October 2003: January February March April May June July August September October November December Events See also Japan general election Iraq timeline Liberian crisis North Korea crisis Hutton Inquiry Bloody Sunday Inquiry Road map for peace Israeli-Palestinian conflict United States presidential election 2004 Same-sex marriage in Canada SCO v. IBM Linux lawsuit War on Terrorism Timeline of the War in Afghanistan (October 2003) 2003 Rugby World Cup October 1 2003 South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun reiterates offer to the United States to consider a request for South Korean participation in Multi-National Force Iraq in exchange for "positive" movement to resolve the standoff over North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Anti-Americanism: A panel chosen by the administration of President George W. Bush concludes that the United States must drastically increase and overhaul its public relations efforts to recast its image among Muslims and Arabs abroad. "Hostility toward America has reached shocking levels ... What is required is not merely tactical adaptation but strategic and radical transformation." The panel adds that "spin" and manipulation "are not the answer" nor is avoiding the debate. President of the European Commission Romano Prodi unveils a proposal to boost flagging economic growth in Europe. The plan has two main parts: increasing spending on European transport networks and promoting research and development. Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe: Following talks with Prime Minister Vladimr pidla on the draft European Union constitution and the Czech Republic's position on the document the Czech President Vclav Klaus decides not to travel to Rome and attend the forthcoming intergovernmental conference. Canada: Premier of the Northwest Territories Stephen Kakfwi announces he will not seek re-election in the November election. The website 4chan.org is created. October 2 2003 North Korea claims to "have already processed" 8000 fuel rods from its Yongbyon nuclear reactor north of Pyongyang and is using the plutonium extracted during the process to make atomic bombs to boost its nuclear capabilities for nuclear deterrent force. Citing a "hostile policy" by the United States Vice Foreign Minister Choe Su Hon states this is a means to safeguard the country's territory. 1 Occupation of Iraq: The United Nations Security Council discusses a new United States draft resolution on Iraq which would enhance the United Nations' role in Iraq. Secretary General Kofi Annan states draft did not go in the direction he recommended. A quicker transfer of sovereignty "may change the dynamics on the ground in terms of the security situation and send a message". 2 Technology Genome: The genome chip arrived with several companies rushing to sell the known human genes. The products will allow scientists to scan all genes in a human tissue sample at once to determine which are active with lower cost and increased speed. 3 Sino-American relations: The United States Navy blames the People's Republic of China for 2001 Hainan Island incident. A report released to Jane's Defense Weekly under the Freedom of Information Act said that the pilot of the Chinese jet fighter made three passes at the U.S. propeller-driven reconnaissance plane over international waters. On the third pass the Chinese fighter hit a propeller on the American plane. 4 Ontario general election 2003: Dalton McGuinty becomes the new premier of Ontario when his party defeats Ernie Eves's incumbent Tories and Howard Hampton's NDP. J. M. Coetzee wins Nobel Prize for literature. 5 European Union: United States draft legislation which urges The Pentagon to buy defence parts from American manufacturers has turned heads in Brussels with some warning of yet another trade dispute at the WTO. 6 European Union: The first bilateral meeting between France and Austria since 1998 is marked by disagreements over the European Constitution. Austria heads the group of small countries seeking to make changes to the text but France wants to leave the draft by Valry Giscard d'Estaing broadly untouched. 7 Media: A Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) study conducted with California-based Knowledge Networks titled "Misperceptions the Media and the Iraq War" is released. According to this study misperceptions about the 2003 invasion of Iraq are most common among consumers of Fox News Channel and supporters of President George W. Bush and least common among consumers of PBS and NPR and supporters of Democratic presidential candidates. The study also found that frequent viewers of Fox News are more likely to believe in the misconceptions than less frequent ones. One example misconception is the belief that weapons of mass destruction have already been found in Iraq. 8 October 3 2003 Near-Earth asteroid: Confirmation on the closest near-miss of a natural object ever recorded. The asteroid (designated 2003 SQ222) about the size of a small house flew past Earth at a distance of around 88000 kilometres. It would have made a fireball had it entered the atmosphere. 9 Iraq and weapons of mass destruction: The world continues to digest David Kay's report that finds very little evidence of Weapons of mass destruction in Iraq although the regime did intend to develop more weapons with additional capabilities. Such plans and programs appear to have been dormant the existence of these were also concealed from the United Nations during the inspections that began in 2002. Weapons inspectors in Iraq do find clandestine "network of biological laboratories" and a deadly strain of botulinum. The US-sponsored search for WMD has so far cost $300 million and is projected to cost around $600 million more. 10 11 California recall: Arnold Schwarzenegger denies admiring Hitler. Arnold Schwarzenegger's denial comes days before the vote for the next governor of California. 12 Politics: General Wesley Clark made a bold political move and arguably a risky one by suggesting that members of the Bush administration may be liable to criminal charges in connection with the Iraq war. Mr. Clark alleges that the plans for the 2003 invasion of Iraq and other interventions in the Middle East (possibly including Lebanon and Syria) pre-dated the inauguration of the President and that the reasons for the war were misleadingly presented to the US people. Evo Morales said that Gonzalo Snchez de Lozada president of Bolivia may be preparing a coup. 13 (in Spanish) Missiles: Polish soldiers of the United States-led Coalition discovered four advanced missiles around central Iraq in the Hilla region near a highway. The Roland-type French-made missiles (which are fired from a mobile launcher vehicle against low flying aircraft) were initially believed to have been manufactured earlier in 2003. Arms exports to Iraq had been barred by the United Nations after the 1990 invasion of Kuwait. France says it last shipped Roland missiles to Iraq in 1986. The Polish soldiers were later found to have misinterpreted markings that read 07-01-KND 2003 as a date on the missiles. 