Wikipedia:In the news/Candidates

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This page provides a place to discuss new items for inclusion on In the news (ITN), a protected template on the Main Page (see past items in the ITN archives). Do not report errors in ITN items that are already on the Main Page here— discuss those at the relevant section of WP:ERRORS.

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Donald Trump Donald Trump (pictured) wins the United States presidential election and the Republican Party is set to take control of the Senate. Maia Sandu is re-elected President of Moldova. In baseball, the Yokohama DeNA BayStars defeat the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks to win the Japan Series. A canopy collapse at Serbia's Novi Sad railway station kills fourteen people. The ruins of a Maya city, dubbed Valeriana, are discovered in Campeche, Mexico. Ongoing: Israel–Hamas war Israel–Hezbollah conflict Russian invasion of Ukraine timeline Sudanese civil war timeline Recent deaths: Teri Garr Paul Stephenson Peanut Dub Jones Janey Godley Edzard Reuter view — page history — related changes — edit

Glossary Blurbs are one-sentence summaries of the news story. Altblurbs, labelled alt1, alt2, etc., are alternative suggestions to cover the same story. A target article, bolded in text, is the focus of the story. Each blurb must have at least one such article, but you may also link non-target articles. Articles in the Ongoing line describe events getting continuous coverage. The Recent deaths (RD) line includes any living thing whose death was recently announced. Consensus may decide to create a blurb for a recent death. All articles linked in the ITN template must pass our standards of review. They should be up-to-date, demonstrate relevance via good sourcing and have at least an acceptable quality. Nomination steps Make sure the item you want to nominate has an article that meets our minimum requirements and contains reliable coverage of a current event you want to create a blurb about. We will not post about events described in an article that fails our quality standards. Find the correct section below for the date of the event (not the date nominated). Do not add sections for new dates manually – a bot does that for us each day at midnight (UTC). Create a level 4 header with the article name (==== Your article here ====). Add (RD) or (Ongoing) if appropriate. Then paste the {{ITN candidate}} template with its parameters and fill them in. The news source should be reliable, support your nomination and be in the article. Write your blurb in simple present tense. Below the template, briefly explain why we should post that event. After that, save your edit. Your nomination is ready! You may add {{ITN note}} to the target article's talk page to let editors know about your nomination. The better your article's quality, the better it covers the event and the wider its perceived significance (see WP:ITNSIGNIF for details), the better your chances of getting the blurb posted. Headers When the article is ready, updated and there is consensus to post, you can mark the item as (Ready). Remove that wording if you feel the article fails any of these necessary criteria. Admins should always separately verify whether these criteria are met before posting blurbs marked (Ready). For more guidance, check WP:ITN/A. If satisfied, change the header to (Posted). Where there is no consensus, or the article's quality remains poor, change the header to (Closed) or (Not posted). Sometimes, editors ask to retract an already-posted nomination because of a fundamental error or because consensus changed. If you feel the community supports this, remove the item and mark the item as (Pulled). Voicing an opinion on an item Format your comment to contain "support" or "oppose", and include a rationale for your choice. In particular, address the notability of the event, the quality of the article, and whether it has been updated. Please do... Pick an older item to review near the bottom of this page, before the eligibility runs out and the item scrolls off the page and gets abandoned in the archive, unused and forgotten. Review an item even if it has already been reviewed by another user. You may be the first to spot a problem, or the first to confirm that an identified problem was fixed. Piling on the list of "support!" votes will help administrators see what is ready to be posted on the Main Page. Tell about problems in articles if you see them. Be bold and fix them yourself if you know how, or tell others if it's not possible. Please do not... Add simple "support!" or "oppose!" votes without including your reasons. Similarly, curt replies such as "who?", "meh", or "duh!" are not helpful. A vote without reasoning means little for us, please elaborate yourself. Oppose an item just because the event is only relating to a single country, or failing to relate to one. We post a lot of such content, so these comments are generally unproductive. Accuse other editors of supporting, opposing or nominating due to a personal bias (such as ethnocentrism). We at ITN do not handle conflicts of interest. Comment on a story without first reading the relevant article(s). Oppose a recurring item here because you disagree with the recurring items criteria. Discuss them here. Use ITN as a forum for your own political or personal beliefs. Such comments are irrelevant to the outcome and are potentially disruptive. Suggesting updates There are two places where you can request corrections to posted items: Anything that does not change the intent of the blurb (spelling, grammar, markup issues, updating death tolls etc.) should be discussed at WP:Errors. Discuss major changes in the blurb's intent or very complex updates as part of the current ITNC nomination.

Suggestions

ITN candidates needing feedback Add nomination needing feedback purge

For future events in 2010, see Wikipedia:In the news/Future events/2010.

July 25

July 25, 2010 (2010-07-25) (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and incidents

• 1 person is killed and at least 10 are injured after a bombing at a bus stop in Bangkok following a parliamentary by-election. (Aljazeera) (Channel 4) (Bangkok Post)
• The Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb announces it has killed a French hostage in Mali after a failed rescue attempt by French and Mauritanian troops. (BBC) (Aljazeera)
• There are reports that an airstrike on a village in Helmand Province has killed 45 civilians, including children, who were sheltering from violence. (BBC)

Disasters

• Love Parade stampede:
  • Survivors blame officials for yesterday's death stampede at the Love Parade in Duisburg. (BBC) (Deutsche Welle) (Der Spiegel)
  • The death toll rises to 19. (Reuters)
  • The event's founder axes the annual festival. (The Daily Telegraph) (Sky News)
• It is revealed that BP chief executive Tony Hayward is negotiating his terms of exit after being negatively criticised by politicians in the United States over his handling of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. (BBC) (The Guardian)

Economics

• United States Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner pushes for Congress to allow the tax cuts for high-income taxpayers in the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 to expire at the end of 2010, while extending the act's tax cuts for middle- and lower-income taxpayers. (CNN)

Politics

• Iraq Inquiry witness Carne Ross alleges the British government is covering up "embarrassing testimony" about its decision to invade Iraq in 2003. (The Observer) (Channel 4)
• Burmese military ruler General Than Shwe begins a five-day visit to India. (BBC) (The Times of India)
• African Union summit:
  • At the African Union summit in Kampala, attended by 53 countries, its president, the President of Malawi Bingu wa Mutharika, states International Criminal Court indictments against the Sudanese president undermine African peace and security and calls for the issue to be solved in a different way. (Aljazeera)
  • Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni says the fight against Somali militant group al-Shabaab must be stepped up. (BBC) (Daily Nation)
• Former President of Cuba Fidel Castro visits a mausoleum in Artemisa, his first reported appearance outside Havana since leaving office in 2006. (BBC)

Sport

• Alberto Contador wins the 2010 Tour de France, his third, as seven-times winner Lance Armstrong makes his final appearance. (BBC Sport)
• Fernando Alonso wins the German Grand Prix ahead of Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa at Hockenheim. (BBC Sport)
• The FIVB World League 2010 ends with Brazil becoming the first country to win the competition nine times.

ITN candidates for July 25

Tour de France

In cycling, Alberto Contador of Spain wins the 2010 Tour de France. - Eugen Simion 14 (talk) 07:59, 25 July 2010 (UTC)

July 24

July 24, 2010 (2010-07-24) (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and incidents

• The United States and South Korea begin showing off their navy and air force by maneuvering dozens of ships and planes and thousands of troops in the Sea of Japan with intent to "rattle" North Korea. (BBC)
• The Royal Air Force tests fighter jets with which it intends to use to shoot down any rogue passenger planes. (BBC)
• A mass grave containing at least 50 tortured and burned corpses is unearthed east of Monterrey, Nuevo León, in Mexico. (BBC)
• France states its joint effort with Mauritania to free a French hostage is over, but no word is released on the whereabouts of the hostage or if he is even still alive. (Aljazeera)

Arts, culture and society

• A massive stampede at the 2010 Love Parade in Duisburg kills 21 people and injures dozens more people. (Deutsche Welle) (Der Spiegel) (Aljazeera) (The Age) (BBC News)
• Rallies occur in Berlin, London, New York City, Paris, Ottawa and elsewhere, calling for the release of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a woman facing execution for adultery in Iran. (Aljazeera) (BBC)
• Beginning of the 2010 European Go Championship in Tampere, Finland. [1]
• Thousands of people across the globe film their daily lives for Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald and producer Ridley Scott's YouTube-based documentary Life in a Day. (Huffington Post)

Disasters

• More than half of Peru enters a state of emergency due to unusually cold weather. (BBC)
• Chinese floods:
  • Premier Wen Jiabao wades through water in Wuhan to warn of further devastation. (BBC)
  • The Yangtze River's Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze river reaches 158 metres and is about to overflow. (Aljazeera)
• BP announces it is to start drilling for oil off Libya. (BBC) (France24) (The Sydney Morning Herald) (The Age)
• The Lake Delhi Dam fails along the Maquoketa River in the U.S. state of Iowa. (CBS News)

Law and crime

• Two Spanish activists and a journalist arrested in an Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla file charges against Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (BBC)
• An investigation reveals that several dozen staff and contractors of the United States Department of Defense, some with high-level security clearances, allegedly downloaded child pornography; an undisclosed number did so on government-owned computers. (The Boston Globe) (The Guardian)

Politics

• In the United States House of Representatives, Republicans introduce Resolution 1553, which expresses United States support for Israeli use of any necessary military force to eliminate any threat it believes Iran poses. (Press TV) (Res. 1553)
• Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin meets the Russian intelligence agents who were swapped with the United States. (BBC)
• 15th African Union summit in Kampala:
  • African heads of state meet. (BBC)
  • President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak opts not to attend, increasing concerns for his health. (BBC) (CTV) (The Jerusalem Post)
  • Gordon Brown returns to make an appearance. (The Guardian) (BBC)

Science

• Iran begins researching the development of an, as yet, non-existent nuclear fusion reactor. (BBC)

Sport

• Snooker's "first television superstar" and two-times world champion Alex Higgins dies at the age of 61. (BBC) (The Daily Telegraph) (The Guardian) (The New Zealand Herald) (RTÉ) (Hindustan Times)

ITN candidates for July 24

Bolivia calls for emergency summit

Bolivia wants South American Presidents to meet after Venezuela severs ties with Colombia. See [2]. ~DC _{Let's Vent} 21:24, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

• The severing of relations has been nominated below. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 21:27, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

Alex Higgins

Snooker player, Alex Higgins dies after a long battle with throat cancer. (Daily Mail), (BBC) - JuneGloom07 Talk? 20:35, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

"Snooker's first television superstar" - BBC.

A two-time world champion who won at the age of 23 on his first attempt in 1972, becoming the youngest ever winner, sounds important enough. Then winning ten years later as well. - The News Zealand Herald. In those ten years it had become "major television entertainment" - The Guardian.

"The sport's first true rebel" and "one of "a triumvirate of players who in their respective eras broke the mould", with one of the other two saying "He is a legend of snooker, and should forever be remembered as the finest ever snooker player" - The Daily Telegraph.

"He kept playing the sport he loved until his final days" indicates he was still active as well - Hindustan Times.

