Portal:Current events/October 2011

See also: October 2011 in sports

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October 2011 was the tenth month of that common year. The month, which began on a Saturday, ended on a Monday after 31 days.

Portal:Current events

This is an archived version of Wikipedia's Current events Portal from October 2011.

October 1, 2011 (2011-10-01) (Saturday) Armed conflict and attacks 2011 Libyan civil war: In the heavily besieged city of Sirte, heavy fighting continues as aid workers from the International Committee of the Red Cross deliver desperately needed medical supplies. Due to growing fears of a humanitarian disaster, National Transitional Council (NTC) forces have granted safe passage to European aid workers' vehicles. (Reuters) Law and crime Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, the self-confessed assassin of Pakistani politician Salmaan Taseer, is sentenced to death by a Pakistani court. (Express Tribune) Politics China calls on Myanmar to protect interests of Chinese companies after President Thein Sein halted the controversial Chinese-backed Myitsone Dam project. (Reuters) (Spokesperson's remarks) October 2, 2011 (2011-10-02) (Sunday) In horseracing, Danedream wins the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with speed record 2:24.49, becoming the second German horse winner since 1975. (BBC) October 3, 2011 (2011-10-03) (Monday) Armed conflict and attacks North Caucasus insurgency: Two police officers are killed in a suicide car bombing in Kizilyurt, Dagestan, Russia. (CNN) A mosque in the Israeli village of Tuba-Zangaria is torched. (Haaretz) Business and economy The United States Supreme Court announces that it won't hear a much-noted dispute on the width of the "first sale" doctrine in copyright law. (Washington Post) Disasters Eight people are injured following an explosion and fire at a factory in Surrey, United Kingdom. (BBC) Law and crime An Italian appeals court overturns Amanda Knox's 26-year sentence for murder and sexual assault. (The Telegraph) (CBC News) A US court sentences two more Somali pirates to life in prison for capturing a yacht off the coast of Africa in February. (AFP via Google News) Politics Helle Thorning-Schmidt presents her new coalition government, thereby becoming the 41st and the first female Prime Minister of Denmark. She takes over the office from Lars Løkke Rasmussen. (Winnipeg Free Press) Advocates for prisoners in the US state of California claim that more than 12,000 inmates are now participating in a hunger strike over prison conditions. (Los Angeles Times) Science Bruce Beutler of the US, Jules A. Hoffmann of France and Ralph Steinman of Canada (posthumously) share the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for research into the immune system. (AP via New Zealand Herald) (BBC) Sport US golfer Tiger Woods drops out of the top 50 in the world ranking for the first time in nearly 15 years, ending a streak of 778 consecutive weeks inside the top 50, dating to when Woods was No. 61 on October 13, 1996. (Los Angeles Times) October 4, 2011 (2011-10-04) (Tuesday) Armed conflict and attacks Gunmen kill 12 Shiite Muslims near the Pakistani city of Quetta in an apparent sectarian killing. (AP via ABC News) At least 130 people are killed in a car bombing in the Somali capital Mogadishu. (Indo-Asian News Service via Hindustan Times) Business and economy Regulators in the European Union are close to making a formal announcement that they object to a proposed merger of NYSE Euronext with Deutsche Boerse AG, according to an anonymous source cited by Reuters. (Reuters). Technology company Apple Inc. announces its much-anticipated iPhone 4S at Apple's Cupertino campus. (USA Today) Disasters The death toll from the flooding of Cambodia's Mekong River and attendant flash floods reaches 164. (Xinhua via Philippines Star) The Pacific islands of Tuvalu and Tokelau declare a state of emergency due to a lack of drinking water caused by low rainfall. (The Telegraph) A helicopter crashes into the East River in New York City killing one person and injuring three after taking off from the East 34th Street Heliport. (New York Times) Home Video The Lion King: Diamond Edition on Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D International relations Nine North Korean defectors arrive in South Korea after staying in Japan for three weeks. (Yonhap) Russia and the People's Republic of China veto a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Syria for a crackdown on political protestors. (Al Jazeera) Law and crime The European Court of Justice rules against "the imposition of national borders to sell broadcasting rights on a territory-by-territory basis", as this is in contravention of EU laws on free trade. It would allow members of the public to seek cheaper providers of Premier League football, whilst finding against a landlady who used Greek television to show live football in her public house. (The Guardian) Politics and elections Voters in the US state of West Virginia go to the polls for a gubernatorial special election with acting Governor, Democrat Earl Ray Tomblin, being elected as Governor of West Virginia. (CNN) (Charleston Gazette) Voters in the Canadian province of Manitoba go to the polls for a general election, with the NDP led by Greg Selinger being elected to a fourth term. (CBC) (Montreal Gazette) The Haitian Senate finally approves the appointment of Garry Conille as the Prime Minister. (AP) The Italian Wikipedia shuts down in protest against a privacy law drafted by Silvio Berlusconi's government which would impose restrictions on newspapers and Internet pages. (Reuters) (Italian Wikipedia) Science Saul Perlmutter, Brian P. Schmidt and Adam Riess share the Nobel Prize for Physics for work on the accelerating expansion of the universe. (Nobel Prize) (The Guardian) Sport In basketball, the North American National Basketball Association cancels the remainder of the preseason due to the 2011 NBA lockout, with cancellation of games in the regular season occurring if the lockout continues for another week. (NBC Sports) In soccer, Seattle Sounders F.C. defeat Chicago Fire 2-0 to win the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for the third year in a row, the first time a team has done this in over 40 years. (USA Today) October 5, 2011 (2011-10-05) (Wednesday) Armed conflict and attacks Arab Spring: At least three people are killed and 22 injured after Yemeni Army troops shell opposition forces in the southern province of Taiz. (Xinhua) In eastern Saudi Arabia near the Persian Gulf, police open fire on protesters as public unrest intensifies. (The Independent) Business and economy NYSE Euronext and Deutsche Boerse AG, two exchange operating concerns planning a merger, receive a statement of objections to that merger from the European Union's business regulators. (NYSE Euronext) Various American labor unions, including the CWA and the ATU, join the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations in New York City. (Reuters) Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Inc., dies of pancreatic cancer at the age of 56. (Apple Statement) (Forbes) Disasters In Thailand, more than 200 people are killed by floods during a severe monsoon season, with 58 of the country's 77 provinces affected. (ABC News Australia) A container ship runs aground on a reef off the coast of Tauranga, New Zealand, causing a large oil spill into the Bay of Plenty and affecting wildlife. (Television New Zealand) Law and crime In the Mekong River massacre, two Chinese cargo boats are hijacked and 13 crew members murdered in the Golden Triangle region of Southeast Asia. (BBC) German prosecutors reopen hundreds of investigations into Nazi concentration camp guards, following the successful prosecution of retired U.S. autoworker John Demjanjuk for his role at the Sobibor extermination camp in Poland during World War II. (AP via ABC News America) Three people are killed in a workplace shooting in Cupertino, California. (Mercury Times) Politics and elections A strike by Greek public sector workers leads to the closure of transport services, schools and most public hospitals, with thousands of people protesting against government austerity measures in Athens. (Reuters) Luis Fortuño, the Governor of the US Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, submits a plan for a two-part referendum to change the islands's status. (AP via Atlanta Journal Constitution) The Governor of Alabama, Robert J. Bentley, orders flags on state government buildings to fly at half-mast following the death of civil rights leader Fred Shuttlesworth. (Birmingham News) The former Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin announces that she will not put her name forward as a Republican candidate for the 2012 presidential election. (BBC) Science Israeli scientist Daniel Shechtman wins the 2011 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for the discovery of quasicrystals. (AP via The Star) October 6, 2011 (2011-10-06) (Thursday) Arts and culture Swedish poet Tomas Tranströmer is awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in Literature. (Nobel Foundation) (The Guardian) (The Washington Post) Business and economy Production at the Japanese plants of carmaker Toyota returns to normal following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. (Kyodo) The Bank of England injects a further £75bn into the British economy through quantitative easing. (BBC) Disasters Tropical Storm Jova forms off the Pacific coast of Mexico. (NHC) International relations South Korea rejects North Korea's demands that two citizens from the north who crossed the border be repatriated. (Yonhap) Law and crime The trial of Ichirō Ozawa, a powerful faction leader in the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, over a political funding scandal begins today in Japan. (AFP via Google News) Politics and elections Voters in Canada's most populous province Ontario go to the polls for a general election with the Ontario Liberal Party, led by Dalton McGuinty, winning another term under a slight minority government.