- February 22, 2005
February 22 2005 * Images relayed by the European space probe, Mars Express, reveal the existence of a sea of ice close to the equator of Mars. The discovery is considered to increase the likelihood of life currently existing on the planet. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4285119.stm BBC] [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050222.wmarz0222/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/ (Globe and Mail)]
*Israel names formerIsraeli Air Force commanderMajor General Dan Halutz as the new Chief of Staff of theIsraeli Defence Forces . He will replaceGeneral Moshe Ya'alon at the beginning of July. [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/543551.html (Haaretz)]
* Anearthquake , registering 6.4 on the Richter Scale, strikes the city of Zarand and several villages inIran at 02:25UTC , leaving at least 546 dead. ("see"2005 Zarand earthquake ). [http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/02/22/inewran-quake-050222.html (CBC)]
* Swiss medical companyNovartis buys US companyEon Labs and GermanHexal AG, increasing its share in the generic medical drugs market [http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=&fArticleId=2419333 (Business Report)] [http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/story.jsp?story=613517 (Independent)] [http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=107&sid=5552697 (SwissInfo)]
* TheWorld Food Program states that it has only 70 000 tons of food left forEritrea food aid until June. Reason given is the concentration of aid to areas that suffered from2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4284837.stm (BBC)]
*European Union countries renew sanctions against the government ofRobert Mugabe inZimbabwe [http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-02-21T133223Z_01_CHA146479_RTRUKOC_0_ZIMBABWE-EU.xml (Reuters)] [http://www.zimobserver.com/newsdetail.asp?article_id=1009 (Zim Observer)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4284689.stm (BBC)]
* InNigeria , PresidentOlusegun Obasanjo opens a national political conference aboutconstitution al reform [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/7736a0b214fc5f889182858479d1797c.htm (Reuters Alertnet)] [http://allafrica.com/stories/200502210349.html (AllAfrica)] [http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45666&SelectRegion=West_Africa (IRIN)] [http://nigeriaworld.com/feature/publication/arowolaju/022005.html (Nigeria World)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4283245.stm (BBC)]
* InTogo , the National Assembly reversesconstitution al changes that allowedFaure Gnassingbé to become president [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/8d9651e418b5bbfcf38fb38e2ed2d683.htm (Reuters Alertnet)] [http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=68&art_id=qw1108989366136B232&set_id= (IOL)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4283467.stm (BBC)]
*North Korea hints that it may be willing to return to nuclear negotiations under unspecified conditions [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=ak3TORUUZXOM&refer=top_world_news (Bloomberg)] [http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200502/200502220009.html (Chosun Ilbo)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4285859.stm (BBC)]
* InBolivia , former presidentGonzalo Sánchez de Lozada and his cabinet are formally charged withgenocide . The charge is related to deaths of 60 people who protested against government plans to exportnatural gas [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4285803.stm (BBC)]
*Japan ese cabinet is considering whether to announcePrincess Aiko as the next in line to the Japanese throne [http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=9&id=328513 (Japan Today)] [http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/132555/1/.html (Channel News Asia)] [http://today.reuters.co.uk/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-02-22T061526Z_01_HOL208902_RTRUKOC_0_JAPAN-ROYAL-SUCCESSION.xml (Reuters)]
* After over a decade of existence, pop/punk phenomenonBlink-182 decides to go on an "indefinite hiatus"
* Lead guitarist Brian 'head' Welch left Korn
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