All this suggests he passes "2. The deceased was a very important figure in their field of expertise, and was recognised as such" (even politicians recognise him) therefore support. --candle•wicke 23:57, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

• Support, BBC News said that he transformed snooker from a gentleman's game to a sport. Mjroots (talk) 08:18, 25 July 2010 (UTC)

Love Parade stampede

At least 10 deaths in Duisburg, Germany after a stampede at Love Parade - Eugen Simion 14 (talk) 17:04, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

We have 15 deaths and 45 injuries now - [3] - Eugen Simion 14 (talk) 17:26, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

Sad update: now 18 deaths :( 94.212.31.237 (talk) 21:59, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

• Support once a decent article is forthcoming. Mjroots (talk) 17:26, 24 July 2010 (UTC)
• Support per Mjroots. -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 20:20, 24 July 2010 (UTC)
• Comment its been improved is it good enough now? -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 21:41, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

It's looking pretty good. A bit more on the parade itself would be nice (is it notable enough for its own article) to put things into context. If you can add a little on that, I'll be happy to post it. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 22:04, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

The general Love Parade does have its own article: Love Parade. Or were you thinking of something specifically about this years event? -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 22:32, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

So it does. I added a link to the article. I'm happy with the condition of the article, but I'd like to hear a few more opinions before posting. If there's been no shift in consensus by midnight UTC, I'll post it. Meanwhile, any suggestions for a blurb? HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 22:42, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

I tried to give a bit more context to the nature of the festival, but its hard for me. Most good sources are in german (and totally snowballed by all the news atm), and i'm guessing most people in germany are already in bed by now. —TheDJ (talk • contribs) 23:34, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

Support. At least 17 people are killed and another 100 are injured during a stampede at the Love Parade electronic music festival in Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia.  ? --candle•wicke 23:31, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

• Posting. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 00:08, 25 July 2010 (UTC)

Korean sabre rattling

A large naval exercise between the U.S. and South Korea on the backdrop of the sinking in March of a South Korean navy ship, by many blamed on North Korea, causes North Korea to respond with threats of "physical response" and that they are ready to launch a "sacred war" against South Korea and the United States. __meco (talk) 06:55, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

• I say wait until the sabre rattling turns into actual action. North Korea always likes threats, but I would prefer to wait until they actually do something. Spencer^T♦C 14:49, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

I figured that it might be an appropriate item for when the the joint exercise starts on Sunday (which would be anytime now as the clock has just passed midnight there). I also don't mind waiting to see if the temperature rises still further on the Korean peninsula. __meco (talk) 15:29, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

Oppose unless something actually happens. NK threatening the SK and/or the US is a common occurrence. Modest Genius ^talk 20:07, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

What about just the large naval exercise? That sounds like something. If it leads to such a response it must be important? Can't really mention the ship sinking if North Korea denies it as it would probably be too long. The United States and South Korea manoeuvre their military in the Sea of Japan, causing concern for North Korea. --candle•wicke 13:34, 25 July 2010 (UTC)

2010 Mindanao earthquakes

A series of 7.6, 7.3 and 7.4 magnitude earthquakes hits Philippines. Eugen Simion 14 (talk) 06:38, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

Oppose, No reports of damage or casualties. __meco (talk) 10:23, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

• All over the news but no one died and no buildings were damaged so I see this going to AFD... –HTD (ITN: Where no updates but is stickied happens.) 13:31, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

July 23

July 23, 2010 (2010-07-23) (Friday)

Armed conflicts and incidents

• Nigerian part of Jos is sealed off as police search the city following the discovery of a booby-trap bomb. (BBC)
• North Korea responds to nearby joint United States-South Korean military exercises by stating that the acts resemble 19th century "gunboat diplomacy", describing them as "a threat to the Korean peninsula and the region of Asia as a whole". (BBC)
• One person is killed and 42 injured after a Swiss tourist train derails in the Alps. (CBC) (AP)
• Israel Defense Forces soldiers kill a Palestinian man attempting to enter the Israeli settlement of Barkan. (BBC) (Jerusalem Post)
• The United Nations Human Rights Council appoints Sir Desmond de Silva of Britain, Karl Hudson-Phillips of Trinidad and Tobago, and Mary Shanth Dairiam of Malaysia to investigate the Gaza flotilla raid. (Aljazeera) (Radio New Zealand)
• Guinea and Djibouti pledge to contribute troops towards the African Union Mission supporting the Transitional Federal Government in Somalia. (Al Jazeera) (AP)

Arts and culture

• The legal case over Precious is dismissed. (BBC)
• The Diocese of Rome criticises homosexual priests, accusing them of leading a "double life" and advising them to leave the priesthood. (BBC) (The Guardian)
• Singer Billy Corgan collapses during a performance of "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" in the United States. (BBC) (CNN) (CBS News) (Daily Mail)
• Black Swan is announced as the opening film of the 67th Venice International Film Festival. (BBC)
• The British-Irish boy band, One Direction, is formed in the 7th series of the television show, X Factor UK (www.starpulse.com)

Disasters

• Alarms on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig are found to have been disabled before the explosion and subsequent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. (The Guardian)

International relations

• Serbia states its intention to never recognize Kosovo's independence after International Court of Justice's yesterday ruling. (BBC)
• Venezuela severs diplomatic relations with Colombia after Colombia claims Venezuela is a "haven for guerrillas". (BBC) (Latin American Herald Tribune) (Samaylive News)

Law and crime

• A Dutch court finds Trafigura guilty of illegally dumping toxic waste in Côte d'Ivoire in 2006. (BBC) (The Guardian)
• Two Spaniards and a journalist sue Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, plus other Israeli ministers and officials, as a result of the Gaza flotilla raid. (BBC) (IOL) (The Irish Times)
• An investigation by The Independent uncovers the first evidence of a UK-based rendition recruitment drive, free of American involvement, suggesting MI5 was directly involved in the 2004 "illegal" transfer of a Moroccan national from a Belgian prison to London. (The Independent)
• Michael Conahan, a former judge in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, pleas guilty to racketeering conspiracy by assisting in the jailing of juvenile defendants in return for bribes. (BBC) (The Washington Post)
• China sentences an Uyghur journalist who spoke to foreign media after riots in Xinjiang last year to 15 years imprisonment. (BBC) (Reuters Africa)
• A court in the U.S. state of Arizona listens to challenges to the state's policy against illegal immigrants. (BBC)
• A panel decides Congolese militia leader Thomas Lubanga should stay in jail in The Hague: Lubanaga says he is not guilty of the charges against him. (Aljazeera) (BBC)
• A Pakistan court requests that a mentally-ill woman who was charged but never went on trial for a 1996 desecration of the Koran be released. (BBC)
• Death of Ian Tomlinson:
  • The family of Ian Tomlinson, filmed being pushed to his death by police while walking home from work past the 2009 G-20 London summit protests, say the incident is being covered up by authorities. (The Independent)
  • The Independent Police Complaints Commission supports a prosecution for manslaughter. (The Guardian)

Politics

• France's defense ministry says it aided a recent raid by Mauritania against al-Qaeda in North Africa in a failed search for a French hostage. (Aljazeera) (BBC) (IOL) (Reuters)
• Nigeria's senate changes the country's constitution to reschedule elections. (BBC)
• Former President of Sri Lanka Chandrika Kumaratunga criticises the current government for "completely forgetting the legacy" of Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the first female prime minister on earth. (BBC)
• A paralyzed Cuban political prisoner achieves a successful application to leave Cuba and go to the United States. (Aljazeera)

Science

• President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announces plans to launch a manned shuttle into space by 2019. (BBC) (Press TV) (The Straits Times)
• The Indian government unveils a solar power touch-screen laptop, cheaper than America's iPad, expected to be on sale next year. (BBC) (The Guardian) (The Independent) (The Jakarta Post)

Sport

• The French Football Federation suspends its entire team that played in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. (BBC Sport) (The Independent) (Reuters)
• Professional footballer Gavin Grant is found guilty of murder. (BBC) (The Independent)
• The torch lighting ceremony for the first Youth Olympic Games, to be held in Singapore from August 14 to 26, is held in Olympia, Greece. (The Straits Times)

ITN candidates for July 23

Trafigura guilty of illegally dumping toxic waste

This seems like what is usually posted and might be at least worth discussing if there is little else. "The first time Trafigura has faced criminal charges since the toxic waste scandal unfolded". --candle•wicke 01:34, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

Support significant outcome, and the article looks decently written. I'm a bit confused, however, as to the process that resulted in this outcome. The news article was vague on which Dutch court made the ruling. Arsonal (talk) 05:06, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

I think I've found the answer. The Guardian - "Amsterdam district court judge Frans Bauduin also convicted a Trafigura employee and the Ukranian captain of the ship that carried the waste for their roles in the 2006 scandal". --candle•wicke 05:23, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

Support seems notable. -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 13:53, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

• Anyone care to suggest a blurb? HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 15:17, 24 July 2010 (UTC)
• The Dutch have found the British commodities trader Trafigura guilty of dumping toxic waste off the coast of Côte d'Ivoire? -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 15:22, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

Okay, the article as a whole is in good shape, but where is a section with the guilty ruling? Can someone link me...I'm not sure if I see it. Spencer^T♦C 15:26, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

I can't see anything on it in the article either. -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 15:39, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

(edit conflict) The article is indeed in good shape. There's plenty of material on the aftermath, and there's a section on the inquiry, but it hasn't been updated yet. Would someone care to ad a paragraph? Preferably before the timer turns red again. Seems to have been a slow news week. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 15:44, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

Is the final paragraph of this section enough? -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 16:14, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

Looks good to me. Posting. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 16:17, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

I can't find any evidence that Trafigura is British, as described. Would a better description not be Swiss-based? - Highfields (talk, contribs) 16:56, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

Indian Tablet

India unveils worlds cheapest $ 35 Tablet PC(Fortune)(BBC). since we are slow on news.--Wikireader41 (talk) 20:03, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

Oppose I believe there is an unwritten rule about not posting product releases to avoid it looking like promotion? Arsonal (talk) 05:01, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

Oppose not even the iPad got posted and that's way more significant in this market. -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 13:58, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

Which market? --candle•wicke 23:28, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

Colombia–Venezuela relations

• Venezuela severs diplomatic relations with Colombia after Colombia claims Venezuela is a "haven for guerrillas". (BBC) (Latin American Herald Tribune)(Samaylive News)

Well we're five, nine hours past due with no candidates to speak of and this seemed the most "Internationally Significant" of the few currently listed. I personally don't care if it gets shot down, but lets at least talk about something. Thoughts? Cwill151 (talk) 18:00, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

Oh post-less day! Callooh! Callay!... He posted in his joy. (Yawn) Cwill151 (talk) 21:11, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

I'm sure we've posted similar items before, but I can't recall any offhand. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 22:53, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

The only one I can think of off the top of my head is Foreign relations of Libya#Dispute with Switzerland. Arsonal (talk) 05:12, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

Support since there are international consequences several days later. --candle•wicke 23:33, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

