31 October: Militants threaten to kill 3 UN aid workers (Filipino, Irish, Kosovar) kidnapped in Afghanistan unless Taliban, Al Qaeda prisoners are released...
30 October: Saturn moon, Titan, appears to have highly alien surface... Italy withdraws candidacy of anti-gay Buttiglione for EU Commission... Both Sen. Kerry and Pres. Bush condemn new Bin Laden threats in harshest most unequivocal terms...
29 October: Arafat to be transferred, via Amman, Jordan, to Paris hospital; Israel says it will allow return... In case of Arafat's death, PA law says new elections to be held within 60 days... EU leaders sign first European constitution in Rome, must now be ratified by referenda or parliamentary votes... At 3 days, 7 hours, Rasmussen lists Bush as leading Kerry by 2% (48.7-46.7); Zogby shows race deadlocked at 47% each, Bush losing 1%, Kerry gaining since last tracking poll...
28 October: Arafat suffers fainting spell, condition labeled "critical" by associates, will be moved to hospital... Spanish government convenes summit of the presidents of all the nation's autonomous regions... EU prepares for Rome summit on first European constitution... New Zogby poll shows Bush with 1% lead over Kerry among likely voters; Democrats say Bush support has hit a ceiling at 48%...
27 October: Israeli Knesset votes to support Sharon's Gaza withdrawal plan... Greenpeace activists weld doors shut at Brazil's nuclear energy HQ, call for end to proliferation of nuclear power in Brazil... AI criticizes Bush administration's detention centers as eroding human rights... Spain's La Vanguardia newspaper today ran an editorial stating that Al Qaeda as a functioning, hierarchical militant organization ceased to exist after the 9/11 attacks... At 5 days, 14 hours remaining until the election, Rasmussen shows candidates locked in tie, at 47.8%...
26 October: Sharon tells Knesset a democratic Israel cannot control the lives of millions of Palestinians... Rasmussen shows Kerry leading Bush by 2% (48.4 to 46.4)... Fidel Castro bans the dollar, after 11 years as legal tender in Communist State, imposes 10% conversion tariff, in response to stricter US sanctions...
25 October: Violence in Thailand as government forces kick and beat demonstrators calling for release of rebel prisoners... Fmr. Pres. Clinton rejoins the campaign, making the case for Kerry in Philadelphia, speaking to impassioned crowd at Love Park... Chief Supreme Court Justice, William Renquist reported hospitalized with thyroid cancer...
23 October: Several major earthquakes, the largest a magnitude 6.8, struck Japan, adding to a season of seismic and volcanic devastation across the island nation...
22 October: WWF warns world consuming 20% more resources per year than environment can produce, calls for global effort to reduce "ecological footprint"... UN calls for effort to end Ugandan war, mass killing of children, use of child soldiers... US Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX) subpoenaed for questioning regarding misuse of Homeland Security agents to persecute political opponents...
21 October: Lost El Greco found in envelope in Spain, valued at £500,000; 1 week after 1964 Polish El Greco find is displayed for 1st time... Rasmussen shows Bush with 2.6% overall lead in national poll... Reuters reports 46% would re-elect Bush, while 49% want him replaced...
20 October: While Bush stays at 46%, Zogby shows Kerry losing 1% in new tracking poll, while Nader loses 0.2%, presumably both to Libertarian candidate; race stays dead heat...
19 October: Zogby shows race tied at 46% with 2 weeks to election day, Nader at 1.2% support, considered threat to Dem campaign... Kerry leads Bush by wide margin in newspaper endorsements, picks up 15 more, including several that had backed Bush in 2000, several in FL...
18 October: BBC, Reuters report Kerry even with Bush, some polls show Kerry leading in key swing states; Rasmussen shows Bush leading by 0.2% (47.5-47.3)... Gallup shows Bush leading Kerry by 8 points, as allegations emerge that Gallup is using pro-Bush filters for its presidential polling and that the effort is being directed by GOP donors...
15 October: Tsvangirai found not guilty on all charges of treason against Mugabe government for calling for democratic change during last election season... Brazil calls for UN to send more troops to stabilize Haiti, curb rising tide of violence... Former employees claim private firm hired by RNC to register voters systematically destroyed Democratic party registrations...
14 October: ABC News reports opinion polls show John Kerry has in the view of voters won all 3 debates with Pres. Bush... Tony Blair calls for explicit common agenda between Europe and United States which would tackle "global poverty, sustainable development, the Middle East peace process and our shared values"... Pakistan parliament permits Musharraf to remain as both head of state, head of military till 2007... Zogby poll suggests Kerry could overtake Bush in Virginia, trailing by only 3%...
13 October: 2 aid workers killed in Darfur by landmine, raising concerns that conditions for civilians may remain dangerous even in event of ceasefire, refugee solution...
11 October: Zogby shows Kerry with 3% lead over Bush in latest poll (47-44), showing a 52% negative job-performance rating for Bush; ABC News shows Bush with 50% to 46% lead over Kerry...
8 October: "Precision strike" said to hit wedding party, killing groom; doctors say women, children among wounded... Mars rovers find more evidence of plentiful water in planet's past... Desmond Tutu says prolonged detention of Aung San Suu Kyi by Burmese junta is test of world's commitment to human rights, democracy... British hostage Ken Bigley has been reported killed in Iraq... Manila hit by earthquake, no reported deaths or major damage, quake may have occurred offshore... The European Central Bank says the cost of crude oil is threatening to unleash inflation, undermine economic recovery... Rasmussen shows Bush lead in popular support at 2.3%...
7 October: Kyoto Protocol will take effect as world's first effort to combat global warming... Qadhafi calls for British hostage Bigley's release... Rasmussen shows Bush lead at 0.3% (47.2 to 46.9)...
6 October: Iraq Survey Group of postwar inspectors to conclude no banned weapons in Iraq before invasion... Israel says selective evacuation of settlements designed to freeze peace process, provide "the formaldehyde necessary so there is no political process with the Palestinians"... UN says it is closely monitoring Iran's preparations for uranium enrichment... European Commission expected to announce Turkey will begin official process to join EU... GOP in Michigan threatens to arrest filmmaker Michael Moore... Rasmussen shows dead heat, Bush at 47.9%, Kerry at 47% support, following VP debate where both candidates struck strong chords, after Bush held 2.5% lead in recent days...
5 October: Iran's former president says nation has missiles capable of traveling 2,000km... Rumsfeld tells Council on Foreign Relations there was no known link between Al Qaeda, Saddam regime...
4 October: RocketPlane SpaceShipOne reaches outer space for 2nd time, wins X-Prize for private space travel vehicle... Spain is world's 3rd nation to legalize same-sex marriage...
1 October: Kerry wins debate decisively, shows "presidential" mettle... Blair will undergo heart procedure to correct palpitations... Rasmussen survey still shows Bush leading, 48.5% to 46.1%...
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