14 15 16 October 4 2003 Israeli-Palestinian conflict: A Palestinian suicide bomber blows herself up in a crowded beach restaurant in the northern Israeli port city of Haifa killing at least 19 people and wounding about two dozen at least six seriously. 17. Hours later Israeli helicopter gunships retaliate by attacking targets in Gaza City and Central Gaza. Robin Cook former United Kingdom Foreign Secretary who resigned from the British Government in protest prior the Iraq war publishes his personal diaries. In them he alleges inter alia that Tony Blair knew before the Iraq war began that the 45 minutes to launch claim was false. Roy Horn of the magic team Siegfried & Roy is hospitalized with critical injuries after being mauled on-stage in Las Vegas by a 600-pound seven-year-old male white tiger. Poland apologizes to France for its claims that it had found newly produced Roland surface-to-air missiles in Iraq. It is believed that the Polish soldiers misinterpreted a "use-by" date or installation date marked on the missiles as a date of production. 18 October 5 2003 Maher Arar is reported to have been freed from a Syrian jail. The Canadian engineer was deported to Syria by the United States as he changed planes in New York over a year ago. 19 He will arrive in Montreal the following afternoon. 20 Ain es Saheb airstrike: Israeli warplanes attack an alleged Islamic Jihad training base deep in Syria in retaliation for a suicide bombing at a Haifa restaurant that killed 19 people the army said Sunday. Israeli media state this is the first Israeli attack on Syrian soil in more than two decades. An emergency session of the UN Security Council is scheduled to debate the action. France and Germany condemn the attack. The international community calls for restraint by all parties involved. 21 Pope John Paul II canonizes Daniele Comboni (18311881) Arnold Janssen (18371909) and Josef Freinademetz (18521908). Ireland on Sunday claims that Pope John Paul II is suffering from terminal stomach cancer which has spread to his colon. The newspaper reports that the Pope has dictated a living will which gives instructions as to how the Roman Catholic Church is to be administered when the medical treatment he is receiving makes it impossible for him to function as pope. According to the paper Cardinals have been told to be ready at a moment's notice to fly to Rome for a Papal funeral and Papal conclave. The band Hell on Earth reports that an Internet broadcast of a concert that was to feature a suicide of a terminally ill person did not happen on Saturday evening because the Web site was attacked. Band members state that the concert still went on but they are unsure whether the suicide took place. October 6 2003 2004 U.S. Democratic Primaries: Senator Bob Graham announces on Larry King Live that he is ending his 2004 presidential campaign. 22 Chechen Election: Moscow's choice the Kremlin-backed Akhmad Kadyrov swept presidential election in the Russian republic of Chechnya winning 81 percent of the votes. 23 SCO v. IBM: In an open letter to the Linux community published by Silicon Graphics (SGI) SGI states it conducted a comprehensive comparison of the Linux kernel and the UNIX System V source code owned by The SCO Group. According to the letter (authored by SGI Vice President of Software Rich Altmaier) SGI's "exhaustive comparison" of the source codes turned up only "trivial" code segments that "may arguably be related" to SCO's software. The letter also disputed SCO's claims that SGI inappropriately contributed its XFS (eXtensible File System). 24 Middle East: Facing renewed threats from Israel Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat declares a state of emergency in Palestinian areas and installs a new government by decree. Ahmed Qurei is appointed prime minister and head of the eight-member emergency cabinet. 25 Israel: In his first public comments since the Israeli attack on Syria President Bush says that Israel has the right to defend its homeland; at the same time Mr. Bush asks Prime Minister Sharon to avoid any further actions that might destabilize the region. Paul Lauterbur and Sir Peter Mansfield are jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries concerning Magnetic Resonance Imaging. 26 Occupation of Iraq: Some in the international community have rejected a revised United States draft UN resolution concerning Iraq (calling for a multinational force of peacekeeping troops in Iraq under American command; transferring power gradually to elected civilian rule though there is no handover timetable for sovereignty). The resolution is being supported by the United Kingdom. France Germany and Russia (which opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq) have joined Kofi Annan in opposing the resolution. Annan states that the United Nations itself will not become heavily involved unless there are early moves toward passing sovereignty to the Iraqi people. Annan's stance is similar to that of Pope John Paul II and some members of the European Union. 27 28 29 30 31 Irish political magazine Magill is closed down by its publishers blaming poor readership numbers. The magazine which played a central part in Irish politics in the 1970s and 1980s has never regained the readership it attracted under its founder maverick journalist and political commentator Vincent Browne who after an earlier closure relaunched the title and sold it to its current owners. 32 Attempts by the Republic of Ireland's government to ban smoking in pubs restaurants and hotels run into more trouble as a government minister who will have responsibility for enforcing the ban Frank Fahey refuses to deny that he is critical of the plan and wants a compromise that would allow smoking in some areas to continue. A former Mayor of Galway and Fianna Fil councillor who has links with the pub industry resigns from a health authority in protest at the refusal of the Fianna Fil-Progressive Democrat government to compromise on the proposed ban. This follows an earlier announcement that publicans in County Kerry will refuse to obey the new law and indications of growing popular opposition to the ban. 33 Former Sky News correspondent James Furlong who resigned over allegations that he had faked a report during the Iraq War is found dead. Furlong aged 44 had served as Sky News' Defence and Royal Correspondent. He had previously worked for ITN. 34 A United Nations report says that almost 1 billion people worldwide are living in slums. By 2050 3 billion out of a world urban population of 6 billion may be living in slums unless radical policies are implemented according to the UN. Dr Anna Tibaijuka of the UN says the persistence of the slums should shame the whole world. 35 October 7 2003 California recall: The state of California held a special election to decide whether to recall Governor Gray Davis and if so who to replace him with. Also on the ballot: Proposition 53 the "California Twenty-First Century Infrastructure Investment Fund" and Proposition 54 the "Racial Privacy Initiative." Nobel Prize: The Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded jointly to Alexei Abrikosov Vitaly Ginzburg and Anthony Leggett for their work on the theory of superconductors and superfluids. 