(The Globe and Mail) (CTV) October 7, 2011 (2011-10-07) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks The ongoing allied war in Afghanistan marks its tenth anniversary, with the death toll among ISAF personnel reaching 2,670. (AFP via Sydney Morning Herald) Disasters At least 35 people are killed in an expressway accident in the north Chinese port city of Tianjin, while another 10 are killed in a 24-car pileup in the Lianyungang–Khorgas Expressway's Anhui section. (Xinhua) (China Daily) International relations The Norwegian Nobel Committee announce the winners of the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, with the prize being shared between the President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian activist Leymah Gbowee and Yemeni women's rights activist Tawakkol Karman. (AFP via Google News) (News Limited) A South Korean presidential aide warns that North Korea could conduct a third nuclear weapons test if disarmament negotiations do not resume. (Yonhap) Law and crime The NYPD busts a Queens-based identity theft and retail crime ring, arresting over 110 people. It was the largest identity theft ring in the history of the United States, making an annual profit of over $13 million. (New York Daily News) (Reuters) Politics and elections Alison Redford of the Progressive Conservatives is sworn in as the first female Premier of the Canadian province of Alberta. (CBC) In the United States, the Occupy Wall Street protests spread from New York to other major cities. (Reuters) (BBC) Sport The Detroit Tigers defeat the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the 2011 American League Division Series. They move on to play the Texas Rangers in the 2011 ALCS. (New York Times) The Milwaukee Brewers defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 5 to move onto the 2011 National League Championship Series. (USA Today) Spanish torero ('bullfighter') Juan José Padilla is gored by a bull in Zaragoza, almost dying from his injuries. (Daily Mail) October 8, 2011 (2011-10-08) (Saturday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011 Libyan civil war: After a lengthy and bloody siege, National Transitional Council forces approach the center of the city of Sirte, facing heavy resistance from troops loyal to the ousted dictator Muammar Gaddafi. (Channel 4 News) Rocket fire and gunshots are reported in the Afghan city of Kandahar. (Xinhua) International relations The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees opens a new refugee camp in western Ethiopia for refugees from Sudan and South Sudan. (BNO News) Law and crime Indonesian police arrest four people in connection with the suicide bombing of a mosque in Cirebon, West Java. (Jakarta Post) Sport In horse racing, the Australian mare Black Caviar ties the record set by Phar Lap for consecutive victories,with an unbeaten run of 14 wins. (ABC News Australia) In rugby league, Leeds Rhinos win the European Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford by defeating St Helens 32-16. (BBC) Transportation Stages 4 and 5 of Circle MRT line began operations, with all 12 stations along the Stage 4 and 5 of the MRT line from Caldecott to HarbourFront (except Bukit Brown) being opened at the same time operated by SMRT Trains Ltd. October 9, 2011 (2011-10-09) (Sunday) Armed conflict and attacks 2011 Libyan civil war: ousted Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi's stronghold of Sirte is reportedly close to being conquered by the forces of the National Transitional Council, who have captured the city's airport, hospital, university and conference centre. (BBC) At least 25 people are killed and many more injured after protesters and security forces clash in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, during a protest in response to an attack on a Coptic church. (BBC) (Reuters) Arts and culture Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney marries American heiress Nancy Shevell at a ceremony in London. (BBC) Disasters A magnitude 4.3 earthquake hits the southern coast of El Hierro in the southwestern Canary Islands of Spain, the strongest such earthquake to occur in an earthquake swarm on the island. The quake is believed to have been caused by rising magma, which has forced evacuations amid fears of an impending volcanic eruption, which last occurred on El Hierro in 1793. (Irish Weather Online) (Daily Mail) (Philippine Star) Politics and elections Voters in Cameroon go to the polls for a presidential election, with incumbent President Paul Biya likely to be re-elected. (AFP via Fen) Voters in Poland go to the polls for a parliamentary election, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk's Civic Platform – Polish People's Party coalition becoming the first government to be reelected since Poland transitioned to democracy in 1989. (AFP via Google News) (Reuters) The French Socialist Party holds a nationwide primary election to choose its candidate for the 2012 presidential election, with over 1 million voters participating and François Hollande and Martine Aubry entering a run-off election. (France24) (Bloomberg via Business Week) Having spread across the United States, anti-corruption Occupy Wall Street protests reach Canada, London, and The Hague. (Radio Netherlands) Sport In motorsports, Sebastian Vettel of Germany wins the Formula One World Championship, becoming the youngest driver to win the Drivers' Championship twice. (The Guardian) October 10, 2011 (2011-10-10) (Monday) Arts and culture Iranian actress Marzieh Vafamehr is sentenced to 90 lashes of the cane and a year's jail in Tehran for appearing in the film My Tehran For Sale which criticises the Government of Iran's harsh policies on the arts. (ABC News Australia) Business and economy France and Belgium agree to break up and partially nationalize Dexia, Belgium's largest bank. (Globe and Mail) American economists Thomas J. Sargent and Christopher A. Sims win the 2011 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. (Bloomberg via Business Week) The Bank of Greece announces the bail-out and takeover of Proton Bank via that country's Financial Stability Fund. (Reuters) Law and crime The trial of two South African farm workers for the murder of Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging white supremacist Eugène Terre'Blanche begins. (Daily Telegraph) Governor Rick Scott of Florida signs the death warrant for Oba Chandler, convicted of the murder of three women in 1989, with the execution set for November 15. (Orlando Sentinel) The trial of Vincent Tabak, who is accused of murdering British landscape architect Joanna Yeates, begins at Bristol Crown Court. (BBC) Politics and elections The president of Equatorial Guinea and the first lady met the president of Gabon to inaugurate the new Corisco International Airport. (Oficina de Información y Prensa de Guinea Ecuatorial) Sport In basketball, National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern cancels the first two weeks of the 2011–12 NBA season due to the ongoing lockout. (CBS Sports) October 11, 2011 (2011-10-11) (Tuesday) Armed conflict and attacks China follows Russian admonishment of the Syrian government while the opposition Syrian National Council gains support in Egypt and is recognized by Libya. (CNN) The EU imposes further sanctions on Belarus, Iran, and Syria, expresses support for Libya's National Transitional Council, and reiterates call for Syria's President Bashar al-Assad to step down. (CNN) Business and economy The Senate of the United States passes the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act of 2011 designed to press the People's Republic of China to raise the value of the Renminbi. (Reuters) A measure to support expansion of the eurozone bailout fund is halted due to its failure to pass in the Parliament of Slovakia. (Market Watch via The Australian) Jaguar Financial Corp. claims that it has the support of 8% of the shareholders of Research in Motion in its campaign for corporate-governance changes at the Canada-based manufacturer of the BlackBerry. (Press Release) Disasters Hurricane Jova crosses the western coast of Mexico northwest of the port of Manzanillo, Colima, at Category 2 strength. (Reuters) (Bloomberg) An oil spill from the ship MV Rena off the coast of Tauranga in New Zealand becomes the country's worst environmental disaster. (New Zealand Herald) International relations The Cabinet of Israel approves a prisoner swap deal with Hamas for the release of the Israeli Army soldier Gilad Shalit, who had been held in captivity for five years. In exchange, Israel agrees to release a thousand Palestinian prisoners held in Israel, among them hundreds of prisoners serving multiple life sentences for planning and perpetrating murderous attacks against Israeli civilians.