On 11 November 2004 the Palestine Liberation Organization confirmed the death of its long-time leader Yasser Arafat. The cause of death was not identified at the time, and it remained a subject of dispute for years. The PLO elected Mahmoud Abbas as its chairman minutes afterwards. The PLO is a Palestinian nationalist coalition recognised internationally as the official representative of the Palestinian people, and it is currently represented by the Palestinian Authority. Arafat had led the organisation since 1969, and had been the most recognisable Palestinian figure for decades.

Israeli reports also say the cabinet directed the military to prepare for a possible new attack on Iran.

Angkor, near Siem Reap in northern Cambodia, was the capital of the Khmer Empire, which ruled much of mainland Southeast Asia between roughly the 9th and 15th centuries. At its height the city spread across about 3,000 square kilometres, making it the largest pre-industrial city on Earth by area. Its growth depended on water: huge reservoirs called barays, along with canals and embankments, stored monsoon rain and carried it to rice fields. That system let farmers harvest more than once a year and fed a very large population through the dry season. The temple complex of Angkor Wat, built in the early 12th century, is the best-known monument and still stands at the heart of the park.