36 Middle East: United Nations envoy and Special Coordinator for the Middle East peace process Terje Roed-Larsen condemns attack from Lebanese territory that killed an Israeli soldier across the southern withdrawal line and urges Beirut to control the use of force everywhere in its jurisdiction. Roed-Larsen states the attack "constitutes a clear violation of the Blue Line and Security Council resolutions and could escalate tension between Israel and its northern neighbours" and he calls on all sides to use diplomacy and take no action that "could increase the already high level of tension in the region". 37 Congo: UN spokesman states that a United Nations peacekeeping operation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has discovered 65 bodies mostly children apparently massacred. 38 Occupation of Iraq: The Turkish Parliament votes (358-to-183) to approve the dispatch of peacekeepers to Iraq in a major victory for United States efforts to broaden foreign involvement in Iraq. In Baghdad Iraqi Governing Council officials state that they would oppose any new foreign troop deployment to Iraq. No formal decision had been made by the Council and leaders of the council have stated they would support this if the United States requested this. 39 Capital punishment: Some legal and medical professionals are stating warnings about the apparent tranquillity of a lethal injection declaring this may be deceptive. According to these professional the standard chemical combination used to execute people may lead to paralysis that masks intense distress leaving a wide-awake inmate unable to speak or cry out as he slowly suffocates. 40 Genetic engineering: Small group of protesters brave chilly winds and strip off outside New Zealand Parliament to lobby against lifting the Genetically modified food moratorium. 41 Africa: The South African government announce they would not prosecute the five policemen accused of killing Steve Biko in 1977 citing insufficient evidence to support a murder charge. 42 Asia: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) announces its intention to form a single-market "Asian Community" by 2020. October 8 2003 Nobel Prize: The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded jointly to Peter Agre and Roderick MacKinnon for discoveries concerning aquaporins and ion channels in cell membranes. 43 California recall: Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger wins the election with 48.6% after voters decide to recall California Governor Gray Davis. Schwarzenegger's closest rival was the Democratic Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante with 31.7%. 4445 Surveillance: The FBI admits that hidden listening devices planted in the office of the Mayor of Philadelphia Pennsylvania were placed there by FBI agents. It is currently not known if the Mayor of Philadelphia is a target of an investigation nor is there any details provided about the nature of the probe that the device was part of. A law enforcement official cautions that the presence of the listening devices does not necessarily mean that the mayor himself is under investigation. 46 47 Palestinians: Yasser Arafat has suffered a mild heart attack. Palestinian leadership officials tried to hide condition of the president. "Although he has had a slight heart attack the doctors say he will make a full recovery. He is in full control. There is nothing to worry about" states close aide to Arafat. Officials state that it would "have created panic at a critical time when the Israelis are threatening Arafat's life". 48 49 Saskatchewan general election 2003: NDP Premier Lorne Calvert calls an election for November 5. October 9 2003 Palestinians: Time magazine reports that Yassir Arafat whose health has led to confused reporting over the past days with him variously reported as having had flu and having had a heart attack in actuality has stomach cancer. 50 Nuclear Weapons: Pakistan successfully test fires a medium-range nuclear-capable missile the second such test in less than a week the Pakistan army states. The Hatf-4 missile also known as the Shaheen 1 was fired off according to the army. The missile has a range of 435 miles meaning it can hit most major targets in India. The test followed a similar launching on Friday of the short-range Hatf-2 Ghaznavi after which Pakistan said it was in the middle of a series of such tests. Pakistani army spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan said India had been told of each of the launches beforehand and he states the tests should not affect the international relations between the two neighbors. 51 Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz ordered dispatches of Israeli troop reinforcements to the Palestinian Areas West Bank and Gaza Strip and weighed a call-up of reserves citing new warnings about planned attacks by Palestinian militants. The Israeli military also extended a two-week lockdown on Palestinians' travel within the West Bank and Gaza in what it states as a bid to prevent further attacks. 52 Meanwhile prime minister Ahmed Qurei is reported to have declined to form a government and told President Yasser Arafat he wants to quit his post.53 Occupation of Iraq: Twin attacks in Baghdad killed a Spanish diplomat (by gunshot) and in the other at least ten people following an attack on a police station in Baghdad's main Shi'ite neighbourhood exactly half a year since Coalition troops occupied the Iraqi city. 54 55 Safe sex: A BBC report claims that the Roman Catholic Church is incorrectly claiming that condoms are ineffective to prevent the spread of AIDS for ideological reasons and hence putting lives at risk in high-risk countries. 56 57 October 10 2003 Nobel Prize: Shirin Ebadi Iranian human rights lawyer is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. 58 In Iraq two more soldiers are killed and four wounded in an ambush in the Sadr district of Baghdad. The troops are lured into the ambush by civilians in what could be a new tactic by hostile forces in Iraq. 59 Camp X-ray: The United States' policy of detaining up to 600 people in Guantanamo Bay comes under fierce attack from the Red Cross and a group of American former judges diplomats and military officers who are asking the Supreme Court of the United States to review the situation. The Red Cross criticises the policy of holding detainees without legal representation and in contravention of legal conventions; it reports a worrying deterioration in the mental health of detainees. 60 Canadian Census: NDP MP Bill Blaikie accuses the Canadian federal government of contracting out the census to American manufacturer Lockheed Martin a charge Industry Minister Allan Rock does not confirm or deny. Blaikie raises dire concerns of privacy. 