February 26, 2005

• For the first time in his 26-year papacy, Pope John Paul II, who is ill, will not bless the faithful at the weekly Angelus prayer service and will instead follow the service from his hospital room. (Reuters), (Calcutta Telegraph), (The Guardian)
• Israeli-Palestinian conflict:
• Israel's Defence Minister blames Syria for complicity in yesterday's suicide bombing in Tel Aviv which killed 4 people. Syria denies links to the bombing. Islamic Jihad, from its headquarters in Damascus claims responsibility for the attack, stating it was designed to damage the Palestinian Authority for acting "according to American interests". (AP), (Reuters) (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Israel demands the PA arrest the plotters of the attack and disarm Islamic Jihad and other militant groups by force. (AP), (Reuters)
• Wichita, Kansas police announce the arrest of the BTK killer. (CNN) (Wichita Eagle) (The BBC)
• In a conference organized by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, officials urge changes to be made in how poultry are raised in Southeast Asia to prevent a bird flu pandemic. (Seattle Times) (Washington Post)
• Nepali soldiers kill at least a dozen Maoist rebels in Kailali district. (Channel News Asia) (Reuters)
• Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin announces that the US must get permission first before launching missiles over Canadian airspace, after recently announcing Canada's non-involvement in the controversial US National Missile Defence plan. (Edmonton Sun) (Globe and Mail)
• Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak calls for parliament to amend the constitution to allow for direct, secret elections for the next president. (Bloomberg) (Khaleej Times) (Japan Today)
• President Faure Gnassingbé of Togo announces that he will be stepping down from his position, after sanctions imposed by ECOWAS. (Xinhua) (Reuters)
• French Finance Minister Hervé Gaymard resigns after a report surfaces about his expensive state-paid apartment. (Boston Globe) (Guardian) (ABC)