Current Events for the Week of 7 November 2011

Current Events for Monday, 7 November 2011

Newly chosen informal Eurozone leadership directorate, Frankfurt Group, intent on finding solution to crisis
Former European Central Bank (ECB) Deputy Prime Minister Lucas Papademos believed front-runner for Greek premiership
U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expected to issue report this week on Iranian nuclear program, expected to inform Iran is nearing nuclear capability
Retired right-wing general Otto Perez sweeps into Guatemalan presidency, brings-back memories of former military rule
Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming: Chinese currency exchange rate within “basically reasonable level,” not the root cause of Sino-American trade imbalance
Thousands of protesters against TransCanada Corp.’s Keystone XL pipeline ring White House
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou survives confidence vote, refuses to lead new coalition cabinet in clearest message he is preparing to step-down, formally signs new coalition deal
Thousands of supporters pay Chinese artist Ai Weiwei’s $2.3 million tax bill
Thai officials confirm flood deathtoll “over 500,” rising waters force more evacuations
Syrian forces kill at least 19 in Homs despite brokered peace deal
Days of rioting in Papua New Guinean industrial center of Lae leaves two dead, Prime Minister Peter O’Neil warns state of emergency could be imposed
Japanese coast guard arrests Chinese boat captain who refused to stop for inspection, likely to balloon as international incident
British-based Get Safe Online warns of malicious smartphone applications (apps)
At least 20 killed in Manizales, Colombia mud slide
Goldman Sachs Asset Management Chairman Jim O’Neill: Eurozone could split as single currency becomes less and less attractive
Former U.S. Vice-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Marine Corps General James Cartwright: U.S. should be more open about its development of cyber weapons, spell-out how and when they will be used
This year’s Hajj ends with little violence
U.S. National Basketball Association (NBA) owners, players met with federal mediator over weekend, no deal close
Reuters/Ipsos poll first to show chink in Republican Party (GOP) president hopeful Herman Cain’s political armor
Magnitude 5.6 earthquake hits Oklahoma, some damage reported
Magnitude 5.8 earthquake hits northern Chile, no immediate reports of damage or injuries
GOP presidential hopeful, U.S. Representative Ron Paul (R., TX) wins Illinois GOP straw poll
Colombians cheer death of top Fuerzas Armidas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) rebel leader Alfonso Cano
Former Pennsylvania State University football team defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky charged with sexually abusing eight boys
European Central Bank (ECB) debates end to Italian bond buy if reforms are stalled
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh claims he is “intent” on leaing office in-line with Gulf-brokered power transfer plan
Israeli authorities have begun deporting pro-Palestinian activists who attempted to breach Gaza Strip blockade
Four bombs explode near home of Sunni militia leader in northern Baghdad
Former New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine steps-down as MF Global Holdings Ltd.’s chairman, chief executive officer (CEO)
U.S. Army Major General Peter Fuller relieved of duties after critical speech of Afghan President Hamid Karzai
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. reports at least $2 billion on deriviatives in third quarter (Q3) 2011
Reuters/Ipsos poll: U.S. President Barack Obama’s (D.) approval rating rises to 49%
News Corp. phone hacking scandal spreads with Sun reporter arrest
U.S. Department of Commerce jobs report hints at slow, but stable recovery
Adidas AG confirms its corporate websites have been hit by “sophisticated, criminal cyber-attack”
Kenyan runner Geoffrey Mutai wins New York City Marathon in course record of 2:05:06
U.S. embassy in Nigeria warns of possible attack on Abuja hotel frequented by U.S. nationals
Grenade attack on eastern Kenyan church kills two, injures at least three others
Japanese Emperor Akihito taken to hospital complaining of influenza-like symptoms
At least six killed by suicide bomb attack near mosque in northern Afghanistan
Dutch parliament expected to rule on hilal, kosher methods of butchering next month
Nigerian Islamist group Boko Karam claims responsibility for killing 63 in northeast of country
Former American heavyweight boxer Joe Frazier is in hospice care with liver cancer
Eight killed in attack by gunmen at Sinaloa volleyball game
Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf urges run-off presidential vote despite only challenger pulling-out in boycott of poll
Chinese rescuers save remaining 45 miners after three days in collapsed coal mine
Brazilian government expected to move key U.N. Conference on Environment and Development (Rio+20) summit dates so as to not conflict with British Royal Jubilee
Microsoft Inc. issues temporary fix to Duqu worm
Google Inc. announces it is upgrading its core search software
Anglo American plc to take majority control of De Beers after $5.1 billion deal reached
Twenty arrested in #OccupyAtlanta movement
Associated Press: U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) reads over five million tweets, Facebook posts per day

