Current Events for the Week of 10 October 2011
Current Events for Monday, 10 October 2011
- The Wall Street Journal: secret court orders force Google Inc., small internet service provider (ISP) Sonic to turn-over internet protocol (IP) information, emails contact for Tor Project Inc. developer Jacob Applebaum who was also a WikiLeaks volunteer
- Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos to meet with “troika” of European Central Bank (ECB), E.U., International Monetary Fund (IMF)
- U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden (D.): it’s hard to get anything done when the other party is willing to do nothing, “we need a strong Republican Party”
- Greek central bank activates rescue fund to save PROTONBANK S.A.
- U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann (R., MN) vows to “fight on” despite falling poll numbers
- Herman Cain, U.S. Representative Bachmann steer clear of Dallas’ First Baptist Church pastor Robert Jeffress’ comments about former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s (R.) Mormon faith
- Belgium, France, Luxembourg agree to Dexia N.V./S.A. rescue, global debt risk exposure thought to be over 512€ billion (~$691 billion)
- Dexia accepts partial nationalization, bailout
- Egyptian cabinet calls emergency meeting to discuss recent violence that killed 24 Christian protesters in Cairo
- California becomes first U.S. state to set minimum age for use of sunbeds
- California Governor Jerry Brown (D.) signs bill giving illegal immigrant college students access to state-funded financial aid
- Governing Sri Lankan coalition wins 21 of 23 councils in local elections, loses key vote in Colombo
- China keeps anniversary of the creation of the Republic of China on 1 January 1912 subdued
- Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh vows to quit but sets no timetable, opposition expresses doubt
- German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarközy promise new crisis package, offer no details on plan likely to focus on buoying banks
- #OccupyWallStreet eyeing to expand, becomes focus of “big-name” politicians
- Former U.S. President Bill Clinton (D.) tells Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny he will host summit to boost investment in struggling Eurozone member
- University of New Hampshire Survey Center/WMUR poll shows Republican Party (GOP) front-runner Romney still has wide lead of at least 25-points over next closest contender
- U.S. announces steps to clamp-down on classified, secure information
- Internal U.S. White House emails raise fresh questions on energy loan to now-bankrupt Solyndra Corp.
- U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) confirms Predator, Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV, “drone”) still flying despite computer virus
- The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Auto Workers (UAW) closer to deal with Chrysler Group LLC
- Walt Disney Co. chief executive officer (CEO) Bob Iger to step-down March 2015
- Fitch Ratings downgrades Italian sovereign credit rating by one notch, Spainish by two
- U.S. Obama administration requests immediate stay blocking Alabama’s new, strict immigration law
- Moody’ Investors Service (Moody’s) cuts credit ratings on British-based Lloyds Banking Group, Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS)
- Syria threatens to “retaliate” against any nation that formally recognizes opposition National Council’s legitimacy
- Crews race to empty grounded tanker off New Zealand coast ahead of forecasted winds, swells
- Paraguay holds referendum vote on giving expatriots voting rights
- Japanese health workers begin medical tests on children from Fukushima checking for connection between radiation exposure, thyroid disorders
- Dozens of self-proclaimed Islamists arrested after trying to attack Tunis television station airing Persepolis
- French Parti Socialiste holding American primary style vote to choose candidate to stand for presidential election
- The Simpsons voice actors agree to pay-cut, Fox Broadcasting Company extends series for two more seasons
- Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin makes rare appearance
- Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, South Sudan President Salva Kiir set deadlines to resolve disputes, vow no return to war
- South Sudan formally chooses English as its official language
- Four arrested in Ohio after Amish attack
- Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams preaches to packed Zimbabwean stadium in controversial visit
- Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk claims victory in parliamentary election after exit polls shows his Platforma Obywatelska (Civi Platform) party wins enough seats to control parliament
- Burmese Press Scrutiny and Registration Division (PSRD) chief Major Tint Swe calls for more media freedom in Myanmar (Burma)
- Tiskilwa, Illinois residents evacuated after train carrying ethanol derails
- Japan grounds more than 200 McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighter jets after a fuel tanks falls off one during training exercise
- Dutch government announces plans to reclassify high-strength cannabis as a “hard drug”
- International astronomers find previous belief planet Venus did not have ozone layer was wrong
- One’s Hungry No More advertisements may be pulled from U.S. airwaves because it may breach political advertising rules
- European authorities approve Microsoft Corp.’s plan to buy voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) powerhouse Skype
- Two Tibetan teenagers commit self-immolation in Chinese Sichuan province
- U.S. Department of Labor September jobs report: U.S. unemployment remained 9.1%, despite more than 103,000 jobs being created
- Texas Governor Rick Perry (R.) continues to portray himself as an “expert” on immigration
- The Smithsonian Institution’s National Air & Space Museum closes after anti-war demonstrators protest new UAV exhibit
- Iowa GOP sets caucus for 3 January 2012
Current Events for Tuesday, 11 October 2011
- Greece comes to agreement with international lenders for money to avert all-out default, E.U. postpones “troika” meeting
- #OccupyWallStreet movement gridlocks downtown Chicago
- New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I.): protesters may stay indefinitely
- U.S. National Basketball Association (NBA) cancels first two weeks of 2011-2012 season
- American executives author open letter to U.S. President Barack Obama (D.), tell him he could create jobs by attracting more foreign capital to the U.S., help entrepreneurs, be more aggressive in energy policy
- HSBC Holdings plc report: Asian stock trading to double to $14 trillion by 2025
- Wall Street extends rally on Eurozone hopes, stocks jump 3%
- U.N. report: torture rife in Afghan prisons
- Sentier Research study: median American income fell more in two years after recession ended than during it
- Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) confirms death of Anwar al-Awlaki
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report: indicators paint dark, gloomy picture of global economy
- Apple Inc.’s iPhone4S presales break all previous smartphone preorder records
- American economists Thomas Sargent, Christopher Sims awarded Nobel Prize in Economics for work on modern macroeconomic theory
- E.U.: Group of Twenty (G20) summit to focus on Eurozone debt crisis
- European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) Chairman Jean-Claude Trichet: European sovereign debt crisis becoming systemic, ricks to economies increasing
- Long lines seen outside polling places in Monrovia as Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf tries to get reelected
- Burma announces general amnesty plan, unclear how many prisoners to be released are political
- Judge declares former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko exceeded her powers in 2009 natural gas deal, unclear if she has been convicted
- University of Eastern Finland study: vitamins linked to higher risk of death in older women
- Thousands of Egyptian Coptic Christians take to the streets after burying dead
- Peruvian President Ollanta Moisés Humala Tasso replaces two-thirds of nation’s police chiefs in major anti-corruption purge
- Libyan fighting in Sirte intensifies
- African Union (A.U.) troops claims to have driven al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab militants from Mogadishu
- Three deadly Baghdad explosions leave at least nine killed, 20 wounded
- Chongqing, China officials close 17 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. stores for mislabeling pork
- E.U. lauds formation of opposition Syrian National Council (SNC)
- Thai-born American citizen Joe Gordon pleads guilty to insulting the monarchy
- Research in Motion (RIM) server crash leaves millions of BlackBerry users without email, problem fixed
- Netflix, Inc. heeds customer warnings, does about-face on digital video disc (DVD) spin-off, price rises
- British Health Protection Agency (HPA): gonorrhoea becoming drug resistant
- U.S. Representative Ron Paul (R., TX) wins “highly predictive” Family Research Council’s (FRC) Values Voters Summit straw poll, FRC President Tony Perkins heads to Fox News to downplay win
