Around the World (November 20, 2008)

[Kamal_Farran]

***TOP STORY***
Global financial crisis - The Dow Jones Industrial Average falls 427.47 points, 5.07%, and closes below 8,000 points for the first time since March 2003.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/11/19/markets/markets_newyork/index.htm?postversion=2008111916


***PIRACY IN SOMALIA***
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.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/11/18/china.ship.piracy/index.html?eref=edition_asia

A Thai fishing ship with 16 crew members is hijacked off the coast of the Horn of Africa.
http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20081119-101913.html

The Indian Navy frigate INS Tabar, destroys a pirate ship and forces the abandonment of another pirate vessel off the coast of Somalia.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7736885.stm


***SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IN CALIFORNIA***
The state's Supreme Court agrees to hear a challenge to Proposition 8.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-prop8-supreme-court20-2008nov20,0,2453702.story


***OTHER NEWS***
New Zealand and Australian researchers identify a new species of penguin, the Waitaha penguin, which lived in New Zealand until its extinction 500 years ago.
http://news.smh.com.au/national/research-identifies-new-penguin-species-20081119-6b8i.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081118194528.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7735500.stm

Amnesty International's report on the 2008 South Ossetia war highlights Georgia's role as aggressor during August hostilities in South Ossetia. It also provides 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.
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/EUR04/005/2008/en/d9908665-ab55-11dd-a4cd-bfa0fdea9647/eur040052008eng.pdf
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/18/ap/europe/main4613145.shtml

Claudia Castillo of Spain becomes the first person to have a successful trachea transplant using a tissue-engineered organ.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7735696.stm

Colombia - Stop False Accusations Against Human Rights Groups
Government Should Address Reported Abuses
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2008/11/19/colombia-stop-false-accusations-against-human-rights-groups

Hungarian-Venezuelan Solidarity Association joins Hands Off Venezuela!
http://www.handsoffvenezuela.org/hvsa_joins_hov.htm

John Key is officially sworn in as the Prime Minister of New Zealand by Governor-General Anand Satyanand.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jHlKIcUb-bAZzFAO7VuEILU9-o0A

NASA successfully tests the first deep-space communications protocol to pave the way for Interplanetary Internet.
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/11/19/1680557.aspx

The Supreme Court of Nepal approves foreign same-sex marriage for Nepalese citizens.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=&id=7c190914-f498-427c-ad0b-97559a3aae71&&Headline=Nepal+SC+approves+same-sex+marriage

US-Iraq security agreement set to be ratified
http://wsws.org/articles/2008/nov2008/iraq-n19.shtml

Yemen - Protect Victims of Forgotten War
Government and Rebels Must Guarantee Humanitarian Access to Civilians
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2008/11/18/yemen-protect-victims-forgotten-war


***YOUTUBE TODAY***
Maryam loves Obama
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9cgwW6-tcY