61 Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israeli military officer states Palestinian militants are feared to be using a tunnel to smuggle anti-tank missiles and portable anti-aircraft missiles though no tunnels had been found yet. The army states it is encountering strong resistance from Palestinians using dozens of homemade bombs rocket-propelled grenades and other grenades and automatic weapons. One Palestinian child and four adults killed in overnight attack on Rafah refugee camp in Gaza. 62 Sports Rugby union: The 2003 Rugby World Cup with 20 countries competing for the William Webb Ellis Trophy over a seven week period starts after a spectacular opening ceremony at the Telstra Stadium Sydney Australia with Australia defeating Argentina 248 in the opening match. 63 Royalty: Prince Johan-Friso of the Netherlands second son of Queen Beatrix and second in line of succession to the throne will lose his succession rights when he marries Mabel Wisse Smit without the Dutch Parliament's permission. Government assent was refused because the couple had been less than candid about the bride's interactions with gangster Klaas Bruisma in the late 1980s. 64 The flagship channel of the Adventist Television Network (ATN) Hope Channel is launched October 11 2003 Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israeli troops pull back in Gaza. Israel will continue to demolish tunnels. The Israeli army states it discovers three tunnels in the camp but no weapons have been found. A Palestinian teenager is shot dead and up to 10 homes were demolished and water and electricity facilities were hit. Palestinian militants were seeking to smuggle from Egypt shoulder-fired missiles that could be used against tanks helicopters and fighter jets. 65 Endangered species: President George W. Bush proposes a change in United States Fish and Wildlife Service regulations which would allow American citizens to travel abroad to capture kill and import endangered species. The regulation would not allow Americans to do the same to endangered species inside the United States.66 Middle East: German magazine Der Spiegel reports that Israel is preparing an attack on Iranian atomic plants. 67 Middle East: Syria says that it will retaliate if attacked by Israel again. A week after Israel's attack the two countries continue to exchange insults; the UN Security Council is unable to agree on a resolution condemning Israel's attack. 68 Occupation of Iraq: The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) a grouping of Muslim nations meeting in Malaysia calls on the US to quit Iraq as soon as possible and to hand over to the UN; the OIC also pledges support to Syria. 69 Japanese Politics: The House of Representatives of the Diet of Japan is dissolved by the Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro and the election will take place on November 9 2003. See Japan general election 2003 for more. 70 The Spanish rail company RENFE opens its second AVE high-speed line serving Madrid Guadalajara Calatayud Zaragoza and Lleida. It is expected to reach Barcelona by 2005. (Another line is being built from Madrid to Valladolid and others to Valencia and Lisbon are planned.)71 During the ALCS after a series of tense moments Pedro Martnez of the Boston Red Sox moved toward New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens resulting in a bench clearing brawl that included 74 year old Don Zimmer of the Yankees charging and being thrown to the ground by Martinez. October 12 2003 Sports Cricket: New Zealand prevents India from snatching victory in the first Test cricket at Ahmedabad. 72 Syria: Relations between Syria and the United States fall to a low point as Syria criticizes the US for its failure to censure Israel. 73 The People's Republic of China confirms that it will launch its first manned space mission between October 15 and 17. The spacecraft plans to orbit Earth 14 times before landing in an undisclosed location. (See Shenzhou 5) 7475 Medicine: The operation to separate two-year old Egyptian twins joined at the head is going well in Dallas; the two boys have been separated and no troublesome complications have arisen. The next steps are to reconstruct the boys' skulls including the skin. 76 East Asia: India Thailand and the People's Republic of China press ahead with efforts and a study group aimed at creating a Free Trade Area. 77 2003 occupation of Iraq: A huge explosion occurs in the center of Baghdad possibly caused by car bomb. A number of fatalities are reported. The blast takes place in Baghdad Hotel. 78 Oncology: Researchers announced that they have discovered the detailed relationship between the Ras v12 gene polarity genes and metastasis of cancer in fruit flies. 79 Foreign relations of Liberia: Liberia drops diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (on Taiwan) and re-establishes ties with the People's Republic of China. This move was seen largely as a result of the PRC's lobbying in the UN which is planning to deploy a peacekeeping force to Liberia. ROC Foreign Minister Eugene Chien offers to resign as a result.80 October 13 2003 2003 occupation of Iraq: New draft resolution being circulated at UN aims at getting international aid. The resolution sets a deadline for initial steps if only for a transitional step toward restoring Iraqi sovereignty giving the Iraqi Governing Council until December 15 to develop a timetable for writing a constitution and holding elections. The Bush administration proposes that the United Nations recognize the Iraqi Governing Council as a unit that "will embody the sovereignty" of Iraq until the country returns to self-rule. 81 82 Mass media: Rush Limbaugh's drug addiction revealed by housekeeper. Newsweek reports Limbaugh's exposure as a pain-pill addict began when Wilma Cline (who had worked at Limbaugh from 1997 to July 2001) showed up at the Palm Beach County state attorney's office late last year eager to sic the cops on her former boss. Cline had delivered enough pills to Limbaugh "to kill an elephant" she stated to The National Enquirer. 83 Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israeli incursion leaves 1240 Palestinians homeless UN agency finds. The Israeli demolition of refugee shelters in Rafah camp on the southern Gaza Strip last week has left 1240 people homeless United Nations relief workers state. 84 Ireland: The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the British Prime Minister Tony Blair have begun talks in Downing Street on a possible restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland.85 2003 occupation of Iraq: Three more US soldiers have been killed in separate incidents. 86 Medicine-The conjoined twins do well after their first night apart. They are in drug-induced comas and will be for several more days to aid their recovery. 87 Science and publishing: The Public Library of Science commences publication of an open-access scientific journal PLoS Biology and its website is immediately overwhelmed by traffic. 