Portal:Current events/2005 March 13

March 13, 2005 (Sunday)

International authorities apprehend 41 suspects in a massive money laundering ring code-named White Whale in Spain. (Bloomberg) (Independent)^{[permanent dead link]} (BBC)
Pope John Paul II leaves Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic 2 1/2 weeks after his tracheotomy and returns to Vatican City. BBC
The Malta Labour Party celebrates a long expected victory in the Local Council Elections in Malta. 53.18% of the electorate voted Labour whereas 44.6% voted for the Partit Nazzjonalista. (di-ve)
China begins human trials of a vaccine for AIDS (People's Daily Online) (Channel News Asia) (Medical News Today)
In France, prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin agrees to demands of protesters and grants concession on his reform policies (Reuters) (BBC)
Former leader of Togo, Gnassingbé Eyadéma, is buried in the capital Lomé (News24) (BBC)
Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership charity concert "Africa Live" begins in Dakar, Senegal, to collect funds to fight against malaria and to buy mosquito nets. Local musician Youssou N'Dour organized the concert and it features major African artists. (Roll Back Malaria Africa Live Concert website) (News24) (Reuters)^{[permanent dead link]} (IOL)
Muslim religious scholars in Pakistan announce a fatwa that decrees that heroin use is un-Islamic. The fatwa is pronounced in a seminar in Baluchistan. (Daily Times, Pakistan) (BBC)
In Turkey, authorities close down the Bosphorus shipping channel after a cargo ship that carried liquiefied petroleum gas sinks due to bad weather. It takes hours for the shipping authorities to collect gas tanks. (Planet Ark) (BBC)
In Italy, explosion in the Motta di Livenza injures three people. Officials suspect serial bomber (CNN) (BBC)