Support per Candlewicke. Arsonal (talk) 05:21, 25 July 2010 (UTC)

Torch Lighting of the Youth Olympic Games Flame

• The Olympic torch for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games is lit in Olympia. The flame will travel to a few countries before arriving in Singapore. (Straits Times)

July 22

July 22, 2010 (2010-07-22) (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and incidents

• 15,000 villagers are to be displaced in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo as part of British mining company Randgold Resources's search for gold. (BBC)
• Fighting in north and south Yemen leaves 24 dead. (BBC) (News24)
• Two Ugandans and one Peruvian are killed and 15 others are injured in a bomb in Baghdad, Iraq. (Aljazeera) (BBC)
• The Israeli military tells the United Nations it will restrict its use of artillery shells containing white phosphorus. (BBC)
• A Palestinian militant is killed and seven other people wounded when Israeli troops open fire in northern Gaza. (BBC)

Arts and culture

• 1984 Nobel Peace Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu announces he is to withdraw from public life. (BBC) (Aljazeera) (euronews) (France24) (The New York Times) (Reuters Africa)
• Writers such as Martin Amis, V. S. Naipaul, Orhan Pamuk, Philip Roth and Salman Rushdie begin selling ebooks via Amazon.com in a dispute over digital royalties. (The Guardian)
• The UN's John Ging says more than 7,000 Palestinian children have successfully attempted a Guinness World Record by simultaneously dribbling basketballs. (CNN) (AP) (UN News Centre) (People's Daily)
• Catalan tenor José Carreras announces he is to perform at La Scala for the first time in 14 years. (BBC)
• Damon Albarn-fronted Gorillaz announce their first world tour and will visit at least four continents. (BBC) (Brisbane Times)
• Coronation Street cat Frisky's ashes sell at auction for nearly six times the expected price in Gloucestershire, England. (BBC)

Business and economics

• The International Monetary Fund cancels Haiti's $268 million debt and approves a new three-year loan worth $60 million; the IMF expects Haiti to start paying back interest in late 2011. (Aljazeera)
• A proposal to develop nuclear energy is discussed at an energy policy meeting held by Asean in Da Lat, Vietnam. (BBC)

Disasters

• Volunteers use their hands to clean an oil spill in the Yellow Sea after pipelines burst off Dalian in Northeastern China's Liaoning Province, spilling 1,500 tonnes of oil and covering an area close to 1,000 km² and about 90 km of coast. (Xinhua), (AFP)
• Tornado strikes Battle Creek, Michigan

International relations

• The International Court of Justice rules that Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence was legal, in a move that could set a precedent for unrecognised countries.(Al-Jazeera) (BBC) (The Guardian)
• Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon stalls on his earlier proposal for an international investigation into the Gaza flotilla raid. (Asia Times Online)
• A spokesperson for North Korea suggests new United States sanctions against it are "in violation" of a United Nations statement which did not apportion blame for the sinking of a South Korean warship. (The Sydney Morning Herald) (Aljazeera)
• Belarus and Georgia form political alliance against Russia. (The Guardian)
• Chad suggests the International Criminal Court is biased against African leaders. (BBC)
• Fiji leader Frank Bainimarama opens a meeting, "Engaging the Pacific". (BBC)
• The United States decides to resume training Indonesian soldiers after 12 years. (BBC) (Bangkok Post) (The Sydney Morning Herald) (The Washington Post)
• Israel warns the United Nations that two ships carrying aid to Gaza would not, by "all necessary means", be allowed to reach their destination. (Reuters India) (AP)

Law and crime

• It is announced that the police officer who was filmed pushing Ian Tomlinson to his death during the 2009 G-20 London summit protests will not face charges; his family call it "outrageous". (BBC)
• Three more dissidents released by Cuba on humanitarian grounds arrive in Spain. (BBC)
• Nobel Peace Laureates Desmond Tutu and Shirin Ebadi lead hundreds of rights groups in calling on Senegal to try exiled Chadian dictator Hissène Habré for mass murder and torture. (AFP) (Ekklesia) (The Independent)
• Iran pressurises Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, the woman sentenced to death by lapidation, calling on her to name those campaigning for her release. (The Guardian)
• Nuclear specialist Igor Sutyagin, released as part of a spy swap between Russia and the United States, asks to return home. (BBC)
• Salon.com claims Irish teenager Phoebe Prince, driven to suicide by high school bullies in the United States, had serious psychological problems long before her death. (The Sydney Morning Herald)
• A report by Transparency International indicates that Rwanda is the "least corrupt country in East Africa". (BBC)
• Human Rights Watch alleges Chinese security forces beat and tortured protesters during 2008 unrest in Tibet. (BBC)
• Bishops in Chile request clemency for those convicted of crimes committed under the military rule of the 1970s and 1980s. (BBC) (Aljazeera)
• Kyrgyzstani police arrest Akhmat Bakiyev, a brother of ousted leader Kurmanbek Bakiyev, in an apartment raid in Jalalabad. (BBC)

Politics

• President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak makes a televised speech in contrast to concerns for his health. (BBC)
• U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Wednesday apologizes to Shirley Sherrod for firing her over a heavily-edited video tape of a speech, circulated by Tea Party activists, which alleged that Sherrod's actions were the result of racism, and offers her an official job. (EuroWeb.com) (BloombergBusinessweek)
• Cabinet formation in the Netherlands: Former Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers is appointed the new informateur for the formation of a new coalition cabinet. (NOS)
• The funeral of Roy Oldham, the UK's longest serving council leader, takes place. (BBC)

Science

• A woman is diagnosed with Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease ("human mad cow disease") in Milan then hospitalised in Livorno, only the second case in Italy's history and the first since Sicily 2002. (WAtoday)
• A new henge is discovered at Stonehenge World Heritage Site, described to be the biggest discovery of a major monument in over 50 years around Stonehenge. (BBC News)

Sports

• Muttiah Muralidaran takes his 800th Test wicket for the Sri Lanka cricket team in his final ball before his retirement and finishes his career as the world record holder for number of wickets. (ABC Online)

ITN candidates for July 22

Desmond Tutu

• 1984 Nobel Peace Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu announces he is to withdraw from public life. (BBC) (euronews) (France24) (The New York Times) (Reuters Africa)

Bumped from below... again. With no disrespect to Spencer who obviously has long experience in this area. My apologies; didn't see the talk page discussion.

Now I'll admit "retiring from public life" is not in itself a major change like say... death. However, this marks the end of a long and respected career of a man who, besides being a Nobel Laureate, is also one of the most internationally recognized figures in modern history. Given the gravitas that comes by simply mentioning his name, I would argue that this story can be considered internationally significant, and seeing as how no one can deny that Tutu qualifies as respected in his field; I figured it was worth the bump. I mean, it's like if the Dalai Lama held a press conference and announced that he would no longer actively seek autonomy for the Tibetan people from the Chinese Government; it's a story you just gotta run with. Thoughts? Cwill151 (talk) 02:35, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

Oppose Simply retiring from public life is not enough. Death yes, but not just retiring. Spencer^T♦C 03:21, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

Well, first of all, he doesn't seem to be actually retiring yet - has just announced it (I think) and is to reduce his work to one day per week before eventually retiring. And, second of all, he must be a certainty for death so I would wait until then. --candle•wicke 03:56, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

• Bumped (See Above) Cwill151 (talk) 05:29, 23 July 2010 (UTC)
• Oppose. Not very significant imho. And stop with the bumping!. Reverted per talk page. MickMacNee (talk) 10:14, 23 July 2010 (UTC)
• Oppose. --Johnsemlak (talk) 15:18, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

New henge at Stonehenge

Sorry i couldn't come up with a better title. This new wooden henge has been discovered less than 1km away from stonehenge and has been hailed as a major archaeological and cultural discovery in over 50 years. Btw, is the article too short? Simply south (talk) 17:15, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

BBC News link for those who want to read more. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 17:30, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Shouldnt you be at the wiki article to know more ;)

weak support dont know the kind of coverage its getting yet..article also needs a clean up (image?). Otherwise i would say its something newsworthy (maybe a DYK nom. would get it a wider audience)Lihaas (talk) 17:43, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Are copywrited images included in ITN? Simply south (talk) 18:30, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Comment: If I really believed for one minute that this was the greatest discovery in 50 years as the project archaeologists like to claim, I'd support this being in ITN. However in the last 30 years alone, 2 other henges (Coneybury Henge and Bluestonehenge) and the country's first Neolithic house floors (at Durrington Walls) have all been discovered in the same World Heritage Site. There's also the Amesbury Archer 3 miles away. Unfortunately these claims are just hyperbole for what is essentially another monument in the WHS. Can't blame them, but I don't see any serious publication claiming this sort of notability once the press die down. Cheers, Ranger Steve (talk) 20:10, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Should we remove that part but keep the first part? Simply south (talk) 21:48, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

• The BBC was just talking about a 'Marden Henge' now. It's henge-mania people! I can't make up my mind whether this is a significant enough discovery for ITN, or just a bit of hype that does a disservice to Time Team. Perhaps if someone 'digs up' lol some more convincing and authorative third party statments.... MickMacNee (talk) 12:57, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

Muttiah Muralitharan's 800

The most prolific Test bowler in history was on 792 wickets and he announced it was his last game. Then he took 8 and his 8th was the one that finished off the Indians, so he ends with exactly 800 wickets. It's a bit borderline, yes. YellowMonkey (vote in the Southern Stars and White Ferns supermodel photo poll) 08:33, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

• Support For this. Lugnuts (talk) 08:37, 22 July 2010 (UTC)
• Support - Most wickets for any bowler in Test history = a mention on ITN! – PeeJay 08:45, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Article is in fairly good shape, but I couldn't see any new content on this at a quick glance. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 08:52, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

While we await an update, does anybody fancy putting a blurb together? HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 08:56, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

How about:

Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan takes eight wickets in his last test match before retirement to become the first bowler to take 800 test wickets.

Oh and take this as a Support for inclusion.--Peter cohen (talk) 10:00, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

• Support in principle (ie pending update). A historic achievement in an international sport.--Mkativerata (talk) 08:54, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

I thought he was some 13 behind...a record already? At any rate, support for record AND retirement. kill 2 birds with 1 stone.Lihaas (talk) 09:24, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

• Muttiah Muralitharan takes 800th Test wicket in his last match to become the first bowler to achieve the feat. zeenews.com--Chanaka L (talk) 09:54, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Could you make the blurb a bit clearer for those who don't follow cricket (such as myself and, I expect, a fair proportion of our readership)? Thanks, HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 10:21, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

• Sri Lankan international cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan takes eight wickets in his last test match before retirement to become the first bowler to achieve 800 test wickets.

alight rewording of my proposal above which HJM may have missed.--Peter cohen (talk) 10:39, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Seems reasonable. How are we doing for an update? Has anyone added this to his article yet? HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 10:41, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Having had a look, it appears we're still lacking an update. There's a retirement section, but it doesn't contain any information about this achievement. If I'm missing it, someone please point it out to me. I'm ready to post as soon as we have an update. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 10:46, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

I updated the retirement section, Have a look now. Is the word "International" necessary here? A DYK hook featured in November 04th, 2009 goes like this. "... that Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan has the highest number of five wicket hauls in Test cricket?" Best.--Chanaka L (talk) 11:52, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

I did a little copy edit to the section, but I hoep that's enough.--Peter cohen (talk) 11:55, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

I think including "international" is harmless at worst and it helps convey the significance for those unfamiliar with cricket (such as myself). I'll have a look at the update now. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 11:58, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

• Support. Aaroncrick ^TALK 10:43, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

• Posted. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 12:12, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Could we ad something about his retire saying "during his last match" or on his "last day before retirement" (granted, only those who know proper cricket (ie- not 20/20) would get that one ;))Lihaas (talk) 12:27, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

If you have a suggestions for working it into the blurb, I'm willing to tweak, but my brain is failing me today. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 12:37, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

"During his last match"? should suffice. i doubt my other suggestion would make it.

