Portal:Current events/2004 December 16

{{Current events|year=2004|month=12|day=16|content=

Belgian child killer Marc Dutroux loses an appeal against his life sentence. [https://web.archive.org/web/20060323090706/http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=48 (Expatica)][http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,11706213%255E1702,00.html (News.Com)]
Leaders of the European Union, meeting in Brussels, agree to invite Turkey to begin negotiations to join the EU from {{Nowrap|3 October}} 2005, about 36 years after they first applied to join. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4103397.stm (BBC)]
In the Western Districts of Nepal, nearly 50 people are killed in clashes between Nepalese troops and Maoist rebels. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4100457.stm (BBC)]
A commuter in Zimbabwe who allegedly insulted President Robert Mugabe could face up to five years in prison for undermining the president's authority. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4098237.stm (BBC)]
South Korean high-speed rail system, Korea Train Express open between Seoul and Busan.
Inuit leaders want to sue the U.S. government at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for causing global warming. They view the melting of the polar icecap in the Arctic as a threat to their existence as a people, an assault on their basic human rights. The announcement is expected today in Buenos Aires at the 10th round of international talks on climate change. [https://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/international/americas/15climate.html (NYT)] [https://web.archive.org/web/20041221194534/http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04%2F12%2F16%2F1444247 (Democracy Now!)]
The British final court of appeal, the Law Lords, rule that the suspension of habeas corpus for foreign nationals detained under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 is illegal, being incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4100481.stm (BBC)] [https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200405/ldjudgmt/jd041216/a&oth-1.htm (judgment)]
Cambodian soldiers discover a cache of Angkor Wat-era carvings that were to be smuggled out of the country. [https://web.archive.org/web/20041205150812/http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews (Reuters)]
Thai security forces pursue 100 people connected to the unrest in the south of the country. Four Islamic teachers have been arrested on suspicion of inciting terrorism. [http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/122599/1/.html (Channel News Asia)] [https://web.archive.org/web/20041205150812/http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews (Reuters)]
Former chess champion Bobby Fischer has been offered residency in Iceland. He is currently detained in Japan, and is wanted by the United States. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4100409.stm (BBC)][https://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=entertainmentNews&storyID=7108702 (Reuters)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050404031321/http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=entertainmentNews&storyID=7108702 |date=2005-04-04 }}
Researchers at the University of Tübingen report the discovery of a 30,000- to 37,000-year-old flute, the earliest musical instrument ever found.{{Cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2004/12/30/flute-prehistoric041230.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2017-09-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061116042750/http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2004/12/30/flute-prehistoric041230.html |archive-date=2006-11-16 |url-status=dead }}

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