(Xinhuanet) (Ynet) Law and crime Yulia Tymoshenko, the former Prime Minister of Ukraine, is jailed for seven years for exceeding her powers by entering a gas deal with Russia. (BBC) The bodies of 12 Chinese sailors have been found and one remains missing in Mekong river, where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet, after the incident last week in which two Chinese cargo vessels were hijacked by suspected drug smugglers in the Golden Triangle, and later captured by Thai river police.(Xinhua) (The Wall Street Journal) (The New York Times) The US Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration claim to have disrupted an alleged terrorist plot to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador and bombings of the Saudi and Israeli embassies in Washington DC with possible links to Iran. (ABC News) (BBC) Politics and elections Voters in Liberia go to the polls for a general election with current President and recent Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf facing a tight race. (Reuters) Myanmar's tightly controlled state newspapers call for a political amnesty indicating that reforms may soon be announced by President Thein Sein with the National Human Rights Commission recommending the pardon of some 6000 plus "prisoners of conscience". (CNN) (AP via Google News) Voters in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador go to the polls for general election with the Progressive Conservative Party winning its third straight majority and its leader Kathy Dunderdale becoming the first woman elected as Premier of the province. (CTV) In the Yukon Territory voters re-elect the Yukon Party under Premier Darrell Pasloski, with an NDP official opposition. (CBC) President of the United States Barack Obama's "jobs bill" stalls in the Senate. (Politico) October 12, 2011 (2011-10-12) (Wednesday) Arts and culture Burmese comedian, actor and dissident Zarganar is released as part of an amnesty by the government of Myanmar for over 6,000 dissidents. (AP via Google News) Disasters The Prime Minister of New Zealand John Key warns that the container ship MV Rena which ran agound on Astrolabe Reef a week ago could break up as oil slicks have appeared on beaches near Tauranga. (New Zealand Stuff) The death toll from the 2011 United States listeriosis outbreak reaches a total of 23 dead with 116 affected, making it the deadliest outbreak of foodborne illness in the U.S. in 25 years. (Minneapolis Star Tribune) Law and crime At least eight people are killed and one is seriously injured in a shooting at a hair salon in Seal Beach, California, USA. (Los Angeles Times) (Associated Press) Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian man also known as the "underwear bomber", pleads guilty to attempting to blow up an airliner on Christmas Day 2009 in a trial in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. (AFP via Sydney Morning Herald) Politics and elections Carbon tax in Australia: The House of Representatives of Australia passes the Gillard government's carbon tax legislation. (Sydney Morning Herald) More than 85 people are removed from the Parliament during Question Time while protesting at the passage of the legislation. (Herald-Sun) October 13, 2011 (2011-10-13) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks A US drone attack in Pakistan's North Waziristan region destroys a Haqqani network militant compound, with four people reported killed. (AFP via Google News) At least 16 people are killed by twin bomb blasts in the Sadr City neighbourhood of Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. (BBC) Arts and culture The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, marries 21-year-old college student Jetsun Pema in Punakha. (AP via MSNBC) Business and economy Qantas passengers in Australia face long delays and flight cancellations, as another strike by the airline's ground crew begins. (News Limited) Disasters At least 88 containers fall from the stricken cargo ship MV Rena into the Bay of Plenty off New Zealand's North Island, including one containing the toxic chemical ferrosilicon. (AFP via SBS News Australia) Vietnam's Mekong River delta suffers its worst flooding in a decade, with 43 people killed and 70,000 homes destroyed. (AP via Washington Post) An earthquake measuring 6 on the Richter scale hits off the coast of the Indonesian island of Bali, injuring at least 50 people and causing significant property damage. (AAP via Herald Sun) (AP via USA Today) At least 20 people die after an Airlines PNG de Havilland Canada DHC Dash 8-102 crashes on the north coast of Papua New Guinea between Lae and Madang. (ABC News Australia) At least 41 people die after a bus drives off a narrow mountain road in Nepal's Sindhuli District. (BBC) At least 29 people are killed in Central America and Mexico by a series of storms; five of the deaths are caused by Hurricane Jova. (ABC News Australia) International relations The President of South Korea, Lee Myung-bak, gives an address to a joint session of the United States Congress, emphasizing the importance of a recently-concluded free trade deal between South Korea and the United States, and expounding the need to improve relations with North Korea. (Yonhap) Law and crime Sri Lankan-American Raj Rajaratnam, a former hedge fund tycoon, is sentenced to 11 years in jail for insider trading. (Reuters) Politics and elections The first results of the Liberian general election are due to be announced, with a runoff election likely in the presidential race between incumbent President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and ex-diplomat Winston Tubman. (BBC) (VOA) The Parliament of Slovakia passes a law providing for a parliamentary election on March 10, as part of a deal to allow the passage of the European Union's European Financial Stability Fund. (Xinhua) Science Researchers at the Universities of Texas, Wollongong, British Columbia and Hanyang announce that they have collaboratively developed carbon nanotube-based artificial muscle fibers with over 1,000 times the rotational power of previous designs. The invention is expected to have applications in the creation of nanoscale motors and electrical systems. (Science Daily) October 14, 2011 (2011-10-14) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks U.S. President Barack Obama authorizes the deployment of up to 100 American soldiers to Uganda, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to assist in operations against the Lord's Resistance Army insurgency. (Wall Street Journal) A United States drone attack kills a further four militants in Waziristan near Pakistan's border with Afghanistan; it is the third such attack in 48 hours. (AFP via Google) Business and economy Apple Inc. releases its latest smartphone model, the iPhone 4S. (MSNBC) Thousands of Qantas passengers in Australia face further disruption and cancellation of flights as the airline's maintenance engineers go on strike. (SBS) Credit rating agency Standard & Poor's cuts Spain's credit rating to AA- with a negative outlook, as the European debt crisis deepens. (Bloomberg) Google announces that it plans to shut down its Google Buzz social network. (CNN) Microsoft completes its acquisition of Internet phone company Skype for US$8.5 billion. (The Register) Disasters A 6.7 magnitude earthquake occurs near the Papua New Guinean city of Lae. (ABC News Australia) A JH-7 jet fighter crashes at an air show in Pucheng County in China's Shaanxi Province, leaving one pilot injured and another still missing. (CNN) (Xinhua) The Prime Minister of Thailand, Yingluck Shinawatra, reassures residents that the capital, Bangkok, will largely escape from major flooding over the weekend. An estimated 289 people have been killed by flooding in Thailand since July 2011. (Reuters) Politics The Prime Minister of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi, survives his fifty-third no-confidence vote in the Parliament of Italy by 316 votes to 301. (New York Times) (International Business Times) The British Secretary of State for Defence, Liam Fox, resigns amid allegations over his working relationship with lobbyist Adam Werritty. (BBC) British Cabinet Office Minister Oliver Letwin apologises after he is photographed dumping Parliamentary papers – including confidential constituents' letters – into a public bin in London's St. James's Park. (BBC) Science A stromatolite colony