Current Events for the Week of 17 October 2011

Current Events for Monday, 17 October 2011

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou begs Greek people to help avert “catastrophe”
Greece heads for standstill as austerity votes near, general 48-hour strike planned for mid-week
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble: Greek debt write-down must be greater
Kinder Morgan Inc. strikes $21 billion deal to buy rival El Paso Corp., would make largest natural gas pipeline operator in North America
Republican Party (GOP) presidential hopeful Herman Cain admits on Meet the Press his 9-9-9 plan would raise taxes on some
Kenya deploys troops into Somalia, launches offensive against al-Shabab militants after kidnappings
Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hoseyni Khamene’i: U.S. allegations are meaningless
Iran demands consular access to Manssor Arbabsiar, man being held on charges of plotting Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. Adel al-Jubeir
U.S. President Barack Obama (D.) gives passionate, partisan speech at Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial dedication
Congressional audit of 12 Federal Reserve Banks due this week, likely to be barely noticed
The Samsung Group files suit in Australia, Japan to ban sales of Apple Inc.’s new iPhone4S due to patent infringement
Central American flooding deathtoll rises to 80
BP plc wins $4 billion settlement with Anadarko Petroleum Corp. for cleanup of Deepwater Horizon disaster
Imperial’s Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology researchers identify high levels of enzyme SGK1 as leading to unexplained infertility, low levels explaining miscarriage
Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) forces enter Bani Walid
Bolivian judicial elections underway, seen as referendum on President Juan Evo Morales Ayma
Major upgrade of U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) system draws unexpected criticism from scientists
Thousands of Syrian troops backed by armor divisions opened-fire on border resort town of Zabadani
Arab League calls for mediated Syrian talks within the next two weeks
Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism: U.S. President Obama receives most negative press of any presidential candidate
The Sunday Telegraph: California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) has joined calls for Murdoch family to step-down from News Corp. helm
Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City, Bishop Robert Finn receive indictments from city’s district attorney for their role in failing to report child pornography
Israel names those to be released in prisoner swap with Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya (Hamas)
Yemeni security forces kill many in recent crackdowns
Yemeni insurgents wreck oil pipeline, halting nation’s oil exports
Thai flooding engulfs another industrial estate, Bangkok safe for now
Some 175 #OccupyChicago protesters arrested
Group of Twenty (G20) presses Eurozone nations to act decisively within eight days, agree on big bank capital surcharge of up to 2.5% to be phased in starting in 2016
Global “Day of Rage” protests mainly peaceful, save Rome
Ford Motor Co., The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) agreement gains passage momentum
U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner: U.S. growth too slow, Americans need American Jobs Act (AJA)
Chinese President Wen Jiabao: Chinese yuan (¥) exchange rate will remain stable to protect exporters
Mexican President Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa: state of Veracruz had been “left in the hands” of violent Zetaa drug cartel
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit blocks parts of strict Alabama immigration law
U.S. Obama administration pulling plug on long-term, home-care program in Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)
U.S. President Obama announces U.S. sending 100 soldiers, military advisors to central Africa to help, advise government forces battling Ugandan Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels accused of murder, rape, torture
U.S. Department of the Treasury announces it will delay report on Chinese currency as China currency bill gains momentum in U.S. House of Representatives (House)
U.S. aid groups accuse Obama administration of playing politics with North Korean food aid
U.S. budget gap widened slightly in fiscal year 2011, stayed above $1 trillion for third straight year
Harrisburg v. Pennyslvania set for bankruptcy court hearing Monday
U.S. Department of Commerce report: U.S. retail sales grew in September at the fastest rate in seven months
Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič to dismiss Prime Minister Iveta Radičová’s fallen government, start talks with political parties to form interim cabinet
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) wrestling with “conflict materials” regulations
French Parti Socialiste chooses François Hollande to stand for presidential election
Haitian parliament approves Prime Minister Garry Conille’s cabinet, government forms after months of delay
European Commission set to propose investing some €9.2 billion (~$12.8 billion) in super-fast broadband
Four militants killed in attack on U.S. military base in eastern Afghan region of Panjshir
Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) José Luis Moreno-Ocampo arrives in Côte d’Ivoire as part of investigation of deadly post-election violence
British Labour Party: inquiry into former Secretary of State for Defence Liam Fox should continue despite him no longer holding the position
GOP presidential hopeful Texas Governor Rick Perry (R.) raised $17 million in third-quarter (Q3), former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (R.) raised $14 million
Department of Clinical Genetics at the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam map deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of 115-year-old woman
Cuban Partido Comunista de Cuba (PCC) to take-up debate on unprecedented call for term limits made by President Raoul Castro
European Space Agency (ESA) sends formal invitation to Russian Federation to take-part in planned Martian 2016, 2018 missions
U.N. Security Council (UNSECO) to withdraw some 3,000 troops from its Haitian mission
Burmese military junta issues new law permitting labor unions
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) praises Irish spending cuts
Malawian government refuses international calls to arrest Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on state visit
Chinese Xian JH-7 Flounder (aka FBC-1 Flying Leopard) crashes at air show
Iran: U.S. measures taken against Tehran would elicit ”resolute” response
GOP presidential hopeful, U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann (R., MN) burning through cash faster than she can fundraise

