Thursday February 15, 2007

Holidays

• John Frum Day in Vanuatu [1]
• Gummy Bear Day in United States
• National Day in Serbia
• Lupercalia
• Candlemas in Russia and other Eastern Orthodox countries
• Saint Siegfried of Sweden
• Saints Faustin and Jovita
• Saint Georgia
• Blessed Claude de la ColombiFre
• Flag Day in Canada
• See more

Events

• In Ohio, USA, a meteor streaks across the sky, creating a sonic boom.
• The US Mint releases the George Washington Presidential dollar to circulation.
• Democratic Party officials in the U.S. Congress have warned President Bush that he does not have the authority to go to war with Iran. (BBC)
• Abu Ayyub al-Masri, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, has been wounded in fighting in Baghdad according to Arab TV stations. (BBC)
• Six Colombian legislators are arrested due to alleged links to paramilitary groups including Senator Álvaro Araújo, the brother of Foreign Minister María Consuelo Araújo. (BBC)
• Former U. S. Vice President Al Gore announces plans for Live Earth concerts across seven continents in July 2007 to raise awareness of global warming. (Washington Post)
• The Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon clams that the Sudanese government had broken a promise to allow a human rights mission into Darfur. (Reuters Alertnet)
• An Air Mauritania plane with 79 people on board is hijacked, and lands safely. (BBC)
• The Iranian government says members of Jundallah were responsible for yesterday's attack in Zahedan, Iran. An Iranian lawmaker accuses the Pakistani government of harboring Jundallah militants. (Gulf Times)
• The Hamas-led Palestinian government has resigned to make way for a new administration. The Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh remains as caretaker Prime Minister and will select a new cabinet. (Reuters/AFP via ABC Online Australia)
• The United States will build a military communications facility near Geraldton, Western Australia. (AP via IHT)
• The Foreign Minister of China, Li Zhaoxing, is visiting Japan hoping to improve bilateral relations between the nations. The Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao will visit Japan in April. (BBC)
• Chris Ellison, the Australian Minister for Justice, warns anti-whaling protesters and the Japanese whaling fleet that they could face questioning over recent clashes in the Southern Ocean. Meanwhile, the crew were evacuated from the largest ship in the Japanese Antarctic fleet, the ''Nisshin Maru,'' following a fire. (ABC News Australia Online)
• The trial of 29 suspects in relation to the 2004 Madrid train bombings begins in Madrid, Spain. (BBC)
• The European Union plans to set up a single hotline for parents to report missing children. (BBC)
• South Korea agrees to resume high level talks with North Korea following the deal over North Korea's nuclear program. (AFP via ABC Online)
• See more

Famous Deaths

• Ray Evans: American songwriter with Jay Livingston...
• Walker Edmiston: American actor and puppeteer (d. 2007).

Top #10 songs in the USA

1. Beyonce - Irreplaceable
2. Nelly Furtado - Say It Right
3. Fall Out Boy - This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race
4. Daughtry - It's Not Over
5. Gwen Stefani - The Sweet Escape
6. Ludacris - Runaway Love
7. Akon - I Wanna Love You
8. Jim Jones - We Fly High
9. Lloyd - You
10. Unk - Walk It Out

Top #5 songs in the UK

1. Mika - Grace Kelly
2. Just Jack - Starz In Their Eyes
3. Kaiser Chiefs - Ruby
4. Fall Out Boy - This Ain't A Scene It's An Arms Race
5. Mason - Exceeder

Top #10 R&B songs

1. Lloyd Featuring Lil Wayne - You
2. Ciara - Promise
3. Robin Thicke - Lost Without U
4. Ludacris Featuring Mary J. Blige - Runaway Love
5. Rich Boy Featuring Polow Da Don - Throw Some D's
6. Beyonce - Irreplaceable
7. Chris Brown Featuring Jay Biz - Poppin'
8. Omarion - Ice Box
9. Pretty Ricky - On The Hotline
10. Fat Joe Featuring Lil Wayne - Make It Rain

News articles

• A Health Care Plan So Simple, Even Stephen Colbert Couldn’t Simplify It If the single-payer system embraced by virtually all other developed countries is clearly the best solution, why doesn’t the United States adopt it? [..]
• A Push for Dollar Coins, Using Presidential Fervor The Mint is encouraging Americans to drop the coins into cash registers, not just collectors' cases. [..]
• See all financial news of February 15, 2007

Stock Markets

• ExxonMobil XOM: opens at $75.19
• Apple AAPL: opens at $85.44
• Microsoft MSFT: opens at $29.58
• General Electric GE: opens at $36.37
• International Business Machines IBM: opens at $99.06

Exchange Rates

• 1 USD = 119.25 JPY
• 1 USD = 1.1627 CAD
• 1 USD = 1.2344 CHF
• 1 USD = 7.7555 CNY
• 1 EUR = 156.71 JPY