September 2009 Current Events: World News

U.S. News | Business/Science News

Here are the key events in world news for the month of September 2009.

• Tribal Leaders Accuse Pres. Karzai of Vote Forgery (Sept. 1): The leaders of a southern Afghan tribe accuse President Hamid Karzai and his aides of vote forgery. According to the leaders of the tribe, Bariz, President Karzai's aides shut down the polling sites on election day and stuffed all of the ballot boxes with 23,900 fake votes. The tribal leaders had endorsed Karzai's competition in the election, Abdullah Abdullah, a week prior to election day. (Sept. 8): The United Nations-backed commission that is reviewing the presidential election in Afghanistan orders a recount of the votes, citing evidence of fraud. Afghan election officials, however, declare incumbent president Karzai the clear victor in the race.
• Earthquake in Indonesia Kills 60 (Sept. 2): About 60 people die when a 7.1-magnitude earthquake hits the island of Java, which is the most populous area of the country.
• British Court Convicts Three for Plotting to Blow Up Plane (Sept. 7): The UK government convicts three men for a 2006 plot to blow up an airplane using plastic soda bottles. Abdulla Ahmed Ali, Tanvir Hussain, and Assad Sarwar are found guilty of conspiring to kill passengers and crew members aboard seven trans-Atlantic flights. The specifics of this plot are the cause of the recent change to airline safety regulations, which forbids passengers from bringing bottles of liquid greater than 3 oz through airport security. Four other men on trial were found not guilty of the charges; a fifth was charged with conspiracy to commit murder—a charge Ali, Hussain, and Sarwar were found guilty of in Sept. 2008.
• Flooding in Turkey Kills 30 (Sept. 9): More than 30 people are killed when fast-moving floods caused by heavy rain sweep through Istanbul.
• Pakistan Army Linked to Deaths in Swat Valley (Sept. 14): The U.S.-supported Pakistan Army is linked to the deaths of hundreds of people in the Swat Valley, an area recently wrested from Taliban militants, now under control of the army. The Pakistan Army denies involvement, claiming that the killings are civilian-perpatrated retalitory attacks.
• China Promises to Reduce Emissions (Sept. 22):Chinese president Hu Jintao announces China's intentions to reduce emissions by a "notable amount" by 2010. He also said the country would try to use more renewable and nuclear energy. This is the first time China has agreed to lower energy intensity.
• U.S. and Allies Warn Iran About Nuclear Plant (Sept. 25): The United States, Britain, and France warn Iran about a secret nuclear enrichment plant being built in that country. The allies want to impose international inspections on Iran in order to ensure they aren't building illegal weapons.
• Tropical Storm Ketsana Floods Philipines (Sept. 28): Almost 90 people die in and around Manila in flooding caused by Tropical Storm Ketsana, which drops about 17 inches of rain in 12 hours. The floods are Manila's worst in about 50 years.
• Earthquake in Samoa and American Samoa Kills 115 (Sept. 29): An underwater 8.0-magnitude earthquake causes a tsunami in Samoa and American Samoa that kills more than 115 people.
• Earthquake in Indonesia Kills 700 (Sept. 30): A 7.6-magnitude earthquake hits the island of Sumatra, leaving more than 700 people dead and thousands trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings in the city of Padang.