November 2000 News and Events

Updated July 10, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

World

Yugoslavia Joins United Nations (Nov. 1): General Assembly welcomes new democratic government. Yugoslavia had been ostracized from UN during Slobodan Milosevic's eight-year rule.
Europeans Sue Big Tobacco (Nov. 6): Commission files civil action against Philip Morris and R. J. Reynolds seeking damages for alleged cooperation with organized crime in smuggling cigarettes into Europe.
China Convicts 84 of Corruption (Nov. 8): Metes 11 death sentences to government officials involved in multi-billion dollar smuggling scandal in Xiamen.
Kremlin Cutting Armed Forces (Nov. 9): Russia plans 600,000 reduction, out of three million people, which President Putin brands an “unwieldy and extravagant military machine.” Deeper reorganization predicted.
Clinton and Arafat Confer (Nov. 9): President and Palestinian leader meet in Washington. White House silent on prospects for ending violence in Mideast.
Berlin Remembers Kristallnacht (Nov. 9): Thousands march in memory of 1938 anti-Jewish pogrom that presaged Holocaust and is mirrored in recent attacks on immigrants and synagogues in Germany.
Philippine President Impeached (Nov. 13): Joseph Estrada charged by congress with receiving millions in payoffs from illegal gambling. The former movie actor denies any wrongdoing.
Putin Critic Gives Up Media Empire (Nov. 13): Vladimir V. Gusinsky reluctantly agrees to cede control of publishing and broadcasting empire to Russia's natural gas monopoly.
Clinton Visits Hanoi for Conference (Nov. 17): Vows new peaceful relationship with Vietnam. President is first to visit nation since Nixon met with troops in 1969.
China Accepts UN Human Rights Accord (Nov. 20): Agrees to cooperation and training of officials on legal procedures and changes to human rights policy.
Europe Plans to Bolster Defenses (Nov. 20): Union's defense ministers pledge troops and equipment to create 50,000 force by 2003. Move will allow Europe to manage wide range of crises without reliance on U.S.
New Peru Chief Sworn In (Nov. 22): Valentin Paniagua becomes interim president after turbulent decade of authoritarian rule by Alberto K. Fujimori, who resigned via fax from Tokyo earlier in the week.
Violence Erupts in Kosovo (Nov. 22): Serbian targets attacked in Kosovo and southern Serbia. Yugoslav authorities warn of risk of new warfare.
Global Warming Talks Collapse (Nov. 25): Hague conference seeking treaty breaks down over last-minute disagreement between European and American negotiators. Environmental groups and other observers stunned.
Israeli Killed as Border War Flares (Nov. 26): Hezbollah guerrillas strike across Lebanon border and set off roadside bomb near Israeli patrol.
Canadian Prime Minister Reelected (Nov. 27): Jean Chrétien scores major victory, increasing Liberal Party's seats in Parliament from 155 to 173.
Thousands of Albanians Riot (Nov. 28): Protestors smash windows of Tirana's main government buildings to protest temporary arrest of former president Sali Berisha.
Mad Cow Disease Alarms Europe (Nov. 30): Many countries start testing and banning one another's beef to assure consumers to meat is free of contamination.
Barak Favors Step-by-Step Move toward Peace (Nov. 30): Israeli prime minister would immediately hand over territory to Palestinians and possibly recognize Palestine statehood. But he would postpone, for up to three years, resolving crucial issues, such as status of Jerusalem and resettlement of Palestinian refugees.

Nation

President Vetoes Secrets Measure (Nov. 4): Rejects renewed authority for intelligence agencies because a flawed provision would make it a crime for officials to disclose classified information.
First Lady Elected New York Senator (Nov. 7): Hillary Rodham Clinton defeats Republican opponent, U.S. Rep. Rick Lazio.
Presidential Election Closest in Decades (Nov. 7): Texas governor George W. Bush, Republican, claims much of the South. Vice President Al Gore, Democrat, captures largest states on both coasts. (Nov. 8): Winner of election remains unknown. Contenders await results of Florida balloting, where Bush leads Gore by narrow margin.
Bush Forces Turn to Courts (Nov. 11): Republicans file federal suit to block manual recount of Florida ballots sought by Vice President Al Gore. Bush campaign says hand counts are less accurate than machine counting.
Florida Judges Rule Against Gore (Nov. 23): State's supreme court unanimously refuses to compel Miami-Dade County to resume manual recounting of nearly 700,000 paper ballots. Vice President plans formal contest of certified results of election.
Florida Declares Bush the Winner (Nov. 26): Certifies results, with Republican nominee ahead of Vice President Gore by 537 votes out of nearly 6 million cast. Gore refuses to concede, and plans to contest result in court.

Business/Science/Society

Chess Champion Finally Defeated (Nov. 2): After 15 years at top, Garry Kasparov is vanquished by 25-year-old Russian, Vladimir Kramnik, who had been his protégé.
Popular Cold Remedies Withdrawn (Nov. 6): Major companies pull products after U.S. regulators plan to ban use in some medicines of active ingredient, phenylpropanolamine, or PPA, linked to stroke in young women.
Siamese Twins Separated, One Dies (Nov. 7): London surgeons act to save one of the girls in operation approved by courts after strong opposition from parents.
Black Woman to Head Brown University (Nov. 8): Ruth J. Simmons, president of Smith College, will be first black person to head an Ivy League institution.
Fire Kills 170 Skiers in Austrian Tunnel (Nov. 11): Cable car stalls and bursts into flames in Alpine village of Kaprun. Americans among casualties.
High-Speed Train Introduced (Nov. 16): Amtrak's new luxurious Acela Express, which travels at 150 miles per hour, makes first run from Washington to Boston.
Dick Cheney Suffers Mild Heart Attack (Nov. 22): Republican vice-presidential candidate quickly recovers.