2001 U.S. Attack on Afghanistan: Seven American Special Operations Forces soldiers are killed as they attempt to infiltrate the Shahi Kot Valley on a low-flying helicopter reconnaissance mission. Around 3 a.m. local time a MH-47 Chinook helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, causing a soldier to fall out and damaging a hydraulic line. The helicopter made an emergency landing a half-mile away. A second helicopter on the mission picked up the first helicopter's crew and flew to where the crew member had fallen. The soldiers soon came under heavy fire, and six were killed. The remaining soldiers returned fire and retrieved the bodies before returning to base.
Bubble fusion: Scientific papers for and against the observation of apparent nuclear fusion in imploding bubbles become available online. If this can be repeated, this is an important scientific breakthrough. Other physicists fear that this may be a repeat of the cold fusion fiasco.
Robert Mugabe wins the Zimbabwe elections with 54% of the vote to Morgan Tsvangirai's 40% on a turnout of 55.9%. His victory is controversial and comes amid claims that many have been prevented from voting and there has been a campaign of intimidation. But election observers from South Africa and the Organisation of African Unity state that the outcome is legitimate.
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions calls a three-day general strike protesting police interference with union meetings, harassment of trade unionists, and general lawlessness following the general elections, which has led to slow-downs in business. In South Korea, 5,600 power plant workers are on the 25th day of their strike, protesting the neoliberal government plans to privatize the state-run electricity plants. A vote among the remaining power plant workers to strike is cancelled due to company interference.
