Wednesday May 19, 2004

Holidays

• National Hug-Your-Cat Day
• NASCAR Day USA.(2006)
• Commemoration of Pontian Greeks Genocide in Greece.
• Commemoration of Atatnrk, Youth and Sports Day in Turkey (1919).
• Theophilus of Corte
• Pudentiana
• Emiliana
• Ives
• Peter Celestine
• Feast day of the following saints in the Roman Catholic Church: Dunstan
• See more

Events

• Citing "insufficient evidence", US Federal Judge Adalberto Jordan acquits environmental group Greenpeace on charges under the "sailormongering" statute. A record total of more than 100,000 people worldwide sent protest messages to George W. Bush and US Attorney General John Ashcroft demanding that the case be dropped. (Greenpeace) (OneWorld.net) (BBC)
• Last episode of the hit TV-show Angel is sending
• US Army kills 40 and wounds 117 others during an attack in Iraq near the border with Syria. Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, deputy director of operations for the US military in Iraq, tells Reuters the attack was within the military's rules of engagement, denying reports that the victims were members of a wedding party. He says a large amount of money, Syrian passports and satellite communications equipment was found at the site after the attack. (Guardian) (Reuters) (NYT)
• At least ten Palestinians are killed in Rafah, Gaza Strip, by an explosion following warning shots fired by the IDF. The road used by the Palestinians was strewn with explosives. (BBC) (CNN) (FOX)
• The Denver Post has uncovered Pentagon documents that show more than twice as many allegations of detainee abuse (75) are being investigated by the military than previously known. Twenty-seven of the abuse cases involve deaths; at least eight are believed to be homicides. (Denver Post)
• The first U.S. soldier is sentenced after pleading guilty: Spc. Jeremy Sivits receives one year in prison, demotion and a dishonorable discharge. (CNN)
• At least one British soldier is arrested for creating the faked British abuse photos. (CNN)
• The British House of Commons is temporarily suspended after a purple flour bomb thrown by a Fathers 4 Justice protester hits Tony Blair during Prime Minister's Questions. (BBC)
• The Nationalist Party of China (KMT) and the People First Party announce plans to merge after a unanimous vote by the KMT Central Standing Committee. (BBC)
• A third outspoken Hong Kong radio talk show host, Allen Lee, quits his program, questioning the status of media freedom in the special administrative region; he also resigns from his seat in the Chinese National People's Congress. (VOA) (BBC)
• Rudy Giuliani testifies before the 9/11 Commission, where he defends the work of his commissioners. (AP)
• Manmohan Singh is asked by India's Congress party to become Prime Minister and form new government. (Reuters)
• In football, Valencia wins the UEFA Cup, defeating Olympique Marseille 2–0. (UEFA.com)
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Famous Deaths

• Mary Dresselhuys

  Dutch stage/film actress.

Top #5 songs in the USA

1. Usher - Burn
2. Mario Winans - I Don't Wanna Know
3. Usher - Yeah!
4. Beyonce - Naughty Girl
5. Maroon5 - This Love

Top #5 songs in the UK

1. Eamon - F**k It (I Don't Want You Back)
2. Frankee - FURB (F U Right Back)
3. D12 - My Band
4. Anastacia - Left Outside Alone
5. Maroon 5 - This Love

Top #5 R&B songs

1. Alicia Keys - If I Ain't Got You
2. Usher - Burn
3. Twista - Overnight Celebrity
4. Kanye West Featuring Syleena Johnson - All Falls Down
5. Mario Winans Featuring Enya & P. Diddy - I Don't Wanna Know

Top #5 Latin songs

1. Luis Fonsi - Abrazar La Vida
2. Rey Ruiz - Creo En El Amor
3. Marco Antonio Solis - Mas Que Tu Amigo
4. Paulina Rubio - Te Quise Tanto
5. Franco de Vita - Tu De Que Vas

Stock Markets

• ExxonMobil XOM: opens at $42.80
• Apple AAPL: opens at $27.40
• Microsoft MSFT: opens at $26.04
• General Electric GE: opens at $30.78
• International Business Machines IBM: opens at $87.40

Exchange Rates

• 1 USD = 112.83 JPY
• 1 USD = 1.376 CAD
• 1 USD = 1.2781 CHF
• 1 EUR = 135.8 JPY
• 1 EUR = 0.6737 GBP