• I think the fact it was his last ball in his last ever test match deserves a mention. MickMacNee (talk) 13:05, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

I added "In the final match of his career", is that any better? HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 17:19, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Not particularly. It's not his final match, it's his final test match, and the key 'wow' claim is that it was from his last ball in that match. He did after all take something like 8 wickets just in that match alone. MickMacNee (talk) 18:46, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Kosovo status verdict

Will be out in about 9 hours and is an historic verdict regardless of which way it goes in its landmark ruling. An update should/would follow on one of the pages listed above then it can be listed, along with the reaction from Serbia and Kosovo and Albania (Bosnia?), Palestine, Kashmir, North. Cyprus, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, etc, etc in this regard.(Lihaas (talk) 05:04, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

You beat me to the nomination. As part of the Kosovo status process, the International Court of Justice will be ruling at 3 p.m. in The Hague (UTC+2) whether Kosovo's declaration of independence is valid. Streaming will be available at http://www.icj-cij.org/. (The Washington Post) (The New York Times) (ICJ case files) Arsonal (talk) 05:31, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Support when the ruling is out and if the article is updated accordingly. --BorgQueen (talk) 05:37, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Support also note that the proceedings themselves have their own article here. Therequiembellishere (talk) 05:53, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Support this is a particularly significant event as it confirms/denies Kosovo's "right to exist". -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 07:24, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

need to merge in all the various kosovo related articles. (perhaps move my edits to this other page mentioned above.)

As an aside i think the update should go on the page recommended above instead of what i originally proposed. (some mention can go on those 2 pages) Lihaas (talk) 09:25, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Well I'm not particularly bothered where the update goes as long as there is one. Any sign of a verdict yet? We're approaching the time given if my time zone offset calculations are correct. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 12:33, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Well it should start in 10-15mins...god damn website is not working. the whole damn world must be on it ;)Lihaas (talk) 12:50, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

• Support: it will show if Kosovo has the final right to be independent. Kubek15 ^write/sign 11:13, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

• Comment. So is anyone going to bother stating what this opinion would actualy change? Are floods of recognitions now going to come in? Is Serbia going to invade? Is Russia going to invade? Are Kosovo now going to get a seat in the UN? Are Kosovo going to become an EU state? I've had a look, and none of this sort of info can be found in the current Wikipedia articles. Nobody has even bothered to include it in this nomination. This opinion looks for all the world as if it really has nothing to do with Kosovo, and is just a bit of ICJ wonkery that is more important for future secessions than in changing anything wrt Kosovo's international realtions. MickMacNee (talk) 13:22, 22 July 2010 (UTC)
  • Personally, I think it will greatly increase the will of Transnistria and Nagorno-Karabakh. I don't think a flood of recognitions will come in to other countries, or even to Kosovo. Russia will not invade. Serbia probably will not invade. Kosovo will not get a seat at the UN so long as two veto-holders (Russia and China) do not recognize their independence. The EU... any accession to the EU would probably be at least a decade off, so they'll be in no hurry to push on that. Basically, I think this has less to do with Kosovo and more to do with all the other frozen conflicts. If Kosovo's declaration is held to be legal, then Nagorno-Karabakh, for example, will be emboldened, and work even harder for its independence, and perhaps some countries (I'm looking at you, Cyprus and Armenia) will sack up and finally recognize it. It's essentially making it internationally legal to unilaterally declare independence, something which so far has not necessarily been held as a right. --Golbez (talk) 13:43, 22 July 2010 (UTC)
  • Kosovans seem awfully happy for something that's just a bit of ICJ wonkery... There's some Kosovan international expert or something on TV now claiming it will lead to more international recognitions. (Note I'm not disagreeing with the need for info in the article, but the above response is written like it isn't just referring to the failings of the article) Nil Einne (talk) 15:06, 22 July 2010 (UTC)
• Strong Support' A very international event. First of it's kind at the ICJ. IJA (talk) 15:11, 22 July 2010 (UTC)
• Support The implications of this ruling are so significant that it would be downright criminal not to add this to the front page.--The Devil's Advocate (talk) 17:02, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Here's a suggested blurb anyway:

• An advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice declares that Kosovo's unilateral 2008 declaration of independence was legal/illegal under International law.MickMacNee (talk) 13:33, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Court says declaration was not illegal.

Just awaiting more reactions/analysis (albeit the latter would take more than 24 hours). There are some real interesting reactions to await. Most important now is Republika Srpska which vetoed recognition on the grounds that it would secede from Bosnia to make up for kosovo's loss to Serbia.Lihaas (talk) 14:41, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

• Perhaps it should be rephrased like this: The International Court of Justice rules in a non-binding advisory decision that Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence in 2008 did not violate international law.--The Devil's Advocate (talk) 17:02, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

I would support this with the addition of the precedence link for kosovo (As above)Lihaas (talk) 17:17, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

I love the prose update. It currently consists of "On 22 July 2010 the court ruled that Kosovo's declaration of independence was not in violation of general international law." We'll need significantly more than that before it can be posted.HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 17:28, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Like I said, is there anything more? This really does just look like a bit of ICJ legal wonkery, which doesn't change anything in practice for Kosovo. All points taken on the impact for future secession movements, but it's going to be hard to find links and updates to explain that in brief in an update, if that is what the significant 'event' is here. I'm remined of the Sudanese president warrant nom here. Where's the beef? as they say. MickMacNee (talk) 18:50, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Well I think the wonkery itself is significant enough for ITN, but if that's all there is to say about it, it's a little underwhelming. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 18:54, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

• The blurb should also probably say this was a "10-4" opinion. MickMacNee (talk) 18:52, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Keep in mind that the ICJ decided that the declaration, as a text is not illegal, but decided not to rule on the issue of secession and independence and statehood itself and left that to the UN General Assembly. So the ICJ ruled that the independence declaration from 17 Feb 2008 is not illegal and not that the independence is not illegal which they considered a political question. Disappointing scope of the decision - to say the least - and we can see that all of the countries are just sticking to their position, as Slovakian representative stated - "the ICJ ruling changed nothing". Without discussing the implications they neither gave a final ruling on Kosovo but pushed the ball to the incompetent UNGA nor thus did they give some explanation for all the other situations like Abkhazia.--Avala (talk) 23:19, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Add all that to the page.

Think we're coming along for an ITN now..Lihaas (talk) 03:51, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

Support? I don't think anyone has made a bold oppose. --candle•wicke 04:00, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

Support. Physchim62 (talk) 12:25, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

• Update's reasonable, we're nearly 40 hours without an update (for the third time this week) and there's no significant opposition to this, so I'm posting. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 21:44, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

July 21

July 21, 2010 (2010-07-21) (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and incidents

• Turkey – Kurdistan Workers' Party conflict:
  • Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader Murat Karayilan says the group would disarm under the supervision of the United Nations in return for an end to attacks on Kurdish civilians and arrests of Kurdish politicians in eastern Turkey, as well as additional linguistic and cultural rights. (BBC)
  • Suspected PKK militants blow up an oil pipeline carrying oil from Iran. (Hurriyet) (UPI) (Times of India)
• Unidentified gunmen on motorcycles fatally shoot Indian civil rights campaigner and environmentalist Amit Jethwa in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. (BBC)
• At least 30 people are killed and 46 others are wounded, including women and children, as a car bomb explodes near a Shia mosque in Abu Sayeeda, Baqubah, Diyala in Iraq. (Aljazeera)
• At least 34 people are killed in clashes in northern Yemen between Houthi rebels and pro-government tribes. (Al Jazeera) (BBC)
• The United States threatens to impose new sanctions on North Korea as part of its attempt to halt perceived nuclear weapons ambitions; North Korea describes United States military exercises in the Sea of Japan as "very dangerous sabre-rattling". (Aljazeera)
• Assailants launch an attack on a hydroelectric plant in Kabardino-Balkaria in southern Russia killing two guards and letting off bombs. (Canadian Press via Google News) (Al Jazeera) (RIA Novosti)
• Four people are killed and many more are injured by police fire in Assam in India during a protest by thousands against government registration. (BBC)
• Three plainclothes Chinese police officers beat up, bruise and concuss a provincial official's wife by accident; the police are punished, while the woman is hospitalised. (BBC) (China Daily) (The Daily Telegraph) (Reuters) (News24)
• Three policemen are killed by suspected left-wing extremists in Pabna, Bangladesh. (BBC)
• Two Palestinian militants of the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine are killed and another six wounded by Israeli shelling as they approached the Gaza Strip-Israel border near Beit Hanoun. A ten-year-old girl is also wounded. (Haaretz) (The Guardian) (BBC) (The Sydney Morning Herald)

Arts and culture

• A Stonewall study indicates that young people rarely see positive portrayals of lesbian and gay people on television, usually depicted as "promiscuous, predatory, or figures of fun", particularly on BBC One. (BBC)
• The London Review of Books issues a public apology after more than 70 leading British writers, academics and arts figures accuse it of publishing a racist blogpost comparing African migrants to baboons and black shopkeepers to rottweilers. (The Guardian)
• The Margaret Hewson Prize for new writing talent, judged by Beryl Bainbridge 10 days before her recent hospitalisation and eventual death, is awarded to Laura McClelland. (The Guardian)
• Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron gifts President of the United States Barack Obama a painting, Twenty First Century City, by graffiti artist Ben Eine, while Obama gifts Cameron a signed lithograph, Column with Speed Lines, by Edward Ruscha. (BBC)
• Austria's Leopold Museum agrees to pay $19 million to the estate of Jewish art dealer Egon Schiele's for Portrait of Wally, stolen from her by Nazism in World War II. (BBC) (The Daily Telegraph) (The Washington Post)
• Cécile Aubry, French film star, writer and ex-wife of Moroccan prince Si Brahim El Glaoui, dies. (BBC)
• Google Images receives one billion page views per day and receives a revamp. (BBC)
• Actor George Clooney is to receive an award for humanitarian work. (BBC) (News24) (Los Angeles Times) (The Washington Post)

