February 2006 - 2 February 2006 (Thursday)

2 February 2006 (Thursday)

• A leaked memo in the UK, detailing a conversation between U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2003, has revealed that Blair intended to follow the US into Iraq even without a UN resolution, and that Bush considered provoking a response from Iraq using falsely marked Lockheed U-2 spy planes to provide an excuse for war. (Guardian)
• Venezuela has expelled U.S. Navy Cmdr. John Correa, a military attaché at the U.S. embassy in Caracas, on suspicion of espionage. (Newsweek) (BBC)
• Representative John Boehner of Ohio becomes the U.S. House Majority Leader, beating out acting majority leader Roy Blunt in a house vote. (New York Times)
• Royal Dutch Shell breaks the record for the highest ever annual profit for a British company with a total of £13.12bn (BBC)
• The oil tanker Seabulk Pride, carrying approx 100,000 barrels (16,000 m3) (approx. 16 million L) of oil, runs aground in the port of Nikiski, Alaska. (BBC)
• The mobile phones of high ranking Greek government officials, including Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis have been revealed to have been tapped by unknown eavesdroppers. (Reuters) (Athens News Agency)