Current Events for Tuesday, 8 November 2011

Election Day 2011
Under-fire Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi faces crucial public finances vote, increasing volume of voices calling for him to quit
Pressured by the E.U. to quickly choose a new premier, Greek parties seem unable to agree on candidate
Credit Suisse Group AG confirms Swiss Federal Tax Administration has requested U.S. client account data
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Mayor Linda Thompson, five of seven city council members vote to sell city incinerator, lease parking garages in last-ditch-effort to forestall Commonwealth takeover
Hewlett-Packard Co. looking to sell webOS unit
Australian parliament approves landmark laws on price of carbon emissions
Olympus Corp. admits to hiding securities investment losses as far back as the 1980s
Former investors in Bernie Madoff ponzi scheme file $19 billion lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase & Co., claiming the company ignored clear signs of fraud
Group of investors accuses Morgan Stanley of misleading more than $6 billion in mortgage debts
American entertainer Michael Jackson’s former doctor found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in singer’s death
U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs Robert Hormats: U.S. must invest now to safeguard global leadership role
Nicaraguan President José Daniel Ortega Saavedra (Daniel Ortega) wins landslide reelection despite claims of fraud from challenger Fabio Gadea Mantilla
Proposed Welsh law would make all citizens organ donors, allow opt-out
Two main rivals in Spanish election, Mariano Rajoy Brey and Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, take part in only planned television debate
Toyota Motor Corp. posts 18.5% quarterly loss, mainly due to parts shortages from Thai factories
Bolivia, U.S. agree to renormalize relations three years after Bolivian President Evo Morales expelled U.S. ambassador
Alabama, Mississippi voters to decide on “life” referenda
Former world heavyweight boxer Joe Frazier dies after brief battle with liver cancer
Colombia mudslides deathtoll rises to 38
Polish parliament to swear-in first-ever transsexual member, Anna Grodzka
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. confirms it is in talks with Microsoft Corp. over Android platform patents
Japanese Ministry of Finance confirms it has purchased 10% of the latest bonds issued by European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF)
Oregon piloting voting via iPad
Asteroid 2005 YU55 to pass by Earth at just over 200,000 miles
General Motors Co. announces it will stop supplying parts, technology to Saab AB if that company is bought by Chinese investment group
Fourth woman comes forward claiming improper sexual advances made by Herman Cain
Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to weigh-in on Zivotofsky passport case
Google+ launches Pages service for companies
Syrian opposition National Council calls for Homs international help
At least one killed as shots ring-out at Monrovia opposition rally
Dalai Lama blames Chinese government’s “cultural genocide” for rash of self-immolations
More than 20 heavily-armed Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) soldiers detained in Tanzania after crossing Lake Tanganyika
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov: Israeli military action against possible Iranian nuclear facilities would be a “very serious mistake fraught with unpredictable consequences”
U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrel Issa (R., CA) suggests “inheritors” of now defunct Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) group behind #Occupy movements
Pew Research study: wealth gap between younger, older Americans widens to largest-ever
French President Nicolas Sarközy caught calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “liar” in what was meant to be a private conversation with U.S. President Obama