Business and economics

• A Burger King advertising campaign is outlawed in the United Kingdom after complaints. (BBC) (The Sydney Morning Herald)
• Newspaper publisher Conrad Black is released from prison but restricted to the continental United States; he is to appear in a Chicago court on 23 July. (Aljazeera) (BBC)
• Indian banks turn away Muslims in record numbers. (BBC)
• Energy company BP announces it is to sell billions worth of assets in Canada, Egypt, Pakistan, United States and Vietnam to part-fund the clean-up cost of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. (BBC)
• Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán says his government would only talk about their 2011 budget with the European Union, not the International Monetary Fund. (Reuters)
• The European Commission orders the closure of loss-making coal mines across the European Union over the next four years. (BBC) (CNBC)
• Air traffic controllers in France go on strike in protest at a plan to unify European airspace. (France 24) (euronews) (Reuters India)

Disasters

• The United Nations requests more aid to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe in the Sahel. (Al Jazeera)
• The death toll from floods in China, the worst in a decade, rises to 700. (Xinhua) (Sify)

International relations

• Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir arrives in Chad, a member of the International Criminal Court, despite an arrest warrant. (Al Jazeera) (AP) (Reuters)
• Despite pressure from Australia and New Zealand, a gathering of about 5 Pacific Island leaders is held in Fiji. (The Sydney Morning Herald)
• Hillary Clinton, the United States Secretary of State, announces that the United States will impose further sanctions against North Korea as a result of the sinking of the South Korean warship ROKS Cheonan. (Bloomberg)

Law and crime

• Mexico states that it has the support of Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Ghana, Guatemala, the Federated States of Micronesia, Panama, Senegal, Turkey, and Uruguay in pursuing its case against Arizona's immigration law. (CNN)
• An Arab residing in Israel is convicted of "rape by deception" and jailed for 18 months for having consensual sexual intercourse in 2008 with an Israeli woman alleged to believe he was Jewish. (Aljazeera) (The Guardian)
• San bushmen in Botswana lose a court case in which they requested the re-opening of their traditional Kalahari waterhole from which the government forced them out when diamonds were discovered there in the 1980s. (BBC)
• Four men go on trial in Nukuʻalofa charged with a mother's manslaughter in the MV Princess Ashika ferry disaster. (BBC)
• Kenya awards compensation in a landmark ruling to civilians tortured by police during Daniel arap Moi's time in power in the 1980s. (BBC)
• The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague orders the retrial of former Kosovan Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj after stating his first trial was marred by witness intimidation. (Deutsche Welle) (Aljazeera) (The New York Times) (BBC)
• Human Rights Watch calls for an independent investigation in Rwanda into the death of Andre Kagwa Rwisereka, vice president of the opposition Democratic Green Party, who was killed weeks before a presidential election. (CNN) (AFP)
• Italian police announce 67 arrests, €250 million worth of property seizures and the "wipe out" of a local clan. (WAtoday)
• Israel tells the United Nations it will limit the use of fatal burning weapon white phosphorus in future conflicts after using it on civilians during its War on Gaza. (BBC) (France24)

Politics

• Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron offends his own war veterans by erroneously suggesting in a Sky News interview that his country fought as the "junior partner" alongside the United States in "...the 1940 war against Germany." (BBC)
• Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Michael Somare threatens the life of an opposition member after a vote of no confidence is thwarted. (The Sydney Morning Herald)
• The White House holds an official review after an employee of the United States Department of Agriculture was forced to resign regarding controversy about a video that surfaced on the Internet. (CNN) (The Guardian) (BBC News) (The New York Times)
• President of the United States Barack Obama signs finance reforms into law, overhauling the country's Wall Street Financial District. (Aljazeera)
• Nepal's lawmakers fail to elect a new Prime Minister as no candidate manages to secure the required number of votes . (Samaylive)

Science

• Scientists investigate the deaths of approximately 500 penguins whose corpses washed up on Brazilian beaches. (BBC)
• Scientists announce the discovery of R136a1, the most massive star ever found. (BBC) (Aljazeera)

Sport

• Hockey India investigates after M. K. Kaushik, 1980 Olympic gold medalist and coach of the women's team, allegedly sexually harasses a squad member; he denies the allegation but temporarily resigns pending the outcome of the investigation. (BBC News) (The Hindu) (The Daily Telegraph) (The Sydney Morning Herald) (NDTV)

ITN candidates for July 21

Discovery of most massive star

This seems like a very natural candidate for ITN mention. __meco (talk) 17:49, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

Damn you, I was nominating this and you gave me an edit conflict! My nomination was:

• Researchers at Sheffield University have discovered a bloody massive sun for want of a more accurate term. The newly discovered R136a1 is thought to about 300 time bigger than our own sun (apologies to anybody reading from other solar systems!) and, as I understand it, it's the biggest star in the universe that we've discovered so far. (BBC) HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 17:57, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

I guess R136a1 needs its own article first. --bender235 (talk) 18:18, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

I'm happy to zap the redirect if anyone wants to have a go at it. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 18:20, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

Article is there. Support now. —bender235 (talk) 23:29, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Weak oppose. R136a1 probably doesn't merit its own article separate from R136, given the amount that's known about it, and the update at R136 is insufficient for ITN. Also, there is confusion between "most massive" and "greatest diameter": the largest star known is VY Canis Majoris, and many people are quoting our article in other online fora to counter sloppy journalism about R136a1 (so we should be very careful about getting things clear ourselves!) Physchim62 (talk) 21:12, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

weak support i support science article a lot, though not it seems to be a lot. Granted this is a big discovery (btw- it was a Chilean observatory that made the observation (??) ;) (31 hrs since an ITN update, btw) Lihaas (talk) 05:07, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

• Support - intriguing story. I count three supports with the nom and HJ, so this should be okay to post assuming there is an good update(?) —Ed (talk • majestic titan) 06:22, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Well R136 is a stub at the minute. I don't consider myself nearly knowledgeable to do much about that, but I suppose I could have a go later on. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 08:54, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Support. Mass is more important than diameter 95.26.46.57 (talk) 11:40, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Strong support. A few years ago, something like this could have made scientists very skeptical as such a star would exceed the hypothetical Eddington limit. Is this confirmed? ~AH1^(TCU) 13:46, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Strong support in principle. It is indeed the mass that is new (so use the term 'most massive'), size is irrelevant. This is something I know a lot about, and normally would jump to update the article using the paper as a source [4], but ironically enough I'm at an astronomy conference and don't have time. Modest Genius ^talk 17:29, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Oh and don't say 'announce the discovery of the most massive star', because that star has been know about for years. What's new is the mass determination. I suggest something like 'astronomers announce that R136a1 is the most massive star known'. Modest Genius ^talk 17:56, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Is there a way to word this w/o saying most massive?--Johnsemlak (talk) 15:35, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

'has the highest known mass' would work. Modest Genius ^talk 17:24, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

• R136a1 has since been created and doesn't seem to be in bad shape. Could anybody have a go at expanding it just a little bit?HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 15:42, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

Well, bots and I did what we could ;) (almost all IPs are mine). My English does not allow me to expand the article more. 95.25.156.190 (talk) 19:34, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

• *Scientists announce the discovery of R136a1, the most massive star ever found. Is this an acceptable blurb (it's copied from the news portal). __meco (talk) 20:05, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

Exhumation of Nicolae Ceaușescu and Elena Ceaușescu

Ex-Romanian dictator Ceausescu and wife exhumed Yahoo News MSNBC BBC - Eugen Simion 14 (talk) 07:54, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

• Oppose; we didn't note the exhumation of Bolivar, which I find far more interesting. --Golbez (talk) 22:03, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

July 20

July 20, 2010 (2010-07-20) (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and incidents

• Navi Pillay states that Kyrgyzstan is detaining hundreds of people and using torture on some of them during the ongoing crisis. (BBC) (Arab News) (France24) (Reuters)
• Thailand's government lifts a state of emergency in 3 provinces; it remains in 16 others, including Bangkok. (Arab News) (Aljazeera)
• William Hague, the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary, says that British soldiers should be out of Afghanistan by 2014. (Xinhua)
• Uganda's government defends the forced repatriation of 1,700 Rwandan refugees, deemed "heavy-handed" by the United Nations; two people are killed in a group alleged to be a security risk following the July 2010 Kampala attacks. (Arab News)
• Turkey says six of its soldiers were killed and fifteen wounded in an attack by Kurdish rebels near the Iraqi border. Turkey also says that one rebel was killed during the attack, and that others were being pursued by the military. (BBC)

Arts and entertainment

• Author Alan Shadrake is released on bail after being arrested while promoting his book on the death penalty in Singapore; a trial is forthcoming on 30 July. (Aljazeera)
• The shortlist for the Forward Poetry Prize is announced. (The Guardian)
• Actress Lindsay Lohan starts a 90-day sentence for breaking her parole for a 2007 conviction for drunk driving in California, United States. (The Australian) (BBC) (Reuters) (Sky News)
• The shortlist for the 2010 Mercury Prize is announced. (BBC) (France24) (The Irish Times) (The Independent)

Business and economics

• An American appeals court grants bail to newspaper publisher Conrad Black. (BBC) (The Guardian) (Samaylive Latest News)
• Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan signs legislation to create a so-called "bad bank". (BBC)
• A worker at a Foxconn subsidiary undergoes a fatal fall from a dormitory building in Foshan, Guangdong. (BBC) (Philippine Daily Inquirer) (Reuters India) (The Sydney Morning Herald)

Disasters

• Preliminary investigations indicate driver error as the cause of yesterday's deadly train crash in West Bengal. (BBC) (San Jose Mercury News)

International relations

• Two men imprisoned for nearly eight years in Guantánamo Bay are sent to Algeria and Cape Verde, according to the United States Pentagon, against their will. (BBC) (The Sydney Morning Herald)
• Cuba's Ricardo Alarcón says the island is prepared to release further political prisoners after the 52 it announced earlier this month; he says they are free to remain in Cuba if they so wish. (BBC) (France24)
• The United States announces it is to deploy troops along the US-Mexico border in August in what it sees as an effort to improve its security. (BBC)
• An international conference on the future of Afghanistan opens in Kabul co-chaired by the President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai and the Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon. The conference endorses a goal for Afghan forces to lead security operations across the country by 2014. Afghan President Hamid Karzai suggests raising the size of the Afghan National Army to 170,000 troops and the Afghan National Police to 134,000 officers by 2011. (BBC) (AFP via Sydney Morning Herald)
• Former North Korean spy Kim Hyon Hui is allowed into Japan via Haneda Airport on a government-chartered jet, after the country waives its own immigration rules. (BBC) (The Guardian) (iAfrica) (The Sydney Morning Herald)
• North Korea executes by firing squad Kwon Ho Ung, a former cabinet official who led talks with South Korea from 2004 until 2007. (The Guardian) (The Sydney Morning Herald)
• Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and exiled Hamas leader Khaled Mashal meet for talks in Syria. (BBC) (CNN) (The Sydney Morning Herald)
• The leadership of Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon is attacked. (BBC)
• ASEAN formally invites Russia and the United States to attend the East Asia Summit and urges Myanmar to hold free and fair elections in a foreign ministers meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam. (Agence France Presse), (AP via Google News)

