SENTIDO > DAILY INTERCEPT > NEWS BRIEF ARCHIVE > JANUARY 2004

29 January: Iranian mullah says elections should be open, democratic; students urge poll boycott if Khatami cannot overturn disqualification; MPs' 3-week, 24hr sit-in continues... Turkish PM, Tayyip Erdogan, today said Iraq's new government should not be structured along ethnic or religious lines, says Turkey seeks to promote democracy in the Caucasus... New report shows electronic voting machines insecure...

28 January: Fmr. ISG chief Kay tells Congress there were no WMD, intelligence was severely flawed, suggests independent investigation into intelligence failure... Hutton Report appears to clear Blair, slams BBC's editorial methods in "dodgy dossier" story, claims to find late weapons inspector Kelly was not source for story... BBC Chairman Davies resigns, begins critique of one-sided Hutton Report...

27 January: 5 attacks in Iraq kill 13, including 2 CNN workers... John Kerry wins New Hampshire primary... 9/11 Commission wants extra time to review intelligence flaws, Bush administration opposes extension... Federal judge rules part of PATRIOT Act unconstitutional; another provision, regarding imprisonment of material witnesses, was declared unconstitutional in 2002...

26 January: Chief US Weapons Inspector says there were no WMD in Iraq... Avian flu spreads across Indonesia, in bird population... Human rights advocates present evidence of mass graves in Algeria... Iran's reformist Parliament seeks to limit Guardian Council's freedom to ban candidates... FT reports VP was obstacle to multilateral approach to Iraq war; Cheney now seeks European support in Iraq reconstruction in presentation to World Economic Forum... Refugee advocates launch 2004 electoral push to change Australia's strict border laws...

25 January: Second US rover, 'Opportunity' lands successfully on Mars, all systems go... Hamilton report recommends "adaptive management" for Rotorua lakes...

22 January: Alaska North Slope opened for drilling by US Interior Sec. Norton... Canadian citizen sues US for 'extraordinary rendition', alleging he was deliberately deported to Syria to be tortured... Revolutionary Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava unveils design for new WTC transport hub... NASA rover loses radio contact with Earth, sends only blips...

21 January: Independent US observers say they were shown what appears to be processed plutonium at North Korean nuclear facility... Israeli businessman charged with bribing Sharon... Bush State of the Union address focuses on terror, defense budget, tax cuts, select economic figures...

20 January: Kerry wins Iowa plurality with 38%, to Edwards' 32%, Dean's 18%; Gephardt announces he will leave race, finish term in House... 10s of thousands of Shiites demonstrate for free elections in Iraq...

17 January: Israel targets Hamas leader for assassination... 23-mile-long oil slick, PCBs threaten Oregon river... European officials disagree with US over armed guards on flights...

16 January: State Dept. adds 6 Indonesians to list of indicted war criminals, including Presidential candidate... 60,000 Indians join World Social Forum in Mumbai... European Commission Pres. Prodi says Turkey has moved closer to becoming a viable candidate for EU membership...

14 January: Libya signs Nuclear Test Ban Treaty... Pres. Bush announces plan to colonize Moon, visit Mars... 21-year-old mother of two executes 1st suicide-bombing of new year at Israeli checkpoint, 4 killed... A Serbo-Swedish man has confessed to killing Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh, says he heard voices... Iran's Supreme Leader orders review of reformist ban... Dean wins "non-binding" DC primary, Sharpton second... SEC discovers undisclosed payoff scheme in mutual-fund inquiry...

13 January: Fallujah firefight leads to 6 civilian deaths... US Supreme Court rules against consumer antitrust lawsuit for telecoms... In Monterrey, new deadline set for FTAA: 1 Jan. 2005; Bush allows Canada to bid for Iraq contracts... Plane crash kills 37 in Uzbekistan... ABC News reports administration officials confirm President ordered Pentagon to contemplate ground invasion of Iraq well before terror attacks... Wal-mart report shows widespread labor violations...

12 January: Shanty fire leaves 20,000 homeless in Metro-Manila... Summit of the Americas opens in Monterrey, México; Bush visiting-worker plan gets Fox endorsement... Iranian hard-liners decree ban on reformist candidates in upcoming elections (including current MPs), Pres. Khatami opposes ban... FBI asks Bush administration officials to waive reporter-source privilege in leak probe... Ukraine opposition says uncensored paper illegally seized by pro-Kuchma police...

11 January: Tensions continue in Amarah, as Iraqis demonstrate against jobless environment, day after 5 killed by police, British... Anti-government demonstrations shake Haitian capital... BJP may move Indian elections up to March... Evidence from Mars rover Spirit may suggest presence of water...

9 January: Pres. Bush hints at possible missions to Moon, Mars... Saddam Hussein granted POW status, which has eluded even British, US citizens captured in Afghanistan...

7 January: Unprecedented high resolution images successfully received from Mars rover... North Korea offers to halt all nuclear activities, in exchange for economic aid, security assurances from US... Netherlands opens war crimes trial against former official in Congolese Mbutu regime... Bush offers amnesty, legal status to immigrant workers in guest worker program... Annan warns escalating violence in Afghanistan threatens stability, upcoming elections...

6 January: India, Pakistan resume dialogue on normalization... Sharon tells Likud Israel will follow roadmap, dismantle settlements, allow Palestinian state... Bush denies Lybian appeal for end of sanctions... Fmr. Sen. Bradley, Gore's 2000 primary opponent, endorses Dean...

5 January: New SARS strain suspected in 1st Chinese case since July... Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Portugal refuse US demand for armed security on flights, opting for tight ground security... Democratic debate said to yield no clear winner, leaves frontrunner Dean standing...

2 January 2004: North Korea allows informal nuclear inspections next week, US government not officially involved... 100K Hong Kong demonstrators demand free elections... Brazil will fingerprint visiting American citizens, require visas, to mirror new US laws targetting Brazilians...