World Health Organization A World Health Organization study estimates that 600,000 deaths a year are attributable to second hand smoking.
United Kingdom The United Kingdom experiences its earliest widespread snowfall for 17 years, with large parts of Scotland and north east England particularly affected.
United States government The United States Government sets aside an area in Alaska twice the size of the United Kingdom as a "critical habitat" for polar bears.
Tonga Tongans go to the polls in the first general election in the nation's history in which the majority of parliament will be popularly elected.
Egypt 156 people are detained in Egypt following clashes between police and Copts after authorities blocked construction of a church.
Brazilian Brazilian police begin an operation in a shanty town in Rio de Janeiro to end a surge of violence; at least 30 people have been killed in recent days.
Israel Israel demolishes several buildings in the West Bank, including one Palestinians say was a mosque; Israeli officials said the structures were temporary and built without Israeli issued permits in a military fire zone.
Nigeria A court in Nigeria charges an Iranian man over an illegal weapons shipment discovered in Lagos.
Shanghai Cooperation Organization The heads of government of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meet in Dushanbe for their annual summit.
Korean Peninsula The South Korean Defense Minister Kim Tae-Young resigns over the handling of the incident.
South Korea increases its military strength on the islands near the border since the shelling of Yeonpyeong on Tuesday.
North Korea warns that it will launch further attacks on South Korea if it continues "reckless military provocation".
Mi-8 Seven are killed and three injured in the rough landing of a Mi-8 helicopter in the Omsk region of Siberia, Russia.
Del Monte Foods Del Monte Foods is purchased in a US$5 billion leveraged buyout led by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts.
Cairo At least one person is killed and more than 40 left wounded after hundreds of Christian protesters clash with riot police in Cairo, Egypt.