Current Events for Wednesday, 9 November 2011

In closely-watched local election, Democratic candidates Leslie Richards, Josh Shapiro win seats on Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Commission
Greek political leaders continue to struggle on new premier
Embattled Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi “sees” elections in February 2012, won’t run for office
AOL Inc., Microsoft Corp., Yahoo! Inc. join advertising revenue forces against growing dominance of Facebook, Google Inc.
Ohio votes to return labor rights, Maine approves return to same-day voter registration, Mississippi “personhood” amendment loses big
Chinese annual inflation rate fell to 5.5% in October, more tweaks seen coming
Olympus Corp. losses on securities investments may have once exceeded $1 billion
Fannie Mae claims another $7.8 billion from U.S. Department of the Treasury, reports quarterly loss of $5.1 billion
Businessman Herman Cain vows to fight-on despite growing questions about past
Many see clock running-down for Pennsylvania State University football head coach Joe Paterno
U.S. Senator John McCain (R., AZ) predicts rise of third party, jokingly refers to it as ”the Fed-up Party”
Reuters/Ipsos poll: latest sexual harassment charges are hurting Cain
BBC: now-defunct The News of the World paid private eye to spy on British royal Prince William
Appeals Court for the District of Columbia Circuit upholds Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)
Nine years after capture, USS Cole attack mastermind Abd al Rahim al Nashiri to have day in military tribunal at Guantánamo Bay Naval Base detention center
South Sudanese oil production has fallen by one-quarter since independence four months ago
U.N. report: deathtoll in Syrian political violence hits 3,500
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde: global economy risking ”lost decade” due to European financial issues
International relief agencies: flood relief efforts in Pakistan Sindh province “at risk” because of lack of funds
Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty blames Eurozone crisis for being unable to fulfill promise to balance budget by 2014-2015
U.N. IAEA report claims Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons
Tunisian appeals court approves extradition of former Libyan Prime Minister al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi
U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) confirms early 2014 for test flight of Orion spacecraft
British High Court rules the Vatican is liable in lawsuits over abusive priests
Apple Inc. removes proof-of-concept malware app from App Store, bans developer
Russian Federation opens major Baltic natural gas pipeline to E.U.
Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra pulls-out of upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting to focus on domestic issues
U.S. Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report throws “cold water” on spending-cut approach
U.S. White House downplays job shift for Chief-of-Staff Bill Daley
U.S. federal public election monies to pay $17.7 million for national conventions
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton (D.): former presidents should be able to serve third term after break
U.S. White House officially denies alien contact

Current Events for Thursday, 10 November 2011

Walt Disney Co. seeks to reassure investors advertising revenue, growth had mitigated economic impact
Greek deal of premier collapses, former European Central Bank (ECB) Vice-President Louis Papademos re-emerges as possible choice, as Prime Minister George Papandreou makes farewell address
Italian politicians struggle to placate markets as crisis mounts, new suggestions Prime Minister Berlusconi will step-down “within days”
Global stocks sink on European indecision
Chinese imports surged in October as exports plunged
Magnitude 5.7 earthquake hits eastern Turkey less than three weeks after quake that killed 600, at least five dead and scores trapped in rubble
U.S. Businessman Cain escapes serious damage in GOP debate, receives applause for answers on recent sexual harassment allegations
Texas Governor Rick Perry (R.) crashes at debate
Embattled Cisco Systems Inc. posts better-than-expected fiscal year (FY) quarter two (Q2) earnings, revenue
Moody’s Investor Services (Moody’): U.S. political system not broke, can cut debt
Tokyo Stock Exchange warns Olympus Corp. it may be delisted
Jefferson County, Alabama legislators vote four-to-one for bankruptcy, would be largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history
Research In Motion, Ltd. (RIM) investigating reports of BlackBerry delays
U.S. President Obama to talk currency, economy with Chinese President Hu Jintao in APEC meeting
E.U. sources confirm French, German officials have been in-talks to pare-down Eurozone
HSBC Holdings Inc.: British regulations may force it from operating in that country, U.S. bad debts jumped
Western leaders call for harsher economic sanctions against Iran after U.N. IAEA report shows active nuclear program, U.N. Security Council (UNSECO) member Russian Federation claims it would block any such U.N. action
Reuters’ economists poll: pace of U.S. economic growth seen waning in 2012
General Motors Co. (GM) posts lower Q3 profit on European losses, offers disappointing Q4 outlook
U.S. military returns Joint Base Balad to Iraqi control
Twin blasts strike Egyptian pipeline carrying natural gas to Israel, Jordan
U.S. Department of Justice files charges against six Estonians, one Russian on computer hacking charges
British chipmaker ARM Holdings plc unveils new graphics processing unit (GPU) likely to bring better quality graphics to smartphones
Pennsylvania State University head football coach Joe Paterno announces he will retire at the end of this season
Human Rights Watch: Mexican fight against drug cartels has led to abuses by security forces
Japanese online retailer Rakuten, Inc. buys Canadian e-reader Kobo, Inc.
U.S. President Obama orders government departments to cut-back on number of branded items they give away
Huge Arctic storm batters Alaska
Nigerien military confirms it has seized heavily-armed convoy traveling through remote desert region from Libya to Mali
More than 60 Taliban fighters killed in attack on North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) base in Paktika, Afghanistan
U.S. software developer Adobe Systems Inc. announces end to mobile multimedia Flash plugin, opting for HTML5 instead
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili wants his country to join NATO
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: Iran “will not budge” from its nuclear program
French bank Crédit Agricole S.A. reports 65% drop in Q3 profits
GOP debt plan: benefits for wealthy could go
SCOTUS may rule as early as today on PPACA review
The Washington Post/ABC News poll: 61% of Americans think it’s important to shrink the wealth gap
Gallup poll: U.S. President Obama’s foreign policy approval numbers tick up, approval rating still low