is found at Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. (BBC) October 15, 2011 (2011-10-15) (Saturday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011 Yemeni protests: At least nine people are killed and dozens injured in the Yemeni capital Sana'a after security forces use tear gas and live ammunition to disperse anti-government protesters. (VoA) (BBC) Yemeni officials report that Ibrahim al-Banna, the media chief of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, has been killed along with six other militants in a Friday air strike in Yemen's Shabwa Governorate. (BBC) Afghan and U.S. forces repel a Taliban raid on a NATO base in Afghanistan's Panjshir Province, reportedly killing four militants. (Washington Post) (BBC) Business and economy The United States Department of Commerce reports that U.S. retail sales rose at their fastest rate for seven months in September, having risen by 1.1% over the previous month. (BBC) U.S. energy company Kinder Morgan agrees to buy natural gas exploration and pipeline company El Paso for $21.1 billion in cash and stock. (New York Times) Politics and elections Occupy Wall Street protests: Activists affiliated with the Occupy Wall Street movement, which opposes economic inequality and corporate greed, take to the streets in numerous cities worldwide, including Sydney, Rome, Bucharest, Taipei, Tokyo, Toronto, Berlin, and Madrid, in a day of coordinated mass protests. (BBC) (Xinhua) (Seattle Times) (BusinessWeek) (Maclean's) (Wall Street Journal) (Toronto Sun) (Times of India) (BusinessWeek) (San Diego Union-Tribune) (BusinessWeek) (HuffingtonPost) Riot police clash with protesters in Rome, with at least 70 people reportedly injured after masked rioters infiltrate the peaceful protests and attack property in the city. (BBC) Sport France defeats Wales 9-8 in the 2011 Rugby World Cup semi-final at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. (The Telegraph) The Netherlands becomes the first European country to win a professional world baseball championship since 1938, after defeating Cuba 2-1 in the 2011 Baseball World Cup final in Panama City, Panama. (Nu.nl) October 16, 2011 (2011-10-16) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks Libyan Civil War (2011): Fighting continues in the city of Bani Walid, one of the few remaining towns loyal to the ousted dictator Muammar Gaddafi, between pro-Gaddafi fighters and besieging forces loyal to the National Transitional Council. (BBC) 2011 Yemeni protests: At least six people are killed in the Yemeni capital Sana'a after government troops open fire on protesters. These killings constitute the second incident of fatal protest violence in Sana'a in under 48 hours. (MarketWatch) Somali Civil War (2009–present): Kenyan Army troops advance up to 100 kilometers into Somalia to pursue Al-Shabab militants. (Al Jazeera) Arts and culture A ceremony is held to officially re-name the English town of Wootton Bassett with the prefix "Royal" in honour of its role in the repatriation of British military personnel killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is the first town to receive such an honour since 1909. (BBC) Politics and elections François Hollande defeats Martine Aubry in a primary runoff election held by the French Socialist Party, becoming the party's official candidate to challenge incumbent President of France Nicolas Sarkozy in the 2012 presidential election. (AP via Washington Post) Voters in Bolivia go to the polls for a judicial election - the first ever held in Latin America - with opposition politicians urging voters to spoil their ballots in protest against the government of incumbent President Evo Morales. (BBC) Sport New Zealand defeats Australia 20-6 in the semi-final of the 2011 Rugby World Cup at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. (BBC) In motorcycle racing, Australian Casey Stoner wins the 2011 MotoGP World Championship with a victory at the Australian motorcycle Grand Prix. (CNN) English auto racing driver Dan Wheldon dies in a crash in the final race of the 2011 IndyCar Series at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with three other drivers reportedly hospitalised in the crash. (AP via NBC Sports) (Sydney Morning Herald) In baseball, the Saint Louis Cardinals defeat the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2011 National League Championship Series; the Cardinals now go on to face the Texas Rangers in the 2011 World Series. (St Louis Today) 100-year-old British Indian Fauja Singh is certified by Guinness World Records as being the oldest person ever to complete a full marathon. (The Tribune) In Indycar, fifteen cars were involved in a wreck at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the final race of the season. Dan Wheldon, who was involved in the wreck, was transported to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead while the race was red-flagged. The wreck happened on lap 11, and the remaining 188 laps were not raced. October 17, 2011 (2011-10-17) (Monday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011 Libyan civil war: National Transitional Council forces gain control of Muammar Gaddafi's former stronghold of Bani Walid, after a bloody six-week siege. (The Guardian) 2011 Yemeni uprising: At least 12 people die in another major outbreak of fighting in the Yemeni capital Sana'a between supporters and opponents of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. (AP via Washington Post) (BBC) Somali militant group Al-Shabab threatens a counterattack against Kenya in response to the entry of Kenyan Army forces into Somalia. (Al-Jazeera) Business and economy Apple Inc. releases its sales report for the iPhone 4S smartphone, which has reportedly sold over 4 million units worldwide in under four days, breaking company sales records. (Computer World) Politics and elections The Donostia-San Sebastián International Peace Conference is held in the city of Donostia-San Sebastián in the Basque Country, aimed at promoting a resolution to the ongoing Basque conflict. (BBC News) Egypt's ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces announces a law banning all forms of discrimination, in the wake of recent violence between Coptic protesters and security forces. (Al-Jazeera) Thousands of protesters demonstrate in the Australian states of New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia against the coal seam gas industry. (Sydney Morning Herald) Occupy Wall Street protests take place in hundreds of cities worldwide. (CNN) Science Virgin Group chairman Richard Branson opens the world's first commercial spaceport, Spaceport America, in the U.S. state of New Mexico. The SpaceShipTwo spaceplane is expected to begin commercial flights from the spaceport by 2013. (BBC) October 18, 2011 (2011-10-18) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011 Syrian uprising: At least 25 people are killed in the Syrian city of Homs after tanks and security troops open fire on anti-regime protesters. (Reuters) Kenyan Army soldiers, supported by aerial forces, continue their advance into Somalia, approaching an al-Shabab-controlled town 120 kilometres (75 mi) from the Kenyan border. (BBC) Business and economy Moody's downgrades Spain's credit rating to A1 after Standard & Poor's and Fitch downgraded Spain's rating two weeks ago. (Wall Street Journal) Year-over-year GDP growth in the People's Republic of China slows to 9.1% for the third quarter of 2011, following government efforts to curb inflation. (News Limited) Motorola introduces the Droid RAZR, the world's thinnest smartphone. (MSNBC) Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer HTC loses a patent infringement case in the United States, with the United States International Trade Commission ruling that Apple Inc.'s iPhone technology does not violate HTC's patents. (BBC) A bill to takeover the capital city of Harrisburg, rather than have it file for Chapter 9, clears the Pennsylvania State Legislature. The Governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, is expected to sign it. (Reuters) Spaceport America officially opens in New Mexico as the world's first purpose-built commercial spaceport. (Sydney Morning Herald) (BBC) Disasters The Governor of Bangkok, Sukhumbhand Paribatra, appeals for 1.2 million sandbags to protect the Thai capital from encroaching floods, which have killed over 300 people nationwide since July. (Business Week) International relations Israel and the Palestinian militant organization Hamas begin a major prisoner swap, in which the captured Israeli Army soldier Gilad Shalit is released by Hamas in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian and Israeli-Arab prisoners held in Israel. Among the prisoners released are 280 prisoners serving life sentences for planning and perpetrating terror attacks. (CNN) (The Guardian) (The Jerusalem Post) United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton makes an unannounced visit to the Libyan capital Tripoli, aiming to strengthen ties between the United States and the National Transitional Council, which has established itself as