88 October 14 2003 Religion: RT's Prime Time current affairs programme reports that Cahal Daly Bishop of Down and Conor refused to accept allegations passed on to him by students of improper sexual conduct by Monsignor Micheal Ledwith then head of St Patrick's College Maynooth Ireland's major seminary. According to the programme Daly became aggressive telling students "go back and say your prayers". The TV programme confirms that Daly and his predecessor Cardinal Toms Fiaich were centrally involved in efforts to silence critics of Ledwith including forcing the resignation of one dean of students who informed them of allegations that Ledwith was making sexual advances against student priests. Ledwith subsequently left the college after paying damages to an under-age teenager to whom he allegedly made sexual advances. Ledwith once an internationally famous Roman Catholic theologian tipped to become Catholic Archbishop of Dublin is now associated with an American New Age organization. Having been tracked down by the programme Ledwith refuses to comment 'for legal reasons'. Liberia: The Inauguration of a new government takes place. The rebels are expected to disarm. Sniper Terrorism: Trial of John Allen Muhammad who is suspected of being the Washington DC serial sniper begins. He pleads not guilty.89 Weapons: The BBC reports that dissident IRA groups are supplying the weapons that have led to a recent surge in UK gun crime. 90 Instant Messaging: Microsoft chatrooms close today. Free unmoderated chatrooms outside the US are closed in what Microsoft claim is an attempt to safeguard children. 91 Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israel orders the expulsion of 15 Palestinian detainees from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip. 92 British Politics: Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith is being investigated by Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Sir Philip Mawer over allegations that he paid a secretarial salary to his wife without her doing sufficient work to warrant the payments. 93 Law A British HIV carrier is found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm after infecting two lovers. 94 Steve Bartman incident A Chicago Cubs fan Steve Bartman intereferes with a foul ball leading to the Chicago Cubs losing to the Florida Marlins in Game 6 of the 2003 Major League Baseball NLCS. October 15 2003 2003 occupation of Iraq: U.S. concessions to proposals from Russia the People's Republic of China and Pakistan ensure their support for a United Nations Security Council resolution to provide greater international legitimacy to the occupation force and the Iraq Interim Governing Council. The resolution draft legitimizing US military and political control over Iraq's political future was already supported by United Kingdom Spain Cameroon Bulgaria Angola Mexico Chile and Guinea. Russia agrees to act as a mediator to achieve support for the compromise also from Germany and France.9596 Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Four people die in a bomb attack on a convoy of US diplomatic vehicles in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian Authority head Yasser Arafat calls the bombing "dirty and shameful" in an exclusive interview on BBC News. Secretary of State Colin Powell urges Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei in a telephone call "to take action to put an end to violence and terrorism" according to a Palestinian official. 97 98 Space exploration: China launches its first astronaut Yang Liwei into orbit aboard a Shenzhou spacecraft Shenzhou 5. The 21-hour trip is planned to circle the planet 14 times.99100 2003 occupation of Iraq: Japan offers $1.5 billion aid to Iraq in what could be the first tranche of a total of $5 billion. 101 The Supreme Court of the United States agreed to hear Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow Literature: The Irish-based Australian novelist D.B.C. Pierre (real name Peter Finlay) wins the 2003 Booker prize with his first novel Vernon God Little a satire on a Texas high-school massacre. 102 Religion: Anglican leaders from around the world meet in Lambeth Palace in an attempt to avoid a schism on the issue of homosexuality in the clergy. The Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh Robin Eames says that the Anglican Communion is moving towards a "consensus situation" on the issue of homosexuality and the clergy at its meeting in Lambeth Palace. 103 104 International relations Israeli-Palestinian conflict: The United States vetoes a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning the Israeli West Bank barrier. 105 New York City: A collision between the Staten Island Ferry "Andrew J. Barberi" and a pier at the St. George ferry terminal on Staten Island has left at least ten people dead. 106 The Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative Party of Canada strike a deal to merge. The deal creating the Conservative Party of Canada must be ratified by each party's membership before December 12. 107 Azerbaijan: Presidential elections. 108 October 16 2003 Occupation of Iraq: The UN Security Council unanimously approves a new US resolution on Iraq. Russia Germany and France back the resolution but will not provide troops or money. 109. A survey indicates poor morale amongst the US troops serving in Iraq. 110 East Asia: President Bush re-affirms his intention to pressure China and Japan into fair policies re their exchange rates. 111. China's trade surplus is shrinking as imports surge. 112 At the same time India is wrestling with the implications of the sustained appreciation of the rupee against the dollar. 113 Roman Catholicism: Tens of thousands of Catholics attend Mass celebrating the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II in Rome. The Pope will beatify Mother Teresa on Sunday October 19 and install 30 new Cardinals on Tuesday October 21. 114 Genetically Modified Foods: In a surprise move Monsanto Company announce their intention to quit the European cereal business. Citing lack of success the company has decided to cut costs. 115 Israeli-Palestinian conflict: European Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten has questioned Israel's commitment to a two-states resolution to the conflict with the Palestinians. 116 Space exploration: The People's Republic of China's first astronaut Yang Liwei returns to earth safely aboard a Shenzhou spacecraft Shenzhou 5. During the 21-hour trip he circled the planet 14 times. 117 Apple launches its iTunes Music Store an online download music store for the Microsoft Windows platform. The iTunes software can be downloaded from apple.com for free. October 17 2003 Bolivia: Carlos Mesa is sworn in as the president of the country after former president Gonzalo Snchez de Lozada was forced to resign as protests and strikes escalated in the Bolivian Gas War. US: A former employee of Diebold Election Systems (now Premier Election Solutions) has accused the firm of violating state and federal election-certification rules during Georgia's 2002 gubernatorial election the outcome of which defied all polls. 118 Occupation of Iraq: Four US troops and at least two police officers are killed in an ambush in Karbala and another incident in Iraq.119 Airport security: In a challenge of airport security box cutters turned up on Southwest Airlines planes in New Orleans and Houston prompting a search of all U.S. commercial aircraft (See Nathaniel Heatwole). 