News Timeline: September 2011

 

September 6 — Europe/Middle East: TURKEY/ISRAEL

Turkey suspends its defense ties with Israel, including military cooperation, after Israel refused to apologize for the 2010 killing of nine Turkish humanitarian activists during a raid on a ship going to the Gaza Strip. Earlier this month, Turkey expelled Israel’s ambassador.

September 6 — South Asia: INDIA/BANGLADESH

During a visit to Bangladesh by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the first in 12 years, both countries sign an important accord agreeing on border demarcation and allowing Bangladeshi enclaves within India and Indian enclaves within Bangladesh to join their countries respectively. Both sides also agree to extend bilateral trade. The accord, however, fell short of other important agreements, such as water-sharing of common rivers and a transit route through Bangladeshi territory, which would give India a better connection to its northeastern states.

September 7 — Europe: ITALY/SPAIN

The Italian parliament approves new austerity measures worth $74 billion, with a pledge to balance the budget by 2013. Tens of thousands of protesters pour into the streets to oppose the move, which includes higher sales and wealth taxes. The Spanish parliament agrees to add “a golden rule” to the constitution, which sets the size of future budget deficits.

September 11 — South Asia: AFGHANISTAN

Taliban insurgents hit the Afghan capital, Kabul, for 20 hours with a complex set of coordinated suicide attacks on the U.S. embassy, NATO headquarters, and Afghan police buildings, leaving 25 people dead. Some blame the Haqqani insurgent network, which is linked to the Taliban, but operates independently. The Afghan insurgent groups have stepped up violence in recent months, since NATO has started transferring power to Afghan forces.

September 13 — North America: UNITED STATES

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s data for 2010, poverty in the United States rose to 15.1 percent and the number of Americans without health insurance has reached 49.9 million. The U.S. poverty line is an annual income of $11,139 for a single person or $22,314 for a family of four.

September 13 — Africa: ALGERIA

In an effort to appease protesters calling for reforms, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika promises to relax the strict governmental control of the media and allow private radio and television stations for the first time since Algeria’s independence in 1962. He also promises to release journalists who were jailed for libel. Bouteflika has been in power since 1999.

September 20 — South Asia: AFGHANISTAN

The chairman of the Afghan High Peace Council and the country’s former president, Burhanuddin Rabbani, is killed in a suicide attack, becoming the latest victim of high profile assassinations. Under Rabbani’s leadership, the Council conducted negotiations with the Taliban.

September 22 — Europe: GREECE

Greece is hit by a 24-hour general strike in protest over the government debate to approve the next stage of austerity measures, which are necessary in order to receive the next installment of more than $10 billion of the bailout loan through the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). By 2015, the Greek government is supposed to raise $66 billion through a mass privatization program.

September 23 — Middle East/International Organizations: PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES/ISRAEL/UNITED NATIONS

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas officially asks the United Nations Security Council to recognize a Palestinian state and grant it a full membership at the United Nations. He seeks recognition based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The request comes after months of stalled peace negotiations over Israel’s continued expansion of settlements in the occupied territories. Currently, Palestinians have permanent observer status at the UN. In response to the bid, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel disagrees with the Palestinian proposal and urges them to come back to the negotiations table. The United States says it will veto the request.

September 24 — Europe: RUSSIA

Russian Prime Minister and former President Vladimir Putin announces that he will run again for the post of president in March 2012. According to the new constitutional amendments, the presidential term has been extended to six years, so if elected, Putin could stay in power until 2024.

September 27 — Middle East: ISRAEL/PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

Israel announces it will build additional 1,100 homes in the Jewish settlement at Gilo outside of Jerusalem. The Gilo settlement has been built on lands captured in the 1967 war and is considered illegal under the international law. The United States, the United Nations, and the European Union criticize the move.

September 29 — Europe: GERMANY

The German parliament agrees to expand the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) to $1 trillion. The EFSF has been created to bailout the eurozone economies in crisis. Germany’s contribution to the fund is going to be the largest, amounting to almost $280 billion.

September 30 — Africa: LIBYA

Forces loyal to Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) capture the airport in the city of Sirte, the birthplace of the country’s leader, Muammar Gaddafi and his last stronghold. NATO and the NTC soldiers have been fighting the Gaddafi loyalists in Sirte and the city of Bani Walid.