KEY STORYLINES
- AFRICA: US Secretary Clinton will meet with President Bouteflika the week of 29OCT in a bid to win his support for an international force for Mal
- AMERICAS: The Peruvian government began using satellites to track trucks carrying legally-purchased chemicals that can be used to make cocaine.
- ASIA: In South Korea, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Campbell visited for talks with his counterparts.
- EUROPE: EU Foreign Policy Chief Ashton expressed concern about Russia’s new legislation which broadens the definition of treason.
- MIDDLE EAST: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the ceasefire between the Syrian army and rebel forces has collapsed in several regions amid fighting.
- TECHNOLOGY: Iran rejected criticism from a UN human rights investigator over its tighter cyber security rules.
TOP STORY
- Afghanistan: Suicide bomber strikes mosque during prayers.
- A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a mosque killing at least 36 people and wounding 23.
- Most of the dead were police officers and soldiers.
- President Karzai strongly condemned the attack, saying that those who carried it out were “enemies of Islam and humanity.”
- Two attacks in southern Afghanistan on 24OCT and 25OCT killed four international service members.
- The Taliban have said they are using the attacks as a specific strategy to drive a wedge between the international coalition and the Afghans.
- Coverage: AP, NYT, AFP, WSJ
AFRICA
- Ivory Coast: PM Ahoussou met delegates from small opposition parties close to ousted president Gbagbo. (AFP)
- Kenya: The prosecutor of the global war crimes court urged Nairobi to hand over information about four Kenyans accused of orchestrating an ethnic killing spree after elections in 2007. (Reuters)
- Libya: US military commanders decided against sending a rescue mission to Benghazi because of a lack of clear intelligence. (LAT)
- Mali: The African Union’s Security Council said it adopted a “strategic concept” to help resolve the crisis in Mali. (DPA)
- Mali: US Secretary Clinton will meet with President Bouteflika the week of 29OCT in a bid to win his support for an international force for Mali. (AFP)
AMERICAS
- Region: The Inter-American Development Bank and some 300 Latin American social organizations gathered to address major social issues in the region. (Xinhua)
- Mexico: Police found eight bodies, six of them “with signs of torture,” in Ecatepec. (EFE)
- Peru: The government began using satellites to track trucks carrying legally-purchased chemicals that can be used to make cocaine. (AFP)
- United States: The Pentagon said it conducted the largest test of the US missile defense system over the Pacific. (UPI)
ASIA
- Burma: At least 56 people have been killed and 1,900 homes destroyed in renewed ethnic violence in the west of the country. (AP)
- Korea, South: The ROK suspended its third attempt to send a satellite into orbit by at least three days after a helium leak. (AFP)
- Korea, South: US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Campbell visited the country for talks with his counterparts. (Xinhua)
- Pakistan: The UN is to set up a dedicated investigations unit in Geneva early next year to examine the legality of drone attacks in cases where civilians are killed. (WaPo)
EUROPE
- Region: IMF chief Lagarde criticized banks for resisting financial reforms, warning delay in implementation could stall the global economic recovery. (AFP)
- France: President Hollande is to meet with heads of major international economic organizations on 29OCT at the OECD headquarters in Paris. (Xinhua)
- Portugal: The IMF said economic recession in Portugal is set to extend into next year, reflecting a slowdown in economic activity in the eurozone. (Xinhua)
- Russia: EU Foreign Policy Chief Ashton expressed concern about Russia’s new legislation which broadens the definition of treason. (VoA)
MIDDLE EAST
- Iran: Intelligence officials from several countries said Iran in recent weeks has completed an underground nuclear enrichment plant at its Fordo site. (NYT)
- Syria: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the ceasefire between the Syrian army and rebel forces has collapsed in several regions amid fighting. (AFP)
- Syria: Anti-regime protests erupted across the country amid the ceasefire. (AFP)
- Yemen: The country’s president accused al Qaeda of orchestrating the latest string of attacks in his country. (AP)
TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS
- Cybersecurity: Iran rejected criticism from a UN human rights investigator over its tighter cyber security rules. (Reuters)
WORLD
- Cyclones: Nothing to report.
- Hurricanes (Atlantic): Hurricane Sandy
- Location: near the Northwestern Bahamas
- Movement: NW at 13 mph
- Winds: 80 mph
- Map
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
- Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK (27OCT)
- India: Anniversary of the deployment of Indian troops in Kashmir – 1947.
- Iran: EU Parliament delegation visits Iran.
- Iran: Country begins first cyber security drill, Passive Defense Week.
- Turkmenistan: Independence Day from the USSR – 1991.
END
