November 2011 Current Events: World News

Updated August 5, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

U.S. News | Business News | Disasters & Science News

Here are the key events in world news for the month of November 2011.

  • Greek Leader Calls off Referendum, Agrees to Resign (Nov. 3): Prime Minister George Papandreou calls off a referendum on Greece's new debt deal with the euro zone just days after calling for one. Papandreou calls off the vote after winning support from his opposition. (Nov. 4): Papandreou wins a confidence vote in Parliament after he pledges to form a unity government. The vote is a sign of approval for the deal reached by European leaders in late October to help Greece avoid default and stabilize the euro. (Nov. 6): Papandreou agrees to create a transitional administration which will manage the country's debt-relief deal and to resign after the country holds early elections.

  • Italy Passes More Austerity Measures, Berlusconi Steps Down (Nov. 11): Italy's Senate passes another round of austerity measures. Italy has no other option with its economy too big for a bail out and no end in sight for its debt crisis. (Nov. 12): Berlusconi, who has somehow managed to weather political and personal scandals that would have ended most political careers, steps down. Mario Monti, an economist and former antitrust commissioner for the European Commission, takes over, leading a cabinet of technocrats to implement the austerity plan.

  • Protesters Return to Tahrir Square (Nov. 18): Protesters-representing both Islamists and the liberal opposition-return to Tahrir Square in Egypt to demand the ruling military council step aside in favor of a civilian-led government. The demonstrations turn violent with police firing on crowds with tear gas and rubber bullets. (Nov. 21): As protests grow in size and police are widely criticized for their crack down, the cabinet resigns. In an agreement reached with the Muslim Brotherhood, the military council vows to install a civilian prime minister and to accelerate the transition to a civilian government, with presidential elections being held by June 2012.

  • Iran Downgrades Relations with Britain (Nov. 28): Iran criticizes the increase in sanctions by Western nations and is particularly outraged with England. Parliament votes to downgrade the diplomatic ties with Britain. Several dozen Iranian protesters rush into the British embassy compound in Tehran, yelling, "Death to England!" They break embassy windows, burn the British flag, and vandalize offices. British Prime Minister David Cameron withdraws several diplomats from Iran following the incursion.

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