December 27, 2004

• In Mulhouse, France, a suspected gas explosion kills 17 people (BBC) (Scotsman)
• Newly discovered observations from March 2004 rule out the possibility that asteroid 2004 MN₄ (later named 99942 Apophis in July 2005) will hit Earth in 2029. (Space.com)
• The U.S. dollar hits a new low against the euro: USD 1.3640 to EUR 1.00. (AP)
• Ukrainian Transport Minister Heorhiy Kyrpa, a staunch supporter of Viktor Yanukovych, is found shot dead at his home just outside of Kiev. It is unclear whether he was murdered or committed suicide. (BBC) (Reuters)
• Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Israeli police arrest Palestinian presidential candidate Mustafa Barghouti. A Jerusalem police spokesman says Mr Barghouti was "detained for questioning because he has the right to transit through Jerusalem but not be in Jerusalem itself". (BBC)
• The death toll from tsunamis resulting from the Indian Ocean earthquake is known to be at least 20,000 and possibly as high as 45,000. (BBC) London Free Press Independent Online
• Ukrainian opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko claims victory. Official results may not come out for days. (Reuters) (BBC)
• Conflict in Iraq:
  • Iraq's main Sunni political movement, the Iraqi Islamic Party, withdraws from next month's general elections, citing the refusal to delay elections until all parts of Iraq could participate. (BBC)
  • 15 people are killed and dozens injured as a suicide bomber detonates his car in front of the home of Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, head of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, the country's most powerful Shia political group. (BBC)