Portal:Current events/October 2012

Armed conflicts and attacks

African Union troops enter the Somali port town of Kismayo following the withdrawal of Al-Shabaab Islamist militants during the Battle of Kismayo. (BBC)
Syrian Civil War: Syrian government forces shell areas of eastern Damascus - a stronghold of rebel forces. (Al Jazeera)
War in Afghanistan: A suicide bombing in the eastern Afghan city of Khost kills three NATO soldiers and 16 Afghan police officers and civilians. (BBC) (New York Times)
2011–present Libyan factional fighting: Chairman of the General National Congress Mohamed Yousef el-Magariaf says that al-Qaeda elements, who fought alongside the rebels in the Libyan Civil War, number "up to 200" in Libya now. (Al-Hayat)

Arts and culture

Eric Hobsbawm, one of the leading historians of the 20th century, dies at the Royal Free Hospital in London at the age of 95. (The Guardian)

Disasters and accidents

At least 36 people are killed in a ferry collision off the coast of Hong Kong. (RTHK) (CNN)

Law and crime

A court in Bahrain upholds the jail sentences of nine medics convicted for their role in the country's uprising. (Reuters)
The appeal hearing in the Russian band Pussy Riot's case is delayed after one member of the group fired their lawyer. (RIA Novosti)
Chinese authorities close down the firm handling dissident artist Ai Weiwei's affairs, possibly saving him from paying the remainder of a 15 million yuan tax fine. (The Guardian)
California becomes the first U.S. state to forbid "conversion therapy" for minors, effective January 1st, 2013. (Fox News)

Politics and elections

Colombia's president Juan Manuel Santos announces that he has prostate cancer and will undergo surgery on Wednesday. He said his condition is unlikely to derail the upcoming peace talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). (Yahoo! News)
Mikheil Saakashvili's ruling United National Movement party and Bidzina Ivanishvili's new party Georgian Dream are expected to be the main contenders in the Georgian parliamentary elections. (RIA Novosti) (Radio Free Europe)
In Japan, Koriki Jojima is appointed as the new finance minister and Seiji Maehara as the new minister of national strategy and economic policy. (Financial Times)
Palestinian footballer Mahmoud Sarsak turns down an FC Barcelona offer to attend an El Clásico game, after Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who had been held captive in Gaza for five years, is also invited. A Hamas spokesperson asked the media not to broadcast the game. (Daily Star)
Mohamed Nasheed, the former president of the Maldives, fails to appear in court and departs on tour for his party. Vice-president Mohammed Waheed Deen, opening an academic conference in Malé, says a nation can achieve democracy by the teachers imparting the relevant information. (Haveeru) (Haveeru)

October 2, 2012 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Gunmen kill at least twenty students at a hostel away from the Federal Polytechnic campus in the northeastern Nigerian town of Mubi. (BBC)
A member of the People’s Majlis, the parliament of the Maldives, is found stabbed to death near his home. (BBC)
A bomb blast in southern Afghanistan kills a United States Army service member. (Los Angeles Times)

Disasters and accidents

A minibus collides with a truck in the northern Philippine province of Ilocos Norte, killing at least 10 people. (AP via ABC News)
The number of confirmed deaths in the ferry collision in Hong Kong rises to 38. (BBC)

Health and environment

A European Commission report draft estimates the investment needed for increasing the safety of Europe's 134 power station nuclear reactors at 10 to 25 billion euro. The full report on the stress tests is to be debated by EU ministers later this month. (Reuters) (PDF)

Law and crime

A U.S. Border Patrol agent is shot dead near the U.S.-Mexico border in the state of Arizona. A second agent was shot and is being treated for non-life threatening injuries. (BBC)
Several sources claim that a French spy killed Muammar Gaddafi in 2011; the motive to try to conceal Ghadaffi's financial support of Nicolas Sarkozy's 2007 presidential election campaign. A French source dismisses the story as "nonsense". (Hindustan Times) (France 24)

Politics and elections

The OSCE titles the parliamentary election in Georgia as "fair and free". Partial results show a majority of votes for Georgian Dream. President Saakashvili concedes that his party, United National Movement, will move to opposition. Bidzina Ivanishvili is expected to become prime minister, and after legislative changes next year, also head of state. (Bloomberg via Business Week) (San Francisco Chronicle)

October 3, 2012 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war:
- Syrian refugees in rented houses say the Turkish police in Hatay Province faces them with the choice to either join a refugee camp or go back to Syria. (CNN)
- A series of bombings at the Saadallah Al-Jabiri Square in the northwestern city of Aleppo kill at least 34 people. The al Qaeda linked Jabhat al-Nusra claims responsibility. (BBC) (Wall Street Journal)
- Turkish armed forces bombard targets in Syria in response to a Syrian Army shelling that hit the Turkish border town of Akçakale, killing five people. (Wall Street Journal)
Several blasts strike an arms stockpile in the Hezbollah-controlled Bekaa Valley in Lebanon. (Al Jazeera)
Riot police in Iran clash with protestors demonstrating against the collapse of the country's currency, the rial. (Al Jazeera)

International relations

Papua New Guinea recognizes the independence of Kosovo. (M-Mag)

Politics and elections

Politicians in the United States begin a probe into the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11. Walid Faraj, a surviving witness of the attack, has not yet been interrogated. (Bloomberg) (The Independent) (The Washington Post)
Tens of thousands of India's poorest farmers march more than 300 kilometers to Delhi in a Jan Satyagraha to demand land reform under the banner of Ekta Parishad. (Zee News) (Asia One)

Science and technology

A few days later than initially planned, ATV-3 burns up; remaining parts plunge in the Pacific Ocean. The next mission docking with ISS, the first commercial resupply mission, with SpaceX Dragon is planned to launch on 8 October at 12:35 AM GMT. Unberthing and splashdown are targeted for 28 October. Orbital Sciences plans two Cygnus dockings to the ISS; in April 2013 follows Albert Einstein ATV (ATV-4). ATV-5 is planned April 2014. (ESA) (RIA Novosti) (NASA) (Antares)

Transport

The decision to award the rail franchise for the United Kingdom's West Coast Main Line to FirstGroup is scrapped by the government after what are described as "significant technical flaws" in the bidding process.(BBC)

October 4, 2012 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian–Turkish border clash:
- The Turkish parliament approves a motion authorizing cross-border military operations against Syria after Syrian forces shelled the Turkish border town of Akçakale on October 3, killing five people. (BBC)
- Turkish forces continue to bombard Syrian territory for a second day in retaliation for a cross-border strike from Syria that killed five people in Akçakale. (The Daily Telegraph)
- Syria offers condolences for the shelling deaths in Akçakale; a Turkish official says Syria has offered formal apologies. (CBS) (SANA)
Protesters storm the headquarters of the Libyan General National Congress in the capital Tripoli angry at Prime Minister Mustafa Abushagur's proposed cabinet line-up, saying it is not fully representative of the country. (Reuters)
The FBI conducts its investigation into the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, in one day. (BBC)

Disasters

Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying and other government officials observe three minutes of silence to mourn the victims of a ferry collision off Lamma Island on October 1, marking the start of a three-day mourning period. (BBC)
A landslide buries at least 19 people in the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan with 18 later confirmed dead and one missing. (BBC) (AP via San Francisco Chronicle)

Politics and elections

Expelled Ulster Unionist Party member David McNarry, who represents Strangford, joins the UK Independence Party, giving it its first representative in any of the devolved assemblies in Britain and Northern Ireland. (The Irish Times)
An abortion rights activist ship is blocked from entering the Moroccan port of Smir; the vessel is operated by the Dutch non-profit organization Women on Waves, which provides abortions and related medical services to women living in countries with restrictive abortion laws. (UPI)
Former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is arrested in hospital on new charges of allegedly misusing state funds while in office. (ABS-CBN News)
Jordan's official news agency announces that King Abdullah dissolves parliament, paving the way for early elections. (BBC)

