Portal:Current events/2012 March 29

Current events of March 29, 2012 (2012-03-29) (Thursday)

Arts and culture The death is announced of award-winning poet, essayist and public intellectual Adrienne Rich, credited with bringing the oppression of women and lesbians to the forefront of poetic discourse. (The Guardian) Business and economy Workers in Spain commence a general strike over government austerity measures. (BBC) Queues form at petrol stations across the United Kingdom after government ministers urged motorists to top up their fuel tanks ahead of a possible strike by fuel tanker drivers. (BBC) (The Guardian) Smart phone pioneer Research in Motion announces major shake-ups in executive ranks and a strategic review in its earnings report. (Reuters) Disasters At least 13 people are killed at the San Pedro Sula prison in Honduras. (BBC) International relations The leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa meet in New Delhi, India, for the 2012 BRICS summit. (Reuters) Law and crime Two Italians set themselves on fire in Bologna and Verona. (BBC) (IOL) (Indian Express) Police in Ankara fire tear gas and water cannons on thousands of demonstrators. (Al Jazeera) Hana Shalabi ends her 43-day hunger strike and is exiled to the Gaza Strip. (BBC) Politics and elections Sten Tolgfors resigns as Swedish Minister for Defence due to allegations that he knew about plans to assist Saudi Arabia build a weapons plant. (Reuters) Iranian-born Israeli politician Shaul Mofaz is elected as leader of the Kadima party and Israel's leader of opposition. (Haaretz) George Galloway of the Respect Party wins the United Kingdom House of Commons constituency of Bradford West in a by-election. (BBC) Science The UK government says that viaspan, a solution used to preserve some donor organs, could be contaminated with bacteria after routine tests detected Bacillus cereus in the solution used to test the sterility of viaspan. (BBC) Sport Stuart Lancaster is named permanent England rugby union head coach after signing a four-year contract. (BBC)