Current events of 23 February 2009 (2009-02-23) (Monday) edit history watch

Member of Parliament Peter Archer's report into the United Kingdom's tainted blood scandal chiefly blames United States pharmaceutical companies that provided contaminated blood plasma, thus infecting approximately 5,700 hemophiliacs with HIV or hepatitis C. (AP via Google News) Norway's Royal Navy will resume searching for Antarctic explorer Roald Amundsen's Latham 47 flying boat. (AP via Google News) A Paris court rejects a bid to block the auction of two China-claimed Qing Dynasty sculptures that are part of Yves Saint Laurent's art collection. (Reuters) The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 fall to their lowest levels since 1997. (Los Angeles Times) Pope Benedict XVI selects Archbishop Timothy Dolan to succeed Cardinal Edward Egan as New York's Archdiocese. (New York Times) The death toll from recent bushfires in Victoria reaches 210 as they threaten Belgrave. (ABC News Australia) Queensland's government announces a state election for March 21, 2009. (ABC News Australia) Ethiopian national Benyam Mohammed is released from Guantanamo Bay Naval Base's detention camp. (Sky News) South Korea's Defense Ministry reports that North Korea has medium-range ballistic missiles capable of striking U.S. military bases. (CNN) India approves a £1.7-billion plan to launch its first astronauts into outer space by 2015. (Times)