Science

GCHQ director Iain Lobban gives a rare public speech in which he speaks of the "enduring lessons" to be drawn from the work of Alan Turing, who reportedly committed suicide. (BBC)

Sport

The 2013 Championship draw is made at GAA headquarters in Croke Park. (The Irish Times)
The German Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher announces his retirement from the sport. (BBC Sport)

October 5, 2012 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

The Syrian city of Homs is subjected to a sustained bombing campaign, the worst it has seen in five months. (BBC)
Workers say a miner is killed by a police rubber bullet near Rustenburg. A National Union of Mineworkers branch leader of Lonmin is killed at his house in Marikana, South Africa. (Euronews) (Reuters)

Business and economics

Anglo Platinum Limited—the world's biggest platinum producer—fires 12,000 people in South Africa after a strike over working conditions. The corporation has stated that the strikes have cost it 39,000 ounces in output - equivalent to 700 million rand ($82.3 million; £51 million) in revenue. (BBC)

Health and environment

At least 47 people throughout the United States are infected with fungal meningitis from contaminated medicine, with five people dying. (CNN)

Law and crime

The British High Court rules that Islamist cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri and four other suspected terrorists can be immediately extradited to the United States to face trial on charges of terrorism. (BBC) (CNN)
A torture case related to the 1950s Mau Mau uprising is allowed to proceed in a British court. (BBC)
Los Angeles Police Department fails to obtain a search warrant when a federal judge in Texas blocks their attempt to obtain 1970's tapes of conversations between a Manson family member and his attorney. LA Police believe this evidence could help solve more than a dozen murders.(FoxNews)

October 6, 2012 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

The South Korean Ministry of National Defense states that a North Korean soldier has defected to South Korea after killing two of his superiors. (AP via The Union Democrat)

Law and crime

A court in the Vatican finds Pope Benedict XVI's former butler Paolo Gabriele guilty of theft for stealing and leaking confidential documents and sentences Gabriele to 18 months' imprisonment. (BBC)
A 46-year-old man is charged with the murder of April Jones, who disappeared near her home in Machynlleth, Wales, on October 1. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Iran says Israel should join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. (RIA Novosti)
Former Social Democratic and Labour Party leader John Hume receives the papal knighthood at a special Mass in Derry's St Eugene's Cathedral. (BBC)

Sport

The 2012 rugby league Super League was won by Leeds Rhinos who defeated Warrington Wolves 26-18 in the Old Trafford Grand Final. (BBC)

October 7, 2012 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

A Mark Rothko Seagram mural on display at the Tate Modern is attacked at about 15:25 BST. (BBC) (The Guardian) (Yellowism)
On the 11th anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan, two activists are detained at Ireland's Shannon Airport during a protest against U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan. (The Irish Times) (RTÉ)

Disasters and accidents

An Antonov An-12 aircraft belonging to the Sudanese military crashes southwest of the capital Khartoum, killing at least 13 of the 22 people on board. (CNN) (Reuters)

Life and death

Antisa Khvichava, a woman regarded as the oldest person of all time, dies. (Radio Free Europe)

Politics and elections

Voters in Venezuela go to the polls for a presidential election, with Hugo Chávez of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela and Henrique Capriles Radonski of the opposing Justice First party both competing for the presidency. (BBC)

Religion and spirituality

Pope Benedict XVI names John of Avila and Hildegard of Bingen the 34th and 35th doctors of the Catholic church. (Washington Post)

Sports

In ladies' Gaelic football, the Rebelettes crush Kerry by a scoreline of 0-16 to 0-7 at Croke Park to win the All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship. (RTÉ Sport) (Examiner Sport)
In horseracing, Solemia defeats Japanese Triple Crown winner Orfevre in Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. (BBC)
Sébastien Loeb wins the World Rally Championship drivers' title for a record ninth consecutive year. (Chicago Tribune)
Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell win the 2012 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000. (Autosport)

October 8, 2012 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Mexican Drug War: Initial reports from the Mexican Navy indicate that Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano, the top leader of the most dangerous Mexican criminal organization known as Los Zetas, may have been killed in a shootout. The forensic tests are currently on their way to confirm his identity. (USA Today)

Business and Finance

The Tampa Tribune and sister site TBO.com are sold to Revolution Capital Group by Media General for $9.5 million. (Bay News 9)

Health

Scientists warn of the dangers of using liquid nitrogen in drinks after a teenage girl from the United Kingdom required emergency surgery upon consuming a cocktail containing the substance. (The Telegraph)

Law and crime

Partial replacement of members of the European Court of Justice takes place in Luxembourg. (Court of Justice)
Police in Nigeria arrest 13 people in connection with the lynching of four university students who were accused of stealing laptops and mobile phones in Rivers state. (BBC)
Thirty five people are killed after the Nigerian military opened fire after a bomb struck their convoy in Maiduguri; both civilians and military personnel are believed to be among the dead after the suspected Boko Haram attack. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Hugo Chávez wins a fourth term as President of Venezuela with 54.47% of the votes and a historically high turnout.(New York Times)
Mustafa A.G. Abushagur, the first elected prime minister of Libya, is elected out of office after the Libyan parliament passed a vote of no confidence; Abdurrahim El-Keib assumes the post again. (France 24)
President Benigno Aquino of the Philippines announces that the Philippine government has reached an outline peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front over the disputed Mindanao region. (BBC)
Haitian Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe announces a new "sin tax" on gambling, alcohol, and cigarettes to pay for a new education fund. (Washington Post)

Science

British scientist John B. Gurdon and Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka win the 2012 Nobel Prize for Medicine for the discovery that end stage cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent. (Reuters)

Society

Strathclyde Police warns against use of the legal intoxicant Annihilation (or Mary Joy), which has previously been noted in the Shetland Isles, Lancashire and Tyneside. (BBC)

October 9, 2012 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war:
- A suicide bomb attack takes place on an intelligence agency building in Damascus, reportedly killing dozens of people. The rebel al-Nusra Front claims responsibility. (BBC)
Suspected Islamist insurgents kill 11 people in southern Thailand. (IOL)
Mexican Drug War: The Mexican Navy confirms that Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano, the top leader of the criminal organization Los Zetas, was killed in a shootout yesterday. The body is stolen by armed gunmen. (New York Times)
Malala Yousafzai, a 15-year-old activist for women's education rights, is shot by Taliban gunmen in the Swat Valley. (New York Times)

International relations

An estimated 25,000 protest in Athens as German Chancellor Angela Merkel visits Greece. (BBC) (CNN)
Three North Korean soldiers have defected to South Korea through the militarised border since August. (Bangkok Post)

Law and crime

Penn State child sex abuse scandal:
- An audio recording of Jerry Sandusky is released in which he "wonders what they've won". (AP via Boston Globe)
- After the court's declaration that Sandusky is a violent sexual predator, the presiding judge sentences him to at least 30 years imprisonment. During sentencing, the judge acknowledges Sandusky's "positive work" but further states that it served only to hide his true character. Sandusky's lawyer vows to lodge an appeal against the ruling. (The Patriot News) (CNN)

Science

Serge Haroche and David Wineland win the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics for their work on quantum optics. (New York Times)

October 10, 2012 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war: Rebels claim control of the strategic town of Maarrat al-Nu'man on the main road linking Damascus to Aleppo. (Al Jazeera)
A Syrian passenger plane is forced by Turkish fighter jets to land in Ankara due to the allegations of carrying weapons. (BBC)

Business and economy

BAE and EADS announce their merger talks are cancelled over political disagreements. (New York Times)

Law and crime

A court in Moscow, Russia, frees one of the three Pussy Riot members at an appeal hearing. (RIA Novosti)

Politics and elections

U.S. President Obama nominates general John R. Allen for the SACEUR function. General Joseph Dunford would succeed Allen as ISAF commander in Afghanistan. (CNN)

