Looking Ahead

Al-Qaeda on trial

Defendants accused of planning the 9/11 terrorist attacks will face a U.S. military commission in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for another round of preliminary hearings on Oct. 15. But don’t expect a full trial for confessed 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed any time soon. According to lawyers for both sides, the case may still be as many as four years away from trial.

Debate, part 2

President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney on Oct. 16 will engage in the second of three presidential debates. CNN journalist Candy Crowley will moderate the debate hosted by Hofstra University in New York. The Hofstra debate will feature a town-hall format and focus on both foreign and domestic issues. The third and final presidential debate of the 2012 cycle is scheduled for Oct. 22 in Boca Raton, Fla.

Pilgrimage to Mecca

Muslims from around the world will be flocking to Mecca in Saudi Arabia to complete the religiously required Hajj, the pilgrimage to Islam’s holiest shrine. The five-day ritual, timed by the Islamic lunar calendar, is expected to begin Oct. 24.

World Series begins

The teams haven’t been set, but the winner of this year’s World Series, beginning Oct. 24, may come from the National League. This year, the National League won the All-Star game, meaning its representative in the World Series will play four games at home. Since the 2003 series, the team with home-field advantage has won six of the nine series.

Start button stops

Microsoft devotees hoping to switch onto Windows 8 after its Oct. 26 release date will have to say goodbye to the familiar Start button and Start menu—17-year staples of Microsoft operating systems. According to Microsoft, the new operating system not only introduces a new architecture, but the company says the newest software was made to take full advantage of touchscreen technology found on tablet computers.