120 Economy of the People's Republic of China: The People's Republic of China's economy grows at 9% in the latest period on course to become the largest economy in the world by 2050. 121 Sport Performance enhancing drugs: 'Several' unnamed US athletes are reported to have tested positive for an anabolic steroid the athletes expected to be undetectable. 122 World's tallest structures: A 197 ft (60 m) spire is inserted on Taipei 101 in Taipei Taiwan unseating Malaysia's Petronas Towers as the world's tallest building. 123 October 18 2003 Asia International relations: Leaders of Pacific-rim nations gather in Bangkok ahead of the 11th Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference. 124125 126 President George W. Bush arrives in Thailand ahead of an APEC summit of 21 Asia-Pacific government leaders which is likely to be dominated by discussions of the War on Terrorism and trade friction between rich and poor nations (trade and currency). Middle East: New audio tapes allegedly from Osama bin Laden air on the Al Jazeera network. 127 occupation of Iraq: Spain's government one of the staunchest supporters of the attack on Iraq has pledged $300 million over several years toward Iraqi reconstruction. 128 Petroleum: Zimbabwe's state oil corporation is reported to have run out of fuel aggravating the continuing acute fuel crisis. 129 Natural disaster: Officials declare a state of emergency due to severe flooding in Squamish British Columbia. Parts of the town are evacuated. 130 Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrtien visiting Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai is whisked out of Kabul owing to reports of a rocket attack. The reports turn out to be unfounded. 131 Kosovo: First death of forced starvation in Europe for the last 50 years. Zhivorad Velikinac (age 65) from Urosevac died in hospital in Kosovska Mitrovica after not eating for more than a month he was disabled and not able to get out of his apartment on his own his Albanian neighbours were threatened not to bring him food anymore and other Serbs were too afraid to visit him. October 19 2003 United Kingdom: A new biography reported in The Sunday Times claims that the prosecution of Oscar Wilde for sodomy was ordered by the then Liberal government in a deal with the Marquess of Queensberry the father of Lord Alfred Douglas to prevent his exposure of a homosexual relationship between another of his sons Viscount Drumlanrig and British Prime Minister Lord Rosebery. According to reports future prime minister Herbert Asquith played a key role in negotiating the deal which led to the imprisonment of the Irish writer.citation needed United Kingdom: Frank Bruno leaves hospital in the UK where he has been undergoing treatment for depression. 132 United Kingdom: British Prime Minister Tony Blair is rushed to hospital with heart problems. An irregular heart-beat is diagnosed. Blair is given a cardioversion in hospital where he stays for four or five hours before going back to Number 10 Downing Street and is ordered by his doctors to take 24 hours complete rest. 133 Roman Catholicism: Pope John Paul II beatifies Mother Teresa. Hundreds of thousands attend the ceremony in St. Peter's Square. Mother Teresa who founded the Missionaries of Charity is now one step from sainthood. 134 International relations: South Korea and the United States are reported to be discussing the possible withdrawal of thousands of US troops. 135 North Korea crisis: The United States says it is willing to give North Korea security assurances in exchange for a nuclear standdown. U.S. President Bush rules out a non-aggression treaty demanded by Pyongyang. 136 Afghanistan: Bomb blows up a pickup truck on a dirt road in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar Province killing four people and two Afghan soldiers are killed in a separate land mine explosion in the country's south. The explosions come two days after the Taliban allegedly distributed pamphlets warning against working with the post-Taliban government of President Hamid Karzai. 137 Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Palestinian gunmen attack an Israeli army foot patrol near a West Bank village kills three soldiers and wounds a fourth rescue services and security sources state. Gunfire attacks near the Palestinian village of Ein Yabrud east of the town of Ramallah not far from the Israeli settlement of Ofra. 138 Occupation of Iraq: A Fallujah roadside attack on a military convoy leaves an American armored car and munitions truck burning wrecks. No one was reported killed. Iraqis nearby were reportedly cheering. Emerging series of threats. 139 October 20 2003 Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrtien indicates that during an informal meeting between him and Vladimir Putin the Russian president indicated that he was tentatively in favour of signing the Kyoto Protocol. Russia's signature is absolutely necessary for the protocol to acquire the force of law. 140 Public health in France: Cigarette prices in France go up by 20% today. Tobacconists (tobacco retailers) go on strike. 141 United States deficit: The United States posts a record budget deficit of $374.2 billion in the fiscal year ending September 30. The figure broke the previous record of $290 billion set in 1992. The number was actually better than the U.S. government's own forecast of $455 billion. 142 United States: The publicist of Robert De Niro announces that the actor has prostate cancer. 143 Politics of Switzerland: Early results in Swiss elections show larger-than-predicted gains for the right-wing Swiss People's Party. 144 Archaeology Early Art: An Italian archaeologist claims to have found a carved two-faced head over 200000 years old. The carving is possible the work of Homo erectus.145 Space Exploration The Soyuz TMA-3 spacecraft docked with the International Space Station bringing a new crew of three from Russia the United States and Spain. 146 Canada: A man survives a fall over Niagara Falls without any protective device. 147 October 21 2003 War on Terrorism: US officials state that they believe Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was killed by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. 148 North Sea: Scientists call for a total ban on fishing for cod in the North Sea to allow stocks to recover from near extinction. 149 Musician Elliott Smith was possibly murdered or committed suicide at the age of 34.citation needed Afghanistan: The commander of UN forces in Afghanistan warns that the security of Kabul is at risk if security is not achieved in the Afghan countryside. 150 Occupation of Iraq: Human Rights Watch (HRW) accuses US troops of using excessive force against civilians in Iraq. 151 Iran's Supreme Council agrees to comply with the International Atomic Energy Agency allow inspections of its nuclear facilities and suspend its uranium enrichment program. 152153154 Africa: Outbreaks of locusts are reported in Mauritania Niger and Sudan and might spread to other areas of north Africa. 