Science

Two American scientists, Robert Lefkowitz and Brian Kobilka, win the 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work on discovering the inner workings of G protein-coupled receptors. (Reuters)
ESO astronomers discover an unexpected spiral structure around carbon star R Sculptoris. (Red Orbit)

Religion and spirituality

Pope Benedict XVI adds Arabic to weekly Vatican address in front of pilgrims. (BBC)

Sports

The USADA details witness-based doping claims against Lance Armstrong in its long-due report to the UCI. George Hincapie admits doping use over part of his career. (Los Angeles Times)

October 11, 2012 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

A gunman kills Qassem M. Aqlan, the Yemeni chief of security employed at the U.S. embassy in the capital, Sana'a. (BBC)
Syrian civil war: the Local Coordination Committees say that by evening 83 civilians were killed throughout Syria by the Syrian army. (CNN)

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah confirms that the drone aircraft shot down over Israel's Negev Desert on 6 October belonged to the organization and was supplied by Iran. (Reuters) (Al Jazeera)

Business and economics

Oil giant Shell is sued by Niger Delta farmers in a civil court in The Hague, claiming oil spills ruined their livelihoods. Shell says it is difficult to carry out repairs because of local insecurity. (BBC)

Disasters

Heavy rain in the United Kingdom causes flash flooding in the coastal village of Clovelly, Devon, damaging homes and pulling up cobbles in the street. (BBC)

Health

The Marie Stopes organisation is to open the first private clinic to offer abortions to women in Northern Ireland from 18 October. (BBC) (RTÉ)
Seven prisoners from Amasya Prison in Turkey say that they began "indefinite and irreversible" hunger strikes on October 5, and their health is at serious risk. (Dicle Haber)

International relations

Turkey says investigators found Russian-made ammunition and military communications equipment in a Syrian passenger plane heading to Damascus from Moscow. Syria accuses Turkey of aircraft piracy, says the plane did not carry the alleged equipment and challenges Turkey to show evidence. (Reuters) (Al Jazeera) (The Hindu) (SANA)

Law and Crime

A U.S. appeals court has overturned a district court order that had banned the sale of Samsung's Galaxy Nexus in the US, delivering a winning round for Google's Android against Apple Inc.. (Reuters)
Englishman Barry Thew is sentenced to four months in jail after a t-shirt he wore is deemed to offend public morality. (BBC) (Spiked)

Literature

Chinese author Mo Yan, famous for working in the style of writing known as hallucinatory realism, wins the Nobel Prize in Literature. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Egypt's President Mohammed Mursi fires general prosecutor Abdel Maguid Mahmoud. (BBC)

October 12, 2012 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Arab Spring:
- Syrian civil war: Rebels capture an air base east of Aleppo. (Al Jazeera)
- Bahraini uprising (2011–present): Police fire tear gas and stun grenades at anti-government protesters in the capital Manama. (Reuters)
- Egypt: Supporters and opponents of president Mohamed Morsi clash in Tahrir Square, leaving more than 100 people injured. (AFP via Google News) (The Irish Times)
2012 Northern Mali conflict: The United Nations Security Council unanimously passes a resolution approving an African-led force to assist the army of Mali in ousting Islamist militants who have seized the north of the country. (Daily Star of Lebanon)

Business and economy

Standard & Poor's downgrades South Africa's long-term foreign currency sovereign credit rating from 'BBB+' to 'BBB' and the long-term local currency rating from 'A' to 'A-'. (RIA Novosti)

International relations

The European Union wins the 2012 [[Nobel Peace Prize]; "for over six decades [having] contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe". (The Telegraph)

Law and crime

The British government is dragged into the nationwide scandal surrounding former BBC presenter and DJ Jimmy Savile, who faces hundreds of allegations surrounding his conduct in the presence of teenage girls. (The Guardian)
The UK's largest independent investigation into police wrongdoing will be conducted following a damning report into the 1989 Hillsborough disaster. (BBC)
The high court of Botswana overturns a customary law which prevented women from inheriting the family home. (IRIN)

Sport

In 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group C, Republic of Ireland lose 6–1 to Germany, their joint worst ever competitive defeat and their worst home defeat since 1931. Calls increase for the removal of manager Giovanni Trapattoni. (ESPN) (The Irish Times) (Deutsche Welle) (The Times of India)

October 13, 2012 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

President of Mauritania Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz is shot. (BBC) (Al Jazeera) (Deutsche Welle)
In response to multiple rockets being fired across the border, Israel launched four air strikes. Two militants from a Salafist jihadist group are killed and another wounded in the northern Gaza Strip. (BBC)
A suicide bombing at a market in the Pakistani town of Darra Adam Khel kills at least 15 people. (BBC)
Mexican Drug War: The Mexican Army kills Manuel Torres Félix, one of the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel. (Fox News)
Insurgency in the North Caucasus: A Russian army soldier and three Islamic militants die in a skirmish in the North Caucasus republic of Dagestan. (RIA)

Arts and culture

Gerhard Richter's Abstraktes Bild, painted in 1994 and formerly owned by rock star Eric Clapton, sells for $34 million - an auction record for a work by a living artist. (BBC)

Business and economy

Reuters reports on the basis of "people familiar with the matter" that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission is close to bringing an antitrust lawsuit against Google over its dominance of the search engine market. (Reuters)

History

Residents of Los Angeles watch in awe as U.S. Space Shuttle Endeavour inches through the city on a giant trolley, bound for a museum. Hundreds of trees in its path are chopped down. (BBC)

International relations

Syria announces Turkish civilian flights over Syrian territory are banned, days after Turkey intercepted a Syrian flight that was suspected to be carrying illegal cargo. (BBC)

Law and crime

The UK's Department of Health is to investigate the decision to appoint the broadcaster Sir James Savile as head of a taskforce overseeing the high security Broadmoor Hospital, a facility for the criminally insane, following recent allegations of sexual abuse. He was appointed to the position in the late 1980s. (BBC)

Sport

An Africa Cup of Nations qualification match between Senegal and Ivory Coast is abandoned due to rioting at the Stade Leopold Senghor in Dakar. (BBC)
Despite universal condemnation from the print media, television analysts and fans, Ireland soccer manager Giovanni Trapattoni refuses to resign following last night's humiliation at the hands of Germany in 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group C. (The Daily Telegraph) (BBC)
Sligo Rovers claim their first league title in nearly forty years with an historic 3-2 win over St Patrick's Athletic at the Showgrounds. (The Irish Times)

October 14, 2012 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Gunmen open fire at a mosque in the village of Dogo Dawa in the Nigerian state of Kaduna, killing at least 20 people. (BBC)
Occupy activists chain themselves to the pulpit of St Paul's Cathedral in an action of solidarity with Pussy Riot, and read a declaration calling on cathedral authorities to stop neglecting their Christian duty - "In the fight for economic justice, Jesus threw the money changers out of the temple, but you invited them in and instead evicted us." (Sky News)
President of Mauritania Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, shot by troops yesterday, is flown to France. (BBC)

Arts and culture

A collection of manuscripts by Franz Kafka and Max Brod must be handed over to the National Library of Israel, says the judge in Tel Aviv, sanctioning the heirs of Esther Hoffe, Brod's secretary. (Times of Israel)

Law and crime

The UK's Ministry of Defence says that five Royal Marines have been charged with murder over an incident involving the death of an insurgent in Afghanistan in 2011. (BBC)
The search for a missing 19-year-old from the University of New Hampshire (Durham, New Hampshire) is suspended after a ground and water search on and around Peirce Island off Portsmouth, New Hampshire had been going on. (NBCNews)

Politics

The UK's Ministry of Defence will hold an investigation after journalists from The Sunday Times posed as lobbyists for a defence manufacturer and approached several senior retired officers to ask if they would help them secure contracts. (BBC)
Former United States Senator Arlen Specter, who was vital in several United States Supreme Court nominations, dies at the age of 82, due to complications of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. (AP via Yahoo! News)

