Israel

The Palestinians continued violent protests and guerilla attacks, generally at disproportionate cost to themselves. About 130 people died in the violence this month; the vast majority were Palestinians (Reuters).

2 NOVEMBER 2000

Fiji

The army's Counter Revolutionary Warfare unit mutinied at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks in Suva. The revolt was suppressed by other army forces; 5 rebels and 3 loyalists were killed. This is the same unit that supported George Speight's coup attempt in May-June (Reuters).

Israel

An Islamic Jihad car bomb attack in Jerusalem killed 2 Israelis (Reuters).

4 NOVEMBER 2000

Yugoslavia, Politics

Parliament appointed Socialist Zoran Zizic prime minister and Goran Svilanovic, of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS), foreign minister. Zizic called for improved relations with Western Europe and for pro-market reforms. He said the UN resolution stating that Kosovo is a part of Yugoslavia should be observed (Reuters).

7 NOVEMBER-13 DECEMBER 2000

United States, Politics

The presidential election was held on 7 November. It was not until 13 December, however, that Republican George W. Bush emerged as the winner over Democrat Al Gore.

Although Gore won slightly more of the popular vote than Bush, the country's complex electoral system determines the victor using an Electoral College. A candidate must win a plurality of votes of the 'electors' or delegates to the College. Electors are awarded to candidates by the various states depending upon how well a candidate did in that state and the laws of that state. Usually the candidate that wins a plurality of the popular vote wins all of that state's electors.

The outcome was initially left in doubt by the closeness of the election in Florida state, where a recount was, as per state law, immediately begun. The recount indicated a very narrow victory for Bush, giving him all 25 of Florida's electoral votes and the 271 total electors needed to win the presidency. However, the vote was so close and the voting methods were inaccurate enough to leave the result open to legal challenges which were made over the succeeding weeks.

It was early December before the legal battle reached the Florida Supreme Court. On 8 December, that court ordered a state-wide recount of ballots that had been disqualified by errors on the part of voting machines or voters themselves. That ruling offered at least some chance that Gore would ultimately carry the state. But on 12 December the US Supreme Court overruled the Florida court on the grounds that such a recount could not be completed in a way that would satisfy the constitutional deadlines for completion of the election and produce an accurate result. The next day, Gore conceded defeat.

9 NOVEMBER 2000

Germany

About 200,000 people demonstrated in Berlin against racism and anti-Semitism (Reuters).

Diplomatic Affairs

Palestinian Authority President Arafat met US President Clinton in Washington to discuss the situation in Israel (Reuters).

12 NOVEMBER 2000

Diplomatic Affairs

Israeli Prime Minister Barak met US President Clinton in Washington (Reuters).

14 NOVEMBER 2000

Philippines

Over 100,000 demonstrated in Manila and other cities against President Joseph Estrada (Reuters).

15 NOVEMBER 2000

Israel

Israeli attack helicopters raided Fatah targets in Tulkarm, Salfit, Hebron and Jericho (Reuters).

16-19 NOVEMBER 2000

Diplomatic Affairs

US President Clinton visited Vietnam (Reuters).

17 NOVEMBER 2000

Diplomatic Affairs

Yugoslavia restored diplomatic relations with the US, France, Britian and Germany (Reuters).

20 NOVEMBER 2000

Peru, Politics

President Alberto Fujimori resigned while in Japan (Reuters).

Japan, Politics

A motion of no-confidence in the government of Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori failed; the vote was 190-237 (Reuters).

21 NOVEMBER 2000

Spain

Former Health Minister Ernest Lluch was assassinated by the ETA in Barcelona (Reuters).

Peru, Politics

Congress declared Alberto Fujimori "morally unfit" and removed him from office (Reuters).

22 NOVEMBER 2000

Peru, Politics

Valentin Paniagua was sworn in as interim President. He named former UN Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar Prime Minister and said his government's main priority would be to prepare for elections in April 2001 (Reuters).

Colombia

Unidentified gunmen, probably anti-Marxist vigilantes, entered Nueva Venecia and murdered 17 people (Reuters).

Israel

A car bomb in Hadera killed 2 and injured 62 (Reuters).

23 NOVEMBER 2000

Europe, Diplomatic Affairs

There was a summit of leaders from the EU, Croatia, Yugoslavia, Macedonia, Bosnia, Slovenia and Albania in Zagreb, Croatia (Reuters).

Spain

Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated in Barcelona against the ETA (Reuters).

26 NOVEMBER 2000

Romania, Politics

Elections were held. Socialist Ion Iliescu won about 36% of the Presidential vote; his Party of Social Democracy (PDSR) won 40% of the parliamentary vote. Nationalist Corneliu Vadim Tudor won about 27% of the Presidential vote; his Greater Romania Party won about 22% of the parliamentary vote. The Presidential runoff was scheduled to be held two weeks later (Reuters).

Haiti, Politics

A Presidential election was held. Jean-Bertrand Aristide took 92% of the vote according to the Provisional Electoral Council. Aristide ran against six little-known candidates. The main opposition parties boycotted the election over alleged irregularities in the May parliamentary elections (see 21 May)(Reuters).

27 NOVEMBER 2000

Canada, Politics

In elections, the Liberals, led by Prime Minister Jean Chretian, won 173 seats in the 301-seat House of Commons -- a gain of 12 seats. They took 41% of the popular vote. The Canadian Alliance won 66 seats, up from 58; they increased their share of the popular vote from 19% to 25%. The Conservatives declined from 19% to 12%. Bloc Quebecois won 11% of the vote and 37 seats. The New Democrats won 9% of the vote and 13 seats, a loss of six seats. Turnout was 62.8% of registered voters (Reuters).

28 NOVEMBER 2000

India

Indian army and paramilitary forces began a unilateral cease-fire in Kashmir, to last through the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. They suspended most offensive operations while continuing to interdict cross-border infiltration from Pakistan (Reuters).

30 NOVEMBER 2000

Sub-Saharan Africa, Diplomatic Affairs

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and South African President Thabo Mbeki met Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe in Harare, Zimbabwe to discuss the land reform controversy in Zimbabwe (Reuters).

Honduras

Police arrested alleged Medellin drug cartel member Cabezas Velasquez Archibold (Reuters).