Law and crime

• Former MI5 head Baroness Manningham-Buller gives evidence in public before the Iraq Inquiry into Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction, admitting that the 2003 invasion of Iraq served to "substantially" increase the security threat to the UK. (BBC) (Aljazeera)
• Lesbian student Constance McMillen, banned by a high school in the United States from bringing her girlfriend to her leavers' dinner, is to receive a $35,000 settlement in response to a discrimination lawsuit. (BBC) (USA Today) (Miami Herald) (The Washington Post)
• Police in Krasnodar investigate allegations of animal cruelty after a terrified donkey is forced to parasail off a beach as part of an advertising stunt in a film that has shocked Russians nationwide. (BBC) (IOL) (iAfrica) (Sky News) (Daily Mail)
• Former Indian junior diplomat Madhuri Gupta is charged under the Official Secrets Act with spying for Pakistan. (BBC) (The Times of India) (Asian Age)
• French prosecutors request that they be allowed to question Labour Minister Éric Wœrth as part of an investigation into the country's political scandal. (BBC) (Reuters)
• Two prisoners flee a jail guarded by a dummy. (BBC)
• Bailiffs and police officers swoop in and evict peace protesters from Democracy Village in Parliament Square, Central London, England (BBC)
• A police officer discharges a 50,000-volt Taser gun into the groin of a Guillain–Barré syndrome sufferer in Somerset, England, prompting a possible legal battle; he denies he was acting in an aggressive manner. (BBC) (The Independent) (Daily Mail)
• Ly Tong allegedly attacks Dam Vinh Hung with pepper spray during a concert in California, United States, accusing him of being a proponent of Communism. (BBC) (San Jose Mercury News)

Politics

• ASEAN requests that Myanmar hold free elections. (Arab News) (The Age) (BBC) (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron meets with US President Barack Obama to discuss the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, Afghanistan and the global economy. (BBC) (Samaylive News) (Aljazeera)
• The Supreme Court of Guinea confirms there will be a presidential run-off in the country's election. (BBC) (Miami Herald) (Xinhua)
• Campaigning begins ahead of the presidential election in Rwanda. (BBC) (News24.com) (The Irish Times) (Aljazeera)
• Spain rejects a proposal to ban the burqa in public places; 183 to 162, with two abstaining. (Arab News)
• Shirley Sherrod, an employee of the United States Department of Agriculture, resigns after a video on the internet surfaced showing her apparently making racist remarks regarding the foreclosure of a farm owned by a white farmer. (CNN) (Fox News) Controversy ensues about the video having been heavily edited to convey false information. (mediamatters)
• Cabinet formation in the Netherlands: Coalition meetings between People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), Labour Party (PvdA), Democrats 66 (D66) and GreenLeft (GL) fails to form a new Purple government. (NOS)

Science and weather

• The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River faces its biggest flood control test since its completion last year. (BBC) (Business Week)
• Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin announces the country is to invest $800 million into a new spaceport near Uglegorsk in the Far East. (BBC)

Sport

• French footballers Franck Ribéry and Karim Benzema are placed under formal judicial investigation for soliciting sex with an underage prostitute. (BBC News) (Aljazeera) (Reuters) (iAfrica) (Montreal Gazette)
• Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie selects Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjørn and Paul McGinley as his vice-captains. (The Guardian)
• Alberto Contador apologises after he took advantage of Andy Schleck to obtain the yellow jersey in the 2010 Tour de France. (The Guardian)

ITN candidates for July 20

Suriname election

per yesterday's nomination for Surinamese presidential election, 2010 should the page be update. Precedence set for this (even indirect elections)(Lihaas (talk) 12:13, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Oppose. The electorate isn't even half a million people! At least this one is actually a sovereign state, though. We really need to seriously think about some criteria for posting elections. Suriname, according to our article, has a population the size of a small city. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 18:16, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Support if the article will be expanded - I don't think population is a realistic criteria. - Eugen Simion 14 (talk) 20:18, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

But this place is tiny. A regular election that determines the governance of about 400,000 people can't possibly be of any international significance. We really need to look realistically at which countries' elections we post. This election doesn't get a mention on Google's world news page or on the BBC's. In fact, it's the fourth story on the BBC's Latin America page. I can't remember the last time we posted something that far down on BBC News at the time of posting. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 21:09, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Support if there is a proper update. We shouldn't take our cues entirely from the international news. Covering elections in small, albeit sovereign states, shows wikipedia's depth and breadth of coverage.--Mkativerata (talk) 21:43, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

I think it just shows that we post elections of sovereign states because that was what was written down years ago and everyone silently and obediently accepts it. If I took over a rock or an area of land, declared it a sovereign state and gained recognition (aside from the novelty, which could be ITN-worthy in itself), should we post my elections just because I'm a sovereign state? HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 04:16, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

No. You are only you. ;) --candle•wicke 04:26, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

Weak Support The story does qualify under the standards as currently written in WP:ITN/R. However, in a realistic sense this story isn't exactly wildly popular. So, weak support if only for the technicality. Cwill151 (talk) 21:51, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Oppose I'd say a country should have to have a population of at least around 4 million to quality for ITN, which means that about 125 countries qualify. Which is about right. If you go higher than that you miss fairly clearly notable elections like Ireland, Singapore and New Zealand. -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 21:53, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

How did you arrive at such an arbitrary number? Why not 5 million, or 4.23197 million? ALL national elections are internationally significant by their very definitions. Trying to arbitrarily draw a line will never work, you'd end up with more arguments over where the line should go. There's not that many national elections around the World, you're trying to fnd a solution where there's no problem. (This is an example of formalising bias.) --203.122.192.201 (talk) 04:46, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

Support per Mkativerata. --candle•wicke 04:03, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

Oppose per HJ. It's about time someone stood up to the nonsense. ~DC _{Let's Vent} 05:13, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

Strongest possible support once expanded. Independent country = automatic inclusion. No questions. More important than that thing that was stickied for a month, and that didn't have prose updates... or hurling. If we're having baselines I suggest a political unit with more than 5 million people. –HTD (ITN: Where no updates but is stickied happens.) 05:51, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

Oppose - it's subjective, but Suriname isn't internationally significant in any sense of the phrase. @Howard, just a quick question, when are you going to drop the stick about the World Cup? —Ed (talk • majestic titan) 06:10, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

I wonder how many European countries excluding the really tiny ones "aren't not internationally significant"? Is Djibouti "internationally significant? How about Montenegro (less than 1 million people)? @Ed -- until I get an indef ban? –HTD (ITN: Where no updates but is stickied happens.) 07:05, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

Was I talking about the Euro countries? Did I mention Djibouti? Did I even think about Montenegro? No. I was making a judgment call on Suriname only. —Ed (talk • majestic titan) 07:47, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

This proposed criterion will remove African, Asian and Oceanian countries' elections, while leaving most of Europe unscathed so... –HTD (ITN: Where no updates but is stickied happens.) 08:27, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

I'm choosing to oppose Suriname because it has almost no role in international relations, even in South America. You're putting words into my mouth, Howard. Did I support a new generalized criterion? No. —Ed (talk • majestic titan) 08:37, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

@Montenegro, no probably it isn't internationally significant. @203.122.192.201 the reason for picking 4 million is that you include another 3 majority English speaking countries (Ireland, New Zealand and Singapore) over those that you would include with 5 million. Given this is the English Wikipedia we should take some account of that. -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 07:42, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

How about Sierra Leone and Liberia? According to this those have a higher proportion of English speakers than Singapore. And of course, about 87% of the people in Suriname speak English but they're too insignificant even to be listed at ITN. –HTD (ITN: Where no updates but is stickied happens.)

For this particular piece, precedence shows Hungary's presidential was listed.

But for the future set, i agree with HJ Mitchell perhaps better to have a discussion on criteria for elections, as in disasters (natural or man-made)Lihaas (talk) 11:19, 21 July 2010 (UTC))

This is a silly conversation. Firstly, there is no problem. There's around 200 sovereign states in the World. They have elections every 2 to 4 years. That's about the same number of events as we have annual sporting events on the recurring items list. Secondly, trying to draw an arbitrary line in the sand will lead to endless discussions over where it should lie. As evidenced from other sections on the main page as well as here. Thirdly, this is not the Wikipedia for topics covering the English speaking world, it is Wikipedia in the English language. It's a subtle difference, but an important one. ITN is not a news service, we don't judge newsworthyness considering what we think our hypothetical readership is interested in. That's a metric used by commercial news services trying to chase ratings/money. International significance is the measure in this case, and any change in who's running the county is significant to inter--national relations. Also Suriname in a member of the UN. --Monotonehell 13:49, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

(edit conflict)Support - ITN already suffers from the fact that it relies on an inherently arbitrary decision making process and judging the noteworthiness of political elections on a case by case basis is going to further the biases that are associated with this. I mean what defines international importance or significance? Can a sample of, what, 20 users honestly say what is important to people in the world. Does Ban Ki Moon turn around and go, "Oh you're from Surinam... oh I have no interest in your insignificant country". Also the suggestion of using population as a marker or importance is an inherently flawed rationale. I mean are we really suggesting that an election in India is more internationally important than one in the US or that one in DR Congo is more internationally noteworthy than one in the UK or France. The current system of including all the elections of heads of states in all sovereign territories is a simple criteria and fundamentally is free from the biases that plague ITN and Wikipedia. No country big or small is excluded just because a hand full of Wikipedia users think the country is nothing more than a point on a map --Daviessimo (talk) 13:56, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

Strong Support as per HTD and Daviessimo. If the update is good enough, post it. That said, the article needs expansion. All this bickering about whether 4 million, 5 million, or .5 million people is enough doesn't concern what should be the main criterion--the quality of the WP article.--Johnsemlak (talk) 17:12, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

It should be both the quality of the article, and the interest in the subject. ~DC _{Let's Vent} 17:30, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

Strongest possible oppose. I'm appalled at Mkativerata's argument. Should we post news stories that interest nobody and that has significance to an infinitesimal minority of the world's population as a token gesture to the problem of systemic bias? That's a huge insult to that part of the world which the Western media usually don't care to cover? I also see somebody arguing "Independent country = automatic inclusion". What an insult to our readers? News should be important events, not token gestures to provide us with alibis of political correctness. This line of reasoning is literally poison to a vibrant and dynamic community. __meco (talk) 17:42, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

I don't think posting elections of all countries is tokenism; as Daviessimo said, it's a simple objective criterion. It's not like we say, "We never have news about Suriname, so we'll post the election to make up for that". ITNR policy and ITN tradition dictate that we try to post all national elections and this one happens to be Suriname. All this said the argument is moot until the article is improved.--Johnsemlak (talk) 03:01, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Meco, on what criteria do you determine what is of interest to "our readers"? If there's an article about something then someone must be interested enough in the subject to create it. These "readers" who you refer to are not a homogeneous bunch, they have many and varied interests. Almost every independent subject appeals to just a minority. How do you determine importance? How do you think that this is "poison to a vibrant and dynamic community"? Please explain your conclusions. --Monotonehell 06:02, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