Science and technology

Felix Baumgartner breaks the world human ascent by balloon record before space diving out of the Red Bull Stratos helium-filled balloon over Roswell, New Mexico. (CNN)

October 15, 2012 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war: An Armenian plane destined for the Syrian city of Aleppo is searched by Turkish authorities after being grounded in the east of the country. (National Turk)
Internationally celebrated teenage activist Malala Yousafzai is sent to the UK for further treatment after being shot in the head by a Taliban gunman. (Reuters)
Gunmen kidnap five aid workers and their driver in southeastern Niger. (AP via Google News)
The Philippine government and the largest rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, sign a peace pact. (Al Jazeera)

Arts and culture

Lieutenant General Sir John Kiszely resigns as president of the Royal British Legion following claims of his involvement with defense contract lobbying. (BBC)

Business and economics

The Portuguese government announces details of its draft budget for 2013, as protests continue against austerity. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

Seven people are treated in hospital for injuries after a bus carrying 56 college students crashes and overturns near the English coastal town of Poole. (BBC)

International relations

Burma says it will not allow the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to set up a liaison office in the country, following protests against the plan. (Al Jazeera)
No winner is announced for the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership. (Global Post)

Politics and elections

Former King of Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk dies in Beijing at the age of 89. (BBC) (AFP via Channel News Asia)
British Prime Minister David Cameron and Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond agree a deal setting out the terms of a referendum on Scottish independence at a meeting in Edinburgh. (BBC)
Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty announces his resignation. (Toronto Star)

Transport

Virgin Trains is asked to continue running the rail franchise for UK's West Coast Main Line following the cancellation of a deal to award the contract to another company when errors were made in the way in which the process was conducted. (BBC)

October 16, 2012 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Senkaku Islands dispute: Seven People's Liberation Army Navy warships are spotted by Japanese helicopters outside Japanese territorial waters near Yonaguni. (Japan Daily Press)
Saudi Arabia’s official news agency reports that a hand grenade explosion at the King Abdulaziz military academy in Riyadh kills one cadet and injures nine. (AP via Boston Globe)
Several structures were set ablaze and as many as 24 militants were killed after suspected bombing Boko Haram attacks rocked the Nigerian city of Maiduguri. (BBC)
Two suspected al-Qaeda members and two government-aligned tribesmen are killed during an attack on a border checkpoint in Abyan, Yemen. (Reuters)
A United Nations expert panel reports that although the two governments deny it, Rwanda and Uganda continue to support the March 23 Movement. (Reuters)

Arts and culture

Hilary Mantel wins the 2012 Man Booker Prize for her novel Bring Up the Bodies, becoming the first British author to win the award twice, and the first female to do so. (BBC)

Business and economy

Foxconn, Apple's main supplier in China, admits it employs interns as young as 14 years old. (BBC)
The CEO of Citigroup, Vikram Pandit, announces his resignation from that post, and is immediately succeeded by Michael Corbat. (Reuters)
Ford recalls 154,000 Fiestas due to an issue with airbag deployment. (AutoWeek)

Human rights

A report on St. Patrick's Institution in Dublin finds a culture of human rights abuse. (RTÉ)
The BBC appoints the heads of two separate inquiries into the sexual abuse scandal that has engulfed Jimmy Savile. Former High Court judge Dame Janet Smith will review the culture and practices of the BBC during the time Savile worked there, while Nick Pollard, a former Sky News executive will look at why a Newsnight investigation into Savile's activities was dropped shortly before transmission. (The Daily Telegraph)

International relations

The United Kingdom announces its intention to close its consulate in Basra, Iraq. (BBC)

Law and crime

The British computer hacker Gary McKinnon wins his ten-year legal battle to avoid extradition to the United States after Home Secretary Theresa May tells the House of Commons she has blocked the order. (BBC) (Sky News)
The captain of the Prestige oil tanker goes on trial in Spain. (BBC)
The Brazilian jurisprudence system upholds the convictions of two United States pilots for their roles in the 2006 Gol Transportes Aéreos Flight 1907 disaster. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

A 4.0-magnitude (originally, 4.6) earthquake strikes Hollis Center, Maine, roughly 20 miles west of Portland, Maine, the state's largest city. At 3.1 miles deep, it is a shallow earthquake, felt in Maine, southwestern Connecticut, and eastern New York state. There were reports of very minor damage and cellular phone outages, but no serious property damage, injuries, or deaths. (NBC)

Politics and elections

The European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, John Dalli of Malta, resigns amid corruption charges that he denies. (Times of Malta) (BBC)
In anticipation of upcoming elections, the Israeli Knesset has been unanimously dissolved. (Jerusalem Post)

Religion and diplomacy

The Vatican announces Pope Benedict XVI will send a delegation to Damascus to "express his brotherly solidarity with the entire population". (Al Jazeera)

Sport

In 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group C, Germany, second in the FIFA World Rankings, take a 4-0 first half lead then concede four second half goals to gift Sweden a 4–4 draw in Berlin. (BBC) (GOAL)
In 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group F, Northern Ireland secure a famous 1-1 draw against Portugal, third in the FIFA World Rankings, in Porto. (Herald) (Mail)
Senegal are disqualified from the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations after last Saturday's stadium riot in the game with Ivory Coast. (BBC)

October 17, 2012 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

One UNAMID peacekeeper is killed and three are wounded during an ambush in Hashaba, Sudan. (AFP)
2012 Syrian–Turkish border clashes: Turkish artillery retaliates after a Syrian bomb landed on Turkish territory in Hatay Province. (The Daily Star)

Law and crime

Two U.S. sailors are arrested over an alleged rape of a Japanese woman on Okinawa. (BBC)
The UK's Lancashire Police apologises after an officer used a Taser on a blind man whose white cane was mistaken for a samurai sword. The matter is also referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. (BBC)
The FBI arrests Mohammed Nafis for plotting to detonate a 1,000 lb (454 kg) car bomb in front of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. (BBC) (CNN)
The UK's Department of Health appoints former barrister Kate Lampard to head an NHS inquiry into alleged activities by the broadcaster Jimmy Savile at various hospitals at which he was involved. (BBC)

Politics and Elections

The body of former King Norodom Sihanouk is returned to Cambodia. (BBC)
A resolution of impeachment against Northern Mariana Islands Governor Benigno Fitial is defeated in the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives with 9 votes in favor of impeachment, 10 against; 14 were required. (Saipan Tribune) (Saipan Tribune)

Science and Technology

Alpha Centauri Bb, an exoplanet, is discovered orbiting around Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to our Solar System. (BBC)

Sport

Lance Armstrong-USADA doping scandal:
- Lance Armstrong resigns as chairman of his anti-cancer charity, LIVESTRONG.
- Athletic apparel conglomerate Nike and cycling equipment manufacturer Trek revoke their endorsement contracts with U.S. cyclist Lance Armstrong in the wake of growing allegations of doping. Both will continue to support LIVESTRONG. (Daily Mail)
- Armstrong is also dropped by FRS Healthy Energy, 24 Hour Fitness, Giro and Radio Shack. (Daily Mail)
- Anheuser-Busch states it will allow Armstrong's contract with them to expire at the end of the year. It will also continue to support LIVESTRONG. (BBC) (CNN)
The FA files a complaint with UEFA over allegations that midfielder Danny Rose was subjected to racial abuse during a U-21 Euro 2013 play-off qualifying match between Serbia and England. Rose was issued a red card for kicking the ball into the stands at the end of the match, setting off a brawl involving players and staff of both teams. The Serbian Football Association denies the allegations. (CNN) (BBC)

October 18, 2012 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war: Syrian military airstrikes kill at least 40 people, including civilians, in the rebel-held town of Maaret al-Numan in Idlib governorate. (The New York Times)

Arts and culture

A fictional feature film, called South of Sanity, is shot in Antarctica for the first time. (BBC)
Dutch actress Sylvia Kristel—the first star of adult cinema—dies. (BBC)
Veteran Irish writer Gene Kerrigan wins the Golden Dagger. (The Guardian)

Business and economy

American weekly news magazine Newsweek announces it will cease print publication on December 31 and will move to an online-only format. (CNN)
Trading of Google stock on NASDAQ is temporarily suspended after it drops 9% following an inadvertent early release of its quarterly report showing a 20% decline in profits. (BBC) (Bloomberg)

Politics and elections

Tens of thousands of workers participate in anti-austerity protests in Greece. (Voice of America)
Argentina, Australia, Luxembourg, Rwanda, and South Korea are elected to the United Nations Security Council for two-year terms starting in 2013.

