May 15, 2005

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[edit] May 15, 2005 (Sunday)

• Israeli-Palestinian conflict:
  • Shin Bet head Avi Dichter finishes his 5-year term and Yuval Diskin is appointed as his replacement. (Ynet)
  • Israeli right wing students begin a hunger strike in protest of the Israel unilateral disengagement plan of 2004. (Haaretz) (Ynet)
• Amid continuing unrest In Uzbekistan, the city of Andijan is sealed. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw says there has been "a clear abuse of human rights" in Uzbekistan. (BBC)
• US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visits Iraq and calls for patience in the political struggle against the insurgency. Meanwhile, the bodies of 34 people are found at locations in Baghdad, Iskandariya, and Ramadi, all apparently having been executed. (BBC)
• After a couple of days of delay, Zimbabwe frees 61 alleged mercenaries accused of connection to coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea and allows them return to South Africa. The men say they were told they were hired to guard mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. One man remains in Zimbabwe due to tuberculosis. (News24) (Iafrica) (IOL) (Telegraph) (Reuters)
• In the Côte d'Ivoire, government and rebels agree to begin disarmament and formation of unified army in June 27. (ReliefWeb) (Reuters AlertNet
• Burundi president Domitien Ndayizeye and Agathon Rwasa, leader of the last of the rebel groups, Hutu Forces of National Liberation, sign a peace deal in a meeting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. (IPPMedia, Tanzania) (IOL) (ReliefWeb) (BBC)
• Las Vegas, Nevada celebrates its centennial on this date. Celebration is citywide and the mayor cuts the worlds largest birthday cake.