October 12, 2003

• Sports - Cricket: New Zealand prevents India from snatching victory in the first Test cricket at Ahmedabad.
• Syria: Relations between Syria and the United States fall to a low point as Syria criticizes the USA for its failure to censure Israel.
• The People's Republic of China confirms that it will launch its first manned space mission between October 15 and 17. The spacecraft plans to orbit Earth 14 times before landing in an undisclosed location. (See Shenzhou 5)
• Medicine: The operation to separate 2-year old Egyptian twins joined at the head is going well in Dallas; the two boys have been separated and no troublesome complications have arisen. The next steps are to reconstruct the boys' skulls including the skin.
• East Asia: India, Thailand and the People's Republic of China press ahead with efforts and a study group aimed at creating a Free Trade Area.
• 2003 occupation of Iraq: A huge explosion occurs in the center of Baghdad, possibly caused by car bomb. A number of fatalities are reported. The blast takes place in Baghdad Hotel.
• Oncology: Researchers announced that they have discovered the detailed relationship between the Ras v12 gene, polarity genes, and metastasis of cancer in fruit flies.
• Foreign relations of Liberia: Liberia drops diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (on Taiwan) and re-establishes ties with the People's Republic of China. This move was seen largely as a result of the PRC's lobbying in the UN, which is planning to deploy a peacekeeping force to Liberia. ROC Foreign Minister Eugene Chien offers to resign as a result.