KEY STORYLINES
- AFRICA: The Libyan national assembly elected Ali Zeidan as PM.
- AMERICAS: Colombian government and FARC rebel peace talks in Norway were delayed due to inclement weather.
- ASIA: Pakistani militants attacked a police checkpoint outside of Peshawar, killing at least six.
- EUROPE: Lithuania’s opposition party won parliamentary elections in a shift widely seen as a rejection of austerity measures
- MIDDLE EAST: British, French and German FMs stated they expected the EU to approve additional sanctions on Iran.
- TECHNOLOGY: Microsoft announced a challenge to Apple’s iTunes, a cloud based music service.
TOP STORY
- Syria: Tension between Turkey and Syria rose
- Turkey banned all Syrian aircraft from its airspace.
- Turkish armored vehicles remained deployed along the border.
- Turkish authorities grounded and searched a Syria-bound aircraft that took off from Armenia, suspecting it of carrying weapons.
- Coverage: NYT, LAT, Al Jazeera ,Bloomberg
AFRICA
- Libya: The national assembly elected Ali Zeidan as PM. (Reuters)
- Mauritania: President Aziz flew to Paris to receive medical treatment after soldiers shot at his convoy and wounded him in what the government said was an accident. (AFP)
- Niger: Gunmen kidnapped six, including four aid workers from a town in the central part of the country. (Reuters)
- Nigeria: Gunmen killed 22 in a remote village in the northern part of the country. (Reuters)
- Sudan: The acting head of the UN peacekeeping mission in Darfur stated they had observed an alarming rise in violence in some regions. (AFP)
AMERICAS
- Brazil: Police launched drug raids into two Rio De Janeiro slums. (BBC)
- Colombia: Inclement weather reportedly delayed the opening of peace talks between the government and FARC rebels in Norway. (AFP)
- Colombia: The government is planning to deploy 386 soldiers and police to fight illegal mining in the northwest. (EFE)
- Mexico: Authorities detained 14 police officers in connection to an attack on a US embassy vehicle. (EFE)
ASIA
- Afghanistan: A NATO airstrike killed three children in Helmand province. (AFP)
- Afghanistan: NATO-led forces confirmed the killing of local Taliban leader Qurashi in Kunduz province. (Xinhua)
- Pakistan: Child activist Malala Yousafzai, who was shot by the Taliban for advocating women’s rights, was airlifted to a hospital in Britain for medical treatment. (NYT)
- Pakistan: Militants attacked a police checkpoint outside of Peshawar, killing at least six. (AFP)
- Philippines: The government and MILF rebels signed a preliminary peace plan. (AP)
EUROPE
- Belgium: The Flemish separatist party, which wants to split Belgium, won municipal elections in Dutch-speaking areas, including Antwerp. (Reuters)
- Lithuania: The country’s opposition party won parliamentary elections in a shift widely seen as a rejection of austerity measures. (Reuters)
- Montenegro: The ruling party claimed victory in parliamentary elections. (Reuters)
- Russia: Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party was reportedly set to win most local elections across the country. (AP)
MIDDLE EAST
- Region: A plan by Iran was leaked to Western intelligence agencies that said the government was going to cause a deliberate oil-tanker spill at the entrance to the Persian Gulf to punish the West for sanctions. (Independent)
- Iran: British, French and German FMs stated they expected the EU to approve additional sanctions on the country. (AP)
- Iraq: A series of bombings and shootings killed at least six north of Baghdad. (AFP)
- Iraq: A series of car and roadside bombings in Kirkuk killed at least one and injured 23. (Xinhua)
- Israel: The military unveiled an enhanced unmanned aerial vehicle for maritime and air surveillance that allows faster and more precise identification of objects. (Xinhua)
TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS
- Social Media: Microsoft announced a challenge to Apple’s iTunes, a cloud based music service. (Guardian)
WORLD
- Cyclones: Tropical Storm Maria
- Location: 230 NM S of Iwo To, Japan
- Movement: NNE at 18 mph
- Winds: 60 mph
- Map
- Cyclones: Typhoon Prapiroon
- Location: 305 NM SE of Kadena Air Base
- Movement: Quasi-stationary
- Winds: 85 mph
- Map
- Hurricanes (Atlantic): Tropical Storm Rafael
- Location: 705 miles S of Bermuda
- Movement: NNW at 10 mph
- Winds: 70 mph
- Map
- Hurricanes (Pacific): Tropical Storm Paul
- Location: 605 miles SW of Baja California
- Movement: NNW at 7 mph
- Winds: 70 mph
- Map
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report
- Volcanoes: Nothing to report
TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK (16OCT)
- Global: Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Quebec City with 157 nations taking part.
- Asia: End of military exercise Clear Skies held in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
- Bahrain: Appeals court hears the trial of Shiite rights activist Nabeel Rajab.
- England: Mexican President-Elect Nieto visits with PM David Cameron.
- Egypt: Administrative court hears 43 lawsuits to dissolve the Constituent Assembly.
- Kuwait: Iranian President Ahmadinejad visits Kuwait to participate in the first summit of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue.
- Pakistan: Anniversary of PM Khan’s assassination – 2001.
- United States: Second presidential debate.
END
