Morning Brief

Asia

• North Korea test-fired two short range missiles. 
• Islamist rebels in Southern Philippines say they have killed more than 500 government troops in the last 10 months.
• In a landmark ruling, an Indian court overturned the country's ban on gay sex.

Middle East

• Iranian opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mohammad Khatami issued statements condemning the government's post-election crackdown and calling the Islamic regime illegitimate. 
• Several Iraqi insurgent groups issued statements calling on Iraqis to continue the fight against U.S. troops after this week's withdrawal from major cities. 
• Amnesty International has accused Israel of committing war crimes during its recent war in Gaza. 

Americas

• Honduras's interim government is refusing to cave to international pressure to reinstate ousted president Manuel Zelaya, and has accused the former president of allowing drugs to be shipped through the country. 
• The U.S. ambassador to Venezuela has returned to Caracas, nine months after he was expelled. 
• Argentina has sworn in a new health minister as it continues to battle a swine flu outbreak. 

Europe

• The European Union is considering withdrawing its diplomats from Tehran. 
• Russian president Dmitry Medvedev vlogged a message to the United States ahead of his meeting with President Obama next week, calling for better relations. 
• Albania's ruling Democratic Party is claiming victory in last weekend's election, but the opposition is disputing the result. 

Africa

• At the African Union summit in Tripoli, Union President Muammar al-Qaddafi is pushing for more continent-wide integration while richer nations like Nigeria and South Africa are expressing concerns over losing sovereignty. 
• Nine people convicted of genocide in Rwanda have been transferred to Benin to serve out their sentences. 
• Internationally mediated talks to resolve Madagascar's political crisis will resume this month. 

Middle East

• At least 33 people were killed in a bombing in Kirkuk as Iraqis celebrated the withdrawal of U.S. troops from cities. 
• Iran's Basij militia has called for an investigation into the activities of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi. 
• Few companies are bidding on Iraq's oil fields. 

Asia

• The North Korean ship being tailed by the U.S. navy has changed course and seems to be heading back the way it came. 
• Malaysia has loosened its system of ethnic preferences in hiring. 
• Thousands of pro-democracy protesters rallied in Hong Kong on the 12th anniversary of Chinese rule. 

Africa

• At the last minute, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad cancelled an appearance at the African Union summit in Libya.
• The African Union dropped sanctions on Mauritania, imposed after the country underwent a military coup last August.
• Niger's main opposition leader was arrested after being accused of plotting a coup. 

Europe

• Sweden assumes the presidency of the European Union today. 
• Albania's election is headed for deadlock with neither party able to gain a majority and accusations of fraud. 
• Al Qaeda has issued a threat against France in response to a public debate over whether to ban the burqa.

Americas

• Democrat Al Franken has finally been declared the winner in Minnesota's senate election after a drawn-out court battle. This gives the Democrats 60 seats in the senate and the ability to stop a filibuster. [Corrected.]
• For the first time, Cuba will allow workers to hold multiple government jobs. 
• Several parts of Latin America, including Buenos Aires, have declared a swine flu emergency. 

Middle East

• Iran's Guardian Council says it found only slight irregularities in a recount of election ballots and declared the matter closed. 
• The Israeli navy turned back a ship carrying aid to Gaza and pro-Palestinian activists. 
• Iraq has begun auctioning off its oil and gas fields. 

Americas

• Honduras's interim government is hanging on amid international condemnation after the ouster of President Manuel Zelaya. Zelaya says he will return to the country in two days and addressing the U.N. General Assembly today.
• President Rene Preval's party picked up five seats in Haiti's parliamentary elections. 
• Mexico has freed 3 of the 10 mayors it detained for suspected drug cartel ties last month. 

Asia

• A suicide bomber wearing a burqa attacked an Afghanistan-Pakistan border crossing. 
• U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is visiting Burma this week to press the regime about the case of imprisoned democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
• A major Taliban faction in Northwest Pakistan has pulled out of a peace deal with the central government.  

• China has agreed to loan $950 million to Zimbabwe.
• Militants attacked two Royal Shell installations in the Niger Delta on Monday.
• Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made a surprise visit to the African Union summit in Libya.  

Europe

• With half the votes counted, Albania's parliamentary elections are going down to the wire. 
• OSCE observers have pulled out of Georgia after Russia blocked an extension of their mission. 
• Navy Admiral James Stavridis has taken over as U.S. and NATO commander in Europe. 

Middle East

• Iran began a recount of some of the ballots in this month's disputed presidential election. About 5,000 opposition supporters marched on Sunday, the first demonstration authorities have permitted in days. 
• Israel will build 50 new homes as part of a settlement expansion plan in the West Bank. 
• The U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. Ray Odierno, says Iraqi forces are ready to take over when U.S. troops withdraw from Iraqi cities on Tuesday. 

Asia

• Government fighter jets attacked northwest Pakistan killing 20 and damaging a mosque during prayers. Public opinion remains solidly behind the offensive.
• China's central bank formally called for a new international reserve currency that could replace the dollar.
• Kyrgyz forces killed three members of the militant Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan in a shootout.  

Africa

• Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change is considering withdrawing from its coalition with President Robert Mugabe. 
• Former Congolese president Jean-Pierre Bemba is due to appear before the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges today. 
• Guinea-Bissau, where the last president and one of the candidates were both assassinated, finally held presidential elections.

Europe

• Albania's parliamentary elections were reportedly free of incident. The ballots are still being counted. 
• Nato and Russia agreed to resume military ties, which were suspended after last August's war with Georgia.  
• Swiss officials say they are being unfairly targeted in the global crackdown on tax havens.

Americas

• Argentina's Peronist party suffered losses in this weekend's parliamentary elections, a major setback for the country's ruling couple, the Kirchners. 
• Mexico has arrested 93 police officers for suspected ties to the Gulf drug cartel. 
• Colombian President Alvaro Uribe will visit the White House today, where he is likely to be questioned about his country's human rights record. 

Middle East

• Another bombing killed 15 people in a Baghdad market. Four days until U.S. withdrawal.
• American-backed Saad al-Hariri appears set to become Lebanon's Prime Minister. 
• Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal says he welcomes "new language" from U.S. President Barack Obama. 

Europe

• Russia and NATO hold their first talks since last's summer's Georgian war this weekend. 
• Albania is gearing up for national elections this weekend. 
• Ireland is considering taking in two detainees from Guantanamo Bay. 

Asia

• Pakistan's terrorist violence has spread to Pakistani Kashmir. 
• The U.S. and South Korea are  holding defense talks in Seoul aimed at countering North Korea.
• Foreign trade and business associations are urging China to reconsider requiring all PCs to be sold with censorship software. 

Africa

• Despite an amnesty offer from the government, Nigerian rebels attacked a shell facility in the Niger Delta. 
• Russia's Gazprom has inked a $2.5 billion deal with Nigeria's state oil company. 
• Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe attacked Western countries for refusing to lift sanctions on his government. 

Americas

• Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya fired his top general for refusing to support a referendum that could lead to suspending presidential term limits.
• Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez made a thinly veiled threat to shut down opposition TV station Globovision once and for all. 
• Air Force General Douglas Frasier will take over the U.S. Southern Command, where he will face a number of challenges including Guantanamo, and drug trafficking.