2014 Week 14

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Current events of March 30, 2014 (2014-03-30) (Sunday) edit history watch International Relations The Republic of the Philippines files a case to an international tribunal in The Hague in its case against China over competing South China Sea claims.[citation needed] Law and crime Garda phone tapping scandal: Court documents seen by RTÉ Radio 1's This Week indicate that Gardaí recorded phone conversations with two main witnesses during the 1996 Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder investigation. ( RTÉ News) Politics and elections Turkish local elections, 2014: Voters in Turkey go to the polls for municipal elections with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party claiming victory. (AP via ABC), (Haaretz), (Sky News Australia) Electoral authorities in Egypt set the first round of the presidential election for 26–27 May. (BBC) Sunflower Student Movement in Taiwan: Since March 18th, protesters occupy the legislative chamber, opposing the vote without review of the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement, denouncing a agreement signed ‘in a black box.'[citation needed] Between 116,000 and 500,000 protesters march to the Presidential Office, in opposition to recent governmental push for Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement vote and other related issues. (LeMonde) (LibertyTimes) French municipal elections, 2014: Voters in France go to the polls for a second round of voting in municipal elections. The ruling Socialist Party generally performs badly, but their candidate in the Paris mayoral election Anne Hidalgo is set to become the first female mayor of that city. (AP via Washington Post)

Current events of March 31, 2014 (2014-03-31) (Monday) edit history watch Armed conflict and attacks Korean maritime border incidents: North and South Korea exchange artillery fire across sea boundaries. (AFP via Yahoo News) Explosions kill at least five people and injure several more in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. (BBC) Mexican Drug War The Mexican Navy kills Knights Templar Cartel high-ranking leader Enrique Plancarte Solís. (Milenio) Arts and culture How I Met Your Mother airs its final episode. (Variety) The Japanese TV series Waratte Iitomo!, whose presenter Tamori holds the Guiness World Record for appearing on the show for 32 consecutive years, comes to an end as its 8054th and final episode airs. (The Japan News), (The Japan Times) International relations The United Nations International Court of Justice rules that Japan's Antarctic whaling program is not scientific but commercial and forbids grants of further permits. (BBC), (ABC News Australia) Tuvalu withdraws its recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia after re-establishing diplomatic relations with Georgia. (World Bulletin) Law and crime A Pakistani court charges former President Pervez Musharraf with high treason in relation to the imposition of the emergency rule in 2007. (BBC) Politics and elections French politics French government and Socialist Party admit major defeat following the French municipal elections, 2014 The President of France François Hollande appoints Manuel Valls, previously Minister of the Interior, as the new Prime Minister. He replaces Jean-Marc Ayrault. (Time) Science and technology The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change releases a new report outlining the impact of climate change on the world at the end of a week of meetings in Yokohama, Japan. (BBC)

April 1, 2014 (2014-04-01) (Tuesday) edit history watch Arts and culture American internet cartoon series Homestar Runner makes its first update to its webpage after three years on hiatus. (Time) Disasters and accidents An 8.2 magnitude earthquake occurs in the Pacific Ocean near Chile causing landslides and killing at least five people. A tsunami warning is issued. (USGS), (AP via The Australian), (Fox News) Health 2014 Guinea Ebola outbreak: The death toll in Guinea rises to 80 with two people dead in neighbouring Liberia. (Sky News Australia) International relations 2014 Crimean crisis: NATO suspends "all practical civilian and military cooperation" with Russia as a result of the annexation of Crimea, and no sign that Russian troops have withdrawn from the Ukrainian border. (CNN) Law and crime 2014 Garda phone recordings controversy: Taoiseach Enda Kenny tells the Dáil the Prison Service recorded conversations between inmates and their solicitors. (RTÉ News) Mr Justice Nial Fennelly will be appointed to chair the Commission of Investigation into the Garda controversy. (RTÉ News) The Irish Government will establish a Cabinet committee to examine proposals for an independent police authority and other justice reforms, which will be chaired by the Taoiseach. (RTÉ News) The Department of Justice releases a letter sent on 10 March from then Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan in which he warns them of the recording of phone calls at Garda stations. (RTÉ News) Science and technology RIKEN concludes that research suggesting stem cells could be produced through STAP techniques was falsified. (The Japan Times) Sports In golf, Tiger Woods announces that he underwent back surgery for a pinched nerve, and will miss the Masters for the first time in his professional career. (ESPN)

Current events of April 2, 2014 (2014-04-02) (Wednesday) edit history watch Armed conflicts and attacks Islamist unrest in Egypt (2013–present): A bomb detonates near Cairo University killing a police chief and injuring 5 others. (BBC) A suicide bomber wearing a military uniform strikes a voter registration office in Kabul, Afghanistan killing 6 police officers. (AP via CTV) 2014 Fort Hood shooting: A shooting is reported at the Fort Hood Army Base near the US town of Killeen, Texas with reports of at least four deaths, including the gunman, and 14 injuries. (Washington Post) Business and economy Chrysler recalls nearly 870,000 SUVs from its Jeep and Dodge brands, citing brake issues. (KNTV) Disasters and accidents 2014 Iquique earthquake: The President of Chile Michelle Bachelet declares the northern part of Chile to be a disaster zone including the regions of Arica y Parinacota, and Tarapacá. (ABC News Australia) A 7.8 aftershock follows in the same area causing more damage. (USGS) Law and crime The High Court of Australia recognises a neutral third gender that is neither male nor female. (AFP via Yahoo! News Australia) The Supreme Court of the United States, in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, votes 5–4 to overturn limits on the amount of money that an individual can donate to politicians' campaigns over a two-year cycle. (Washington Post) More than 100 mostly elderly residents of San Francisco's Chinatown are reported as victims of fraud from a travel agency. (KGO) Leland Yee corruption scandal: California State Senator Leland Yee's attorney Paul DeMeester is replaced by former San Francisco assistant district attorney Jim Lassart. (San Jose Mercury News) Politics and elections Garda phone tapping scandal: Government sources claim white powder in an envelope and possibly a swastika have been sent to the home of the Irish Minister for Justice and Equality Alan Shatter, who is embroiled in multiple political controversies. An army bomb disposal unit has moved in on Shatter's estate in Ballinteer, Dublin. (Independent) A motion of no confidence brought by the opposition against Minister of Justice Alan Shatter is defeated 95–51 in the Dáil following a two-day debate. (RTÉ News) Sports USA vs Mexico soccer match results in a 2-2 tie game