- GOP candidates head to New Hampshire for tonight’s debate
- U.S. Chief of Staff of the Army General Ray Odierno: suggested budget cuts may make fighting two simultaneous wars “impossible”
Current Events for Wednesday, 12 October 2011
- Two suicide bombers, string of other attacks rock Baghdad police, at least 17 dead and 70 wounded
- Israel, Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyyah (“Islamic Resistance Movement,” Hamas) agree to prisoner swap to free captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit
- Hundreds of #OccupyWallStreet protesters target New York City homes of wealthy executives
- Around 100 #OccupyBoston protesters arrested in early morning hours
- U.S. Senate votes 63-35 to pass Chinese currency bill, fate in U.S. House of Representatives (House) unclear
- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hints U.S. open to Afghan peace deal including Haqqani Network
- GOP front-runner former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (R.) mainly ignores other candidates, touts personal credibility in New Hamshire debate
- New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R.) announces endorsement of Governor Romney
- U.S. Attorney-General Eric Holder accuses Iran of backing assassination plot against Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. Adel Al-Jubeir uncovered in Washington, D.C. yesterday
- Slovakian parliament blocks expansion of European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF)
- U.S. Senate fails to pass American Jobs Act 50-48
- U.S. Senate Finance Committee votes 18-6 to put three stalled trade deals with Colombia, Panama, South Korea to full U.S. Senate votes
- Markets somewhat concerned over Google Inc.’s earning report due-out Thursday
- Ukrainian court jails former Prime Minister Tymoshenko for seven years
- Russian Federation “close” to natural gas deal with China
- Hurricane Jova hits Mexican Pacific coast with heavy rains, flash floods
- BP plc draws-up plan to tackle oil spill off Shetland coast, which is currently twice the size of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico
- Hungarian police confiscate over 100 fully functional weapons not properly deactivated on set of World War Z
- Captain of cargo ship grounded off New Zealand coast arrested, charged
- Fitch Ratings, Standard & Poor’s (S&P) downgrade major Spanish banks, including Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (BBVA) and Banco Santander, S.A.
- Ben & Jerry's Homemade Holdings, Inc. announces support for #OccupyWallStreet movement on company blog
- Egyptian Finance Minister Hazem el-Beblawi resigns in-protest over recent handling of Cairo violence
- The Lancet study: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Avahan Project prevented some 100,000 Indian human immundeficiency virus (HIV) infections
- In the modern world, what does our font choice say about us?
- California Governor Brown vetoes legislation that would require police to obtain a warrant before searching a detainee’s mobile phone
Current Events for Thursday, 13 October 2011
- Carrefour S.A. issues fourth profit warning in as many months, signalling European shoppers are becoming increasingly wary
- IMF Asia & Pacific Director Anoop Singh: China has scope to respond to global risks, that response could alter impact
- IMF cuts growth forecast for Asia down from 7% in each of the following years to 6.3% and 6.7%, respectively
- Alleged plot to assassinate Saudi Ambassador Al-Jubeir may have violated U.N. treaties protecting diplomats, could escalate crisis to international court system
- U.S. House, Senate pass trade bills with Colombia (262-167, 66-33), Panama (300-129, 77-22), South Korea (278-151, 83-15)
- Reuters/Ipsos poll: Governor Romney leads all other GOP candidates with 23%, former CEO Herman Cain jumps to second at 19%
- NBC News/The Wall Street Journal poll: Cain leads pack with 27%, Governor Romney second at 23%
- Reuters/Ipsos poll: 82% of Americans have heard about the #OccupyWallStreet movement, 73% view it either favorably or have no opinion
- U.S. House Oversight Committee subpoenas U.S. Department of Justice documents relating to “Fast & Furious” weapons scandal
- Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou: Greece in talks with European creditors to ease its debt burden
- Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab pleads guilty in trial, likely to spend the rest of his life in-prison
- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. report sustained improvement in sales after two years of lackluster numbers
