News Timeline: November 2013

 

November 6 – Middle East: PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

Independent investigation into former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s death by Swiss scientists confirms that his remains show 18 times higher than normal levels of radioactive polonium in his body. However, because he died in 2004, it cannot be determined whether it was polonium poison that caused his death.

November 8 – East Asia: THE PHILIPPINES

Typhoon Haiyan with winds up to 168 miles per hour strikes the Philippines, affecting more than 11 million people. It kills over 5,700 people and flattens parts of islands and destroys hundreds of towns. More than 1,600 people are missing. Haiyan becomes the deadliest natural disaster in the country’s history.

November 12 – East Asia: CHINA

China concludes the Third Plenum of the 18th Central Committee with a communique outlining new economic and social reforms. The document says that the market economy will play a leading role in the country’s economy, but state ownership will remain its pillar. Third Plenums take place soon after the change of leadership, and in the past, they had a significant impact on economic future of the country, such as former leader Deng Xiaoping’s announcement about opening China’s economy at the 1978 Third Plenum, which accelerated major market reforms.

November 21 – North America: UNITED STATES

Senate Democrats vote to curb the filibuster rule (the move known as the nuclear option) in response to the Republicans’ incessant blocking of the President’s nominations of executive and lower-level judicial positions. Under the new rule, the Senate will require just a simple majority to approve such nominations.

November 23 – East Asia/North America: CHINA/JAPAN/SOUTH KOREA/TAIWAN/UNITED STATES

China establishes the air identification zone (ADIZ) over the East Asia Sea zone, which covers areas also claimed by Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. It includes the Senkaku islands under Japanese control, but also claimed by the above countries. With the new zone, China demands that planes transiting the zone must file flight plans. The United States and Japan condemn the move, saying it destabilizes the region.

November 26 – Africa/International Organizations: CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC/UNITED NATIONS

United Nations Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson warns about the quickly deteriorating situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) since rebels seized power in March, and calls for more peacekeeping troops. As a result of violence between armed gangs of the Muslim minority, now in power, and Christian majority, scores of people have been killed and about half a million have been displaced. Currently there are about 2,500 African peacekeepers in CAR. France is also planning to send a force of about 1,000 soldiers.

November 27 – Europe: GERMANY

After 2 months of negotiations, Angela Merkel will return as a chancellor for her third term. Her conservative Christian Union (CDU/CSU) forms a coalition government with its opponent Social Democrats (SPD). Its traditional coalition partner, the Free Democrats (FDP), did not win any seats in the last parliamentary election.

November 28 – Former Soviet Union/Europe: UKRAINE/EUROPEAN UNION

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych pulls out of signing an association agreement with the European Union, which would open borders for trade and ease travel restrictions. He says that Ukraine cannot afford to sacrifice trade with Russia, which opposes the deal. Yanukovych’s move sparks massive pro-EU street protests. The European Union criticizes Russia for putting pressure on Ukraine, which wants Ukraine to join its own customs union with former Soviet republics.