Law and Crime

The Boy Scouts of America release documents containing over 15,000 pages relating to allegations of sexual abuse by over 1200 scout leaders between 1965-1985.(New York Times)

October 19, 2012 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2011–2012 conflict in Lebanon:
- A car bomb explodes at Sassine Square in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, killing at least eight people and wounding up to 78 others. (BBC)
- Wissam al-Hassan, head of Saad al-Hariri's security team, is killed in the blast. Al Hassan was known for being the prime investigator in the Michel Samaha case, where Michel Samaha was caught smuggling bombs into Lebanon upon orders from the Syrian government to kill Lebanese officials between 2005 and 2008, starting with the murder of Rafik al-Hariri.(Al Jazeera)
- The March 14th Alliance blames Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian government for the attack. (Al Arabiya)
2011–present Libyan factional fighting: The Libyan Army launches a new full-scale assault against the town of Bani Walid, accusing it of being controlled by supporters of the late Muammar Gaddafi. (The Guardian)

Arts and culture

Lebanese Tourism Minister Faddy Abboud says an episode of the popular U.S. TV series Homeland misrepresented Beirut and is set to pursue legal action against its makers due to concerns over damage to image and tourism. (BBC)
Big Tex, a 52-foot statue and cultural icon in Dallas, Texas, is destroyed by fire during the final weekend of the 2012 State Fair of Texas. (CBS News)

Disasters and accidents

A tour bus went off the highway and crashed in northwest Arizona late Friday at around 8:00 PM PDT, killing the bus driver (who was believed to have suffered a medical incident), and leaving at least four of the passengers with serious injuries. About 45 other passengers were hurt less seriously, and some were not hospitalized. The bus was northbound on Highway 93 near Willow Beach, Arizona and the Nevada state line, southeast of Las Vegas. (NBC)

Law and crime

Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal:
- Scotland Yard launches a "formal criminal investigation" into Savile after 200 potential sexual abuse victims come forward. (BBC)
- The BBC schedules a special edition of Panorama for October 22 as it attempts to limit the damage done by allegations of sexual abuse by Jimmy Savile during his years with the broadcaster. (The Daily Telegraph)
Taxicab driver Christopher Halliwell is sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering Sian O'Callaghan who went missing after visiting a nightclub in Swindon in March last year. (BBC)
The remains of a missing young Oregon woman, Whitney Heichel, 21, a Starbucks barista from the Portland, Oregon suburb of Gresham, Oregon, are found on Larch Mountain, Multnomah County, Oregon; after DNA testing and fingerprint analysis, Gresham Police arrested a neighbor who lived nearby in her Gresham apartment complex, Jonathan Holt, 24, on suspicion of aggravated first-degree murder. (NBC)
A woman is killed and 12 other people injured in a series of hit and run incidents in Cardiff, south Wales. A 31-year-old van driver is arrested by police. (BBC) (Western Mail) (The Guardian)

Politics and elections

Respect MP George Galloway writes to British home secretary Theresa May and makes a complaint to the police about his secretary Aisha Ali-Khan, claiming that she was working as an "agent" for a Metropolitan police counterterrorism officer who was running a "dirty tricks" campaign against him. (The Guardian)
Chief Whip of the British Conservative Party Andrew Mitchell resigns over remarks he made to police officers in Downing Street, and following a lengthy political row over the issue. (BBC)

October 20, 2012 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war: UN and Arab League special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi meets with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem in Damascus in an attempt to push for a temporary ceasefire during next week's Eid al-Adha holiday. (Al Jazeera)
2011–present Libyan factional fighting:
- Authorities in Tripoli announce the capture of Muammar Gaddafi's former spokesman Moussa Ibrahim near the town of Tarhouna, 40 miles south of the capital Tripoli. Ibrahim's whereabouts had been unknown since the end of the civil war in 2011 and there had been several earlier reports of his arrest. Hours later an audio message purported to be by Ibrahim appears online, in which he denies being captured or even being in Libya. (Reuters) (BBC)
- Siege of Bani Walid (2012): Reports emerge that Khamis Gaddafi, the youngest son of Muammar Gaddafi, was killed during the fighting in Bani Walid. The 29-year-old has been proclaimed dead several times since the beginning of last year's civil war. (The Guardian)
The United Nations Security Council announces plans to impose sanctions on the leaders of Democratic Republic of the Congo's M23 rebel movement due to violations of an arms embargo. (Al Jazeera)
Suspected members of Boko Haram attack the northern Nigerian city of Potiskum, destroying several buildings and leaving at least 23 locals dead. (Al Jazeera)
Overnight clashes in southeastern Turkey leave 9 people dead, including 6 security officers and 3 suspected Kurdish militants. (Al Jazeera)

Disasters

Hundreds of pilgrims are evacuated from the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in southern France following severe flooding in the area. (BBC)

International relations

The SV Estelle', a schooner attempting to breach the Israeli blockade of Gaza claiming to deliver humanitarian aid, is boarded by Israeli soldiers and diverted to the port of Ashdod by Israeli naval ships; Israel says no aid is found aboard. Passengers offer no resistance. (The Irish Times) (The Times of Israel)
Jewish-American linguist, philosopher and human rights campaigner Noam Chomsky visits Gaza for the first time and attends a seminar alongside Gazan thinkers and intellectuals. (Press TV)

Politics

Tens of thousands of protesters march through London, Glasgow and Belfast in a series of demonstrations against UK government austerity measures. (BBC) (CNN) (RTÉ)

October 21, 2012 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2012 Beirut bombing: Lebanese security forces fire shots into the air and tear gas at crowds, as protesters attempt to breach government offices of prime minister Mikati in response to a car bomb that killed intelligence chief Wissam al-Hassan. (Jerusalem Post)
Hundreds of protesters in Libya storm the grounds of the country's parliament building to protest the ongoing siege in Bani Walid. (Reuters)
Police fire tear gas and stun grenades at an anti-government protest in Kuwait; protesters were demonstrating against changes to voting laws. (Al Jazeera)
A firefight in Guinea-Bissau kills six people. (BBC)
Syrian civil war: Car bombs explode in predominately Christian neighborhoods in Damascus and Aleppo, killing at least 13, as talks between the Assad and U.N. peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi continue. (Wall Street Journal)

Arts and culture

Yash Chopra, one of India's most influential filmmakers, dies from dengue fever in Mumbai. (BBC)

Religion and diplomacy

Pope Benedict XVI names seven new saints, including Kateri Tekakwitha, Marianne Cope, Pedro Calungsod, and Anna Schäffer. (AP)

Law and crime

A shooting at a spa in Brookfield, Wisconsin, USA, leaves four people dead, including the shooter. (BBC) (NBC)
Sharmeka Moffitt, 20, a female from Winnsboro, Louisiana, sustains burns to over 60% of her body in what was initially believed to be a possible hate crime after she had claimed, through relatives, to have been set afire by three unknown at large male hoodie-wearing assailants in Winnsboro's Civitan Park. It turned out she is believed by police to have set herself on fire and to have written the slur on her car (she has since opened her eyes and blinked to communicate with relatives at Louisiana State University Hospital Shreveport, where she underwent surgery). (Shreveport Times) (MSN) (MSN)

