Portal:Current events/October 2003

April 7, 2003

In Oakland, California, police fired rubber bullets and beanbags into a crowd of demonstrators blocking traffic near the port to disperse a crowd of about 750.
United States troops push into the centre of Baghdad (see Invasion of Baghdad).
Embedded NPR journalists report that U.S. forces near Baghdad have discovered 20 medium range BM-21 missiles armed with warheads containing deadly sarin and mustard gas that are "ready to fire." [1], [2]
More than a dozen Coalition soldiers, a Knight Ridder reporter, a CNN cameraman and two Iraqi prisoners of war are sent for chemical weapons decontamination after exhibiting symptoms of possible exposure to Tabun and Sarin nerve agents and lewisite blistering agents while searching an Iraqi agricultural warehouse and a nearby military compound on the Euphrates river between the cities of Kerbala and Hilla. U.S. soldiers found eleven 25-gallon barrels and three 55-gallon chemical drums, hundreds of gas masks and chemical suits, along with large numbers of mortar and artillery rounds. Initial tests of the chemicals were positive, then a second test was done which came back negative. A third test, conducted by a mobile testing unit provided by Germany confirmed the existence of sarin. Some reports indicate that the chemicals found at the agricultural werehouse may turn out to be pesticides. Further tests are planned in the United States. [3], [4]

British forces step up their presence in the southern city of Basra. According to embedded journalists, the citizens of Basra braved gunfire to dance in the streets and cheer for the British troops. UPI's Chief International Correspondent Martin Walker claimed that he had witnessed at least one Basra citizen kiss a British tank. [5]
In a friendly fire incident, U.S. warplanes struck a convoy of allied Kurdish fighters and U.S. Special Forces during a battle in northern Afghanistan. At least 18 people were killed and more than 45 wounded, including senior Kurdish commanders.

The Senate of Belgium approved a change in the nation's war crimes law so that it will no longer apply to citizens of nations with sufficient human rights laws. The House of Representatives had already approved the change. The law had been used in the past to charge such people as George Bush, Colin Powell and Ariel Sharon with war crimes, and had interfered with Belgium's international relations. [6]

Saddam Hussein appears on Iraqi TV, and mentions the shooting down of an Apache helicopter, reducing speculation on the possible death of Saddam Hussein.
The Iraqi government promises to re-take Baghdad airport from United States forces, claiming the counter-attack would involve "some kind of martyrdom operation".

ArabNews reports that United States forces have captured the Saddam International Airport in Baghdad. [7]
Jean-Pierre Serre is announced as the winner of the first Abel Prize.
Dr. Julie Gerberding, a director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, stated her concern that SARS threatens to become a global pandemic. [8]

U.S. Brigadier General Vincent Brooks claims the Baghdad division of the Iraqi Republican Guard was "destroyed". Iraq information minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf responded that this was another American "lie". [9]
- The Iraqi Information Ministry banned Qatar-based al-Jazeera satellite television from Baghdad. [10]

prisoner of war United States Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch was reported rescued by U.S. forces.
Cubana de Aviacion AN-24 airplane on a flight from the Isle of Youth in Cuba to Havana with 46 passengers on board was hijacked and directed towards the United States. After refueling in Havana the plane flew to Key West, under escort by two US jet fighters. The plane landed safely in Key West. [11]
The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments for Grutter v. Bollinger, (regarding the University of Michigan Law Schools' affirmative action admissions policy), and Gratz and Hamacher v. Bollinger, (examining the university's undergraduate admissions policy.)
Hong Kong movie and Cantopop star Leslie Cheung committed suicide at the age of 46.
In Japan, The Postal Services Agency became Japan Post, a public corporation [12]
In Japan, Hyosuke Kujiraoka, a former vice speaker of the House of Representatives, died in Adachi Ward, Tokyo. He was 87.
Air Canada, the main airline company of Canada asked for bankruptcy protection.

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