Unix Timestamp: 1163808000
Saturday, November 18. 2006, 12:00:00 AM UTC

Pepsi announces 3,000 layoffs in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe. //ibnlive.in.com/news/pepsi-bottling-group-inc-to-cut-over-3000-jobs/78435-7.html (CNN-IBN)

Hashim Thaçi, a former rebel leader who has promised to declare Kosovo's independence if mediation efforts fail, declares victory for his party in the parliamentary election. //ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5goukO2cHh4e7wwpQhpROVZezaT7QD8SVP1JG0 (AP via Google News)

The Zasyadko mine disaster in eastern Ukraine claims the lives of 101 miners.

Hina Jilani leads a protest in London to ask for the release of all political prisoners and to vocalize the call for President Pervez Musharraf's resignation. //news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7100762.stm (BBC)

An explosion in a coal mine in Zasyadko, Ukraine, kills at least 63 people and leaves many more trapped below ground. //news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7100456.stm (BBC)

Same-sex marriage in the United States: The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court rules 4–3 in "Goodridge v. Department of Public Health" that the state's non-recognition of same-sex marriage is unconstitutional and gives the state legislature 180 days to change the law. //www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2003/11/18/sjc_gay_marriage_legal_in_mass/

The Mexican government announces the imminent resignation of its ambassador to the United Nations, Adolfo Aguilar Zinser, who, in a speech in Mexico City last week, said that the political and intellectual class of the United States sees Mexico as a country whose position is that of a back yard. //story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=589e=7u=/ap/20031118/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/mexico_official_resigns//timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=279359

Enron announces proposed sale of Portland General Electric for , including assumption of debt. The sale is to a newly formed LLC backed by a private investment firm from Texas. This happens after Portland-area residents defeated a ballot measure to take over the utility on November 4. PGE had outspent supporters of the takeover 60-to-1. //www.enron.com/corp/pressroom/releases/2003/ene/111803Release.html

The first team of United Nations weapons inspectors arrive in Iraq, where they will prepare for inspections for evidence of the development or possession of weapons of mass destruction by Saddam Hussein's regime.

Iraq disarmament crisis: United Nations weapons inspectors led by Hans Blix arrive in Iraq.

The Aggie Bonfire collapses in College Station, TX, killing 12.

Russian President Boris Yeltsin releases the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) of KAL 007, shot down by the Soviets in 1983.

Ted Turner officially buys Jim Crockett Promotions, known as NWA Crockett, and turns it into World Chionship Wrestling (WCW).

War on Drugs: U.S. President Ronald Reagan signs a bill providing the death penalty for murderous drug traffickers.

Canadian federal election, 1988: Brian Mulroney and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada win a second majority government.

The comic strip Calvin and Hobbes debuts in 35 newspapers.

COMDEX Fall, IBM introduces the IBM PC. Scientific Solutions announces the first PC add-in cards.

Jonestown incident: In Guyana, Jim Jones leads his Peoples Temple cult in a mass murder-suicide that claims 918 lives in all, 909 of them at Jonestown itself, including over 270 children. Congressman Leo J. Ryan is assassinated by members of Peoples Temple shortly beforehand.

The UKpound is devalued from 1 GBP = 2.80 USD to 1 GBP = 2.40 USD.

İsmet İnönü of CHP forms the new government of Turkey (26th government, first coalition in Turkey, partner AP)

U.S. President John F. Kennedy sends 18,000 military advisors to South Vietnam.

The funeral of longtime House Speaker Sam Rayburn is held in Washington, DC. Two former Presidents (Truman, Eisenhower) and one future one (Lyndon B. Johnson) join President Kennedy in paying their respects.

MGM's widescreen, multimillion dollar, Technicolor version of "Ben-Hur", starring Charlton Heston, is released and becomes the studio's greatest hit up to that time. It is critically acclaimed and eventually wins 11 Academy Awards – a record held until 1998, when 1997's "Titanic" becomes the first film to equal the record. To the present day, the 1959 "Ben-Hur" remains the last MGM film to win a Best Picture Oscar, though "Doctor Zhivago", another MGM film, was nominated in 1965.

