Unix Timestamp: 1226534400
Thursday, November 13. 2008, 12:00:00 AM UTC

Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is released after 15 years of house arrest. //www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11749661 (BBC) //timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Myanmar-pro-democracy-icon-Suu-Kyi-tastes-freedom/articleshow/6920102.cms ("Times of India") //english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/11/20101113105340355661.html (Al Jazeera)

Burmese opposition politician Aung San Suu Kyi is released from her house arrest.

NASA claims to have discovered water after the LCROSS satellite crashes near the South Pole of the Moon. //www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/science/14moon.html?hpemc=na ("New York Times")

Having analyzed the data from the LCROSS lunar impact, NASA announces that it has found a significant quantity of water in the Moon's Cabeus crater.

High Speed 1 from London to the Channel Tunnel is opened to passengers.

An earthquake of magnitude 8.2 in Tocopilla, Chile, affects the whole of the north of the country.

An explosion hits the south wing of the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Quezon City, north of Manila, killing 4 people, including Basilan Congressman Wahab Akbar, and wounding 6 others.

The fossil of a new prehistoric great ape species, named "Nakalipithecus nakayamai", is discovered in Kenya. //news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7092424.stm (BBC)

An explosion hits the south wing of the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Quezon City, killing three people, including Congressman Wahab Akbar, and wounding 10. //news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7092600.stm (BBC)

Voters in South Ossetia vote 98-99% in favor of independence from Georgia in a referendum. 78% of the vote has been counted. Neither Russia nor the West recognize the poll's legitimacy. //www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/11/13/sossetia.independence.ap/index.html?section=cnn_latest (CNN)

Andrew Stimpson, a 25-year-old British man, is reported as the first person proven to have been 'cured' of HIV.

After six days of intense battles, the Iraqi town of Fallujah is fully occupied by U.S. forces.

A British "Daily Mirror" opinion poll suggests nearly half the people of the United Kingdom see the United States as the biggest threat to world peace and are opposed to President Bush's state visit to the UK. //www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/content_objectid=13622444_method=full_siteid=50143_headline=-BUSH-OFF-POLL-REVEALS-BRITS-FURIOUS-AT-COST-OF-VISIT-name_page.html

In Canada, the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP rules that the police force used excessive force during the anti-globalization protests at the Quebec City Summit of the Americas FTAA negotiations in April 2001. //www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/11/13/rcmp_summit031113

The Economy: Germany, France and the Netherlands, which together account for more than half the economic activity of the eurozone, report returns to growth in the third quarter as a global economic recovery stokes demand for exports. //www.iht.com/articles/117547.html

U.S. President George W. Bush says that an audio tape thought to carry the voice of Osama bin Laden, believed to be authentic, has put the world on notice.

Doha Round: The World Trade Organization ends a four-day ministerial conference in Doha, Qatar.

War on Terrorism: In the first such act since World War II, US President George W. Bush signs an executive order allowing military tribunals against any foreigners suspected of having connections to terrorist acts or planned acts on the United States.

Symbionese Liberation Army member Kathleen Soliah (Sara Jane Olsen) withdraws her previous guilty plea.

In New Zealand, David Gray kills 13 people in what would become known as the Aramoana Massacre.

Mulugeta Seraw, an Ethiopian law student in Portland, Oregon is beaten to death by members of the Neo-Nazi group East Side White Pride.

In the first open election in more than a decade, voters in Pakistan choose populist candidate Benazir Bhutto to be Prime Minister. Elections are held as planned despite head of state Zia-ul-Haq's death earlier in August.

The Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR adopts the Estonian Sovereignty Declaration in which the laws of the Estonian SSR are declared supreme over those of the USSR.

The very first Fairtrade label, Max Havelaar, is launched by Nico Roozen, Frans van der Hoff and ecumenical development agency Solidaridad in the Netherlands.

In the Soviet Union, the unmanned Shuttle "Buran" is launched by an Energia rocket on its maiden orbital spaceflight (the first and last space flight for the shuttle).

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: An independent State of Palestine is proclaimed at the Palestinian National Council meeting in Algiers, by a vote of 253–46.

Nevado del Ruizvolcano erupts, killing an estimated 23,000 people, including 21,000 killed by lahars in the town of Armero, Colombia.

The first United States cruise missiles arrive at Greenham Common Airbase in England amid protests from peace caigners.

The immunosuppressant cyclosporine is approved by the FDA, leading to a revolution in the field of transplantation.

Ecuador recognizes the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is dedicated in Washington, D.C., after a march to its site by thousands of Vietnam War veterans.

Mariner program: "Mariner 9" becomes the first spacecraft to enter Mars orbit successfully.

The SS ''Yarmouth Castle'' burns and sinks off Nassau, with the loss of 90 lives.

Bob Pettit (St. Louis Hawks) becomes the first NBA player to score 20,000 points.

A collision between two trains in Pardubice, Czechoslovakia, kills 117 people.

Belgium threatens to leave the United Nations over criticism of its policy concerning the Republic of the Congo.

