October 2005 - October 17, 2005 (Monday)

October 17, 2005 (Monday)

• 2 Umrah pilgrims die as the ship they were returning in crashed into a cargo ship in the Suez Canal. Initial reports of 20 fatalities proved unfounded, though over 90 people were injured. (BBC)
• Conflict in Iraq: The U.S. claims to have killed 70 insurgents near Ramadi in eastern Iraq. However, eyewitnesses maintain that most of those killed were innocent civilians, and photographs released show locals burying at least 18 children, including infants. (BBC), (LA Times)
• Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Israel bans Palestinians from travelling throughout the West Bank and cuts off contact with the Palestinian Authority. (BBC)
• Jens Stoltenberg takes over as the Prime Minister of Norway after Kjell Magne Bondevik. In Stoltenberg's majority coalition government, ten ministers represent the PMs own party, the Norwegian Labour Party (Ap), five come from the Socialist Left Party (SV), and four from the Centre Party (Sp). Nine of the nineteen ministers are women. (Aftenposten)
• Helen Clark announces the formation of a Labour-led Government in New Zealand. The Progressive Party is in coalition. New Zealand First and United Future support the government and are each given ministerial positions outside Cabinet. (NZ Herald)
• Tropical Storm Wilma forms, making it only the second time there have been 21 recorded tropical storms in a single hurricane season in the north Atlantic basin, tying the 1933 season. It was upgraded to hurricane status on 18 October. (United States National Hurricane Center)
• Refco, New York based commodity brokerage, files for chapter 11 (bankruptcy) protection after an 8 day melt-down.
• The Colbert Report debuts.