The time is 20:00 (UTC) on June 30th, 2006, and this is Audio Wikinews News Briefs.

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Tuesday, October 14, 2008

With the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) having called off Monday’s demonstration and march on Bangkok‘s police headquarters, Thailand’s Queen Sirikit (Thai: ????????????????????????? ???????????????) and HRH Princess Chulabhorn Valayalaksana (Thai: ??????????????????? ???????????????????????? ?????????????) attended the cremation and funeral of Angkana Radubpanyawoot, one of the protesters killed in clashes between police and PAD protesters last Tuesday.

The queen, consort of the highly popular and revered eighty-year old Thai monarch Bhumibol Adulyadej (Thai: ??????????????), was joined by police chiefs, leaders of the PAD movement, and many protesters. Presiding over the ceremonies, the queen was accompanied by army chief Anupong Paojinda (Thai: ??????? ?????????), the opposition Democrat party leader, Abhisit Vejjajiva (Thai: ????????? ?????????), and newly elected Bangkok Governor, Apirak Kosayodhin (Thai: ???????? ?????????). Founder and de-facto head of the People’s Alliance for Democracy movement, Sondhi Limthongkul (Thai: ???? ??????????) attended as the protest group’s representative, along with thousands of others mainly from the PAD.

Queen Sirikit spoke with Angkhana’s father, Jinda Radappanyawut during the Buddhist cremation ceremony. He later discussed their conversation, detailing that the queen had given moral support and said that his daughter was a decent person who had been helping the King and working for the good of the nation. Jinda’s wife, Angkhana’s mother, was not present at the funeral; she continues to be treated for injuries sustained during the protest outside parliament. The Bangkok Post report detailing this meeting mentions that the king has donated funds to help those injured in the police clampdown.

At the closing of the funeral services there were scuffles between PAD protesters and the Army’s Commander-in-Chief, Anupong Paojinda, as he attempted to leave. Security guards had to assist him in reaching his car and protesters banged on the car as it drove away.

With a sub-committee appointed by the country’s Human Rights Commission due to report within the week, details are beginning to emerge accounting for the number of injuries and severity of some in last Tuesday’s clashes outside parliament. Nearly 500 were injured as police employed tear gas to try and disperse the crowd of PAD protesters blockading parliament. The group, originally formed seeking to topple deposed former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his Thai Rak Thai party, had disbanded in September 2006 following Thaksin being removed by a coup. The 2007 general election saw them reform to oppose the new government formed by the People’s Power Party (PPP) who are widely regarded as a proxy for the ex-PM living in exile in the UK. The PAD protest aimed to stop the PPP government from announcing their legislative programme which included measures to amend the constitution and rehabilitate Thaksin and others from the now-outlawed Thai Rak Thai party. Investigations started during the coup period leave Thaksin and others accused of vote buying and electoral fraud.

Porntip Rojanasunan, the director of Thailand’s Central Institute of Forensic Science has indicated that the tear gas employed was likely responsible for the many injuries during the October 7 crackdown. A number of the canisters were found to contain RDX, a militarily employed explosive. RDX is considered a powerful explosive and the quantities likely involved would have left craters. Other types of tear gas were employed, manufactured in the United States and Spain, but during the protest it was the RDX-laced variety which originated in China that had been favoured. Porntip’s agency demonstrated the firing of these tear gas canisters from a shotgun to the Human Rights Commission committee on Sunday, noting that one exploded canister “left a hole in a metal pipe”. It is claimed that the lethal tear gas was sourced from a third party and not directly from China.

Along with the two fatalities, fifteen people remain hospitalised from last week’s police action, with one critically injured having lost his right arm.

Monday’s planned PAD protest and march on Bangkok police HQ was cancelled to allow people to attend the cremation and funeral services for the two dead. No new date for the protest has been announced.

Sunday, November 5, 2006

A sudden cold snap across Europe caused a surge in demand for electricity. Two high voltage power lines in Germany failed. This triggered a cascade of cuts as automatic safety devices cut millions of customers in order to prevent a total blackout of the continent. Parts of Germany, Belgium, France (including parts of Paris), Spain, and Italy were affected. High speed railways were also impacted. Power was restored within two hours. Later reports said that Austria and Croatia were also affected.

An alternative cause has been suggested; that the opening of the Ems powerline crossing to let a ship pass may have triggered the blackout.

A senior director with French power company RTE is reported as saying “We weren’t very far from a European blackout”.

After 13 years of isolation, Southeast Europe (including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia and Romania) were reconnected to the main European transmission system in November 2004. Now, with 400 million users, the European electrical transmission system has become, in terms of consumption, the world’s largest electrical energy system.

Italy’s Prime minister, Romano Prodi, said there was a “contradiction” in having a unified power network but no European Union central authority.