155 Northern Ireland: In a series of moves designed to bring about final implementation of the Good Friday Agreement the British Government confirms that elections to the region's devolved administration will be held on November 26. The Provisional IRA announces a further act of weapons decommissioning. Sinn Fin leader Gerry Adams declares "the end to physical force republicanism". Statements from all the major parties involved are expected over the course of the day.156157158 Israeli-Palestinian conflict: The UN General Assembly approves a resolution demanding that Israel remove a security fence in the West Bank. The resolution passes by an overwhelming majority of 144 to 4 with the US voting against the motion. 159160 Newfoundland and Labrador general election 2003: The Tories of Danny Williams defeat the incumbent Liberals under Premier Roger Grimes taking more than two-thirds of the seats in the House of Assembly. 161 Ecuador A trial opens in Lago Agrio in which US oil company ChevronTexaco is charged with polluting a once-pristine swath of the Amazon rainforest. The plaintiffs' lawyers have put a US$1 billion price tag on clean up and medical care for the region's inhabitants.

162 October 22 2003 India: India launches a peace initiative to normalise relations with Pakistan. Formal talks are conditional on Islamabad ending Kashmiri cross-border terrorism initiatives. 163 Mahathir bin Mohamad outgoing prime minister of Malaysia accuses leading democratic nations of terrorising the world. He seemed to be referring to the US Israel and Australia. 164 Occupation of Iraq: The commander of US ground forces in Iraq says that Al-Qaeda is now operating in Iraq as witnessed by increasingly sophisticated attacks on US troops. 165 European Union and Guantanamo Bay: Leaders of the European Union parliament urge the EU to take action over 26 Europeans being held indefinitely by the US without charges without trial without legal representation at Guantanamo Bay. The detainees are experiencing increasing psychological problems. 166 Human Rights Watch (HRW) releases a report about mentally ill inmates of United States prisons. It concludes that mentally ill offenders are frequently physically abused punished by staff for self-destructive behavior and not given the treatment they need. 167 Afghanistan: The commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan says that his troops are increasingly facing a new "excellently trained" species of terrorist. 168 Sport Performance enhancing drugs: Top British runner Dwain Chambers tests positive for the drug tetrahydrogestrinone (THG). The steroid was previously believed to be undetectable but an anonymous source provided a used syringe containing traces last week. 169 Politics of Japan: A popular politician Tanaka Makiko resigns as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. Her membership has been suspended since last year. 170 Indy Racing League: Racecar driver Tony Renna is killed in a crash during a test drive at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 171 October 23 2003 Luis A. Ferr the third Democratically Elected Governor of Puerto Rico dies at age 99. Canada: Dalton McGuinty is sworn in as the 24th premier of Ontario. 172 Occupation of Iraq: There is every sign that the international conference in Madrid at which pledges to re-build Iraq are hoped for will disappoint and e.g. Paul Bremer seeks to lower expectations. 173174 United States Supreme Court: Before a conservative legal organization Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia ridicules the recent Supreme Court decision overturning anti-sodomy laws in Texas saying that the Court had "held to be a constitutional right what had been a criminal offense at the time of the founding and for nearly 200 years thereafter." According to news reports Scalia adopted a mocking tone to read from the court's ruling. 175 Kuwait AL Arabi football club beat Qadsia in the Kuwait derby 20. October 24 2003 Mining: 49 miners are trapped in a Russian mine as water began seeping into the mine disabling electrical systems 176. Israeli-Palestinian conflict: The body of the Hamas militant killed in the attack on an Israeli military camp (that killed three Israeli soldiers) is returned to his family in their refugee camp. 177 2003 invasion of Iraq: The US Senate Committee on Intelligence finalizes its report on pre-war intelligence and is highly critical of George Tenet and the quality of US intelligence about Iraq's weapons. 178 Space weather: Earth is hit by a solar ion storm disrupting some satellite communications but not electric power transmission grids as was predicted. Canada the northern US northern Europe were treated to an exceptional display of aurora borealis. 179180181 Aircraft: The final flights of Concorde from New York Edinburgh and a loop around the Bay of Biscay touch down at Heathrow International Airport around 1600 BST marking the end of 27 years of commercial supersonic flight. 182 Same-sex marriage: Three same-sex couples in Spain including a Madrid city councilman apply for marriage licenses. They state that if the registry judge does not grant them the licenses they will appeal to Spain's constitutional court and as far as the European Court of Human Rights if necessary. They describe their actions as inspired by the recent rulings on same-sex marriage in Canada. 183 October 25 2003 The Indian philosopher and Hindu revivalist Pandurang Shastri Athavale dies at the age of 83. Israel: Israel publishes map of fence. 184 World Series: Baseball: The Florida Marlins defeat the New York Yankees four games to two to win the 2003 World Series. 185 Occupation of Iraq: A US Blackhawk helicopter is brought down near Tikrit by Iraqi militants. The Daily Star Lebanon reports that the US is effectively plundering Iraq following the occupation. 186 The daily average of attacks on US troops rises and reaches about 2526 per day. 187 100000 march against the occupation of Iraq in Washington DC. 188 United Kingdom: Tony Blair amazes his advisers and ignores public opinion by insisting that the UK will press ahead with GM technology. 189 Daylight saving time: Many countries in the Northern Hemisphere will end daylight saving time in the night from October 25 to October 26. In the Southern Hemisphere daylight saving time will start only in the Australian states of New South Wales South Australia and Victoria. French pop star Alizee Jacotey performs her hit single A Contre-Courant live on Dans La Lumiere October 26 2003 California: Wildfires start to rage in Southern California. The scheduled NFL Monday Night Football game between the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins is relocated from San Diego California to Tempe Arizona as a consequence of the fires. 190 Occupation of Iraq: The Al-Rashid Hotel in Baghdad where US deputy defense secretary Paul Wolfowitz was staying has been evacuated after several rockets were fired at it in the morning. one US Colonel was killed and fifteen individuals wounded (three seriously) in the attack. 191192. Two more explosions occurred near Al Rashid hotel later towards the evening. Further investigations confirm that Iraq had no active nuclear program but did not relinquish nuclear ambitions or technical records. 