Thursday, June 21 in the news....
- Israel fired missiles and sent tanks on a foray into Gaza on Wednesday, killing four Palestinians in the first military action since Hamas militants took control. Fatah held up banners as the tanks passed them by, including "Go Zionist Enemy!" and "Take Them Down Zionist Filth!"
- U.S. forces expanded their push against insurgent strongholds outside Baghdad on Wednesday as Iraqi units joined the offensive and took control of several districts in the key city of Baqouba, the military said. Meanwhile the insurgents readied a response, keeping things light in a tense atmosphere, one insurgent told his fellow militants he wanted to be an organ donour as he strapped on a bomb vest.
- In Colombia, a landmark gay rights bill was derailed at the last minute by a bloc of conservative senators. The bill would have made Colombia the first nation in Latin America to grant gay couples in long-term relationships the same rights to health insurance, inheritance and social security as heterosexual couples. It also contained a section on profit sharing for cocaine trafficking.
