Portal:Current events/2012 November 8

Current events of November 8, 2012 (2012-11-08) (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian civil war: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad rejects an offer to safely leave Syria and vows to "live and die" in the country. (CBC) Business and economy Mario Draghi, president of the European Central Bank, confirms the overhaul of euro banknotes, beginning with the €5 note. (The Journal) Law and crime Jared Lee Loughner, the perpetrator in the 2011 Tucson shooting, is given 7 consecutive life sentences. (Los Angeles Times) Politics and elections Two days ahead of the Irish children's referendum, the Supreme Court—ruling against the government's distribution of information on the referendum—finds the government has breached the 1995 McKenna judgement requiring that referendums be explained to the public in an unbiased manner. The referendum's website is immediately taken down. (Irish Independent) The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China is opened in Beijing, during which current Paramount Leader Hu Jintao is expected to step down to make way for presumptive leader Xi Jinping. (BBC) Tibetans launch protests in response to the congress. (Los Angeles Times) U.S. President Barack Obama announces his intention to visit Burma later this month, which would make him the first U.S. President to visit the country. (BBC)