Current events of April 3, 2014 (2014-04-03) (Thursday) edit history watch Armed conflicts and attacks Former President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf survives an assassination attempt in Islamabad, Pakistan. There are no reports of injuries. (Times of India) Syrian Civil War: Mortar fire kills at least six people in a Damascus suburb. (AP via ABC News) Arts and culture Comedian David Letterman, host of CBS's Late Show with David Letterman, announces his planned retirement in 2015. (CBS) Colombian Nobel laurete novelist Gabriel García Márquez, 87, is hospitalized in Mexico City. His condition and illness remains unknown. (Fox News) Disasters and accidents Oso, Washington mudslide: The death toll from the mudslide reaches 30 as rescuers struggle to identify survivors. (BBC) Law and crime 2014 Garda phone recordings controversy: Recordings of 133 conversations between gardaí, witnesses and journalists relating to the 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier emerge. (RTÉ News) Politics and elections Malta elected a new President of the Republic of Malta Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, the second female President after 27 years. The event carried out in Luqa, Siggiewi, Qormi, Valletta, Floriana, Malta and Attard.[citation needed] Science and technology Scientists from NASA and the European Space Agency estimate that Enceladus, a moon of Saturn, has an ocean of liquid water under its surface. (BBC)

Current events of April 4, 2014 (2014-04-04) (Friday) edit history watch Armed conflicts and attacks South Korea test-fires a new ballistic missile with a range of 500 kilometres and hopes to extend its range to 800 kilometres so that it can reach anywhere in North Korea. (Reuters) War in Afghanistan (2001–present): Two members of the Associated Press are shot by an Afghan wearing a police uniform in Khost. One of them, Pulitzer Prize winner and photojournalist Anja Niedringhaus, is killed. The other is seriously injured. (BBC) Al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen: Suspected Al-Qaeda militants attack an army post in Hadramawt province killing at least eight soldiers and injuring eleven. (AFP via Global Post) Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal): Attacks in Baghdad and predominantly Sunni Arab areas of northern and western Iraq kill nine people. (AFP via the Cairo Post) Business and economy The two largest cement manufacturers in the world, Lafarge and Holcim, announce plans for a merger. (Reuters) Mazda announces the recall of 42,000 units of its Mazda6 model built from 2010 to 2012, citing fuel tank issues. The recall specifically refers to those with 2.5 liter engines. (KRON) 2014 Crimean Crisis: McDonald's suspends work at all restaurant locations in Crimea. (KNTV) Disasters and accidents Heavy rainfall from a tropical low causes flooding at Honiara, Solomon Islands, leading to at least 16 deaths and thousands of people being evacuated. (AAP via SBS) (ABC News Australia) A Mongolian-flagged cargo ship sinks off the coast of South Korea, with most of the 16 North Korean crew members reported missing. (Reuters) The Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador explodes twice. (Daily Mirror) Health 2014 West Africa Ebola outbreak: The first possible case is reported in Mali, with the death toll rising in Guinea and Liberia to 90. (Reuters via Yahoo! News) A meningitis outbreak has been reported in the greater Los Angeles area, with incidents related to sexual intercourse. (MSN) Law and crime A Manhattan court stenographer is discovered to have written nonsense instead of actual court transcripts, potentially jeopardizing thirty court cases. (KNTV)

Current events of April 5, 2014 (2014-04-05) (Saturday) edit history watch Armed conflicts and attacks 2014 Aswan tribal clashes: 23 people are killed in a gunfight between feuding tribes near the Egyptian city of Aswan. (Al-Ahram) (The Hindu) Two Italian priests and a Canadian nun have been kidnapped by gunmen in Cameroon. (AFP via Yahoo! News) Business and economy Tyson Foods recalls 75,000 pounds of frozen chicken nuggets due to complaints that pieces of plastic were found in its products. (KTVU) (USDA) Disasters and accidents At least 3 are killed and 7 injured when a passenger train derails in the Tasikmalaya District, in Indonesia's West Java Island after hitting mounds of mud following a downpour of rain. (MSN) Politics and elections Afghan presidential election, 2014: Amidst violence, voters in Afghanistan elect a new President in what is the country's first democratic transfer of power. (BBC) (Huffington Post) Australian Senate special election in Western Australia, 2014: Voters in the Australian state of Western Australia go to the polls for a Federal Senate election. (AAP via News Limited) Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness, the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland accepts an invitation to attend several events during the forthcoming State visit of Irish President Michael D. Higgins to the United Kingdom, including a banquet to be held by Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle. (RTÉ News) Religion Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta archbishop Wilton Gregory announces he will sell his recently-acquired $2.2 million mansion amid criticism amongst parishioners. (KATC) Sports In horse racing, Pineau De Re, trained by Dr. Richard Newland and ridden by 37-year-old Leighton Aspell, who returned to racing after coming out of retirement, wins the 2014 Grand National at Aintree racecourse with the odds of 25/1. (BBC)

Created 12 Sep 2014 Last updated 12 Sep 2014