Artur Mas i Gavarró Artur Mas i Gavarró, the President of the Spanish region of Catalonia, authorises a referendum on independence on November 9 despite the opposition of the Government of Spain.
David Cunliffe David Cunliffe resigns as leader of the New Zealand Labour Party following a crushing defeat in last week's election, but will nominate himself as leader in the subsequent leadership contest.
Vaughan Foods beheading incident Vaughan Foods beheading incident. A recent convert to Islam goes on a rampage in a grocery warehouse in Oklahoma, beheading a woman with a knife and stabbing another female colleague.
Ebola virus The official death toll from the Ebola virus outbreak reaches 3,000 with the World Health Organisation warning that the official figures "vastly underestimate the true scale of the epidemic".
Esbjerg After 139 years of ferry crossings between the Danish town of Esbjerg and Harwich in England, Sirena Seaways carries passengers on the route for the last time as DFDS closes the route due to "dwindling demand and high costs"; a freight service will still be available on the route from Esbjerg to Immingham.
Japan Japan's Mount Ontake volcano erupts causing 250 people to be stranded, injuring at least eight people and forcing aircraft to divert their routes.