October 30, 2003
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- Security: A plastic toy gun, used as part of a Halloween costume, sparks a two-hour-long terrorism scare at the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. [1]
- Economics: The U.S. Commerce Department reports that U.S. gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 7.2% in the third quarter, the fastest growth rate since 1984. [2]
- Russia: Vladimir Putin removes his Chief of Staff as the political battle with the "Russian oligarchs", and between hard-liners and liberals, continues. [3][4] Russian judicial authorities have seized control of Yukos, the giant oil company. [5]
- Occupation of Iraq: Officials postpone awarding two contracts to repair Iraq's oil refineries and pipelines (primarily because of sabotage and dilapidated conditions). [6] An investigation has been started on the high price that the US is paying to Kellogg, Brown and Root for oil imported from Kuwait. nl:[7]. A US research organization, the Center for Public Integrity, says that firms awarded contracts in Iraq have tended to be big donors (in the past) to the United States Republican Party. [8] The UN announces that it is withdrawing its remaining international staff from Baghdad, perhaps temporarily. [9]
- Malaysia: After 22 years in power, Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad retires. He is succeeded by Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi [10]
- Israel: Israel is to train pigs to do guard work in Israeli settlements. The pigs have a better sense of smell than dogs and can be trained to walk towards perceived threats (e.g. explosives). [11]