I'd expect the death of the Yankees owner (which wasn't posted) is significant to more people than this. -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 06:52, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

I'm sorry, but can someone please explain to me a fair and objective way of defining what is a notable election. There seems to be a continual single mindedness here were users use the rationale that "its not important to me, therefore its not important at all". The death of the Yankees owner (they're a baseball team apparently) may be notable to parts of north America and a fair few baseball fans across the globe, but would be completely non-notable to the vast majority of the global population. So what is the difference? This election will be notable to the population of Suriname and anyone interested in South American politics (and probably a fair few dutch people as well), but will again not be notable to that vast majority of the global population. But that is not what ITN is for. It is not competing with the media and as such does not need to make sure it news items 'sell' it to users. Its role is highlight updated articles and maybe, just maybe teach someone something new. God forbid an encyclopaedia do that --Daviessimo (talk) 07:11, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

It has the population of a medium-sized city. This election will have no particular impact on South American or global politics and I don't mean that slightingly of Suriname, but it's true. We need to over come this election cruft of "sovereign state = ITN". HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 07:37, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Well are you an expert of South American politics? Can you say for certain this will have no impact on this country's international relations? What about its foreign policy and international trade relations. If you judge these things on a case by case basis you have a handful of users who draw judgements on items they realistically have little knowledge on. Effectively a handful of users say "I don't believe an election in Suriname is important enough" and the result is it gets ignored. No wonder no one has any respect for Wikipedia... --Daviessimo (talk) 15:40, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Oppose. Surprised this sort of debate died down when we posted Nauru, which has a fraction of the significance of Suriname. Nauru's population can fit in half of a regulation sized NBA arena, yet we deemed it to be noteworthy enough for inclusion on ITN. What nonsense. Most municipal Australian elections have greater impact. I don't think we should necessarily set a bar on the population, but on significance of an event. ITN is completely election-obsessed and some of the stories are just not relevant. In fact, the only cycle of irrelevant stories that keep appearing on here are election stories. Everything else we are at least able to use some degree of subjective judgment. And please, do not post this one after so many opposes. I have never seen so much opposition on a single story and still have it posted, with the exception of some U.S. politics stories, which always seem to garner a lot of controversy. Colipon+(Talk) 13:52, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

@Colipon--all national elections are WP:ITNR events and are eligible for posting w/o consensus here (requirements regarding the update still apply). I'm not saying that we shouldn't change this policy, but that is currently the policy. Ultimately the state of the article is inadequate anyway.--Johnsemlak (talk) 15:32, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

Comment. The arguing here is at an unprecedented level and we should post this story just for that reason. ;) Joking aside, the article is in horrendous shape. ~AH1^(TCU) 13:55, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Afghan conference

Some repercussion have been set about troop withdarawal in 2014 and more aid. This could be placed on top should it eitehr have a page or a section perhaps in the War in Afghanistan page.Lihaas (talk) 12:09, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Oppose. This dropped out of the headlines almost immediately and nothing unexpected came from it. It was worth a nomination and I'm quite surprised by the lack of sustained coverage, but it was a bit of a fuss over nothing- Cameron and Obama had already publicly announced a 2014 withdrawal, so Karzai was hardly going to turn around and refuse to sign the document. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 07:22, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

Greek investigative journalist shot

• Greek investigative journalist, blogger and broadcaster Sokratis Giolias is killed after being shot more than 15 times outside his home in Ilioupoli, Athens ahead of the publication of his report into corrruption. (BBC) (Aljazeera) (Reuters) (The Washington Post)

(VOA Tieng Viet: Vietnamese National)

(Deutsche Welle: German)

(Le Monde: French)

(Prensa Latina)

And the list just keeps going...

...+562 hits on Google News. Regardless of the notability of Sokratis Giolias the man, (requiescant in pace), the story itself is world famous by now. The headlines of nearly every international news agency in the world has at least some mention of this guy, and the circumstances of the assassination itself?... It's like reading a John le Carré Novel. We currently don't have a page for this, but if anyone gives a nod to this story I'll put one up (See Below). Thoughts? Cwill151 (talk) 01:22, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Out of curiosity, are you intending to write a full biography or just an article on his death? If his death is the only notable thing about him, then I would suggest the latter. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 02:34, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

• Support pending article creation. ~AH1^(TCU) 02:27, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Gentlemen. Unfortunately I have been forced on short Wikibreak due to WP:Real/S. I can and will begin and/or currently update as of 15:30 if there is still significant support. Regards and Apologies, Cwill151 (talk) 04:05, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

• Support. This is getting quite a lot of attention. Note: He is the first reporter to be murdered there in more than 20 years. --candle•wicke 04:31, 20 July 2010 (UTC)
• Support. Nearly all newspapers wrote about it, also there was no journalist killed in 20 years past in Greece. Kubek15 ^write/sign 10:20, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

support on expansion both because of news coverage, and state of Greece generally, and possible repercussions/first in a while.Lihaas (talk) 12:06, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

• Support; Expansion Completed Abstain I have updated the existing article to reflect a large portion of the information currently available. The article can be found here. No doubt it could use more sourcing/copyedit...maybe an image if one could be found, but I believe the article is now sufficient for posting if not perfect. However that decision I will leave to others better informed on the subject. I will re-edit the page for clarity and completion as new information comes in. Regards. Cwill151 (talk) 16:50, 20 July 2010 (UTC)
• Support article looks good, and seems notable. -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 17:40, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

• Oppose. The article is actualy quite poor in terms of information people might want to know. If there was as much international interest in this shooting as people are asserting, it would be ten times better by now, almost 36 hours after the event. As such, I am unconvinced this is an internationally significant event. There's no article on the radio station he worked for, no article on the group that shot him, and no information that isn't simply from the news reports of the shooting. The background information is particulalry poor for anyone not au fait with Greek domestic politics. If ITN really is 'not news', then this doesn't warrant posting. MickMacNee (talk) 17:55, 20 July 2010 (UTC)
• Comment there is now an article on the group that shot him: Sect of Revolutionaries. -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 18:04, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

• There seems to broad consensus for posting this, but the article is very much bare bones at the minute. I'm reluctant to post until there's some meat on the bones. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 18:21, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

I agree in that the article could use a lot of work. But I think it's worthwhile to point out that despite the vast amount of news coverage this story is receiving in the world press, there is very little total information at present which could be considered "credible". I will continue to update the article as new information becomes available/found which I can confidently source. For now I'll leave the choice of posting up to the community and I will change my vote above to an abstention (See Above). Cwill151 (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 18:46, 20 July 2010 (UTC).

I'd be fine posting it on the above support, but I'd really like to see a bit more detail in the article before posting. After all, a big part of the purpose of the Main Page is to show off some of our best work. If you or somebody else manages to find enough information to expand the article a little, I'd be fine with posting it, assuming the consensus doesn't change. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 18:55, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

It seems no worse than Veuve_Clicquot or Sainthia train collision at this point. I'd say it's postable. ~DC _{Let's Vent} 19:08, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Well the train crash article has been substantially improved. The champagne article wasn't written for a single event, but it contains a good paragraph about the event. It's much easier to update an existing article since ITN criteria require that a new article not be a stub. Basically it needs more detail imo, though if several people say it's postable, I'll stick it up an any other admin should feel free to if they think it's postable. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 19:17, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Comment there is now an infobox, and it is significantly better than 2010 Jiangxi train derailment was at the time of posting for example - even if its mostly about the assassination. -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 19:21, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

All right, then. Anyone got a good blurb? HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 19:25, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Don't do it. This supposed 'biography' is seriously sub-standard. It maybe had a chance of being posted as Assassination of Sokratis Giolias once the basic factual errors were fixed and if people had added more info and links, but it's been reverted back to a title that pretends it's a biography and as such now has multiple issues of style and content. An infobox doesn't make up for the fact we don't even know this guy's birthdate. (infact, it only makes it more obvious) MickMacNee (talk) 19:34, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Actually, I agree with you. I'm not posting an obituary when the biography is in that state and the move back has caused serious style issues. If a biography can be written, I'm willing to post, but as far as I can see his death is the only notable thing about him. It needs to be either moved to a title that reflects the article is about his death or the style issues need to be addressed and a biography written and, even then, if he's only notable because of his death, most of that will be largely irrelevant. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 19:41, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

What about: Greek investigative journalist Sokratis Giolias is assassinated in Athens the first such assassination in Greece for 25 years. -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 19:29, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

• Seeing as how MacNee decided not to continue contributing to the page, the consensus will most probably rest with me and Eraserhead. If the article needs to be moved to the assassination then that's fine, let's do it. Cwill151 (talk) 19:48, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

I've moved the article. -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 19:51, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

OK I've cleaned it up now, is it ready to post? -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 20:08, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Looks reasonable to me now the identity crisis has been solved. Posting. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 21:12, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Something about the wording in the last part of the blurb doesn't click. Connormah^talk 21:23, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

I tend to consider all my blurbs a work in progress! ;) Suggestions are welcome, though you'll probably get a quicker response from me or another admin at WP:ERRORS. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 21:26, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

The recent reword seems to work the best. Thanks, David. Connormah^talk 22:04, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

July 19

July 19, 2010 (2010-07-19) (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Greek investigative journalist, blogger and broadcaster Sokratis Giolias is killed after being shot more than 15 times outside his home in Ilioupoli, Athens ahead of the publication of his report into corruption. (BBC) (Aljazeera) (Reuters) (The Washington Post)
• Amnesty International releases its "Agents of Fear" report, accusing Khartoum's National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) of torturing and abusing political dissidents, including journalists, human rights activists and students, in an attempt to silence them. (Aljazeera)
• Several people are killed in a clash between Somali fighters and government forces in the capital Mogadishu. (Radio Netherlands Worldwide) (Press TV) (AP)

Arts, culture and entertainment

• 75-year-old author Alan Shadrake is arrested in Singapore while promoting his book about the use of the death penalty. He is charged with criminal defamation and faces two years imprisonment. (BBC) (The Independent)
• A Tel Aviv judge orders the opening of safe deposit boxes believed to contain manuscripts and drawings by Bohemian writer Franz Kafka at a bank in Zürich. (BBC)
• A collection of posters is released to mark the 31st anniversary of the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua. (BBC)
• An undiscovered painting by Caravaggio is discovered in Rome, according to l'Osservatore Romano. (BBC) (Christian Science Monitor)
• Russian pianist Mikhail Pletnev appears in court in Thailand, accused of the rape of a 14-year-old male, though he denies this. (BBC)
• The Fromelles Military Cemetery is opened in Fromelles in northern France containing the graves of 250 Australian and British soldiers who died in the Battle of Fromelles in World War I and had previously been buried in a mass grave. (BBC)
• The United Kingdom's oldest person, a Gateshead great-great grandmother, dies at the age of 111. She would have been 112 next month. (BBC)

Business and economics

• China surpasses the United States to become world's biggest energy consumer, consuming about 4% more than the U.S. (Washington Post)