193 194 Syria: The President of Syria says that Iran and Syria which are increasingly close allies are capable of neutralizing conspiracies of foreign powers (implicitly referring to the US and Israel). 195 Russia: Mikhail Khodorkovsky the country's wealthiest businessman has been arrested and is being held in Moscow facing charges of fraud and tax evasion. 196 October 27 2003 Occupation of Iraq: More than 40 people are killed and over 200 are injured in a wave of coordinated bomb attacks on the Red Cross compound and several local police stations in Baghdad. 197. George W. Bush states that the bombings are a sign of desperation by the insurgents. 198 Mutual funds: U.S. fund group Putnam Investments fires four fund managers as scandals about improper and/or fraudulent dealings reach the mutual fund industry. 199 Politics of Japan: Former Prime Ministers Miyazawa Kiichi and Nakasone Yasuhiro announce that they are going to retire. Northwest Territories general election 2003: The writ is dropped for the 19 electoral districts of the Northwest Territories to elect members to the 15th session of the consensus government. October 28 2003 Economics: The United States Federal Reserve leaves its key interest rate unchanged at today's meeting saying that rates will be kept low for a considerable period. 200 Solar system: The sun emits another coronal mass ejection directly toward the Earth the third largest solar flare on record. The effects are projected to affect Earth on the 29th. 201202 California: Wildfires are largest in state history; 1500 homes are destroyed 16 people killed and 600000 acres (2400 km2) burned. Evacuations are ordered from parts of cities in Los Angeles and San Diego counties. 203 The conflagration also spreads across the border into the Mexican state of Baja California where two deaths are reported. United Kingdom: The Conservative Party's 1922 Committee announces that leader Iain Duncan Smith will face an immediate vote of confidence in his leadership on the following day after at least 25 backbenchers formally request it. 204 Japan politics: The campaign for Japan general election 2003 starts lasting until a voting date Nov 9. 205 October 29 2003 Medicine: The US FDA approves Risperdal Consta (Risperidone long-acting injection) for the treatment of schizophrenia. Although already approved in several other countries it is the first long-acting atypical antipsychotic medication to be approved by the FDA. Republic of Ireland: The Garda Sochna the Irish police force opens a criminal investigation following a hoax telephone call on 27 October from a woman claiming that she had abandoned her newborn baby in a derelict flat in Dublin. Hundreds of Garda had mounted a round the clock search of thousands of derelict sites in the working class suburb of Ballymun to find the child as fears grew for its safety amid plummeting temperatures. Police later concluded that no such child existed and that the series of phone calls made to them and to childcare charities had been a deliberate hoax. United Kingdom: British Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith loses a vote of confidence in his parliamentary party by 90 votes to 75 and in accordance with party rules resigns from the leadership. A new leadership election is called. Shadow Deputy Prime Minister David Davis previously tipped as a future leader surprises Westminster by announcing that he will not seek the leadership and endorses former Home Secretary Michael Howard who is now seen as the frontrunner to assume the leadership. Other leading politicians endorse Howard once famously described by a colleague as having "something of the night about him." 206 207 Occupation of Iraq: The International Red Cross announces that it is to scale back its commitments to Iraq. 208 Two more GIs are killed bringing the total killed since May 1 to 115. 209 Earth's magnetic field: The Earth's magnetosphere is hit by the recent solar flare causing a brief but intense geomagnetic storm provoking unusual displays of Northern Lights. 210 October 30 2003 A plastic toy gun used as part of a Halloween costume sparks a two-hour-long terrorism scare at the Capitol in Washington D.C. 211 Economics: The United States Department of Commerce reports that U.S. gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 7.2% in the third quarter the fastest growth rate since 1984. 212 Russia: Vladimir Putin removes his Chief of Staff as the political battle with the "Russian oligarchs" and between hard-liners and liberals continues. 213214 Russian judicial authorities have seized control of Yukos the giant oil company. 215 Iraq War: Officials postpone awarding two contracts to repair Iraq's oil refineries and pipelines (primarily because of sabotage and dilapidated conditions). 216 An investigation has been started on the high price that the United States is paying to Kellogg Brown & Root for oil imported from Kuwait. 217. The Center for Public Integrity says that firms awarded contracts in Iraq have tended to be big donors (in the past) to the Republican Party. 218 The UN announces that it is withdrawing its remaining international staff from Baghdad perhaps temporarily. 219 Malaysia: After 22 years in power Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad retires. He is succeeded by Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi 220 Israel: Israel is to train pigs to do guard work in Israeli settlements. The pigs have a better sense of smell than dogs and can be trained to walk towards perceived threats (e.g. explosives). 221 October 31 2003 Japan: The trial of Shoko Asahara accused of involvement in the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway ends in Japan with final statements from lawyers. The next court session is to be held in mid-February 2004. 222 Japanese supercentenarian Kamato Hongo dies from pneumonia. Russia: The furor surrounding Yukos deepens with an outspoken statement from the Russian Prime Minister expressing deep concern about the freezing of Yukos shares. 223 United Kingdom: Kenneth Clarke has ruled himself out of the contest to lead the Conservative Party and the field is left potentially clear for Michael Howard to be elected unopposed. 224 Surfer Bethany Hamilton's arm is bitten off by a shark. v d eList of events by month 2009: January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December 2008: January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December 2007: January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December 2006: January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December 2005: January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December 2004: January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December 2003: January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December 2002: January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December 2001: January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December 2000: January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December