. . .or click on the link here for Audio Player – BBC World Service – The World Today – February 11, 2005 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection.
Ten years ago today – Britain’s Prince Charles announced his engagement to longtime Mistress Camilla Parker Bowles, from then on to be known as The Duchess of Cornwall. The heir to the throne made the announcement at a family dinner. Buckingham Palace was delighted. Many Brits, not so. A sampling of public opinion ran the gamut from “who cares?” to “Camilla the home wrecker”. Life goes on and love conquers all, or at least most.
Meanwhile, from the Middle East came word that Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas fired three of his Senior Security Force Officials, following a barrage of rocket and mortar attacks on Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip. The attacks came two days after Israeli and Palestinian leaders declared a ceasefire to end more than 4 years of violence.
After months of delay, NATO Defense Ministers approved a proposal to expand the alliance’s Peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan.
Pope John Paul II was back at the Vatican after spending 9 days hospitalized for severe breathing difficulties. Riding back to the Vatican in the famous Popemobile, speculation whether or not the Pontiff would continue were put to rest by John Paul’s assurance he’d still be Pope until the day he died. Even so, they wondered.
And North Korea announced it had abandoned talks regarding its Nuclear program, much to the dismay and strong international condemnation from the world community. South Korea was particularly nervous, since Pyongyang was claiming it had already developed a nuclear weapon. The United Nation’s Kofi Anan was joined by Russia and China in asking North Korea to reconsider it’s position.
And that’s a small portion of what went on in this rather fractured world, February 11, 2005 as presented by The BBC World Service‘ World Today.
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