Libya's ruling body following the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi. (BBC) Politics About 400,000 illegal immigrants were deported from the United States in the 2011 fiscal year, the most deportations ever in United States history, according to a report released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (CNN) Science The World Health Organisation reports that global malaria deaths have fallen by over 20% since 2001, claiming that over 30 countries are on course to eradicate the mosquito-borne disease by 2020. (BBC) October 19, 2011 (2011-10-19) (Wednesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Turkey launches a military operation against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq, in response to attacks by the Kurdistan Workers Party that killed at least 24 Turkish soldiers in southeastern Turkey. (Hurriyet Daily News) (BBC) Arts and culture The members of the Irish boy band Westlife announce that they are to split. (RTE) (The Telegraph) (Sky News) The rock group Coldplay released their fifth studio album, Mylo Xyloto, by EMI. Business and economy Google unveils the latest version of its Android mobile operating system, 4.0 (code named Ice Cream Sandwich), along with the Galaxy Nexus, its newest flagship smartphone. (The Telegraph) (ZDnet) The United States' largest bank, Bank of America, is surpassed by JPMorgan Chase in total assets, according to Bank of America's quarterly financial earnings report. (New Mexico Business Weekly) The parent of American Airlines, AMR, reports a larger third-quarter loss than expected, due to the cost of aviation fuel and the volatility of foreign exchange. (Reuters) Disasters Floodwaters threaten the Thai capital of Bangkok as the 2011 Thai floods - which have killed 317 people and affected nearly nine million in Thailand since August - continue unabated. (Washington Post) International relations Queen Elizabeth II commences her 16th visit to Australia in the capital Canberra. (ABC News Australia) The President of South Korea, Lee Myung-bak, meets with the Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshihiko Noda, in Seoul. (Yonhap) Law and crime 56 animals are intentionally released by their owner from an exotic animal farm in Muskingum County, Ohio. The owner subsequently commits suicide. (CBS/AP) Politics The Hellenic Parliament gives approval in principle to further austerity measures, as street protests in Athens turn violent amid Greece's worsening economic crisis. (BBC) October 20, 2011 (2011-10-20) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011 Libyan civil war: Deposed Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi is killed in a crossfire between Gaddafi loyalists and rebel fighters in his hometown of Sirte, Libya. (BBC) The pro-Gaddafi stronghold of Sirte is captured by National Transitional Council forces following a month-long siege. The fall of Sirte marks the effective consolidation of NTC control across Libya, following the capture of the Gaddafi holdout of Bani Walid on October 17. (Reuters Africa) Mutassim Gaddafi is killed in an extrajudicial killing. (Daily Mail) In the wake of recent terrorist attacks in southern Turkey, up to 10,000 soldiers of the Turkish Army advance into northern Iraq, pursuing Kurdish separatist PKK militants. (BBC) Basque separatist terrorist organisation ETA declares an end to its 43-year campaign of political violence, which has killed over 800 people since 1968. (BBC) Business and economy The government of Germany states that national GDP growth in 2012 will be significantly lower than initially predicted, due to the eurozone's ongoing economic crisis. (AFP) Japanese optical and imaging equipment company Olympus faces a possible credit downgrade and plunging share prices, due to a spreading scandal over the recent dismissal of its chief executive, Michael Woodford. (Reuters) Disasters The Prime Minister of Thailand, Yingluck Shinawatra, admits that it is impossible to protect all of the capital Bangkok from ongoing nationwide flooding, describing the floods as a "national crisis". (AFP via Thai Visa) The diving support vessel DSV Koosha 1 capsizes off the coast of Iran, resulting in the deaths of six commercial divers from India who are trapped in the vessel's diving chamber when the boat sinks. (DNA India) Law and crime A man is killed and at least 74 people are injured in major riots in the Greek capital Athens on the second day of a nationwide general strike, as Greeks protest in their thousands against new austerity measures intended to alleviate the country's ongoing debt crisis. (ABC) Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange: The leading commander of the military wing of Hamas, Ahmed Jabari, confirms in an interview with the Saudi Arabian newspaper Al-Hayat that the prisoners released in exchange for captured Israeli Gilad Shalit were collectively responsible for the deaths of 569 Israeli civilians. (Haaretz) Politics and elections The Parliament of New Zealand is dissolved in preparation for a general election on November 26. (Radio New Zealand) Britain's three main political parties order their MPs to vote against a Parliamentary motion calling for a referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union, due to be debated on Monday. (BBC) Amid major riots and a general strike, the Hellenic Parliament approves a highly controversial package of austerity measures aimed at resolving Greece's ongoing debt crisis. The austerity measures include higher taxes and cuts to public sector wages. (BBC) The American Jobs Act fails to garner the necessary sixty votes in the United States Senate to proceed. (Business Week) October 21, 2011 (2011-10-21) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks Libyan Civil War: NATO commander James G. Stavridis announces that NATO plans to conclude its Libyan military intervention, Operation Unified Protector, on October 31. (AFP via Google News) Iraq War: The President of the United States, Barack Obama, announces a plan to withdraw all of the remaining American military forces from Iraq by the end of 2011. (CBS News) Business and economy Verizon Communications reports that its third-quarter earnings have doubled. (Wall Street Journal) Disasters The Government of Japan announces a $157 billion additional budget to cover the costs of recovering from March's earthquake and tsunami. (The Guardian) Law and crime Gunmen kill three people near Freeport-McMoRan's gold and copper mine in Indonesia's Papua province. (Reuters via The Guardian) Politics and elections Jay Weatherill is sworn in as the new Premier of South Australia after being officially elected as the leader of the state Australian Labor Party. (The Australian) The President of Cameroon Paul Biya is declared the winner of the Cameroonian presidential election held on October 6. (AFP via Google News) London's St Paul's Cathedral is forced to close its doors to visitors for the first time since the Second World War after protesters set up camp on its doorstep. (BBC) October 22, 2011 (2011-10-22) (Saturday) International relations North Korea agrees, for the first time in 6 years, to let the United States search for the remains of American soldiers killed during the Korean War. (BBC) Disasters A pedestrian suspension bridge collapse in Bijanbari, near Darjeeling, West Bengal, India, kills at least 34 people and injures over 100. (Hindustan Times) (All India Radio) Politics and elections National Transitional Council chairman Mahmoud Jibril announces that Libyan elections will occur "within months". (CNN) Morocco, Togo, Guatemala and Pakistan are elected to the United Nations Security Council, with a fifth seat still undecided. (CNN) Saudi heir Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud dies, leaving questions as to the succession in the kingdom. Hard-line conservative Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz becomes likely successor. (CNN) Voters in the US state of Louisiana go to the polls for a gubernatorial election with incumbent Governor Bobby Jindal expected to be elected in the first round. (AP via Fox News) October 23, 2011 (2011-10-23) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011 Libyan civil war: Autopsy results reveal that former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was killed by a gunshot to the head. (CNN) Disasters A 7.2-magnitude earthquake rocks the city of Van in eastern Turkey, killing at least 582 people. (CNN Türk), (MSNBC) Politics and elections Voters in Tunisia go to the polls for the country's first election since the Tunisian Revolution. (Xinhua) Voters in Bulgaria go to the polls for a presidential election. (AP via Washington Post) Voters in Argentina go to the polls for a general election, with exit polls showing the President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner being reelected in a landslide. (The Guardian) (Bloomberg via Business Week) Voters in Switzerland go to the polls for a federal election, with the Green Liberal Party of Switzerland gaining the most seats compared to the 2007 election, and the Swiss People's Party losing