Portal:Current events/2006 March 22

March 22, 2006 (Wednesday)

A bankruptcy court judge in New York has authorized the creation of an equity holders' committee in connection with the reorganization of auto parts maker Delphi Corporation, (Reuters)^{[permanent dead link]}
University of Wisconsin–Madison scientists believe they may have discovered a reason why the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus cannot yet jump easily between humans. (BBC)
The MV Queen of the North, a 125 metre ferry operated by BC Ferries, strikes a rock in British Columbia's Inside Passage shortly after midnight, and sinks. All passengers and crew are thought to have safely abandoned ship, but two passengers are later declared missing and presumed dead. (CBC)
Basque separatist group ETA announce a permanent ceasefire to their 38-year campaign for independence from Spain, which has cost over 800 lives. (BBC)
Russian President Vladimir Putin pays a visit to the Shaolin Temple, the symbol of Chinese Martial arts on his state visit to China. (SINA)
Tracy Williams from Oldham, Greater Manchester, England, is ordered to pay £10,000 damages, plus £7,200 legal costs for libelling former parliamentary candidate Michael Keith Smith in a Yahoo chat room and in her blog, making history in respect of legal actions involving the Internet. She had accused Smith of being a sex offender and a racist bigot. Williams did not file a defence to the libel writ. (Manchester Evening News), (Times), (BBC)
Ethiopia: Government prosecutors withdrew charges against 18 out of 129 opposition figures and journalists facing charges following last year's violent skirmishes in the country. However, none of the party leaders of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) were included in this action.