Portal:Current events/2007 February 12

• More than 70 people are killed in three bomb attacks in market areas of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. (BBC)

• an earthquake of a magnitude of 6.1 on the Richter scale strikes in about 160km east of the Cabo de São Vicente, Portugal at 11:36 am (CET).(Bloomberg)

• A Germany court orders the release of Brigitte Mohnhaupt, a former member of the Red Army Faction, also known as the "Baader-Meinhof Gang" after serving 24 years in prison for her involvement in kidnappings and murders in the 1970s. (CNN)
• Three bomb blasts in central Baghdad kill at least 45 people. (BBC)
• 2007 Guinea general strike:Unions in Guinea resume a general strike to protest the President of Guinea Lansana Conte appointing a close ally Eugene Camara as Prime Minister of Guinea. At least 17 people have died in protests over the weekend. The protest started this morning with a march from the centre of Conakry to the Palace. Widespread problems with armed bandits taking advantage of the insecurity have also been reported. (Reuters). SOS
• China's trade surplus increases by 67% increasing pressure on the Government to float the yuan. (BBC)
• The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society claims that one of its ships has collided with a Japanese whaling vessel in the Ross Sea leading to the Japanese vessel lodging a distress call. (Sydney Morning Herald)
• Five mortar bombs explode in northern Mogadishu in Somalia killing at least three people. (Reuters)
• Four state-owned enterprises of the Republic of China (Taiwan)—Chunghwa Post, the Chinese Petroleum Corporation, the China Shipbuilding Corporation, and the Central Bank of China—change their names to remove "China" from their titles at the request of President Chen Shui-bian. The decision is condemned by the Pan-Blue Coalition, the United States and People's Republic of China as a move towards Taiwan independence. (CNN) (Reuters)
• Israel has carried out a successful test of its Arrow missile, the defence ministry says. (BBC)
• Australian Prime Minister John Howard criticizes 2008 U.S. Presidential candidate Barack Obama (D-IL) for his stance on Iraq, saying that al-Qaeda in Iraq should be praying for an Obama win in the elections. The opposition Australian Labor Party says that Howard's statement imperiled the relationship Australia might have with the United States under a Democratic administration. (Sydney Morning Herald), (BBC), (Al Jazeera)

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