The sinks in a storm on Lake Michigan, killing 33 of the 35 crewmen on board.

Jomo Kenyatta is arrested in Kenya for an alleged connection to the Mau Mau uprising.

The first official passenger flight over the North Pole is made from Los Angeles to Copenhagen.

A fireball crashes in a backyard in Havelock North, New Zealand.

Slánský trials: A series of Stalinist and largely anti-Semitic show trials are held in Czechoslovakia.

The United Nations accepts the formation of the Libyan National Council.

The Ballantyne's Department Store fire in Christchurch, New Zealand, kills 41 people.

The Princess Elizabeth (later Elizabeth II), the daughter of George VI, marriesThe Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey in London, United Kingdom.

The Ballantyne\'s Department Store fire in Christchurch, New Zealand, kills 41 people.

Paul Ramadier resigns as the Prime Minister of France. He is succeeded by Robert Schuman, who calls 80,000 army reservists to quell rioting miners in France.

WWII: The Royal Air Force opens its bombing caign against Berlin, with 440 planes causing only light damage and killing 131. The RAF loses 9 aircraft and 53 aviators.

WWII: Operation Crusader in North Africa begins

WWII: German leader Adolf Hitler and Italian Foreign Minister Galeazzo Ciano meet to discuss Benito Mussolini's disastrous invasion of Greece.

Trade union members elect John L. Lewis as the first president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations.

1929 Grand Banks earthquakeref name=shunpiking.com//www.shunpiking.com/ol0103/1929_Tsunami_in_NF.pdf

Mickey Mouse appears in "Steamboat Willie", the third Mickey Mouse cartoon released, but the first sound film.

The Belgianroyal family returns to Brussels after the war.

The Spartacist League founds the German Communist Party.

Latvia declares its independence from Russia.

WWI ndash Battle of the Somme: In France, British Expeditionary Force commander Douglas Haig calls off the battle, which started on July 1.

Release of the U.S. silent film "Inspiration", the first mainstream movie in which a leading actress (Audrey Munson) appears nude.

In Nicaragua 500 revolutionaries (including 2 Americans) are executed by order of dictator José Santos Zelaya. The United States responds by sending 2 warships.

Prince Carl of Denmark becomes King Haakon VII of Norway.

The Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty is signed by the United States and Panama, giving the U.S. exclusive rights over the Panama Canal Zone.

U.S. and Canadian railroads institute 5 standard continental time zones, ending the confusion of thousands of local times.

21 ndash Irish Home Rule Movement: The Home Government Association reconstitutes itself as the Home Rule League.

December ndash Major Walter Clopton Wingfield designs and patents a racquet sport which he calls "sphairistike" (Greek σφάίρίστική, skill at playing at ball), soon known simply as "Stické", for the amusement of his guests at a garden party on his estate of Nantclwyd, in Llanelidan, Wales.

King Christian IX of Denmark signs the November constitution, which declares Schleswig to be part of Denmark, regarded by the German Confederation as a violation of the London Protocol of 1852, leading to the German–Danish war of 1864.

Battle of Vertières: The Haitian army led by Jean-Jacques Dessalines defeats the army of Napoleon.

An earthquake occurs in the vicinity of Cape Ann, Massachusetts, causing extensive damage.

The King of Dahomey has income of 250,000 pounds from the overseas export of slaves.

Hannah Snell reveals her sex to her Royal Marines compatriots.

Northern America: 2,000,000

Asia: 502,000,000

Europe: 163,000,000

World population: 791,000,000

Oceania: 2,000,000

Latin-America: 16,000,000

Maruyama Okyo paints The Ghost of Oyuki.

Ahmad Shah Bahadur's army, retreating from Persia, reportedly loses 18,000 men near what is present-day Herat, Afghanistan from cold in a single night.

