Portal:Current events/2006 September 12

September 12, 2006 (Tuesday)

Cypriot authorities respond to an Interpol alert and intercept Grigorio-1, a North Korean ship bound for Syria. Cypriot security agents found a mobile air defense system and the components of a missile launcher in the ship, though the Government of North Korea insists the ship only contained weather-observation equipment. The Syrian government has requested the ship be allowed to dock in Syria. (World Tribune)
Belgian False Flag Terror arrests: A court in Belgium prolongs the custody of 12 suspects in the case against a neo-Nazi group inside the Belgian Army, named Bloed-Bodem-Eer en Trouw (BBET). They are accused of terrorism, weapons traffic, racism and negationism. (Wikinews)
At least 51 people, mostly children, are killed in a stampede in a stadium in Ibb, Yemen, during a campaign rally for President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The children were killed when some of the citizens, who were bused in to hear the president speak, tried to leave. (CNN)
Tom Noe, a rare-coin dealer and fundraiser for the United States Republican Party, is sentenced to two years jail for illegally channelling US$45,000 into President George W. Bush's re-election campaign. (Associated Press)^{[permanent dead link]}
Norwegian politician Erik Solheim announces that the Government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers have agreed to hold "unconditional peace talks" in October in Oslo. The Sri Lankan government denies ever agreeing to talks without conditions, and criticizes the Government of Norway for violating Sri Lankan sovereignty. (TODAYonline)^{[permanent dead link]}(TamilNet)
An explosion in Diyarbakir in the mainly Kurdish southeast of Turkey kills at least seven people, five of whom were children, and injures 14. (CNN)
Japan's new baby prince is officially named Hisahito. (CNN)
Gunfire and explosions are reported near the U.S. embassy in Damascus, Syria, amid reports that the heavily fortified compound has been attacked by armed men. One Syrian guard was killed, and one Chinese diplomat was mildly injured. (The Times)(Reuters)