Disasters

• Two trains collide in the Birbhum district of West Bengal, India with at least 50 people feared dead. (Times of India) (AFP) (BBC) (Aljazeera)
• Chinese authorities launch a clean-up operation to tackle a 50 sq km slick following an explosion of two crude oil pipelines in Dalian. (BBC) (Xinhua) (AFP)
• Retired United States Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, the person in charge of cleaning up the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico states that the cap is leaking but it is not a major concern so far. (AP via Google News)

International Relations

• President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad asks that the United States stop using what he describes as "cowboy logic" if it wants to engage in dialogue with Iran over its nuclear programme, adding that he would support negotiations. (BBC)
• Scores of checkpoints appear overnight as 70 countries prepare to attend a conference in Kabul on the future of Afghanistan. (BBC)
• The United States issues a warning to US citizens visiting or living in Uganda about the risk of terrorism as an African Union summit on maternal and child health summit starts. (CNN)

Law and crime

• A two-year "Top Secret America" investigation by The Washington Post concludes that United States intelligence gathering has grown so much since the September 11 attacks that neither its true cost, size nor effectiveness in keeping the country safe is actually known. (BBC) (Aljazeera)
• A former British Army commanding officer is accused of lying to a public inquiry into the death of Baha Mousa, an Iraqi civilian in his soldiers' custody. (BBC)
• Kenyan pastor John Kamau Mbugua pleads not guilty to two charges over an alleged plot to bomb a campaign rally for next month's constitutional referendum. (BBC)
• Taysir Hayb, the Israeli soldier who shot and killed British volunteer Tom Hurndall, is to be released next month after an Army committee headed by Advocate General Avichai Mandelblit decides to shorten his sentence. (Haaretz)
• 196 people are indicted in Istanbul for plotting to overthrow the government. (BBC) (Reuters) (The Guardian) (The News international) (People's Daily) (The Sydney Morning Herald)
• Hundreds of Italians commemorate anti-Mafia judge Paolo Borsellino in Palermo, 18 years after he was killed by a car bomb. (BBC)
• Syria bans the full face veil from being worn in its universities. (BBC) (Oneindia)
• Authorities at Mexico City International Airport arrest a man who had flown from Lima and was attempting to smuggle 18 little monkeys into the country inside items of clothing. (BBC) (The Sydney Morning Herald)

Politics

• A report states that U.S. and European intelligence agencies believe Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is dying of stomach and pancreatic cancer, and has one year left to live. The report states that Mubarak will likely die before the country's next presidential election. (Haaretz)
• Dési Bouterse is elected President of Suriname by parliament. (BBC)
• The United Nations Economic and Social Council grants the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission consultative status after a vote of 23 for, 13 against, 13 abstentions, and 5 absent. (San Diego Gay & Lesbian News) (The New York Times)
• Prime Minister David Cameron launches his "Big Society" scheme. (BBC) (Channel 4)
• David Cameron opts not to meet four United States senators to discuss allegations BP lobbied for the release of the terminally ill Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, though they may meet the ambassador instead. (BBC)
• Papua New Guinea Deputy Prime Minister Puka Temu joins with opposition MPs in an attempt to bring down the government of Prime Minister Michael Somare. (ABC News)

Science and weather

• Queensland fossil hunters discover a cave of 15-million-year-old prehistoric marsupials. (BBC)
• Farnborough Airshow, Hampshire, England:
  • An anti-aircraft laser is unveiled, a first for naval warfare. (BBC) (The Daily Telegraph)
  • A supersonic Bloodhound model is unveiled. (BBC)

ITN candidates for July 19

2010 Sainthia train collision

- Two trains collide in West Bengal, killing dozens - Eugen Simion 14 (talk) 07:14, 19 July 2010 (UTC)

• Support, I'm working on expanding article now. --Saki ^talk 09:42, 19 July 2010 (UTC)

Just found this article and redirected it to article at Sainthia rail collision; no need for 2010 in title to disambiguate and the second article had rather more information and references. Nothing to merge. Edgepedia (talk) 13:44, 19 July 2010 (UTC)

Per the debate below i dont this qualifies, but at any rate until consensus is built below on the old criteria it might with some 60-odd casualties. Still, though, the article doesnt yet qualify as ITN-Worth.Lihaas (talk) 14:35, 19 July 2010 (UTC)

Support. This is a significant incident, but the article needs to be expanded. ~AH1^(TCU) 15:03, 19 July 2010 (UTC)

Support as soon as we get that article a little bigger. I'm going to start working on it. Mr. R00t ^Talk 17:23, 19 July 2010 (UTC)

• The article is a little skimpy. Could anyone add some meat to it? HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 01:06, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

• Comment. Looking at the article, it looks as if the cause is still under investigation and that it could be suspicious. ~AH1^(TCU) 02:33, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Support, significant disaster. Kubek15 ^write/sign 10:30, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

• I'm happy that the article has been made a bit more substantial since my last comment and we seem to be going quite a while between updates at the minute, so I'm going to post this. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 18:30, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Baghdad suicide bomb kills at least 43

• Bumped. ...seemed like it was worthwhile. Minemi (talk) 01:39, 19 July 2010 (UTC)

Large death toll in an attack on a Sunni militia group formerly allied to Al-Queda. Couldn't find an article but I'll keep looking - Dumelow (talk) 08:03, 18 July 2010 (UTC)

Support. --candle•wicke 08:50, 18 July 2010 (UTC)

Without a page of its own? i can say for sure it wont go up as just a piece of news.(Lihaas (talk) 10:09, 18 July 2010 (UTC)

Oppose. We're simply having too many of these. They have minimal influence on political/military decision-making, except in aggregate. Coming at the rate of at least two or three a week, we should take time out to discuss how to deal with this deluge of carnage. __meco (talk) 10:14, 18 July 2010 (UTC)

Good point, meco. I agree. --BorgQueen (talk) 10:52, 18 July 2010 (UTC)

I agree with meco; however, current ITN precedent and practice seem to indicate that these types of stories get posted. If we ignore it, someone may complain "You posted the winner of x-sporting competition, but you ignored an incident where y-number of people were killed". (The media does that all the time, anyway). I think it would be useful to have a discussion on creating some criteria for how we judge catastrophes that involve large death tolls. I would say the same problem exists with boat sinkings which are very commonplace in poorer heavily populated countries and often involve high death tolls. I don't have an objection to not posting this but will we stick to a consistent policy in the future?--Johnsemlak (talk) 13:36, 18 July 2010 (UTC)

The problem with a policy is that you have to name-names about who is unstable :(, and that list can be argued about too. Overall I also oppose due to there being lots of similar bombs in Iraq at the moment :(. -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 13:48, 18 July 2010 (UTC)

For Iraq and Afghanistan, I think we should only be posting the events that have an exceptionally high death toll or have some other effect- significant political repercussions, notable people killed, something like that- but sadly theses incidents are all too common in those countries at the minute. :( HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 15:44, 18 July 2010 (UTC)

If only to get some fresh ideas flowing about this sort of item, I suggest that we create a repository of these stories in which we can catalog them for say... a week. Then at the end of the news week we can select the largest (comparatively) and most influential (again comparatively) and place them on ITN. Boat sinkings and the like can be devastating and tragic, but not ITN worthy due to the fact that a Ship sinking in Malaysia will not normally generate media attention from the English speaking world, unless it was truly an international tragedy. Whereas, for the past decade now, the international focus of the western world has been locked on the Middle East, and as such even medium sized suicide bombings can become ITN worthy given the sheer amount of coverage they are likely to receive. For Commonly Occurring items like this, I.E. items which are ITN worthy but are too numerous to post regularly, we could begin WP:ITN/CO for example. Then once all of the relevant data has been gathered about the stories at the end of the week, and the necessary updates have been made/pages created, we can select the most ITN worthy of these stories and post them. Devastating bombings are still posted, and ITN is no longer inundated by the shear numerical weight of them all. (although true international crises can be posted immediately as per consensus). It is also worthwhile to note that creating this archive will have long-term benefits for ITN as it will serve it's purpose indefinitely. There are going to be terrorist attacks for many, many years and ships will continue sinking and planes will continue crashing forever,... statistically speaking. Thoughts? Cwill151 (talk) 01:07, 19 July 2010 (UTC)

Also, in terms of policy. After looking through the archives, it seems long-standing ITN precedent never to have two of these stories run concurrently except in the most extreme cases. Therefore in deciding between two(or more) stories of similar type and value, I would (unfortunately) have to decide based on degree of news coverage. If there was for example, a bombing in Iraq and a bombing in Somalia: at roughly the same time, with appreciably similar number of casualties, and based on the same principle(Islamo-ethnic conflict), but the bombing in Iraq received more news coverage; I would have to vote for the one in Iraq. ITN partially serves as a guide for navigating the wiki, if more English readers are likely to come here looking for info on Iraq, it's our job to have Iraq on the front page to make it easier for them to find it. But, that's just my opinion and I'm sure there are others. Cwill151 (talk) 01:33, 19 July 2010 (UTC)

A ship sinking in Malaysia would however get international coverage if a single white tourist was killed, which isn't really a standard I'm comfortable with. IMO the best thing to do is to not post stuff if lots of similar events in the same country have occurred - for example Malaysia is an upper-middle income country so a boat sinking is probably unlikely to happen there, but really its difficult to know that kind of thing and where that "logic" applies. -- Eraserhead1 <talk> 07:29, 19 July 2010 (UTC)

I think that is an important point that we do not have to be locked into the editorial policies of mainstream Western media with their cultural (and political) biases. They dominate the media world, but the do not fairly represent the world. We write for the world. So some countermeasures would seem appropriate to distance ourselves somewhat from blindly adopting the priorities of Western-dominated corporate media. __meco (talk) 10:03, 19 July 2010 (UTC)

I think it would be much simpler and less controversial to simply have a pre-determined consensus-built criteria for putting these things up. A scale perhaps based on casualties and geography. For example morre than 30/40/X in iraq/Afghanistan/Pakistan would qualify, and something like 20 in the americas or sub-saharan africa or east asia (of course the details will be built by consensus)Lihaas (talk) 14:30, 19 July 2010 (UTC))

Comment. This was already nominated yesterday. ~AH1^(TCU) 15:08, 19 July 2010 (UTC)

I don't think it's possible to come up with a fixed formula as in one British death = 10 Greek deaths = 1,000 Congolese deaths. But we have to remember that, as I said before, tragedy is not the same as news value. Quite simply, when events occur with regularity in a region, they lose some of their news value. Remember Man bites dog. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 22:10, 19 July 2010 (UTC)

Apparently it was bumped...

That could also work. Having a specific set of criteria with which to judge the ITN merits of stories like these which comes from a globally influenced perspective would achieve roughly the same long-term goal. But in order to do that, we have to have a proper forum for this discussion and enough commentary to numerically be considered a "consensus". Statistically speaking, my opinion matters very little if at all in comparison to most of the Regulars here so it might be wise for someone other than me to start such a discussion and publicize it, although I will if necessary and validated. So... should we form a consensus on this issue or leave it for discussion one-at-a-time? Cwill151 (talk) 22:19, 19 July 2010 (UTC)