Portal:Current events/2006 July 19

July 19, 2006 (Wednesday)

A 235-193 vote in the U.S. House of Representatives falls short of the 2/3 majority needed to override President George W. Bush's first-ever veto of a bill intended to reauthorize federal funding of embryonic stem cell research (see Stem cell controversy). (AP)
Record-breaking temperatures continue in a U.S. heat wave and another in Europe, causing at least 18 deaths, including some as far north as the Netherlands. The UK hit a record-breaking July temperature of 36.5°C (97.7°F) at Wisley. (BBC)
Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the United States Federal Reserve warns the United States Senate Banking Committee of the possible impact of rising energy prices on inflation. (Bloomberg)
Internet censorship: In an unprecedented move for a leading democracy, India bans some blogs; Huge outrage reported. (BBC), (Business Standard),(Blog-Herald), (New York Times)
2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict:
- Two Israeli soldiers have been killed in fierce fighting with Hezbollah guerrillas in southern Lebanon.(BBC NEWS)
- At least 55 civilians have been killed in Israeli air strikes in Lebanon.(BBC NEWS)
- Israeli ground troops cross the border into Lebanon in a limited incursion. (International Herald Tribune)
- Israeli airstrikes hit the southern suburbs of Beirut near the airport. (CNN)
- A cruise ship carrying 1000 Americans leaves Beirut for Cyprus as the fighting enters its second week. (Associated Press)^{[permanent dead link]}
- Israeli warplanes attack bunker in south Beirut believed to contain Hezbollah leaders. (Associated Press)
Israeli-Palestinian conflict (Operation Summer Rains):
- At least nine Palestinians have been killed in fresh Israeli operations in Gaza and the West Bank.(BBC NEWS)
Independent reports say that over 100 people are dead and missing in North Korea as a result of floods and landslides, while the North's government-controlled media omitted mention of any casualties. More than 9,000 families are left homeless. There have been at least 25 deaths in South Korea. (MSNBC)
OFCOM removes the retail price controls that had been imposed on Britain's dominant telco, the BT Group, for the last 22 years. (LSE) (Reuters) (BBC)
An aristocratic house believed to be the birthplace of Augustus, the first emperor of ancient Rome, is discovered under the Palatine Hill.(SFGate)