KEY STORYLINES
- AFRICA: Kenyan religious leaders urged Muslims to call off planned protests over the killing of a hardline Islamist preacher.
- AMERICAS: in Mexico all seven justices on the highest election court supported dismissing legal challenges to overturn the results of the presidential election.
- ASIA: US Secretary Clinton arrived in the South Pacific at the top of a six-nation Asia tour.
- EUROPE: Georgia displayed the bodies of 11 alleged Muslim gunmen from Russia who it said killed three of its servicemen.
- MIDDLE EAST: Activists in Syria reported that rebels attacked several security compounds in Aleppo.
- TECHNOLOGY: The Qatari natural gas company RasGas has been hit with a virus that shut down its web site and email servers but did not affect the company’s operational computers that control the production and delivery of gas.
TOP STORY
- Iran: Iran criticizes Egypt amid pressure from UN and IAEA.
- Iran criticized Egyptian President Morsi over his remarks on Syria at the Non-Aligned Movement summit, saying he did not have “the necessary political maturity.”
- The IAEA said Iran had doubled its capacity to enrich uranium at its underground Fordo nuclear facility by installing, but not yet switching on, more than 1,000 more centrifuges.
- The IAEA said Iran has “sanitized” the Parchin base to such an extent that the agency’s ability to investigate claims of nuclear weapons research there is “significantly” hampered.
- The US warned Iran the window for a diplomatic solution to its stand-off with the West was limited in light of the developments at Fordo.
- Coverage: DPA, NYT, AFP, Reuters, AFP, Reuters-2,
AFRICA
- Algeria: The army killed nine terrorist militants in an operation in Boumerdes province. (Xinhua)
- Angola: Polls opened in the country’s third election in 37 years. (AFP)
- Kenya: Religious leaders urged Muslims to call off planned protests over the killing of a hardline Islamist preacher. (AP)
- Togo: Pirates released a tanker with 24 Russian crew on board after siphoning off part of the gas oil cargo. (AFP)
AMERICAS
- Ecuador: The US granted asylum to an Ecuadoran journalist critical of President Correa. (AFP)
- Mexico: All seven justices on the highest election court supported dismissing legal challenges to overturn the results of the presidential election. (AP)
- Mexico: Marines captured a suspected Jalisco Nueva Generacion drug cartel boss in Ciudad Guzman. (EFE)
- United States: New Orleans lifted a dusk-to-dawn curfew which was enacted in the wake of Hurricane Isaac. (Xinhua)
ASIA
- Region: US Secretary Clinton arrived in the South Pacific at the top of a six-nation Asia tour. (AP)
- Region: The Uzbek Senate ratified an intergovernmental agreement on air transit of US cargo and personnel in the provision of security and reconstructions in Afghanistan. (Interfax)
- Afghanistan: Australian DM Smith said the recent spike in troop deaths would not speed up the country’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. (AFP)
- Korean Peninsula: The DRPK’s ceremonial leader said that the recent US-ROK joint military exercise will push the Korean Peninsula to the brink of war. (Xinhua)
- Philippines: President Aquino III appointed his transport minister and head of his political party to replace the country’s interior minister. (DPA)
EUROPE
- Georgia: Georgia displayed the bodies of 11 alleged Muslim gunmen from Russia who it said killed three of its servicemen. (AFP)
- Russia: A top defense industry official reportedly said Russia plans to develop its own sea-based missile interceptor program. (AP)
- Russia: Authorities killed an armed militant in a special operation in the village of Nesterovskaya. (Itar-Tass)
- Turkey: A Turkish diplomat said the country will keep up its diplomatic efforts to protect refugees within the Syrian territory. (AFP)
MIDDLE EAST
- Lebanon: The UNSC voted unanimously to extend the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon for another year. (AP)
- Syria: Activists reported that rebels attacked several security compounds in Aleppo. (AP)
- Syria: An American freelance journalist whose whereabouts in Syria were unknown for more than two weeks is being held by the Syrian government. (AFP)
- Yemen: A Yemeni intelligence officer was killed by a gunman shooting from a motorbike. (Reuters)
TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS
- Cybersecurity: The Qatari natural gas company RasGas has been hit with a virus that shut down its web site and email servers but did not affect the company’s operational computers that control the production and delivery of gas. (Threat Level)
WORLD
- Cyclones: nothing to report.
- Hurricanes (Atlantic): Hurricane Kirk
- Location: 860 miles ESE of Bermuda
- Movement: NNW at 12 mph
- Winds: 105 mph
- Map
- Hurricanes (Atlantic): Tropical Storm Leslie
- Location: 100 miles E of the Leeward Islands
- Movement: WNW at 16 mph
- Winds: 65 mph
- Map
- Hurricanes (Pacific): Hurricane Ileana
- Location: 300 miles WSW of the Southern tip of Baja California, Mexico
- Movement: 7 mph
- Winds: 75 mph
- Map
- Hurricanes (Pacific): 30% chance of tropical cyclone formation
- Location: several hundred miles south of the coast of southern Mexico
- Movement: WNW at 15 mph
- Map
- Earthquakes: Jan Mayen Island Region
- Magnitude: 6.8
- Depth: 9.9 km
- Map
- Volcanoes: nothing to report.
TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK (01SEP)
- Europe: Germany invades Poland – 1939.
- Kosovo: International Steering Group grants full sovereignty – 2012.
- Lebanon: Turkey renews UN troop mandate through September 2013.
- Libya: Bloodless coup celebrated as National Day – 1969.
- Libya: Seif al-Islam, son of Former leader Gaddafi, goes on trial in Zintan during the month.
- Mexico: Government announces steps against migrant kidnapping – 2010.
- Russia: Beslan siege begins, killing over 200 in a 3-day massacre – 2004.
- Syria: UN-Arab League envoy Brahimi replaces Koffi Annan in UN mission.
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