Sammy Davis, Jr., marries the Swedish actress May Britt.

The United States Supreme Court declares Alabama and Montgomery, Alabama laws requiring segregated buses illegal, thus ending the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Charles De Gaulle is elected head of a French provisional government

Battle of Guadalcanal: Aviators from the USS ''Enterprise'' sink the Japanese battleship Hiei.

Battle of Guadalcanal: Aviators from the USS "Enterprise" sink the Japanese battleship Hiei.

British forces capture Tobruk.

Walt Disney's "Fantasia" is released. It is the first box office failure for Disney, though it eventually recoups its cost years later, and becomes one of the most highly regarded of Disney's films.

Cole Porter's musical "Anything Goes", starring Ethel Merman, premieres in New York City.

The Italian government decrees that teachers must wear a military or party uniform in a class.

The MCC makes an ultimately controversial decision to alter the lbw rule so a batsman can be lbw to a ball pitching outside off stump. The change is later blamed for many problems developing during the 1950s, primarily negative bowling outside leg stump to a field of short-leg fieldsmen.

Prime Minister of Australia Billy Hughes is expelled from the Labor Party over his support for conscription.

The United States recognizes the independence of Panama.

Bloody Sunday: Police clash with pro-Irish independence protesters.

The Constitution of California is ratified in a general election.

Scottish surgeon James Braid first sees a demonstration of "animal magnetism" by Charles Lafontaine in Manchester, which leads to his study of the phenomenon that he (Braid) eventually calls "hypnotism".

Greek War of Independence: Nafplion falls to the Greek rebels.

Congregation of St. Basil founded in France.

American Revolution ndash Battle of Montreal: American forces under Brigadier GeneralRichard Montgomery capture Montreal. British General Guy Carleton escapes to Quebec.

17 November - John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore offers freedom to slaves who join the loyalist army, thus losing the support of most planters, who see slaves as their vital livelihood

Building of the Plymouth Synagogue in Plymouth, England, the oldest built by Ashkenazi Jews in the English-speaking world.

Treaty of Fontainebleau, a secret agreement in which Louis XV of France cedes Louisiana (New France) to Charles III of Spain.

Louis XV orders the construction of the Petit Trianon, in the park of the Palace of Versailles, for his mistress Madame de Pompadour.

French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau publishes his famous books, "The Social Contract" and "Émile, or On Education"

The North Carolina General Assembly incorporates Kingston, named for King George III of the United Kingdom, as the county seat of Dobbs County, North Carolina. The name is later shortened to Kinston in 1784.

James Stuart and Nicholas Revett's architectural treatise "Antiquities of Athens".

Neolin, a Delaware tribe prophet, begins to preach in America.

The town of Charlottesville, Virginia, is founded.

The indecisive Battle of Sheriffmuir during the Jacobite rising in Scotland.

Dutch troops commanded by Prince Willem III and Raimundo earl Montecuccoli conquer Bonn.

First English Civil War ndash Battle of Turnham Green: The Royalist forces withdraw in face of the Parliamentarian army and fail to take London.

The Synod of Dort has its first meeting.

Italian artist Guido Reni's famous "Pietà", commissioned by the Senate of Bologna, is placed on the greater altar of the church of Santa Maria della Pietà.

Battle of Alnwick: Malcolm III of Scotland is defeated and killed by the forces of William II of England.

Sviatopolk II become Grand Prince of Kiev and ruler of Kievan Rus.

Construction begins on Carlisle Castle, England.

Henry of Burgundy becomes Count of Portugal.

Magnus III (Magnus Barefoot) is crowned king of Norway.

King Donald III of Scotland comes to the throne.

The building of Durham Cathedral begins in Durham, England.

Saint Anselm of Canterbury, a medieval philosopher and theologian, becomes Archbishop of Canterbury.

Saint Canute\'s Cathedral is built in Odense, Denmark.

John IV of Naples is probably released from German captivity by Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor.

With a new group of colonists, an epidemic hits the Viking colony in Greenland.

Danegeld is paid by Æthelred the Unready to prevent Viking raids against England.

November ndash Frederick is elected Archbishop of Ravenna.

Æthelred the Unready married Emma of Normandy, Richard's I the fearless, duke of Normandy's daughter.

Brian Boru, King of Leinster and Munster, becomes High King of Ireland, breaking the Uí Néill monopoly on the title. Not satisfied with the submission of Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill, Brian Boru makes an expedition to the north to take hostages from the northern states.

Otto of Worms withdraws his nomination for the title of Holy Roman Emperor and receives Duchy of Carinthia in return.

December ndash Khalaf I of Sistan surrenders to Ghaznavids in Taq.

Rafael of Makuria constructs a red brick building in Old Dongola.

St. Brice's Day massacre: English king Æthelred the Unready orders all Danes in England killed.

St. Brice\\\'s Day massacre: English kingÆthelred the Unready orders all Danes in England killed.

Vladivoj succeeds Boleslaus III, Duke of Bohemia.

Emperor Temmu institutes eight titles of eight classes ("Yakusa-no-kabane") in Japan.