair, this week celebrated its 20th birthday. Having reached the milestone, the airline promptly used the opportunity, as always, to sell seats; launching a massive 200,000 seat sale at 99p/99c a seat.

The airline was founded in 1985 by the Irish businessman, Dr Tony Ryan. It began its existence flying a small 15 seat aircraft between Waterford and London Gatwick with the small aim of breaking the duopoly on London-Ireland flights, held at that time by British Airways and Aer Lingus. Today however, the airline now flies to over 200 European destinations with its fleet of 84 Boeing 737's and is awaiting the arrival of a future 225 aircraft from Boeing.

The company today carries as much as 3m passengers a month (depending on the season) and has revealed it made a profit of €245m (USD$307,916,000) in the past year. Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary has stated that the airline will carry over 70m passengers annually within five years. The notoriously eccentric Mullingar man went on to tell the press "The very fact that a Mickey Mouse Irish airline can start in a field in Waterford 20 years ago and in 20 years overtake the world's self-styled, self proclaimed favourite airline is testament to the almost unstoppable demand for low airfare travel around Europe."

To demonstrate the huge drop in airfares over the last year, the company claimed while the price of a Ryanair seat had dropped from £99.99 in 1985 to 99p today, the price of a pint of beer had trebled and the average house price in England had increased by 500%.

Mothers, teachers concerned about leukemia deaths at California elementary school

California State Senator Joseph Dunn, school officials, and environmental professionals met with Kennedy Elementary School parents in a town-hall style meeting in Santa Ana Thursday evening. The parents aired their concerns over health issues at schools and workplaces, including a rash of leukemia cases in the student population, and began a dialogue they have been working toward for years.

Representatives of Markland Manufacturing and of AQMD also spoke at the meeting, explaining their positions. The outcome of the meeting was that Senator Dunn and members of the community will tour the Markland facility and meet with county officials, and another public meeting will be held in a couple of weeks.

Concerned parents and teachers gathered at Kennedy Elementary School in Santa Ana, California for the 6:30 p.m. meeting hosted by California State Senator Joe Dunn. Principal Felix Mendoza, Donald Markland - President of Markland Manufacturing, members of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD), and representatives from the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD), Orange County Water District (OCWD), California Safe Schools, and California Environmental Rights Alliance participated in the meeting. Senator Dunn organized the meeting to address concerns of teachers who work at, and parents whose children attend both Kennedy and and nearby Franklin Elementary School.

Five boys attending Franklin were diagnosed with the same type of leukemia in Spring 2002, raising the initial concerns. Attempts to gain an investigation from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) into possible causes were not successful as the case cluster, though intense, still fell into the range of natural chance.

During the corresponding time period, in December of 2002, the Orange County Sanitation Department had cited and fined Markland Manufacturing, a business located directly across the street from Kennedy Elementary, $21,000, a second time, for illegally dumping nickel, copper, lead, and arsenic into city sewers. These toxic substances have a range of health risks from carcinogenic to reduced IQ and increase in fatality risk. Markland Manufacturing is a steel plating company located directly across the street from Kennedy Elementary School.

Recently, Markland applied for a permit from the AQMD to expand its facilities. Whenever a company changes equipment, and those changes affect air quality, the AQMD must issue a notice to all residents in the affected area. In response, parents called Senator Dunn's office voicing their concerns, and Dunn organized a town hall meeting to address the issues. He invited experts in air, water, and sewage to address the community. "Leukemia is an air quality issue," said Dunn.

The panel. From left to right: Joseph K. Lyou, Executive Director of California Environmental Rights Alliance; Kelly Christensen, Source Control Supervisor, Orange County Sanitation District; Ron Wildermuth, Communications Director, Orange County Water District; Jill Whynot, South Coast Air Quality Management District; Carol Coy, South Coast Air Quality Management District; Anupom Ganguli, South Coast Air Quality Management District; Tammy Sanchez, Teacher, Franklin Elementary School; Socorro Molina, Parent, Franklin Elementary School; Gloria Maldonado, Parent, Kennedy Elementary School.

This article contains first-hand journalism by a Wikinews Reporter. See the talk page or the article's notes for details.

Saudi Arabia's King Fahd admitted to hospital

King Fahd of Saudi Arabia has been admitted to a hospital in Riyadh for testing. Unofficial sources say that the King, who has been ill since 1995, might have "water in his lungs", possibly indicating pneumonia. Crown Prince Abdullah has performed most of the duties of the aging monarch in recent years, and is a very likely candidate for succession of the throne should King Fahd succumb to his illness.

How tall is tallest? Chinese researchers measure tallest mountain

Mount Qomolangma, known in the west as Mount Everest, may be taller than ever, and a group of 24 Chinese researchers have scaled the peak and made observations they hope will document its current height.

