On this day
Revisit the news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.
In 2005, the world population was approximately 6,586,970,132 people[†]
2005Jim Capaldi, English singer-songwriter and drummer (born 1944)[†]
Nicola James Capaldi was an English singer-songwriter and drummer. His musical career spanned more than four decades. He co-founded the progressive rock band Traffic in 1967 with Steve Winwood with whom he co-wrote the majority of the band's material. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a part of Traffic's original lineup.
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Election will be held in violence-racked city of Mosul, but it remains to be seen if enough people will brave dangers to vote in significant numbers; Mosul is one of many Sunni Arab cities where insurgent presence is strong; even handling election materials is considered so dangerous that ballots and ballot boxes will be distributed to polling centers by armored American military convoys; scores of civilians have died in attacks and Kurds, government officials and Iraqi security officers have been massacred since Nov, when thousands of police and security officers abandoned their posts under insurgent assault that coincided with American attack on Falluja; Mosul's 700 election workers, threatened by insurgents, walked off job; new election workers were recruited with promises of free food, lodging and bonuses; American officials have been trying to convince Iraqi voters that they can vote safely, but in Mosul and other volatile cities in Anbar Provine, turnout is expected to be low; photo (M)
Procter & Gamble reaches agreement to acquire Gillette Co for about $57 billion in stock; merger, subject to approval by regulators, would create consumer-products powerhouse, combining some of world's best-known brands; combined company would have sales of more than $60 billion a year; boards of both companies have approved merger; move is bid by two venerable consumer-products giants to strengthen their bargaining position with giant discount retailers which can now squeeze even largest suppliers for lower prices; both companies have faced growing pressure on profits from private labels as consumers become more price-conscious and less brand-conscious; regulators are expected to look closely at merger and could force Procter to divest itself of some businesses that overlap with Gillette's; chart with information on both companies (L)
Saudi Arabia over last year has acted to nudge OPEC's reference price closer to $40 per barrel instead of enforcing what has been OPEC's official policy since March 2000 and defending prices of $22 to $28 per barrel; Ali al-Naimi, Saudi Arabia's oil minister, says world is not suffering, as far as economic growth is concerned, from where prices are today, comment made at World Economic Forum in Davos; OPEC's approach will be discussed this weekend when OPEC meets in Vienna to consider whether cuts in production are warranted to fend off slowdown in demand in second quarter; crude oil futures in New York are up 15 percent since beginning of year; crude oil closes at $48.84 per barrel, up 6 cents, on New York Mercantile Exchange; photo (M)
St Joseph's University men's basketball team are 8-8 and far cry from last year's team, which was undefeated in first 27 games and was seeded No.1 in NCAA tournament; photos (M)
New York City subway's Depression-era signal system may seem quaint, but stopgap measures put in place to keep trains running at Canal Street make relay room that was gutted by fire seem as advanced as Saturn space probe; underground fire in relay room just north of Chambers Street station disrupted way in which information is transmitted about train positions and movements; transit officials say it will take six to nine months to repair problems; photo (M)
Clyde Haberman, in NYC column, notes that Jamie Foxx received best-actor Oscar nomination for his mesmerizing portrayal of blind Ray Charles in movie Ray; holds that this is good news for New Yorkers with disabilities and for people who help them; maintains that when Hollywood turns its klieg lights on illness, disorder or handicap, public has way of paying attention; says that makes life easier for those who treat problem, and it can pry money loose from donors; photo (M)
Nicole duFresne, 28-year-old actress and playwright, is shot to death on Lower East Side after she and her companions are surprised by two men trying to rob them; photos (M)
Floyd Norris comment on opposition by foreign leaders and businessmen at World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to new American accounting rules that also apply to foreign companies; notes PricewaterhouseCoopers survey of 1,324 chief executives shows bosses around world are less confident they can comply with rules outside their home countries; Novartis' chief executive Daniel L Vasella, who is attending forum, says chief executives of several smaller European countries told him they might try to leave American market; adds Securities and Exchange Commission chairman William H Donaldson addressed forum to try to ease concerns; photo (M)
Ben Brantley reviews New Group's revival of David Rabe play Hurlyburly, directed by Scott Elliott; Ethan Hawke, Josh Hamilton and Parker Posey star; photos (M)
Procter & Gamble Reaches A Deal to Acquire Gillette Procter & Gamble, the nation's largest consumer products company, reached a deal to acquire the Gillette Company for about $57 billion in stock, the companies said.
Harvey Araton Sports of The Times column contends that New York Knicks could not emerge from hiring Phil Jackson as coach unscathed, and asserts that president Isiah Thomas and Jackson, who is rumored to be of interest to Knicks, would not get along; photos (M)
Article on Cheeca Lodge and Spa in Islamorada, Fla, which is selling resort residences as part of its conversion from traditional resort to condominium hotel; fractional ownership programs at high-end time shares, condominiums and houses are one of hottest trends among luxury resorts; photos; maps (L)