June 20, 2012 (Wednesday)
Armed conflict and attacks
- A gunman is detained after seizing four hostages at the Crédit Industriel et Commercial bank in the southern French city of Toulouse, the same city where Mohammed Merah shot dead five people in March. (BBC)
- Rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip are followed by Israeli airstrikes in response, resulting in at least one death. (AP via The Washington Post) (Al Jazeera)
- Turkey's military confirms it has carried out strikes on Kurdish rebel targets inside Iraq. (BBC)
- The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claims that at least 20 Syrian Army soldiers and five rebels are killed in heavy fighting near Latakia district. (Al Jazeera)
- Tribal clashes in western Libya lead to 105 people dead and some 500 injured. (BBC)
Business and economics
- Media mogul Rupert Murdoch launches a surprise takeover bid for billionaire James Packer's stake in Consolidated Media Holdings, a major stakeholder of Foxtel and Fox Sports Australia. (The Sydney Morning Herald)
- Larry Ellison, the American CEO of Oracle Corp, agrees to buy 98 per cent of the Hawaiian island of Lanai. (AP via The Sydney Morning Herald)
International relations
- The United States Congress suggests to extend its military presence in Kuwait. (Al Jazeera)
- Fund for Peace releases its 2012 Failed States Index, with Libya, Japan, and Syria scoring the largest increases since the previous study. (Fund for Peace)
Law and crime
- The former Prime Minister of Romania, Adrian Năstase, narrowly survives a suicide attempt by gunshot to the throat following a controversial court decision sentencing him to two years in jail. (BBC)
Politics and elections
- In Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, ousted from power in last year's revolution, is reported to in a coma and has been taken off life support. (BBC)
- The Supreme Elections Commission in Egypt announces that the results of the presidential election are not going to be released on Thursday due to complaints by rival candidates. (USA Today)
- Operation Fast and Furious:
- The United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform cites the Attorney-General Eric Holder for contempt of Congress for failing to cooperate with an investigation into Operation "Fast and Furious". (The Washington Post)
- President Barack Obama invokes executive privilege on documents associated with Fast and Furious following a request by the House Oversight Committee. (The Washington Post)
Sport
- UEFA Euro 2012:
- UEFA Euro 2012's off-day is dominated by the fall-out of yesterday's ghost goal scored by Ukraine against England, with John Terry hooking the ball from behind the goal line after a shot by Marko Dević under the eyes of the additional assistant beside the goal. (The Daily Telegraph) (Reuters via Yahoo!)
- As Ukrainian media criticise the incident and denial of at least a point to Ukraine, UEFA's chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina says the goal should have been given. (The Daily Telegraph)
- Italy coach Cesare Prandelli thanks UEFA president Michel Platini after his side secured qualification for the quarter-finals, thanks in part to the extra officials beside the goal. (The Daily Telegraph)