In 1975 the peak was surveyed at a height of 8 848 metres, in line with previous calculations, but a U.S. survey team in 1999 measured it at 8 850m. The growth to some extent fits current theories regarding the geology of the region, a region with crustal upthrust. The growth may also be due in part to rapid glacier retreat on the peak's slopes, and the mountain springing back as the weight of snow melts and runs off.

At the same time, recent theories suggest the mountain is also shrinking. The peak may be getting smaller from subsidence as it reaches extreme heights, and again the glaciers and snow help to stabilize and expand the mountain itself.

There is some disagreement regarding the methods of measurement used previously, so the researchers spent an hour at the summit taking measurements using radar, satellite, and other methods on 6 points. The average of the measurements will be used to make the official Chinese measurement, which remains at 8 848. Results of the expedition are expected to be available in August.

A previous measurement team from Italy also used the radar methodology in 2004, but their results have not yet been published.

The mountain straddles the border between Tibet and Nepal, and is known by several names. In Chinese, 珠穆朗瑪峰 (pinyin: Zhūmùlǎngmǎ Fēng); Tibetan Qomolangma ("Mother of the Universe"); in Nepal Sagarmatha ("Forehead of the Sky"); and in English named after Sir George Everest.

Armagh man charged with 1998 bombing murders

A man from Jonesborough in south County Armagh, Northern Ireland, was charged today with the murder of 29 people who died in the 1998 Omagh bombing, which injured in excess of 300 additional people.

Sean Hoey, 35, appeared at the Craigavon Magistrates Court, saying nothing. His solicitor said his client strongly denies the charges, and that there is no evidence against him to support the charges. Hoey, who was also charged with 23 explosives offenses and conspiracy to murder security force members, was remanded to custody in Maghaberry Prison and is scheduled to appear, via video link from prison, before the Belfast magistrates on May 31.

Schapelle Corby found guilty, sentenced to 20 years

Schapelle Corby was today found guilty by an Indonesian court for the importation of 4 kilograms of marijuana to Bali. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison. The verdict was handed down by three judges amidst tight security at the Denpasar District Court.

The verdict was read in Indonesian and relayed to Corby via her translator. The court erupted as the outcome became clear. Her family and supporters screamed at the judge, and said that justice had not been done. "Scheppelle is innocent!" one supporter said.

Her lawyer reported before the verdict was handed down that she was terrified. "She's probably the worst I've ever seen her," he said.

After the verdict she stopped briefly to hug her family before being loaded into a van and driven away.

Corby was arrested at Denpasar Airport last October. On her trip to Bali, she flew from Brisbane to Sydney and then changed planes. Her defense centered around the claim that Australian airport baggage handlers placed the drugs in her bodyboard bag as part of a drug smuggling ring. It was claimed that the drugs were being smuggled from Brisbane to Sydney, but for some reason were not removed before her luggage was transferred to the Indonesian flight.

After a lengthy trial that attracted much media attention in Australia, prosecutors called for the judges to hand down a life sentence.

Hundreds of supporters and friends gathered at Tugun Surf-Lifesaving Club on the Gold Coast to watch the verdict and show their support.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard said that he felt for Corby but that Australians had to trust the Indonesian justice system. "We have to respect the justice system of other countries," he said.

The judge said she had until next Wednesday to appeal.

Al Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi reported "wounded"

There have been reports that the leader of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was wounded in Iraq. Internet statements on Al-Qaeda websites Tuesday and Thursday asked Muslims to pray for al-Zarqawi and said that an interim leader named Abu Hafs al-Gerni had been appointed.

The credibility of these statements is currently unverified. Iraq's Interior Minister Bayan Jabr did allege that the statements were correct, however. During a news conference, he reported, "We are not sure whether he is dead or not, but we are sure that he is injured."

Researchers at UC Berkeley strike against "bad faith bargaining"

At University of California, Berkeley on Thursday, researchers and technical workers formed a strike against what they call "bad faith bargaining" within the UC system. The Coalition of University Employees (CUE) labor union estimates that around 10,000 university workers are on strike. Other strikes related to this are occurring at UCSF Medical Center, UC Santa Cruz, and four other UC campuses around the state.

The Coalition of University Employees accuses top UC officials of ignoring the union's requests regarding the high turnover rate of researchers. CUE organizers say the university is misleading the union about the quantity of money readily available for employee salary increases.

The UC officials deny accusations that they have bargained in bad faith, saying they have offered a contract to the researchers that's similar to an approved deal.

Today in History
1431 - Hundred Years' War: Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in Rouen, France.

1434 - Taborite forces led by Prokop the Great were decisively defeated in the Battle of Lipany, effectively ending the Hussite Wars in Bohemia.

1536 - Henry VIII of England married Jane Seymour, a lady-in-waiting to his first two queen consorts.

1911 - The first Indianapolis 500 open-wheel automobile race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana.

1967 - Chief Emeka Ojukwu took office as the first President of Biafra, a secessionist state in southeastern Nigeria.

May 30 is Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Day in Fiji, Memorial Day in the United States (2005)

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