Britain produces c. 2% of the entire world's output of industrial goods and the Industrial Revolution begins.

Westminster Bridge is officially opened in London.

Galley slavery is abolished in Europe.ref name=Clear

Africa: 106,000,000

Pierre Louis Maupertuis publishes "Sur la figure de la terre", which 'confirms Newton's view that the earth is a spheroid slightly flattened at the poles'.

Jacques de Vaucanson presents the world's first automaton, "The Flute Player", to the French Academy of Sciences.

Stanisław Leszczyński receives Lorraine in exchange for renouncing the Polish throne.

Franz Ketterer invents the cuckoo clock.

China's Qing government announces that all western businessmen have to use the Cohong in Guangzhou to trade.

The excavation of Herculaneum, a Roman city buried by Vesuvius in AD 79, begins.

The Treaty of Vienna is ratified.

Russo–Turkish War (1735–1739): The Russian army fails to cross the Dniester. They are decimated by plague.

An earthquake in Tazriz, Persia kills 77,000.

Battle of Olkieniki, Lithuanian Civil War

The new St Peter\'s Basilica in the Vatican is consecrated, the anniversary of that of the previous church in 326.

Giovanni Pico della Mirandola starts to study canon law at University of Bologna.

William Caxton produces "Dictes or Sayengis of the Philosophres", the first English book printed on an Englishprinting press.

Thomas Norton (alchemist) writes "Ordinall of Alchemy".

First printed edition of "The Travels of Marco Polo".

The Mongol raid of India ends.

The use of The Scottish Maiden is first documented in Ireland.

Edward II becomes King of England.

according to legend) ndash William Tell shoots an apple off his son's head.

Boniface VIII publishes the Papal bull "Unam Sanctam".

The French States-General meets for the first time.

Confucian Temple erected in Beijing.

Dante Alighieri is exiled from Florence by the Black Guelphs, as is Petrarch's father (see Guelphs and Ghibellines).

Castile occupies the harbor of Algiers.

Pope Boniface VIII suppresses the Franciscans.

Robert I of Scotland reconciles with Edward I of England.

Jicin, Bohemia is chartered as a city.

Philip IV of France confiscates Jewish property.

Roger de Flor founds the Catalan Company, with soldiers (Almogavars) jobless after the Treaty of Caltabellotta.

Philip II becomes King of France.

Alexander Neckam becomes a lecturer in Paris, and writes "De Natura Rerum", an early mention of chess (approximate date).

Afonso I of Portugal is taken prisoner by Ferdinand II of León.

The Portuguese admiral D. Fuas Roupinho wins a second victory in two years against the Almohad fleet.ref name=Picard1997

Artois is annexed by France.

The Wittelsbach Family takes control of Bavaria.

Estimation: Hangzhou, capital of Southern Song China, becomes the largest city of the world, taking the lead from Fes in the Almohad Empire.//geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa011201a.htm Geography at about.com

Frederick Barbarossa removes Henry the Lion from the Duchy of Saxony, and creates the Duchies of Westphalia and Styria.

opening of the council of Poitier which is soon forcibly closed by the duke of Aquitaine, William IX, as the bishops were about to excommunicate once more the king of France, Philip I.

Tibetan forces occupy the Chinese capital Chang'an of the Tang Dynasty for 16 days.

Tibetan forces occupy the Chinese capital Chang'an of the Tang Dynasty for 16 days.

The Visigoths, led by king Alaric I, cross the Alps and invade northern Italy. Emperor Honorius moves his capital to the coastal city of Ravenna, which is protected by marshes and strong fortifications. Stilicho begins the process of reclaiming the city.

The "Chronicon Pachale" (Paschal Chronicle) reports that the Black Sea is completely frozen.

Kumarajiva, KucheanBuddhistmonk, arrives in Chang\'an and begins translating Buddhist texts into Chinese.