Unix Timestamp: 1318896000
Tuesday, October 18. 2011, 12:00:00 AM UTC

United States Secretary of State Hilary Clinton makes an unannounced visit to the Libyan capital Tripoli, aiming to strengthen ties between the United States and the National Transitional Council, which has established itself as Libya's ruling body following the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi. //www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15349335 (BBC)

Israel and the Palestinian militant organization Hamas begin a major prisoner swap, in which the captured Israeli Army soldier Gilad Shalit is released by Hamas in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian and Israeli-Arab prisoners held in Israel, including 280 prisoners serving life sentences for planning and perpetrating terror attacks.

Arab Spring and the Libyan civil war: Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is killed in Sirte, with National Transitional Council forcestaking control of the city, and ending the war.

Basqueseparatist militant organisation ETA declares an end to its 43-year caign of political violence, which has killed over 800 people since 1968.

Israel and the Palestinian militant organization Hamas begin a major prisoner swap, in which the captured Israeli Army soldier Gilad Shalit is released by Hamas in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian and Israeli-Arab prisoners held in Israel. Among the prisoners released are 280 prisoners serving life sentences for planning and perpetrating terror attacks. //www.cnn.com/2011/10/18/world/meast/israel-prisoner-swap/index.html?hpt=hp_t1 (CNN) //www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/18/gilad-shalit-release-palestinian-exchange ("The Guardian") //www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=242250 ("The Jerusalem Post")