Current Events for Tuesday, 18 October 2011

Moody’s Investor Services (Moody’s) announces it will review French AAA credit rating just days before crucial E.U. summit, casts palor on recent European financial gains
Herman Cain to receive more spotlight in tonight’s GOP presidential candidate debate in Las Vegas, NV
Quinnipiac University poll: 67% of New Yorker support the #OccupyWallStreet movement, desire them to stay
U.S. Federal Reserve Board dissention comes to a head, Richmond Federal Reserve Bank President Jeffrey Lacker argues against any new stimulus spending, Chicago Federal Reserve Bank President Charles Evans suggests further stimulus necessary
International Business Machines (IBM) Q3 profits disappoint, stocks tumble 3%
Hamas releases Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit after five years in captivity
German Finance Minister Schäuble’s caution against European “quick fix” tumbles Asian commodity, stock markets
Libyan NTC claims to have captured Bani Walid
Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) agrees to hear Nigerian human rights case against Royal Dutch Shell plc
Senior U.S. Senate Democratic aide: American Jobs Act vote to be “forced”
General Electric Co. chief executive officer (CEO) Jeff Immelt: U.S. not doing enough to attract foreign investment
Iran claims it would “seriously and patiently” examine U.S. allegations of its involvement in plot to kill Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. al-Jubeir
Citigroup Inc. posts better-than-expected profits, warns developed markets could face weak growth for years
Two separate teams of scientists identify Fusobacterium link to bowel cancer
Judges at U.N.-backed tribunal investigating assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri considering trying suspects in absentia
U.S. International Trade Commission: Apple Inc. did not violate HTC Corp. patents with iPhones
Three suspects charged after four mentally disabled adults found chained in Philadelphia, PA basement
U.S. Federal Reserve report: U.S. industrial production increased 0.2% in September, factory output rose 0.4%
British reopen embassy in Libya
Nigerian member of parliament (MP) Modu Bintube suspected killed by Boko Haram Islamist militants
Fierce fighting resumes in Sana’a between anti-government rebels, pro-government forces
Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM) announces “apology package” of free apps
Sesame Street’s YouTube channel hacked, briefly shutdown
University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing study seems to link low birth-weight with autism
Greece braces for shutdown as austerity vote nears
Iowa GOP Central Committee confirms 3 January 2012 set for caucuses
U.S. President Obama: maybe Congress couldn’t understand the jobs bill
Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman (R.) boycotts Nevada debate
CNN/Opinion Research Corp. (ORC) International poll: 59% believe U.S. President Obama’s policies will fail
U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R., KY) ends holds on Social Security insurance funding bill, $36 million extension in funding passes on voice vote
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shoots-down possibility of 2016 presidential run
Former Liberian rebel leader Prince Johnson, who came in third in recent presidential election, says he will back front-runner President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
North Korea, U.S. to hold talks on restarting efforts to recover remains of U.S. soldiers killed during Korean War after six-year hiatus