- Harrisburg files for bankruptcy
- Chrysler Group LLC, UAW reach tentative agreement
- Purported U.S. unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, “drone”) attack kills three suspected Taliban militants in northwestern Pakistan
- Reports of ousted Libyan leader Muamar al-Gaddafi’s son Mutassim being captured leads to cheers, confusion
- Eight killed in California hair salon after gunman opens-fire
- U.S. Federal Reserve Board meeting minutes shows disagreement over how best to manage economy
- British Prime Minister David Cameron suggests changed to royal succession, including primogeniture
- University of Tubingen researchers reconstruct Yersinia pestis deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in laboratory
- RIM BlackBerry users hit by another major server outage
- European Commission recommends Serbia for E.U. candidacy, requires normalization of relations with Kosovo
- European Commission President José Manuel Barroso unveils “roadmap” to support Eurozone, European banks
- Glasgow Royal Infirmary physicians find ultrasound can cut bone healing time by one-third
- India launches new weather satellite to study monsoon patterns
- Sony Corp. locks user accounts on PlayStation Network (PSN), Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) services after unauthorized login attempts
- U.S. House set to vote on Protect Life Act (H.R. 358)
Current Events for Friday, 14 October 2011
- Chinese Communist Party Central Committee meeting likely to focus on inevitable economic issues
- U.S. President Obama warns Iran will face “toughest possible sanctions” for its alleged role in the plot to kill Saudi Ambassador Al-Jubeir
- Pro-democracy groups taking aim at 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(4)
- Conservative radio show host Rush Limbaugh suggests liberal billionaire George Soros behind #OccupyWallStreet movement
- New York City Public Works Department ordered to clean-up area occupied by #OccupyWallStreet protesters, activists claim it is an underhanded eviction tactic
- Google Inc. trounces Wall Street profit expectations, stocks surge 6%
- Reuters poll of 350 economists: global financial “malaise” to extend into 2012
- Slovak parliament U-turns, approves expansion of EFSF
- U.S. Department of Labors numbers show jobless claims edged-down by 1,000 last week, U.S. Department of Commerce report shows U.S. trade deficit narrowed slightly in August
- Contrite RIM co-CEO’s Jim Balsillie, Mike Lazaridis apologize to millions of BlackBerry users
- JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s third-quarter 2011 (Q3) earnings fell 25%
- European Central Bank (ECB) policymakers: risk of Eurozone falling back into recession, possible interest rates cuts will be focus of meeting next month
- U.N. scales-back mission at Kenyan-Somali border after to aid workers are abducted
- Teacher at Jean Moulin school in southern France sets self afire, survives
- Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi faces critical no-confidence vote on his handling of economic troubles
- Seattle prosecutors considering charging Rain City Superhero Movement leader Phoenix Jones (aka Benjamin Fodor) with assault after pepper spray attack
- U.S. President Obama reelection campaign raised $70 million through Q3
- Fitch Ratings downgrades UBS AG, threatens 12 other European banks
- At least 19 anti-government protesters killed in continued Syrian violence
- Two bomb blasts in Baghdad’ dominantly Shi’a neighborhood Sadr City kills at least 16
- U.S. Department of State: key Haqqani Network (HN) commander, Janbaz Zadran, has been killed in North Waziristan UAV strike
- No clear winner emerges from first-round of Liberian presidential voting
- Pioneering computer engineer Dennis Ritchie dies, 70
- Plane crashes in bad weather in Papua New Guinean rainforest, kills at least 28
- U.S. House Democrats passionately argue against H.R. 358 before it is passed 251-172, U.S. Senate Democrats warn it will never pass, U.S. President Obama issues written veto threat
- Eight leading European economic institutes forecast steep slowdown for German economy
- Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology Masaharu Nakagawa: radiation spike in Tokyo “unrelated” to Fukushima
- Strong 6.1-magnitude earthquake hits Bali causing major damage, many injuries
- California okays political campaign donations via text message
- New Hampshire GOP Chairman Wayne MacDonald urges 10 January 2012 primary date
- Gallup poll shows U.S. death penalty support at 39-year-low of 61%
- S&P downgrades Spanish debt by one notch