eight seats but remaining the biggest party in the Federal Assembly. (Global Post), (The Guardian) Sports 24-year-old Italian motorcycle racer Marco Simoncelli dies after crashing and being hit by two other riders at the Malaysian MotoGP, leading to the cancellation of the race. (ESPN), (The Australian) In horseracing, Orfevre becomes the seventh Japanese Triple Crown winner, after winning the Kikuka Sho. (Japan Times) In professional football, Manchester United lose to Manchester City 1-6 at Old Trafford. October 24, 2011 (2011-10-24) (Monday) Armed conflicts and attacks Kenyan-Somalian military operation: Kenyan and Somali forces prepare to take the Somali town of Afmadow, defended by Islamist al-Shabaab militiamen. (Daily Nation) Kenyan warplanes bomb a military base in the Islamist-held city of Kismayo, while a French Navy warship patrolling Somali waters bombards the town of Kuday, south of Kismayo. (Daily Nation) One person is killed and at least fourteen people are injured in two separate terrorist attacks in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, both attributed to al-Shabaab. (Al-Jazeera) (BBC) Aftermath of the 2011 Libyan civil war: The corpses of 53 pro-Muammar Gaddafi fighters are found in Sirte, all having apparently been summarily executed by NTC troops. (BBC) Business and economy The Tokyo Stock Exchange announces that it is asking for more disclosure from the embattled Japanese camera and imaging equipment manufacturer Olympus, which is facing a stock price collapse following the dismissal of its CEO, Michael Woodford. The TSE cannot at this time confirm violations of any listing requirements by Olympus. (Reuters) Disasters The death toll from Turkey's recent earthquake reaches 279, and is expected to increase further as rescue teams search the rubble of the city of Van for survivors. Meanwhile, thousands made homeless by the quake are forced to endure freezing overnight temperatures in the open. (CNN) (Reuters and ABC News Australia) (BBC) Torrential rain causes flooding in parts of the United Kingdom, with Cornwall, West Devon, Pembrokeshire and Northern Ireland most affected. (BBC) Law and crime Julian Assange's whistleblowing website Wikileaks announces that it will suspend the publication of classified files and will instead focus on fundraising, after a "financial blockade" by numerous American companies reportedly destroys 95% of the site's revenue. (The Guardian) Politics and elections Following Tunisia's first election since the ousting of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January, the moderate Islamist Renaissance Party declares victory, with their centre-left rivals, the Progressive Democratic Party, conceding defeat. The official results of the election are due to be released next week. (Reuters) The British House of Commons votes to reject a proposed referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union, with 483 MPs voting against the proposal and 111 voting in favour. Among those who supported the proposal were 81 Conservative Party members, who rebelled against the anti-referendum stance of Prime Minister David Cameron, the leader of the Conservative Party. (BBC) Science Ghulam Nabi Azad, India's Minister of Health and Family Welfare, reports that the country has almost entirely eradicated polio through a vaccination program which immunises over 170 million children every year. No new polio cases have been reported in India for over nine months. (BBC) A coronal mass ejection makes the Northern Lights visible over much of North America. (Space Weather) October 25, 2011 (2011-10-25) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts and attacks A Philippine civil defence official estimates that approximately 10,000 people in the southern Philippines have fled their homes due to fighting between Abu Sayyaf rebels and government forces. (AFP via News Limited) Aftermath of Libyan Civil War: The bodies of ousted Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, his son and advisor Mutassim Gaddafi, and former defence minister Abu-Bakr Yunis Jabr are buried in unmarked graves by the National Transitional Council. (BBC) 2011 Yemeni uprising: Fifteen people die in clashes in the Yemeni cities of Sana'a and Taiz. (Daily Star) Arts and culture First-person shooter video game Battlefield 3, developed by Electronic Arts, is released in North America. (ABC News) Disasters and accidents Turkish earthquake: The death toll of eastern Turkey's recent earthquake reaches 366, as emergency services continue to search the rubble of Van for survivors. (The Guardian) Turkey accepts an offer of assistance from Israel. (Jerusalem Post) Floodwaters continue to rise on the outskirts of the Thai capital Bangkok, with floodwaters having reached Don Mueang International Airport, leading to the cancellation of many flights. (Bangkok Post) (Bloomberg via Business Week) Following severe flooding in Ireland and parts of the United Kingdom, two apparent flood deaths are reported in the Irish capital Dublin. (RTÉ) (BBC) One person is killed and fourteen people injured in an explosion in the Swiss city of Yverdon-les-Bains. (AP) Hurricane Rina strengthens to Category 2 strength as it advances towards Cancun and other resorts on the Mexican Riviera. (CBS News) The death toll from the 2011 United States listeriosis outbreak rises to 28, with 133 people in 26 states reportedly suffering from the disease. (AP via Washington Post) Law and crime Police arrest 75 people outside Oakland City Hall in the U.S. state of California while clearing the campsite of the Occupy Oakland protest. (CBS News) The United States Government commences legal action against Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry in Equatorial Guinea and the son of the President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, to seize US$70.8 million in assets allegedly gained from graft and corruption. (Los Angeles Times) Science and technology The last of the United States' nine-megaton B53 warheads, formerly the most powerful nuclear weapons in the country's nuclear arsenal, is disassembled near Amarillo, Texas, having been in service since 1962. (AP) (BBC) Space telescope observations indicate that the supernova RCW 86, first seen by Chinese astronomers in 185 AD, expanded at an unprecedented rate due to the formation of a vacuum-like "cavity" around it in the early stages of the death of its star. The supernova's rapid expansion had previously been one of astronomy's most enduring mysteries. (BBC) October 26, 2011 (2011-10-26) (Wednesday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011 Syrian uprising: At least 17 people are reported dead in Syria, as fighting continues between the government and opposition groups. (CNN) A bomb hidden in a fuel truck kills at least 5 people and injures 45 in Afghanistan's Parwan province. (AP via Washington Post) Arts and culture Indian superhero film Ra.One, the most expensive Bollywood film to date, is released to coincide with the Hindu festival of Diwali. (BBC) A coroner finds that the death of British soul singer Amy Winehouse in July was caused by alcohol poisoning. (AP via The Australian) Business and economy The composite-bodied Boeing 787 Dreamliner makes its first commercial flight with All Nippon Airways, flying between Tokyo and Hong Kong. (BBC) Tsuyoshi Kikukawa resigns as the President and Chairman of Olympus Corporation, as financial and law enforcement bodies in Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom investigate the optical equipment company's acquisitions in recent years. (Wall Street Journal) Disasters Residents in the Mexican city of Cancún brace for Hurricane Rina, which is expected to make landfall on Thursday. (CNN) Turkish earthquake: The search for survivors of the Van earthquake in eastern Turkey enters its third day, with 459 confirmed deaths and over 1,300 injured. (Reuters) (Daily Mail) Turkey announces it will accept offers of aid from foreign countries to cope with the aftermath of the earthquake. (BBC) The Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, blames the high death toll on shoddy construction. (AP via Google News) International relations European Union leaders hold an emergency meeting to discuss the European sovereign debt crisis. (BBC) Law and crime Former Goldman Sachs and Procter and Gamble director Rajat Gupta pleads not guilty to the charge of leaking confidential information to convicted fraudster Raj Rajaratnam. (Wall Street Journal) Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, is reported to be attempting to negotiate a surrender to the International Criminal Court. (Daily Telegraph) Twelve former officials in the military junta that ruled Argentina between 1976 and 1983 are given life sentences for their roles in the dirty war against political opponents, including Alfredo Astiz. (Al-Jazeera) Politics and elections Occupy Wall Street movement: In California, Oakland police disperse Occupy Oakland protesters, using tear gas and rubber bullets and making numerous arrests. (DailyKos) (Reuters) A U.S. Marine Corps veteran is reportedly left in serious but