Headlines from around the world: 11/18/13

A suicidal gunman murdered an Iranian rock band. Gunman Ali Rafie charged through a Brooklyn apartment complex, murdering the three members of the indie rock band Yellow Dogs. Reports say that Rafie went through five magazines in his rifle before killing himself on the apartment roof. Friends of Rafie stated that he was kicked out of a different band, the Free Keys, which had close ties to the Yellow Dogs.

The Pink Star diamond reached $83 million at a Geneva auction, breaking record price for gemstones. A rare jewel from Africa, it weighs approximately 11.92 g, making it twice as large as the next diamond in its class. It took approximately two years to craft. The diamond was won by New York’s Isaac Wolf, who renamed it to the Pink Dream.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu halted all plans for the housing project in the West Bank. He shared that the plan to build 20,000 homes in that region “would create unnecessary friction in the international community.” Palestinian authorities stated that any attempt to build in this area would destroy any chances of peace talks, threatening to appeal to the UN.

The pilot of the Piper PA-46 called radio control to report that a door was ajar and that a passenger fell from the plane. Reports say a man opened the back door and plummeted to the ocean below, approximately two miles from the Miami shore. Search teams stated that they do not believe that someone could have survived from the fall. Local authorities have begun an investigation in a potential homicide case. The names and relations of the passengers and pilots have not been released.

Volkswagen officially announced a recall of approximately 2.6 million cars in the world market. A problem was found in the fuses, fuel lines, and lights of several new models. The recall occurred shortly after Volkswagen announced its plans to double its car production in China, Volkswagen’s largest customer. Volkswagen’s public relations claimed that the recall will only be a minor setback in this plan.

China has decided on major reforms. A major meeting of China’s Communist Party has brought up several major proposals for reform. The one child policy will now change to allow two children to families where at least one parent is an only child. The abolition of China’s infamous re-education through labor camps is also a major part of the agenda. China also wishes to see the private sector play a larger role in the Chinese economy. Correspondents state that many of these changes have been tested throughout the country to test effectiveness.