Portal:Current events/2006 November 8

Current events of November 8, 2006 (2006-11-08) (Wednesday)

Legislators in the Jogorku Kenesh approve a new constitution amid fears of another revolution in Kyrgyzstan. (RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty) China has a record high surplus in its balance of trade of $23.8 billion as exports rise and imports fall. (AP via Newsvine) United States general elections, 2006 The Associated Press declares Democrat Jim Webb as the winner of the 2006 Senate elections in Virginia. This would give the Democratic Party of the United States an effective majority if Independents Joe Lieberman and Bernie Sanders caucus with the Democrats.(Yahoo), (CNN) Amy Klobuchar overwhelmingly defeats Mark Kennedy in the 2006 Senate elections in Minnesota, becoming the first female Senator in Minnesota history.(Minnesota Public Radio) United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld announces he will step down from his cabinet position. Former Director of the CIA Robert Gates will replace Rumsfeld if confirmed by the Senate. (AP) Dennis Hastert, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, tells colleagues that he does not intend to run for the position of Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives. (AP via MSNBC) George W. Bush congratulates the Democrats on their success in the election and vows to try to find common ground with Nancy Pelosi, likely the next Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. (AP via Kane County Chronicle) Dr. Margaret Chan, former director of Hong Kong Health Department, represented China to win the nomination to the Director-General of the World Health Organization. (Peoples' Daily Online), (BBC News) At least 42 people die and 20 people are injured in a bomb blast outside an army training centre in north-west Pakistan. (BBC News) Beit Hanoun November 2006 incident: Nineteen Palestinian civilians are killed in the Gaza Strip from Israeli tank fire according to medical officers. (Reuters), (BBC News) Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniyeh states that talks between Hamas and President Mahmoud Abbas have been suspended. (News Limited) The United Nations Security Council agrees to let Arab and Muslim countries air their concerns about the incident. [1] Five senior ministers in the Cabinet of the British Government are questioned by police as part of an investigation into alleged "cash for honours". (BBC News) Windows Vista, Microsoft's newest operating system is RTM (released to manufacturers). (Windows Vista Blog)