Current Events for Friday, 11 November 2011

America celebrates Veterans’ Day, Europe marks Armistice Day
Greek interim crisis cabinet nominates former ECB Vice-President Lucas Papademos as emergency premier, Italians move step closer to unity government and former European Commissioner Mario Monti emerges as likely Prime Minister Berlusconi’s successor
Italian Senato set to vote on E.U.-demanded austerity measures, U.S. applies pressure for more dramatic action
Cain campaign hires prominent defamation lawyer
APEC ministers press Europe to “act fast” on Eurozone crisis
IntercontinentalExchange Inc. added voice to chorus calling for bankruptcy court to release billions of dollars in frozen MF Global Holdings Inc. cash
Turkish riot police fire tear gas, use batons to disperse angry protesters in Van
U.S. Obama administration postpones decision on TransCanada Corp.’s Keystone XL Pipeline extension for at least one year, investigating new possible route
U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) Chairman Ben Bernanke defends Fed role in U.S. economy, claims focus is unemployment
Swiss parliamentary commission recommends Swiss lawmakers back a proposal clarifying how Switzerland will hand-over economic data on American tax cheats
U.S. Department of Commerce: jobs numbers, trade data hint at stronger growth
Chinese artists Ai Weiwei to use donated funds to fight tax bill in court
Research firm Envisional: illegal game downloads “up 20%”
Group of armed men stone, shoot dead woman and her daughter in Afghanistan’s Ghazni province
U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta plays-down any possible U.S. military strike against nuclear-capable Iran, saying it would have “unintended consequences”
U.S. federal prosecutors in New York charge German-held Moroccan Abedeladim el-Kebir with conspiring to provide weapons, aid to al-Qaeda
U.S. National Archives release transcripts of evidence given by former U.S. President Richard Nixon the year after he resigned
U.S. Special Adviser for the Persian Gulf and Southwest Asia Dennis Ross steps-down
Mexican authorities arrest key Sinoloa drug cartel member Ovidio Limon Sanchez
BBC: many African cocoa farms still using child labor
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) mistakenly sends-out message to some subscribers it was lowering French AAA credit rating
Pennsylvania State University (PSU) students riot “in support” of ousted head football coach Paterno
Texas Governor Perry tries to laugh-off debate gaffe, claims he will not drop-out of race
Russian Fobos-Grunt rocket unintentionally orbiting Earth
U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R., SC) lone vote against part of American Jobs Act providing tax incentives for firms that hire American veterans
U.S. Senate Democrats hold-off Republican-led campaign to override U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) net neutrality rules with procedural vote of 52-46
U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee votes 10-8, along party lines, to repeal Defense of Marriage Act, replace it with Respect of Marriage Act