Politics and elections

Fidel Castro appears in public for the first time in many months. A photograph of the Cuban revolutionary leader appears to show him "doing very well." (BBC) (CNN)
Former United States Senator and 1972 Democratic presidential nominee George McGovern dies at the age of 90 in Sioux Falls. (The New York Times)

October 22, 2012 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

The Israeli air force strikes a rocket launching squad in the northern Gaza Strip, reportedly killing three, following rocket fire on southern Israel from Gaza and a mortar attack on an IDF patrol near the border. (Al Jazeera) (The Times of Israel)
Riot police in Kuwait attack demonstrators with teargas, stun grenades and batons. (Al Jazeera)
Syrian civil war: A Jordanian soldier dies during a gunfight between Jordanian troops and Islamic militants attempting to cross the border into Syria. (CTV News)
2011–2012 conflict in Lebanon: The Lebanese Army launches an operation to quell the sectarian violence in Beirut triggered by the assassination of Wissam al-Hassan. (Voice of America)
Police authorities in South Africa admit the shooting of 34 miners by police "may have been disproportionate" to the danger faced by those in charge. (Al Jazeera)

Arts and culture

A Kindle user from Norway has her account wiped and all her paid-for books deleted by the American multinational electronic commerce company Amazon.com. (The Guardian)

Business and economics

A former Goldman Sachs employee blows the whistle on the investment bank having routinely taken advantage of charities and pension funds to increase its profits. (The Guardian)
The chairman of the U.S. central bank, the Federal Reserve, likely will not stand for re-election to that post. Ben Bernanke has reportedly told friends he will leave when his term ends in January 2014 regardless of who wins the Presidential election campaign. (New York Times)

International relations

The UK doubles its number of RAF armed "drones" operating in Afghanistan and, in a new development, drones are to be controlled from terminals and screens on British soil. (The Guardian)
France plans to use drones in Mali. (The Guardian)

Law and crime

Six Italian scientists and an ex-government official are convicted of multiple manslaughter and sentenced to six years in prison over the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake after prosecutors accuse them of being "falsely reassuring" before the event. (BBC) (The Guardian) (Al Jazeera)
Pussy Riot members Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova are exiled to remote prison camps located in Perm and Mordovia, home to parts of the Soviet-era gulag system. Their exact locations are unknown, even to their lawyers and family members. They had petitioned to be held in Moscow which would have allowed them to watch their young children grow. (The Guardian)
Peter Rippon, the BBC Newsnight editor responsible for dropping an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse against Jimmy Savile, steps aside from his role with immediate effect. (The Independent) (BBC)
The body of a female found late Monday in a recycling container in Clayton, New Jersey is preliminarily determined to be that of missing 12-year-old girl Autumn Pasquale according to police (NBC)

Politics and elections

Okinawa's legislative assembly passes a resolution expressing "overwhelming indignation" at the alleged rape of a Japanese woman by two U.S. soldiers, the latest of 5,747 crimes on record allegedly involving U.S. personnel over the past 40 years, and condemns the worsening criminal activity of foreign troops on the island. (Al Jazeera)

Sport

U.S. former professional road racing cyclist Lance Armstrong is stripped by the International Cycling Union of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life from participating in UCI-sanctioned events. (BBC) (Al Jazeera)
A football fan is jailed after an attack on former England international goalkeeper Chris Kirkland during a match last week. Twenty-one-year-old Aaron Cawley was filmed on live television jumping from the stand and striking Kirkland with both arms on the head following a goal during the league match at Hillsborough. Kirkland, who described the assault as like being "hit by a ton of bricks", was thrown off balance, crashed to the ground against his goal area and required treatment for his injuries. (The Guardian) (The Daily Telegraph)

October 23, 2012 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

At least one person is killed and two others are wounded in an Israeli artillery attack in the northern Gaza Strip. (Al Jazeera)
Iraqi insurgency: At least eight people are killed in car bombings and mortar attacks across various districts in Baghdad, Iraq. (BBC)
A young Pakistani man, whose father was killed by drones alongside 40 others in March 2011, seeks to block the sharing of British intelligence with the CIA. This represents the first serious legal challenge in the English courts to Britain's involvement in the drones campaign. (The Guardian)

Arts and culture

Skyfall, the 23rd James Bond film, receives its Royal premiere at London's Royal Albert Hall. (BBC)
The prominent Bengali poet and novelist Sunil Gangopadhyay dies from a heart attack in the West Bengal capital Kolkata. (BBC)
Authorities in Mumbai investigate the sudden death last weekend of the renowned Bollywood film-maker Yash Chopra, who was earlier thought to have died from dengue fever. (BBC)

Business and economics

European Commissioners debate a proposal to the European Parliament to accept a 40 per cent quota for women on corporate boards. (BBC)

Disasters

A fire at a hospital in the southern Taiwanese city of Tainan kills at least 12 people and injures up to 60 others. (BBC)
A "very loud explosion" and a "huge fire" at a military factory in Khartoum are being treated as suspicious. (BBC)
Following yesterday's conviction of scientists for their failure to predict the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake, Luciano Maiani—head of Italy's disaster body—resigns in protest at the harsh treatment of his colleagues. (BBC) (Al Jazeera)
A surfer is killed in southern California following an attack by a great white shark. (BBC) (CNN)

Innovation and technology

The analogue TV signal in Northern Ireland is turned off permanently at 23:30 BST, completing the final stage of the UK digital switchover. Ceefax, the world's first teletext information service, is also brought to an end after 38 years. (BBC)

International relations

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, visits the Gaza Strip, the first head of state to visit there since Hamas seized control of the territory five years ago. (BBC) (Al Jazeera) (The Guardian) (The Times of Israel)

Law and crime

BBC Director-General George Entwistle appears before the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee to answer questions about the Corporation's handling of allegations of sexual abuse against Jimmy Savile. (The Independent)
Four civil cases are filed against Trinity Mirror, publishers of the UK newspaper the Daily Mirror, over allegations of phone hacking. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Four third-party U.S. presidential election candidates—representing the Libertarian, Green, Constitution, and Justice parties, who were excluded from the high-profile televised encounters between Mitt Romney or Barack Obama—attend their own presidential debate hosted in Chicago by the Free and Equal Elections Foundation, which hopes for a more transparent and open electoral system. Romney (with the Republican Party) and Obama (with the Democratic Party) refuse invitations to attend the debate, televised on international news channels but on no major U.S. network. (Al Jazeera) (VOR) (The Washington Post) (Press TV) (The Sacramento Bee)
Japanese Justice Minister Keishu Tanaka, who took office on October 1, resigns amid a scandal over alleged ties to an organized crime syndicate. (BBC)
Two MSPs – John Finnie and Jean Urquhart – resign from the Scottish National Party over its stance on NATO, effectively reducing the party's absolute majority in the Scottish Parliament to two. (The Guardian)

October 24, 2012 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Siege of Bani Walid (2012): Militias loyal to the Libyan government capture the town of Bani Walid after days of battle, with locals claiming that 130 civilians have died under artillery shelling attacks from militia forces. (The Daily Beast) (Reuters)
Israel targets rocket launching sites in Gaza in response to over 80 rockets being fired into Israeli territory by militants, causing deaths and injuries. (BBC) (The Times of Israel)
Sudan blames the explosion at a munition factory south of Khartoum on an Israeli airstrike. (Al Jazeera)
Syrian civil war: The UN peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi states in Cairo that the Syrian government has agreed to a ceasefire during the four-day Muslim holiday, Eid al-Adha. (The Telegraph)
A journalist based in Somaliland is killed by gunmen while returning home from work. (BBC)