Current Events for Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Credit Suisse Group AG report: global wealth likely to rise 50% over next five years to $345 trillion
E.U. officials: no deal reached on increasing European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF)
British broadsheet The Guardian: France, Germany reach deal to add €2 trillion (~$2.76 trillion) to EFSF
Moody’s cuts Spanish sovereign rating by two notches, forcing Eurozone hand
Greek strike commence ahead of austerity vote
Israeli Staff Sargeant Shalit speaks of moving forward, peace with Palestinians in first public appearance
Confident former Massachusetts Governor Romney on attack at Las Vegas debate
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits Tripoli, hails “Libya’s victory”
E.U. Commission investigators raid several firms active in derivative products linked to Euro Interbank Offered Rate (Euribor) on suspicions of a cartel in the market
Yahoo! Inc. posts as-expected pathetic Q3 earnings, future still uncertain
Apple Inc. stuns Wall Street by not meeting Q3 earning expectations, blames iPhone5 rumors for missing target
Talks between U.S., top mortgage banks close to agreement, banks win more immunity
U.S. Social Security recipients to receive cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)
U.S. Army Major General Daniel Allyn: U.S. Afghan drawdown to take some soldiers from restive east
U.S. bankruptcy judge refuses to rule immediately in Harrisburg v. Pennyslvania, Pennyslvania Senate passes legislation permitting Commonwealth to take-over troubled city
U.S. Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke: central banks may resort to monetary policy to combat asset bubbles, but regulation should be used first
RIM aims to reinvent itself, reassure users with major software upgrade
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) downgrades two dozen Italian banks, financial firms
U.N. Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) formally opposes Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) plan offering Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh immunity from human rights prosecution for stepping-down
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. posts second quarterly loss of all-time
Chinese economy slows to weakest pace in two years
Bank of America Corp. posts Q3 profits despite core businesses loosing
University College London researchers find internet, social media ”may be changing” human brains
At least 24 Turkish soldiers killed in attack by Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan (PKK, Kurdistan Workers’ Party) rebels, retaliatory attacks taking place
U.S. Department of State issues warning for citizens travelling to India over the holiday season
Russian Federation signs free-trade agreements with seven former Soviet republics
U.N. Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Juan Méndez urges countries to ban use of solitary confinement for more than 15 days
Intel Corp. posts 17% Q3 profit increase
U.S. Senate blocks proposal by Obama administration to limit amount of starches, like potatoes, in student lunches
Suicide truck bomb kills five civilians in Mogadishu near where Kenyan ministers are holding talks
Chilean students protesting for education reform clash with Santiago police
E.U. postpones Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych’s visit to Brussels following jailing of his main political rival, former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko
Serbs in northern Kosovo defy North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) demands to remove blockades
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): global asylum claims up 17%
The Coca-Cola Co. reports $2.2 billion Q3 profit
Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik: peace talks with Taliban can only move forward with disarmament
GOP hopeful Cain’s supporters launch super political action committee (Super PAC) just minutes before start of GOP Las Vegas debate

