December 22, 2004 (Wednesday)
- Gambian journalists march in protest of the murder of Deyda Hydara, newspaper editor who had criticised new strict press legislation. UNESCO also condemns the killing. (BBC) (UNESCO portal)
- Switzerland increases its financial support for the forthcoming re-run of election in Ukraine. [dead link]
- The Police Service of Northern Ireland confirm that the haul in last Monday's Northern Bank Belfast bank heist was £22 million, comprising £1.15 million in new Northern Bank £100 and £50 notes, £12 million in new Northern Bank £20 and £10 notes, £5 million in used Northern Ireland notes issued by various banks, and the remainder in other sterling banknotes. Since Northern Irish notes are rarely seen outside Northern Ireland, the gang may have difficulty in laundering most of their haul. (Scotsman)
- Israeli–Palestinian conflict:
- The Israeli Army denies a claim by Physicians for Human Rights that they were firing at a Khan Yunis hospital. (Ha'Aretz)
- British prime minister Tony Blair visits Israel for discussions with Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon about reviving the peace process. The two discuss the Road Map for Peace and Israel's disengagement plan from Gaza. Blair said that Palestinians must stop terror as a condition to return for the Road Map. (Yahoo/Reuters), (BBC)
- An Israeli civil security guard who guarded bulldozers used for building the Israeli West Bank barrier is killed in a shooting attack by two Palestinians. (Haaretz)
- IDF forces re-enter Khan Yunis after at least 15 rockets and mortar shells hit Israeli settlements. Israeli forces kill either one or three armed Palestinians in Khan Yunis, and according to Palestinians, demolish seven houses. (Haaretz) (Reuters)
- Israeli politician Shimon Peres warns against trusting Hamas to honor a future ceasefire. (Yahoo\AFP)
- Gush Katif residents hold protests against the disengagement plan and the lack of action against mortar shellings on the settlement in the last week. Some of them wear an orange Star of David, similar to the yellow badge which Jews were forced to wear during the Holocaust. Many politicians and heads of Jewish organizations, including the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, ask them to stop wearing the star as they believe it trivializes the Nazi genocide. (BBC)
- The British charity organization Save the Children withdraws from Darfur after rebels kill their aid workers. (BBC) (IAfrica) (AllAfrica)
- The Indian election commission investigates railways minister Laloo Prasad for allegations of electoral bribery. He has given money to dalit women in public. (ExpressIndia) (BBC)
- A Pakistani court restores bail for Asif Ali Zardari. (BBC) (GEO)[permanent dead link]
- In Mozambique, the national election commission declares Armando Guebuza, presidential candidate of ruling party Frelimo, the winner of the election. He received 64% of the vote despite alleged irregularities. (AllAfrica) (Afrol) (BBC)
- In the Philippines, the funeral of Fernando Poe Jr., movie star and presidential candidate, attracts large numbers of supporters. Security is high due to rumors of potential anti-government revolt. The detained ex-president Joseph Estrada condemns incumbent president Gloria Arroyo in his eulogy. (Reuters) Archived 2005-03-05 at the Wayback Machine (Philippine Daily Inquirer)