Portal:Current events/2005 March 2

March 2, 2005 (Wednesday)

In Pakistan, a bill proposing to strengthen the law against "Honour Killing" is defeated in Parliament, after the government sides with the Islamist opposition and deems the bill "un-Islamic". (BBC)
Unpopular Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa of the former British colony of Hong Kong reportedly resigns, with reluctant approval from Beijing. (The Standard), (BBC),(CBC), (Globe&Mail), (Reuters), (CNN), (BBC).
Banda Sea earthquake: An earthquake measuring up to 7.5 on the Richter scale hits Darwin, Northern Territory in Australia (ABC News)
The Israeli Defence Forces discover a Hamas bomb-lab near Jenin in a metal workshop. The lab contains what appeared to be a Qassam rocket in an initial state of production, and large quantities of other materials used for manufacturing bombs. (Haaretz)
US company Titan Corporation agrees to pay a fine equivalent to US$28.5 million after they admit attempting bribery to get a military communications contract in Benin. The corporation allegedly gave US$2 million to the re-election campaign of president Mathieu Kérékou. (Reuters) Archived 2005-03-05 at the Wayback Machine, (Financial Times), (BBC)
Microsoft founder Bill Gates is awarded the title of Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II (which will entitle him to suffix the letters "KBE" to his name but not use the title of "Sir") for his contribution to enterprise in the United Kingdom and his efforts in poverty reduction around the world. (BBC)

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