January 2005 - January 25 2005

January 25 2005

• 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake: Indonesia has again raised its estimate of the number of people killed by December's earthquake and tsunami to 220,000; the total known to have been killed in the region is now 280,000. (BBC)
• Camp X-Ray: The US has confirmed that 23 prisoners held in the Guantanamo Bay military base attempted a mass suicide two years ago. (BBC) (BBC video) (CNN)
• Conflict in Iraq: The U.S. army expects to keep 120,000 soldiers for at least two more years in Iraq, according to the Army's top operations officer, Lt. Gen. James J. Lovelace. (MSNBC)
• Up to 300 Hindus are feared to have died in a stampede, reaction to a fire caused by a short circuit, near a temple in Wai in the Satara district of western Maharashtra, India. Scores of others are crushed or burned. An estimated 300,000 people had gathered at the temple. (Rediff, india) (New Kerala) (Reuters Alertnet) (BBC)
• Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Israel resumes construction of one of the most controversial parts of the Israeli West Bank barrier, around the Ariel settlement, 20 km into the West Bank. (BBC)
• The nominees for the 77th Academy Awards are announced, with The Aviator and Finding Neverland leading with 11 and 7 nominations respectively. (BBC) (MTV) (MSNBC)
• After being incarcerated without trial for almost three years, the four remaining British detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Moazzam Begg, Feroz Abbasi, Martin Mubanga and Richard Belmar, are released and flown back to the United Kingdom, where they are immediately arrested by British police. (BBC) (Guardian)
• Bill Gates donates $750 million through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation, to provide vaccines to children in poor countries. This is one of the largest philanthropic donations ever made by a living donor. (Guardian)
• The Bush administration is requesting an additional $80 billion from Congress for Iraq and Afghanistan, bringing the total cost of both operations over $280 billion. (Reuters) (CNN)
• In Kenya, clashes between Kikuyu and Maasai in the Rift Valley have led to at least 14 deaths. The fight is over water rights of Ewaso Kedong River. (Standard, Kenya) (AllAfrica) (Reuters Alertnet)
• In the Republic of China/Taiwan, President Chen Shui-bian names fellow Democratic Progressive Party member Frank Hsieh, as the new premier. He calls for a reconciliation with the political opposition, which maintained its legislative majority in last month's elections. (Channel News Asia) (Bloomberg)
• Large scale strikes begin in Andhra Pradesh, India, in protest of the killing of Paritala Ravi, a senior leader of Telugu Desam Party assassinated two days ago. (New Kerala) (Hindustan Times) (BBC)
• Marcial Maciel, Mexican founder of Roman Catholic order of Legion of Christ resigns due to his age. The stepping down coincides with the Vatican investigation about claims that he had sexually abused former members. (Reuters) (Newsday)