stable condition after the Oakland clashes. (Reuters) (CNN) Brazilian Sports Minister Orlando Silva resigns following corruption allegations, but insists he is innocent. (ESPN) Science American scientists confirm that a transmissible fungus, Geomyces destructans, is responsible for the white-nose syndrome that has decimated bat populations across North America since 2006. (BBC) The United Nations states that the world population will reach seven billion people by October 31, 2011. (CNN) October 27, 2011 (2011-10-27) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks Aftermath of Libyan civil war: The United Nations Security Council confirms that the NATO-enforced no-fly zone over Libya will be terminated on October 31. (Montreal Gazette) (BBC) The lawyer acting for the family of former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed on October 20, announce they will file war crime complaints against NATO in the International Criminal Court. (CNN) 18 people are killed and at least 36 wounded by twin bombings in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. (Belfast Telegraph) A bomb explodes in a food market in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, injuring at least 11 people. (Washington Post) Business and economy Trading on the Australian Stock Exchange is suspended for four hours due to a technical fault. (News Limited) (Herald-Sun) The Bank of Korea reports that the South Korean economy grew at the slowest rate in three quarters. (Yonhap) Eurozone rescue deal: Reports indicate that European private banks have agreed to accept a 50% loss on Greek bonds, therefore removing the last apparent roadblock to a solution for the European sovereign debt crisis. (AP via Atlanta Journal-Constitution) European Union leaders agree to a deal to reduce Greece's debts and provide an additional 100 billion euros for a bailout fund. (AP via USA Today) Disasters 2011 Thailand floods: Tens of thousands of people attempt to flee the Thai capital Bangkok as floodwaters rise. (News Limited) The Governor of Bangkok, Sukhumphand Baripatra, urges people in the flood-threatened Sai Mai District to evacuate. (Bangkok Post) The death toll from the 2011 Van earthquake in Turkey reaches 523, with rain and snow making conditions worse for people left homeless by the earthquake. (AP via Seattle Post-Intelligencer) Twelve thousand people are evacuated from the German city of Halle, following the discovery of an unexploded World War II-era bomb. (Big pond News) Law and crime Scottish serial murderer Robert Black is convicted of the 1981 murder of Northern Irish schoolgirl Jennifer Cardy. (BBC) Politics and elections Elections in Ireland: Voters go to the polls to elect a successor to Mary McAleese in a presidential election. (RTÉ News) (The New York Times) Voters also go to the polls in two constitutional referendums on the Twenty-ninth Amendment and Thirtieth Amendment, with the Irish Council for Civil Liberties saying the information provided to voters in advance was "tardy and inadequate". (The Irish Times) Dr Giles Fraser, the canon chancellor of London's St Paul's Cathedral, announces his resignation from the post, as police prepare to remove Occupy London protesters from the cathedral's churchyard. Dr Fraser said he could not condone the use of violence against the demonstrators. (BBC) (The Guardian) The moderate Islamist Renaissance Party (Nahda) officially wins the Tunisian Constituent Assembly election, gaining more than 41% of the vote and securing 90 of the 217 parliamentary seats being contested. (BBC) Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, the Saudi Arabian Minister of the Interior, is named as the new Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, following the death of Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud on October 22. (AP via Washington Post) Science Researchers in the United Kingdom use a pioneering gene therapy technique to treat sufferers of ocular defects such as retinal choroideremia. (BBC) Sports The St. Louis Cardinals defeat the Texas Rangers 10-9 in the 11th Inning of Game 6 of the World Series. The win forces Game 7, also to occur in St. Louis, Missouri. (Washington Post) October 28, 2011 (2011-10-28) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks A Wahhabi Islamist armed with hand grenades and an automatic weapon opens fire outside the United States embassy in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo, resulting in two people being injured, including the gunman. (AP via Google) Arts and culture The Bolshoi Theater in Moscow reopens following a six-year renovation which has restored it to its pre-revolution state. (The Guardian) Iranian actress Marzieh Vafamehr is released from jail after her sentence for acting in the banned film My Tehran for Sale is reduced. (The Australian) Electronic Arts has reportedly shipped 10 million copies of Battlefield 3 since October 25, according to Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello. (GameSpot) The United States commemorates the 125th anniversary of the dedication of the Statue of Liberty in New York City. (Christian Science Monitor) Business and economy South Korea manufacturer Samsung supersedes Apple to become the largest maker of smartphones in the world. (Reuters) Disasters A 6.9 magnitude earthquake strikes 51 kilometres south-west of the city of Ica in Peru at a depth of 35 km. No reports of casualties are issued. News.com.au International relations Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2011: The heads of government of the Commonwealth of Nations meet in the Western Australian city of Perth. (ABC News Australia) Protesters from the CHOGM Action Network and Occupy Perth gather at a protest in central Perth. (ABC News Australia) Leaders of the 16 countries which have the British monarch as their head of state agree to change succession laws so that sons and daughters of the monarch have equal succession rights and can marry a Roman Catholic. (BBC) (The Telegraph) Law and crime The trial of former Prime Minister of Croatia Ivo Sanader, which was due to begin in Zagreb, is postponed on health grounds. (BBC) Dutch engineer Vincent Tabak is convicted of the murder of British landscape artist Joanna Yeates and sentenced to life imprisonment. (BBC) Occupy London protests: St Paul's Cathedral re-opens to visitors after closing a week ago because Occupy London protesters had set up camp in its churchyard. (BBC) The City of London Corporation announces plans to launch legal action to evict the protesters from St Paul's. (BBC) Nine servicemen from the Thai army are arrested on suspicion of killing 13 Chinese sailors on October 5 in a section of the Mekong River bordering Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. (Xinhua) Movies The Movie Premiere of Puss in Boots From the Creators of Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon Spin-Offs: Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007) and Shrek Forever After (2010) Politics and elections Elections in Ireland: Michael D. Higgins wins the Irish presidential election. (The telegraph), (RTÉ News) (BBC News) Counting also begins in the Dublin West by-election, 2011 held yesterday to elect a replacement for the late Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) and former Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan, Jnr. (Newstalk) (98FM) A full recount is ordered in the Dublin West by-election after only 18 votes separate Socialist Party candidate Ruth Coppinger from Fianna Fáil candidate David McGuinness. (The Journal) The Obama administration orders an independent review of Department of Energy "clean-energy" loans following the bankruptcy of solar energy company Solyndra. (Associated Press via Google) Science NASA launches its NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) satellite to send back data on weather and climate conditions. (AFP via Google News) Sport In basketball, the North American National Basketball Association cancels all games scheduled up until November 30, 2011 after failing to achieve a resolution of the 2011 NBA lockout with the National Basketball Players Association. (AP via NPR) The St. Louis Cardinals win the 2011 World Series, defeating the Texas Rangers 6–2 in Game 7. (Yahoo! Sports) (NBC Sports) October 29, 2011 (2011-10-29) (Saturday) Armed conflict and attacks 2011 Syrian uprising: Syrian security forces attack the city of Homs with fighter jets and tanks, killing at least 3. (CNN) War in Afghanistan (2001–2021): A suicide bomber targets a NATO convoy in the Afghanistan capital of Kabul, killing at least four Afghans, eight civilians, and five members of the International Security Assistance Force. (CNN) A rogue member of the Afghan National Army opens fire on Australian Army soldiers in Kandahar Province killing four, including an Afghan interpreter. (The Australian) Business The Australian airline Qantas grounds its entire fleet due to an ongoing union dispute, with a lockout to start on October 31, 2011. (AFP via West Australian) Disasters Thirty people are feared dead after a footbridge in India's Arunachal