Highlights of news stories from 14th to 20th July
Massive payout
Hundreds of people who claimed they were abused by clergy affiliated with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles can expect to receive more than US$1mileach in a US$660mil settlement of their lawsuits.
Tengku quits
The Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku AbdullahSultan Ahmad Shah, resigned as deputy president of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM). This follows Malaysia’s dismal performance in the Asian Cup.
Protest against airline
More than 20 disabled and wheelchair-boundmembers of the Barrier-Free Environment andAccessible Transport Group held a protestagainst AirAsia for its refusal to takepassengers who are completely immobile.
Duo released
Two suspects in the failed car bombings in Britain were released without charge. The pair were among eight people held after two cars packed with petrol, gas canisters and nails were found in central London onJune 29 and a flaming vehicle slammed into Glasgow Airport’s main terminal building a day later.
Samba triumphs
Brazil defeated favourites Argentina 3-0 in the Copa America final played in Venezuela. Brazil has won the competition eight times.
Quake kills seven
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake flattened houses in north-western Japan, killing at least seven, forcing the evacuation of thousands and sparking a small fire at the world’s biggest nuclear plant. The quake also halted gas services to about 35,000 homes and disrupted water services to the city of Kashiwazaki.
Bombs kill 85
At least 85 people died in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk in a coordinated attack by a suicide truck bomber in a crowded market and separate car bomb parked on a busy street. Iraqi police said 180 peoplewere wounded.
Hasina detained
Former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina was arrested at her home in Dhaka and sent to jail to face extortion charges. Thearrests sparked protests by her supporters in several parts of the country, with police firing rubber bullets at demonstrators in Dhaka.
Plane crash kills 200
A Brazilian passenger jet belonging to Tam Airlines skidded off the runway after landing and burst into flames at a Sao Paulo airport, leaving as many as 200 people dead.
No survivors
The wreckage of the Nuri helicopter which crashed in a dense forest off the Karak-Genting Sempah tunnel on the Karak Highway was finally recovered after five daysof round-the-clock searches. None of the six personnel on board the helicopter survived.
Gunmen murder 29
Gunmen dressed in Iraqi military uniforms stormed a village in the restive Iraqi province of Diyala and murdered 29 people, including women and children.
Best in Asia
Malaysian junior shuttlers scored a 3-0 win over China to claim the mixed team crown in the Asian Junior Badminton Championships inKuala Lumpur.
Contest suspended
The British Broadcasting Corporation suspended all phone-in and interactive contests after an investigation exposed several incidents in which competition winners were faked. The BBC said an inquiry found that several production staff passed themselves off as viewers and listeners on radio and TV shows.
Ruling overturned
The Federal Court ruled that there was a danger of bias on the part of the Court of Appeal when it favoured construction company Fawziah Holdings Sdn Bhd in its appeal against toll concessionaire Metramac Corporation Sdn Bhd for the loss of its advertising rights. The five-man Bench was unanimous in overturning the controversial decision which implicated former financeminister Tun Daim Zainuddin and corporate figure Tan Sri Halim Saad.
Expelled
Russia expelled four British diplomats in a tit-for-tat response as confrontation mounted over the radiation poisoning death of former KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko. Britain had earlier announced the expulsion of four Russian diplomats and restrictions on visas to Russian officials after Moscow refused to hand over Andrei Lugovoi, accused of killing Litvinenko in London.
Bombers kill 51
Two suicide car bombings, one of them targeting Chinese workers and another at a mosque in Peshawar, killed at least 51 people in Pakistan. Authorities saidthey suspected the blasts were part of a wave of attacks sparked by the storming of the Pro-Taliban Red Mosque earlier this month which left 180 dead.
Prisoners freed
Israel released more than 250 Palestinian prisoners in an attempt to bolster moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in his power struggle with Hamas. Most of the freed were from the Abbas’ Fatah movement. Israel holds about 9,200 Palestinian prisoners, mostarrested during the past seven years of fighting.
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