Unix Timestamp: 1224374400
Sunday, October 19. 2008, 12:00:00 AM UTC

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico says that he will also demand an opt-out in the Treaty of Lisbon if the Czech Republic is granted one. //www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,655975,00.html ("Der Spiegel")

An explosion kills up to eight civilians Glorietta Mall in Makati City, PhilippinesJee Ann De Gracia was one of the 11th victim of Bombing. //newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view_article.php?article_id=95462 (AFP via Inquirer)

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth rules that Mohammad Munaf, a United States citizen, can be transferred to Iraqi authorities to face a death sentence over the kidnapping of three Romanian journalists in 2005 around Baghdad. //www.nytimes.com/2006/10/19/world/middleeast/19citizen_wire.html (AP via New York Times)

The Trials of Saddam Hussein begin.

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.

"SIEV-X" sinks en route to Christmas Island.

SIEV-X sinks en route to Christmas Island.

Benazir Bhutto becomes the first elected woman to lead a post-colonial Muslim state, in Pakistan.

The Communist Party of China promotes several market-oriented reformers to the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China, signaling a defeat for hard-line ideologues.

The United Kingdom bans broadcast interviews with IRA members. The BBC gets around this stricture through the use of professional actors.

Mozambican president Samora Machel's plane crashes in South Africa.

Polishsecret police kidnap Jerzy Popiełuszko, a Catholic priest who supports the Solidarity movement. His dead body is found in a reservoir 11 days later on October 30.

Maurice Bishop, Prime Minister of Grenada, and 40 others are assassinated in a military coup.

World Series: The St. Louis Cardinals defeat the Milwaukee Brewers 6–3 in game 7.

John De Lorean is arrested for selling cocaine to undercover FBI agents (he is later found not guilty due to entrapment).

Luzhniki disaster: During the UEFA Cup match between FC Spartak Moscow and HFC Haarlem, 66 people are crushed to death.

13 Marines die in a fire at C Fuji, Japan as a result of Typhoon Tip.//www.fuji.usmc.mil/about/fire.html US Marine Corps

German Autumn: Kidnapped industrialist Hanns-Martin Schleyer is found murdered in Mulhouse, France.

The "Mariner 5" probe flies by Venus.

Alec Douglas-Home succeeds Harold Macmillan as British Prime Minister.

The Arab League takes over protecting Kuwait the last British troops leave.

Korean War: The People's Republic of China enters the conflict by sending thousands of soldiers across the Yalu River

H.R. Ekins, reporter for the "New York World-Telegram", wins a race to travel around the world on commercial airline flights, beating out Dorothy Kilgallen of the "New York Journal" and Leo Kieran of the "New York Times". The flight takes 18½ days.

William Edward Hickman is executed at San Quentin prison for the 1927 murder of Marion Parker.

The 1926 Imperial Conference opens in London, the United Kingdom.

Abdul Aziz declares himself protector of holy places in Mecca.

Love Field in Dallas, Texas is opened.

Mexican Revolution: The U.S. recognizes the Mexican government of Venustiano Carranza "de facto" (not "de jure" until 1917).

The DLRG (German Life-Saving Society) is founded.

Polytechnic University of the Philippines is founded as Manila Business School through the superintendence of the American C.A. O'Reilley.

The modern University of Zagreb is founded in Zagreb.

A new Māori revolt begins in New Zealand.

Garibaldi again defeats the Neapolitan forces, advancing on Gaeta, the last remaining Neapolitan strong-point.

Meeting at Teano: Giuseppe Garibaldi gives Naples to the king Victor Emmanuel II, recognizing him as King of Italy.

Phi Kappa Sigma International Fraternity was founded at the University of Pennsylvania.

Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity is founded at Hamilton College.

Napoleon begins his retreat from Moscow.

American Revolution: Following the Siege of Yorktown, General Charles Cornwallis surrenders to General George Washington at Yorktown, Virginia, ending the armed struggle of the American Revolution.

Kara Mustafa departs with the Ottoman army to Adrianople.

Swedish King Karl X Gustav occupies Krakow (Poland).

Martin Luther becomes a doctor of theology ("Doctor in Biblia").

James III of Scotland acquires the Orkney and Shetland Islands from Denmark.

Marsilio Ficino completes his translation of the collected works of Plato.

Lorenzo de' Medici takes power in Florence.

Sigismund of Austria sells Upper-Elsass (Alsace) to Charles the Bold in exchange for aid in a war against the Swiss.

Marsilio Ficino writes Commentary on Plato's Symposium on Love.

Moctezuma I, Aztec ruler of Tenochtitlan, dies and is succeeded by Axayacatl.

Uzun Hassan wins in Persia and defeats Abu Sa'id.

Marsilio Ficino starts to work on Platonic Theology.

Infante Ferdinand of Aragon marries Infanta Isabella of Castile. This event will lead to a unified Spain in 1492.

Lorenzo de' Medici takes power in Florence.

Erik Axelsson Tott replaces Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna as Regent of Sweden.

The Chimú Empire is conquered by troops of the Inca.

The Thirteen Years' War ends with the Second Peace of Thorn.

Louis XI of France introduces silk weaving to Lyon.

The Mentelin Bible, the first printedGerman languageBible, is produced.

Collapse of the Kingdom of Georgia into anarchy and it's subsequent fragmentation into rival states of Kartli, Kakheti, Imereti, Samtskhe-Saatabago and a number of principalities, which is finalised in 1490 when Constantine II of Georgia has to recognize his rival monarchies.

Johannes Gutenberg invents the movable type printing press.

The Hundred Years\\' War comes to a close with the French recapture of Bordeaux, leaving the English retaining only Calais on French soil.

The Hundred Years' War comes to a close with the French recapture of Bordeaux, leaving the English retaining only Calais on French soil.

Portuguese traders deliver their first cargo of African slaves to Lisbon.

Explorer Gil Eanes reaches Cape Bojador in Western Sahara, thus destroying the legends of the Dark Sea.

In Ming DynastyChina, a long episode of drought, flood, locust infestation, and famine cripple agriculture and commerce in areas throughout the country until 1448.

The University of Catania is founded in Italy.

Jan van Eyck paints the Arnolfini Portrait.

King Edward III of England starts his personal reign, executing his regent Roger Mortimer.

Muslims begin to emigrate to Abyssinia.

Pope Adeodatus I (also known as Deusdedit) succeeds Pope Boniface IV as the 68th pope.

The monastery of Mar Saba is founded near Bethlehem (Palestine).

Winter ndash The Vandals conquer Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica and the Balearic Islands.

The Vandals establish a North African granary that enables them to enforce their will on other nations who are dependent on North Africa for grain and other food staples.

Isaac the Great, Armenian apostolic patriarch, dies at Ashtishat. He helped to develop a Greek-inspired alphabet and translate the Bible with various Christian writings into Armenian.

Carthage falls to the Vandals. Genseric makes it his capital and established the Vandal Kingdom.