Portal:Current events/2007 September 3

September 3, 2007 (Monday)

Peace talks in Finland aimed at ending sectarian violence in Iraq end successfully, resulting in the "Helsinki Agreement". (Wikinews)
The People's Republic of China charges human rights activist Yang Chunlin, who gathered 10,000 signatures to an open letter opposing the Beijing Olympics on human rights grounds, with attempting to subvert state power. (AFP via Google)
Panama begins work on its £2.7 billion Panama Canal expansion project. (The Scotsman)
Six expatriate judges resign from the Fijian legal system following disagreements with the military-appointed acting Chief Justice Anthony Gates. (AAP via News Limited)
The Financial Times reports that the military of the People's Republic of China successfully hacked into The Pentagon's computer network. (Reuters)
Japan and Chile sign a free trade agreement. (Associated Press via Forbes)
Mittal Steel completes the first part of its takeover of Arcelor with ArcelorMittal being listed on European stock exchanges with the combined company becoming the world's largest steel producer. (CNN)
Tomás Medina Caracas (known by his nom de guerre "Negro Acacio"), one of FARC's most important leaders and the liaison between this Colombian guerrilla and Brazilian drug dealers, is killed in action by Colombian armed forces in Guaviare. (El Tiempo)
The Israel Defense Forces announce plans for a force upgrade following problems in the 2006 Lebanon War and a perceived threat from Iran. (Reuters via ABC News Australia)
Iraq War:
- U.S. President George W. Bush makes a surprise visit to Iraq and addresses military leaders and the troops, saying that with success, a U.S. Iraq troop cut is possible. (Yahoo! News)
- The British Army completes its withdrawal from Basra Palace to an airbase at Basra Airport. (BBC)
The Rail Maritime and Transport Union threatens a three day strike on the London Underground with last minute talks between the union and Transport for London failing to prevent this outcome. (Telegraph)^{[permanent dead link]}
Myanmar's National Convention finally completes 14 years of talks on a new constitution in a military base north of Yangon. (AFP via Google)
Two groups from the Terai region of Nepal – the Terai Army and the Nepal People's Army – claim responsibility for bombs that killed two people and injured 30 in Kathmandu yesterday. (AFP via ABC News Australia)
Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon arrives in Sudan to press for an end to violence in Darfur. (BBC)
European energy companies Gaz de France and Suez agree to merge in what would be a privatisation of the French state-owned Gaz de France. (The Telegraph)^{[permanent dead link]}
Justice Susan Kiefel becomes the third woman to serve on the High Court of Australia. (ABC News Australia)
Four cargo ships carrying methanol sink on the Han River, the source of the water supply for Wuhan, China, with environmental authorities monitoring water quality. (Shanghai Daily)
Sun Zhengcai, the Chinese Minister for Agriculture, states that China will clamp down on foods tainted with illegal and excessive chemicals. (Reuters)
The interim Government of Bangladesh arrests former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Khaleda Zia and her son on corruption charges. (BBC)
APEC:
- The Prime Minister of Australia John Howard puts an appeal on YouTube for people not to participate in violent protests this week. (AAP via the Sydney Morning Herald)
- Four people are arrested at the Loy Yang Power Station near Traralgon in Gippsland after chaining themselves to the conveyor belts in a climate-change protest aimed at APEC leaders. (ABC News Australia)
- The draft leaders statement calls for progress in the Doha round of trade talks. (AP via International Herald Tribune)
Jamaican voters go to the polls for the Jamaican general election, 2007. (AP via IHT)
According to reports in Japanese media, Takehiko Endo resigns as the Japanese Agriculture Minister due to involvements in illegal dealings in 1999. (BBC)
Hurricane Felix
- Hurricane Felix reaches Category 5 strength as it heads towards Central America. (Wikinews)
- Honduras issues a hurricane warning for an area from Limón on the north coast to the border with Nicaragua. The Bay Islands are placed on red alert, and the departments of Gracias a Dios, Colón, Atlántida, Olancho, Cortés and Yoro are placed on yellow alert. (Bloomberg)
- Guatemala is on hurricane watch, while Colombia issues a warning for Isla de Providencia. (Bloomberg)
- Nicaragua is on alert with President Daniel Ortega returning early from a trip to Panama; meanwhile, a state of emergency is declared in Belize. (AFP via Google)