Innovation and technology

The analogue television service in the Republic of Ireland is switched off at 10.00am. (RTÉ) (Irish Independent)
An administrative law judge with the U.S. International Trade Commission issues a preliminary decision on a long-running Samsung/Apple dispute, in favor of Apple's complaint on four of the six patents in dispute. (ThomsonReuters)

International relations

After years of delays and disputes over cost and design, and amid references in newspapers to Germany's rejection of asylum applications by Roma from Kosovo and comments from the country's interior minister alleging "increasing abuse of asylum from countries in the Balkans", Angela Merkel unveils a memorial near the Reichstag to members of the Roma community killed during the Nazi Holocaust. (BBC)

Law and crime

Sir Norman Bettison resigns as Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police as his role in the aftermath of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster is being investigated. (BBC)
Following a landmark hearing at the Supreme Court of England and Wales, 174 women formerly employed by Birmingham City Council are given permission to seek compensation under Equal Pay legislation for missed bonuses. The ruling extends the time window for such claims from six months to six years. (BBC) (The Daily Telegraph)
The UK's Director of Public Prosecutions is to review a 2009 decision by the Crown Prosecution Service not to prosecute Jimmy Savile over allegations of sexual abuse. (Belfast Telegraph) (The Daily Telegraph)
Former Société Générale trader Jérôme Kerviel loses his appeal against a five-year prison sentence for forgery and breach of trust, handed down in 2010. (BBC)
A former maintenance worker at Creflo Dollar's World Changers Church International in the Atlanta suburb of College Park, Georgia has fatally shot a 39-year-old church volunteer. (Chicago Tribune)
Police in the Denver suburb of Westminster, Colorado arrest a 17-year-old resident who was allegedly involved in an attempted abduction in the killing of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway. (NBC)
Three people are shot dead, two are critically wounded, and a gunman is at large after shootings at two locations in the Los Angeles suburb of Downey, California: a business next to a Coca-Cola plant, and a residence. (NBC)

Politics

The Welsh government reaches an agreement with the British government giving Wales limited powers to borrow money to finance major projects. (BBC)

Religion and diplomacy

Pope Benedict XVI announces a 24 November 2012 Consistory for the creation of six new Cardinals: James Michael Harvey, Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, Baselios Cleemis, John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, Jesús Salazar Gómez, and Luis Antonio Tagle. (Catholic Herald) (The Hindu)

October 25, 2012 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war: The Syrian government announces via its state media that it will suspend military operations from Friday to Monday, during this year's Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday, as part of a ceasefire proposal by U.N. special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi. (CNN)

Business and economics

Official GDP figures indicate the 2012 Summer Olympics helped the UK economy emerge from recession in the three months from July to September, with growth of 1.0%. (BBC)
Costa Coffee—the world's second-largest coffeehouse chain—pulls out of Totnes, the Devon town that prides itself on having independent shops. (BBC) (ITV) (The Huffington Post)

Disasters

Hurricane Sandy heads towards The Bahamas after making landfall in Cuba and Jamaica. (CNN)

Law and crime

A rape claim against a major Irish celebrity is investigated. The victim was made pregnant during her ordeal. (Irish Independent)
A jury fails to reach a verdict in the retrial of a policeman thought to have racially abused a suspect in the aftermath of the 2011 England riots. (BBC)
Scotland Yard says that the number of potential victims in the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal has risen to 300. (The Daily Telegraph) (The Guardian)
A New York Police Department officer, 6-year employee Gilberto Valle III along with an unnamed co-conspirator, is charged with allegedly conspiring to cross state lines and kidnap, torture, cook, and eat women (at least 100 names and pictures, some with physical descriptions, were found on his computer). He could get up to life in prison. (MSN)

Politics and elections

Amid concerns of voting fraud, U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney's campaign is linked to Hart InterCivic a firm providing the voting machines to be used to tally the ballots in the crucial state of Ohio. (The Belfast Telegraph)(Salon.com)
France's interior minister Manuel Valls is embroiled in controversy amid reports he ordered police to clear his Paris neighbourhood of homeless so his wife could go about her shopping "in peace". (Ottawa Citizen)
Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili and his cabinet are approved by the Parliament of Georgia following the victory in the parliamentary election. (BBC News)
Israeli Prime Minister and Likud chairman Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli Foreign Minister and Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman announce the unification of their two parties which will run as a single bloc for the upcoming election to be held in January 2013; the joint party will be called "Likud Beiteinu" ("The Likud Is Our Home") and Netanyahu will be number 1 on the list, followed by Liberman who will be number 2 on the list. (BBC) (The Jewish Press) (The Times of Israel)

Religion and diplomacy

Bishop Richard Williamson, because of his opposition to dialogue and his Holocaust denial, is expelled from the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) by its superior, Bishop Bernard Fellay. The SSPX is a formerly breakaway ultra-conservative Roman Catholic society founded by the late Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre that is critical of many of the changes in the Church brought about by Vatican Council II. (Catholic News Service)

Sports

Emanuel Steward, International Boxing Hall of Fame inducted trainer, and most notable for training 41 world champion fighters throughout his career, including Lennox Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko, Thomas Hearns, and Tony Tucker, dies at the age of 68. (ESPN)

October 26, 2012 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Latest round of sectarian clashes between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims kill at least 64 people in western Burma; 3,200 Rohingya have been displaced. (CNN) (Al-Arabiya)
Syrian civil war:
- Fighting in Syria continues as the ceasefire agreement mediated by U.N. special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi to occur during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha begins. (Christian Science Monitor)
- A car bomb explodes in the capital Damascus, killing an unknown number of people and injuring many. (Reuters)
A suicide bombing at a mosque in Maymana, Afghanistan, kills at least 41 people and wounds up to 50 others. (BBC)

Arts and culture

Writer Javier Marías rejects the Spanish government's National Novel Prize, awarded for his novel Los enamoramientos, saying "All my life I have managed to avoid state institutions, regardless of which party was in government, and I have turned down all income from the public purse. I don't want to be seen as an author who is favoured by any particular government." (The Guardian)

Law and crime

China blocks the website of the New York Times and searches on social media after it published an investigation into the finances of Premier Wen Jiabao. (Al Jazeera)(New York Times)
Russian leftist protest leader Sergei Udaltsov is charged with plotting "mass disorder" and could face a 10 year prison sentence if convicted. (RIA Novosti)
Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is sentenced to four years imprisonment for fiscal fraud. (AGI)

Politics and elections

Chinese politician Bo Xilai is stripped of his membership of the National People's Congress. (Hindustan Times)

October 27, 2012 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Iraqi insurgency: A series of attacks across Iraq kill 46 and injured 123 others. (BBC)
Several injuries occur as police use rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas to disperse people at the Olympia Stadium in Rustenburg, South Africa. (Al Jazeera)

Business and economics

Thousands of people join protests against budget cuts in Madrid and ask that the government quit. Riot police greet the demonstrators. (BBC) (Al Jazeera)

Disasters

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake strikes off the coast of British Columbia near Haida Gwaii, triggering a tsunami warning in the North Pacific. (CBC)

International relations

The fifth Tibetan in a week sets himself on fire and dies in Tibet in a protest against Chinese rule. (The Himalayan Times)

Law and crime

Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal:
- The family of disgraced disc jockey and television presenter Jimmy Savile makes its first public statement since his reputation was destroyed by a sexual abuse scandal. (CNN) (BBC)
- A statement from the Vatican claims it is not possible to strip Savile of his papal knighthood over his involvement in the sexual abuse scandal because the honour ceased to exist upon his death. Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi makes it known that the Vatican is "deeply saddened that a person who has been stained by such acts could in his lifetime have been proposed for an honour by the Holy See." (The Irish Times)

Sport

In composite rules shinty–hurling, Ireland defeat Scotland to claim the International Series. (BBC Sport) (Irish Examiner)
Karl Lacey of Donegal is named the GAA All Stars Footballer of the Year, alongside which he picks up his fourth All Star. (BBC Sport)

