Portal:Current events/2008 November 19

November 19, 2008 (Wednesday)

The International Monetary Fund approves a US$2.1 billion rescue package for Iceland following its financial crisis. (The Wall Street Journal)
The Supreme Court of California agrees to hear a challenge to Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in the state (Los Angeles Times)
The Supreme Court of Nepal approves foreign same-sex marriage for Nepalese citizens. (Hindustan Times)
Amnesty International's report on the 2008 South Ossetia war highlights Georgia's role as aggressor and notes evidence of "notoriously inaccurate" Georgian artillery fire resulting in "scores" of civilian deaths in South Ossetia, of aimed artillery fire at Russian peacekeepers base, and of Russian failure to provide defense to civilians during the conflict. (Amnesty International) (AP via CBS)
Piracy in Somalia:
- The Indian Navy frigate INS Tabar destroys a pirate ship and forces the abandonment of another pirate vessel off the coast of Somalia. (BBC News)
- The MV Delight, a Hong Kong cargo ship carrying 36,000 tons of wheat and 25 crew members is hijacked near Yemen's coast in the Gulf of Aden. (CNN)
- A Thai fishing ship with 16 crew members is hijacked off the coast of the Horn of Africa. (AsiaOne)
New Zealand and Australian researchers identify a new species of penguin, the Waitaha penguin (Megadyptes waitaha), which lived in New Zealand until its extinction 500 years ago. (AAP via Sydney Morning Herald)(Science Daily) (BBC)
John Key is officially sworn in as the Prime Minister of New Zealand by Governor-General Anand Satyanand. (AFP via Google News)
The first successful trachea transplant using a tissue-engineered organ is performed in Spain. (BBC News)
NASA successfully tests the first deep-space communications protocol to pave the way for Interplanetary Internet. (MSNBC)