Current Events for Thursday, 20 October 2011

Greek anti-austerity protests turn violent, many clashes between police, protesters
Nestlé S.A. raises fiscal year growth projection after strong profit growth through first three quarters
Three anonymous U.S. officials: U.S. believes shadowy Iranian Quds Force growing increasingly aggressive overseas, may be working with other groups in international assassination plots
U.S. Secretary of State Clinton: I was looking for “reality check” in visit to Kabul
French President Nicolas Sarközy admits plans to tackle Eurozone crisis “stuck,” returns to Berlin for further talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel
U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) pins COLA number at 3.6%
The World Bank President Robert Zoellick urges “definite steps” from European leaders to tackle economic crisis
AMR Corp., pilots union resume contract talks, stocks hit again
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): Citigroup Inc. will pay $285 million to settle charges it defrauded investors who purchased toxic house-related debt the bank bet would fail
U.N. Security Council (UNSECO) diplomats: Palestinian statehood decision by November
Ford Motor Co., UAW agree to new labor contract
Reuters poll of economists shows belief Asian growth will slow in 2012, no Chinese crash
Sony Corp. postpones launch of several new products due to Thai factories being shut-down after floods
India launches much-anticipated Bangalore mass rapid transit system
Turkish forces carry-out retalitory attacks on PKK “bases” in northern Iraq
Brazilian central bank cuts key interest rate from 12% to 11.5%, cites global economic slowdown
Second day of Chilean education protests turns more violent
British chipmaker ARM Holdings plc unveils new processor which should allow manufacturers to make cheaper smartphones
The Supreme Court of Canada unanimously rules online publications cannot be held liable for linking to defamatory material
American, North Korean officials to meet in Geneva next week to try and restart long-stalled nuclear talks
Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging at University College London study: mental ability, as measured by intelligence quotient (IQ), can improve or decline on a far greater scale for teenagers than previously thought
Thousands pro-government supporters rally in Syria’s second-largest-city of Aleppo
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers create radar that can see moving objects through solid walls
China blames Dalai Lama for encouraging people to commit suicide
U.S. Department of Defense to wait for UNHRC report before moving forward with pursuing $53 million military weapons deal with Bahrain
Morgan Stanley posts $2.2. billion Q3 profit
U.S. Department of Labor: U.S. consumer prices rose 0.3% in September
Symantec Corp. warns it believes Stuxnet authors working on new worm
Google Inc. unveils Android “4.0,” “Ice Cream Sandwich”
France begins withdraw of some 200 of its soldiers taking part in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan
Politico.com: labor unions lagging behind conservative groups in post-Citizens United world
All exotic animals accounted for in Ohio
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) warns over apparent U.S. Federal Reserve Board disagreement

Current Events for Friday, 21 October 2011

Former Libyan leader Muammar Ali al-Gaddafi captured by NTC fighters, dies while in custody; NTC plans “secret” burial
Deep divisions emerge over EFSF between France, Germany
U.S. Senate Democrats, Republicans defeat each other’s competing stimulus bills

All 47 Republican members, two Democrats—U.S. Senators Ben Nelson (D., NE), Mark Pryor (D., AR)—, and one Independent—U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman (I., CT)— vote against Democrat-proposed Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act of 2011 (S.1723)
Democrats block Republican bid to repeal 3% withholding tax on business 57-43, failing to garner the necessary 60 votes

Greece adopts austerity bill amid violent protests
Basque separatist group Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) announces it will end armed struggle, enter into talks with French, Spanish governments
More separation seen at U.S. Federal Reserve as Boston Federal Reserve Bank President Eric Rosengren, U.S. Federal Reserve Governor Daniel Tarullo discuss possible mortgage bond purchases and St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President James Bullard says such a move is “unnecessary”
U.S. 2010 Census: poverty rates up in almost all U.S. states, large urban centers
Anonymous sources: last year’s NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ)hackers installed malicious software to spy on directors of publicly-help companies
Groupon Inc. likely to “go public” on NASDAQ
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett (R.) signs bill into law finalizing the Commonwealth’s financial takeover of Harriburg
U.S. Department of Labor report: Mid-Atlantic factory activity in October rebounded, jobless claims fell by 6,000 last week
Nokia Corp. posts surprise Q3 profit
Bangkok braced for more rain, floods
Indian subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corp., Maruti Suzuki India Limited, sees two-week labor strike end
Japan approves extra budget of $157 billion for reconstruction of areas devastated by natural disasters
Dozens of Chilean protesters occupy Senate headquarters in Santiago for several hours
Microsoft Corp. posts 6% Q3 profit increase, mainly due to sales of Office software bundle
U.S. Secretary of State Clinton meets with Pakistani counterpart, urges “strong steps” against militants
Turkey further steps-up anti-PKK action in northern Iraq
Germany cuts own 2012 growth forecast from 1.8% to 1%
China’s largest rare-earth producer Baotou Steel Rare-Earth Hi-Tech announces one-month moratorium on exports to “stimulate demand”
NATO-led peacekeeping forces in northern Kosovo drive-back Serbian protesters, remove roadblocks
International Criminal Court (ICC) formally asks Malawian government why it failed to arrest Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir
U.S. Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) out-fundraises National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) for third-straight month in September
USA Today/Gallup poll shows majority of Americans—53%—now blame U.S. President Obama for economy