Pradesh collapses into the Kameng River. (AP via The Washington Post) A rare October snow storm hits the Northeastern United States and mid-Atlantic United States, leaving millions without power and killing two. (CNN) At least three people die in an explosion in a grain elevator in the US town of Atchison, Kansas. (AP via News OK) October 30, 2011 (2011-10-30) (Sunday) Armed conflict and attacks A United States drone attack kills six militants in Pakistan's North Waziristan region. (AP via Google News) The interim Prime Minister of Libya Mahmoud Jibril confirms the presence of chemical weapons in Libya under the Gaddafi regime and announces that weapons inspectors would be visiting the country to help get rid of them. (AP via Washington Post) Business and economy Fair Work Australia orders the Australian airline Qantas and its unions to reach an agreement within 21 days meaning that services will resume on Monday. (News Limited) International relations The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2011 finishes in the Australian city of Perth. (The West Australian) Politics and elections Voters in Colombia go to the polls for local gubernatorial and mayoral elections, including the mayors of Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali. (Americas Society) Gustavo Petro is elected Mayor of Bogotá. (Washington Post) Aníbal Gaviria of the Colombian Liberal Party is elected Mayor of Medellín, narrowly defeating former Mayor Luis Pérez. (Colombia Reports) Rodrigo Guerrero, an independent, is elected Mayor of Cali. (Colombia Reports) Campo Elias Teran of the Alianza Social Independiente is elected Mayor of Cartagena with 54.89%. (Colombia Reports) Green Party candidate Sergio Fajardo is elected Governor of Antioquia Department. (Financial Times) Voters in Kyrgyzstan go to the polls for a Presidential election with Almazbek Atambayev winning in a landslide. (The Hindu) Voters in Bulgaria went to the polls for the second round of a presidential election with Rosen Plevneliev of Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria being elected. (AP via Atlanta Journal-Constitution) October 31, 2011 (2011-10-31) (Monday) Armed conflicts and attacks Three people are killed in attacks on the offices of the International Relief and Development (IRD) in the Afghan city of Kandahar. (AFP via Yahoo News) Business and economy Australian airline Qantas resumes flights after a ruling by Fair Work Australia. (The Australian) The Government of Japan intervenes to reduce the exchange rate of the Japanese yen with the United States dollar after the yen reached record highs. (Reuters) US brokerage firm MF Global files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after declaring £4bn of Eurozone debt exposure. (BBC) International relations UNESCO becomes the first United Nations agency to admit Palestine as a full member, with the United States withdrawing funding in protest. (AFP via Adelaide Now) (CBS News) Law and crime A jury in the US state of Arizona convicts Mark Goodeau on all charges related to the Baseline Killer murders. (AP via Atlanta Journal Constitution) Politics and elections Kizza Besigye, the leader of Uganda's political opposition, is arrested while leading a "walk to work" protest. (AFP via Google) The Rt Rev Graeme Knowles resigns as Dean of London's St Paul's Cathedral as protests by Occupy London demonstrators continue. (BBC) Abdurrahim El-Keib is named as the new interim Prime Minister of Libya by the country's National Transitional Council. (BBC) The Prime Minister of Greece George Papandreou calls a referendum on the new European Union debt deal. (AP via Google News) Science The United Nations Population Division estimates that the world population has reached seven billion people. (Los Angeles Times)

October 2011 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31  Ongoing events 2011 Southern US drought 2011 Tuvalu drought Horn of Africa famine Economic Global financial crisis European sovereign debt crisis Greek economic crisis Smartphone patent wars Medical HIV/AIDS in Africa American listeriosis outbreak Political Occupy movement Occupy Wall Street Occupy Ashland Occupy Atlanta Occupy Austin Occupy Boston Occupy Buffalo Occupy Chicago Occupy Eugene Occupy London Occupy Los Angeles Occupy Portland Occupy San Jose Other protest locations 2011 United States public employee protests 2011 Wisconsin protests Anti-austerity protests Greek protests 2011 Spanish protests Chilean student protests Israeli social protests Arab Spring Bahraini uprising Post-Mubarak transition (following the revolution) Jordanian protests Aftermath of Libyan civil war Moroccan protests Syrian uprising Tunisian Revolution Yemeni uprising News International phone hacking scandal Scientific Expedition 29 Sports 2011 Pan American Games  Recent deaths October 29: Jimmy Savile 29: Axel Axgil 25: Liviu Ciulei 24: John McCarthy 23: Nusrat Bhutto 23: Bronislovas Lubys 23: Marco Simoncelli 22: Cathal O'Shannon 22: Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud 22: Robert Pierpoint 21: Edmundo Ros 20: Muammar Gaddafi 20: Sue Lloyd 20: Tone Pavček 18: Norman Corwin 18: Kent Hull 18: Elaine Nile 18: Andrea Zanzotto 17: Manfred Gerlach 17: Carl Lindner Jr. 17: Barney Danson 16: Pete Rugolo 16: Dan Wheldon 15: Betty Driver 15: Donald Dunstan 15: Pierre Mamboundou 14: Reg Alcock 14: Michael Fitzpatrick 13: Sheila Allen 13: Barbara Kent 13: Tufele Liamatua 12: Patricia Breslin 12: Dennis Ritchie 12: Dick Thornett 11: Bob Galvin 11: Keith Holman 11: Frank Kameny 10: Milton Castellanos Everardo 10: Jagjit Singh 10: Albert Rosellini 9: Rob Buckman 8: Al Davis 8: Mikey Welsh 8: Roger Williams 7: Ramiz Alia 7: George Baker 6: Diane Cilento 5: Graham Dilley 5: Bert Jansch 5: Steve Jobs 5: Charles Napier 5: Fred Shuttlesworth  Ongoing conflicts Global War on terror Terrorist incidents Operation Active Endeavour Operation Enduring Freedom War on drugs Africa Maghreb insurgency OEF - Trans Sahara Casamance conflict Niger Delta conflict Nigerian Sharia conflict South Kordofan conflict Lord's Resistance Army insurgency Somalia: Civil war Somali Civil War (2009–present) Piracy OEF - Horn of Africa Europe Real IRA North Caucasus insurgency Ingushetia civil war Middle East Iraqi insurgency Iran-Jundallah conflict Fatah–Hamas conflict Arab–Israeli conflict Israeli–Palestinian conflict Israeli–Lebanese conflict Palestinian political violence and rocket attacks Yemen: Terrorism and al-Qaeda crackdown South Yemen insurgency Shia insurgency Kurdistan: Turkey–PKK conflict Asia Afghanistan War Military operations Taliban insurgency Pakistan: Terrorism North-West War Balochistan conflict Drone attacks Sectarian violence India: Terrorism Jammu and Kashmir insurgency Naxalite–Maoist insurgency Northeast India insurgency Nagaland ethnic conflict Kashmir conflict Siachen conflict Korean maritime border incidents Southeast Asia: Laos insurgency Burma internal conflict Burma border clashes South Thailand insurgency Cambodian–Thai border dispute Philippines insurgency OEF - Philippines Papua conflict Americas Colombian conflict Plan Colombia FARC Mexican drug war Mérida Initiative Peru internal conflict  Elections Recent: October 21/28: Kiribati, parliament 23: Argentina, general 23: Bulgaria, president 23: Switzerland, federal 23: Tunisia, Constituent Assembly 27: Ireland, president and constitutional referendums 30: Kyrgyzstan, president Upcoming: November 6: Guatemala, president (2nd round) 6: Nicaragua, general 8: Gibraltar, general 13: South Ossetia, president and referendum 18: Moldova, president (indirect) 20: Spain, general 21: Marshall Islands, general  Trials Recently concluded Cambodia: Kang Kek Iew France: John Galliano Germany: John Demjanjuk Italy: Amanda Knox, Raffaele Sollecito Indonesia: Abu Bakar Bashir Netherlands: Geert Wilders Ukraine: Yulia Tymoshenko United Kingdom: Levi Bellfield, Robert Black, Vincent Tabak United States: Faisal Shahzad, Noshir Gowadia, Buju Banton, Barry Bonds, Raj Rajaratnam, Rod Blagojevich, Casey Anthony, Dominique Strauss-Kahn Ongoing Cambodia: Khmer Rouge Tribunal Canada: Russell Williams China: Organized crime in Chongqing France: Church of Scientology, Jacques Chirac Germany: Heinrich Boere Iraq: Supreme Criminal Tribunal Iran: Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani Malaysia: Anwar Ibrahim Netherlands: Thomas Lubanga (ICC), Radovan Karadžić (ICTY) Palau: Tommy Remengesau Peru: Joran van der Sloot Philippines: Andal Ampatuan Jr. Russia: Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Platon Lebedev Sierra Leone: Charles Taylor (SCFSL) Singapore: Tak Boleh Tahan South Africa: Chris Mahlangu Thailand]]: Thaksin Shinawatra Turkey: Ergenekon network United States: Roger Clemens, Ahmed Ghailani, David Headley, Jared Lee Loughner, Conrad Murray, Charles P. White Upcoming Egypt: Hosni Mubarak, Alaa Mubarak, Gamal Mubarak Sudan: Lubna al-Hussein Tunisia: Zine El Abidine Ben Ali United States: Viktor Bout, Allen Stanford, Nidal Malik Hasan, John Edwards, Javaris Crittenton, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab  Holidays  and observances Recent