October 28, 2012 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war:
- Opposition activists report at least 128 deaths around the country, as the UN-brokered ceasefire appears to collapse. The Syrian Army bombards three Damascus districts and the city of Bara near Idlib, killing at least 22 people. (CNN) (Reuters)
- Al Qaeda's leader Ayman al-Zawahiri pledges support for the rebels in a new video uploaded to a jihadist website. (CNN)
Iraqi insurgency: Car bombings in and around Baghdad kill 15 and injure 33 others. (Al Jazeera)
Ten people are killed and over 100 injured after a suicide bombing and reprisal attacks close to a Catholic church in Kaduna, Northern Nigeria. (BBC)
The United Nations calls for action to end renewed hostilities between ethnic Buddhists and Muslim Rohingya in Myanmar's western Rakhine State that have killed dozens and displaced more than 22,500. (Al Jazeera)

Disasters

The East Coast of the United States prepares for Hurricane Sandy, which has killed at least 67 people and caused widespread damage in the Caribbean. (CNN)

Exploration

The SpaceX Dragon capsule on a re-supply mission to the International Space Station returns to Earth. (BBC)

Law and crime

Greek journalist Kostas Vaxevanis is arrested over the publication of a list of Greeks with Swiss bank accounts. (BBC)
Former pop star Gary Glitter is arrested on suspicion of sex offences by police investigating the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal. (BBC)
The Euromillions lottery website is hacked; its homepage is replaced by a Quran passage which condemns gambling. (BBC)

Sport

Chelsea lose their unbeaten league record against Manchester United as Manchester United wins 3-2 at Stamford Bridge. Referee Mark Clattenburg sends off Branislav Ivanović and Fernando Torres. In addition, Javier Hernández is pelted with objects after scoring the winning goal, a steward is injured and hospitalized, and Chelsea issue a formal complaint to the Premier League over the referee's alleged racial abuse of several players, including Mikel John Obi. (BBC) (GOAL) (Daily Mail) (The Guardian) (The Independent) (The Daily Telegraph)
In Formula One racing, Sebastian Vettel wins the 2012 Indian Grand Prix, with Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber in second and third place. (BBC)
In Major League Baseball, the San Francisco Giants defeat the Detroit Tigers in game four of the 2012 World Series, sweeping the Tigers and winning their second World Series in three years. Pablo Sandoval is named World Series MVP. (ESPN) (ESPN)

October 29, 2012 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war:
- Two deadly car bombings rock Damascus, according to Syrian state media. (BBC)
Bahraini uprising: Anti-government protests are banned and legal action is threatened against those backing the protests. (Al Jazeera)
Police attack thousands of demonstrators with tear gas and water cannons in Ankara during the celebrations of the anniversary of the foundation of the Republic of Turkey. (Al Jazeera)

Business and economics

Penguin and Random House agree to merge to form Penguin Random House, the world's largest publisher. (The Guardian) (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

Hurricane Sandy strikes New York City.

International relations

Human Rights Watch and other rights groups issue a report rejecting the Israeli government’s arguments against accepting Africans migrants seeking asylum in Israel and criticizing it for using force to deter them from entering the country, stating that the migrants face extreme violence if denied entry into Israel. (Al Jazeera) (The Jerusalem Post)
Activists descend on the city of Paju to float 50,000 propaganda leaflets on balloons into North Korea, despite protests from local South Korean residents concerned at provoking a military response. (BBC)

Law and crime

Damian Rzeszowski is sentenced to 30 years in prison for killing six people—including his wife and children—in Jersey. (BBC)
The U.S. Supreme Court declines to take on the review of an abortion-related appeal. The case, which is a proposed measure to amend the Oklahoma state constitution that was unanimously struck down by the Oklahoma Supreme Court, dealt with the constitutionality of state "personhood" laws that endorse the viewpoint that human life begins at conception, and would give human embryos rights and privileges given to citizens, which could have made it more difficult to have abortions for non-emergency reasons. (CNN)
Registered child sex offenders in Simi Valley, California, will not have to post a sign outside their home this Halloween reading in part "no candy," but they still are prohibited from decorating their houses and handing out candy, U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson ruled Tuesday, in a partial victory for the suing offenders and their wives before Halloween. (CNN)

Politics and elections

Fernando Haddad is elected mayor of São Paulo, giving the governing Workers' Party control of Brazil's financial capital and biggest city. (BBC) (Los Angeles Times)
A shortlist of successors to the Coptic Pope is drawn up; a blindfolded child is then expected to pick from a list of three. (BBC)

October 30, 2012 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war:
- Qatar says the government of Syria is waging a "war of extermination" against their own citizens. (Al Jazeera)
- At least 50 are killed throughout the country, according to an activist group. (CNN)
The Bahraini regime makes all opposition to its rule illegal. (Al Jazeera) (BBC)
Police attack Anglo American Platinum mine workers with rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades in Rustenburg, South Africa. (Al Jazeera)
Bolivian journalist Fernando Vidal is set on fire live on radio. (BBC)

Arts and culture

Somali poet, playwright and songwriter Warsame Shire Awale is killed in Mogadishu. (BBC)
Major Dutch writer J. Bernlef dies at home in Amsterdam. (Dutch News)
Groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch urge Qatar to release Mohammed al-Ajami, the poet held since last year on charges of "inciting to overthrow the ruling system" and "insulting the emir". (BBC)
Ahead of the first preview of his new play, Alan Bennett reveals it emerged as a result of disquiet at the National Trust and laments a nation turned into a "captive market" where public life exhibits a "diminution of magnanimity." (The Guardian)
Tamasin and Daniel Day-Lewis donate poet laureate Cecil Day-Lewis's archive—including manuscripts and a letter from W. H. Auden—to Oxford University's Bodleian Library. (The Guardian)
The Stone Roses announce a series of performances in 2013, including their first London show since their reunion. (The Guardian)

Business and economics

The Walt Disney Company purchases Lucasfilm Ltd. from George Lucas for US$4.05 billion. Included in the deal are the rights to the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises. (Associated Press)

Disasters

Aid workers and the United Nations raise concerns about rising food prices and increased cholera in Haiti, where Hurricane Sandy has killed at least 52 people. (Al Jazeera)
Hurricane Sandy makes landfall near Atlantic City, New Jersey, with widespread flooding and at least 29 deaths in the Northeastern United States. (CNN) (WNN)

Law and crime

Rwanda’s high court sentences opposition leader, Victoire Ingabire, to eight years in prison, convicting her of "conspiring to harm the country through war and terror, and minimizing" the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. (The New York Times)
Organisers of a proposed free public event on Homo floresiensis are forced to change the event's title after use of the word "hobbit", the creature's nickname, is forbidden by the representatives of the Tolkien Estate. (The Guardian)
A suburban Chicago woman, Elzbieta Plackowska, 40, of Naperville, Illinois, is held without bail after allegedly fatally stabbing her 7-year-old son, Justin, Tuesday night 100 times, and then killing a 5-year-old girl, Olivia Dworakowski, who she had been babysitting and who had witnessed the homicide. She told investigators she did it because she was angry with her husband, a truck driver who was often away, leaving her to do work as a maid and care for the child, work that supposedly was beneath her, according to DuPage County, Illinois State's Attorney Robert Berlin. (Peoria Journal Star)

Sport

Afghanistan hosts its first professional men's boxing match—Hamid Rahimi versus Said Mbelwa—in Kabul. (BBC)
In the fourth round of the 2012–13 Football League Cup, Arsenal and Reading participate in a twelve-goal thriller (7-5) at the Mad Stad—with Arsenal 4-1 down by the end of the first half. (The Guardian) (The Daily Telegraph) (Irish Independent) (ESPN) (GOAL)

October 31, 2012 (Wednesday)