Morning Brief: Greek president pushes for technocratic government

Posted By Joshua Keating Tuesday, May 15, 2012 - 8:20 AM

Top news: Greek President Karolos Papoulias is meeting with party leaders to ask them to step aside in favor of a technocratic government that can keep the country from bankruptcy -- a last-ditch effort to salvage a political compromise out of the inconclusive May 6 election. However, while the leftist Syriza bloc is attending the meeting, it has already pledged to reject the plan. "We don't want to consent to any kind of bailout policies, even if they are implemented by non-political personalities," said a spokesman. 

Failure to agree on a new government would force Papoulias to call for new elections in June, and would likely raise the chances of Greece defaulting on its debts and leaving the eurozone entirely. 

While many eurozone leaders are now discussing the prospect of a Greek exit openly, Luxembourg's Jean-Claude Juncker, who heads the group of eurozone finance ministers, angrily dismissed such talk on Monday. “I don’t envisage, not even for one second, Greece leaving the euro area. This is nonsense. This is propaganda,” he said. 

The Greek economy contracted by 6.2 percent in the first three months of the year. 

Economy: Despite contractions in Southern Europe, the continent narrowly avoided returning to recession in the first three months of the year thanks to stronger than expected growth from Germany.

Middle East

  • Nearly 23 Syrian soldiers were reportedly killed in clashes with opposition fighters. 
  • Saudi Arabia is seeking a closer union of the Gulf monarchies. 
  • A group of Palestinian prisoners agreed to end a hunger strike in exchange for concessions from Israel. 

Africa

  • EU forces conducted their first raid on a pirate base on the Somali mainland. 
  • A suspected remote-controlled bomb went off at a Somali refugee center in Kenya.
  • West Africa regional bloc ECOWAS has threatened to reimpose sanctions on Mali's coup leaders. 

Europe

Asia

Americas




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Morning Brief: Greek president struggles to form unity government

Posted By Uri Friedman Monday, May 14, 2012 - 8:24 AM

Top news: After several failed attempts by Greece's political parties to form a coalition government following elections last week, Greek President Karolos Papoulias invited leaders to a final round of talks on Monday in an effort to avoid new elections.

But the chances of success appear slim, as the head of the radical leftist Syriza party refused to attend the negotiations and the moderate Democratic Left party said it would not be part of any unity deal that didn't include Syriza. European finance ministers are expected to discuss the political impasse when they meet in Brussels on Monday.

Many are worried that fresh voting in Greece -- which would likely take place in mid-June -- will further empower parties such as Syriza that oppose the terms of the country's bailout deal. This, in turn, could precipitate a Greek default and exit from the eurozone. These concerns are contributing to instability in financial markets.

Syria: Activists are reporting that at least 30 people -- including 23 Syrian soldiers -- died in overnight fighting in the central city of Rastan, a day after sectarian clashes fueled by the Syrian conflict erupted in the Lebanese city of Tripoli. On Monday, the European Union imposed a new round of sanctions on Syria in response to the ongoing violence. 

Europe

  • Tens of thousands of Spaniards protested against government austerity measures in roughly 80 Spanish cities. 
  • German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats lost elections in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
  • A group of prominent Russian writers led protesters in a march through Moscow.

Asia

  • A gunman killed Mullah Arsala Rahmani, a former Taliban minister and member of Afghanistan's High Peace Council.
  • A Mongolian court granted bail to former President Nambaryn Enkhbayar, who is engaged in a hunger strike over his detention on corruption charges.
  • Fifteen people died in a plane crash in Nepal.

Middle East

  • Yemen's new president reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing terrorists during a meeting with U.S. counterterrorism official John Brennan, as raids against militants continue in southern Yemen. 
  • Human Rights Watch urged NATO to investigate a bombing in Libya last year that killed 72 civilians, according to the group.  
  • Gulf leaders are meeting in Saudi Arabia to discuss the idea of forming a union.

Africa

  • Uganda captured a senior commander in Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army.
  • Nigerian police arrested a Boko Haram commander in the northern city of Kano.

Americas

  • Mexican authorities discovered 49 mutilated bodies along a highway near Monterrey.  
  • Three top traders at JPMorgan Chase will resign after the bank posted a $2 billion loss last week.



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Morning Brief: Egypt holds first presidential debate

Posted By Uri Friedman Friday, May 11, 2012 - 8:17 AM

Top news: Just two weeks before the first round of voting in the country's presidential election, Egypt held the Arab world's first televised presidential debate on Thursday night. The four-hour event featured Amr Moussa, a former Arab League chief, and Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, a former member of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The two top candidates discussed the economy, security, and the role Islamic law should play in government, and criticized each other's backgrounds. Moussa highlighted the oath of loyalty that Aboul Fotouh once swore to the chairman of the Brotherhood, while Aboul Fotouh noted that Moussa had long served as a diplomat under Hosni Mubarak. "Those who take part in creating the problem couldn't be part of the solution," he declared.

Friday marked the first day that Egyptians abroad can start voting in the presidential election. 

Greece: Evangelos Venizelos, the leader of Greece's main socialist party, is engaged in a last-ditch effort to form a coalition government. If he fails, all parties will have one final chance to strike a unity deal before new elections, which would likely benefit a radical leftist party that opposes the country's bailout, are called. 

Middle East

  • The head of the opposition Syrian National Council blamed a double bombing in Damascus on al Qaeda forces linked to the Syrian regime.
  • Early results from Algeria's legislative elections indicate a strong showing by the ruling National Liberation Front and an Islamist alliance.
  • The spy who helped foil a plot to bomb a U.S.-bound airliner is reportedly a British national, and British intelligence may have helped recruit him.

Asia

  • An attacker in an Afghan Army uniform killed a NATO soldier in eastern Afghanistan. 
  • Protesters gathered at the Chinese embassy in Manila as a dispute between China and the Philippines over an island in the South China Sea escalated.
  • Rescuers found no evidence of survivors in the wreckage of a new Russian passenger jet that crashed in Indonesia.

Europe

  • The European Commission predicted that the eurozone economy will contract this year and warned that Spain could miss its deficit targets.
  • Rebekah Brooks, the former chief executive of News International, testified before a British inquiry into press ethics. 
  • Britain is seeking to scale back a provision of the impending EU oil embargo on Iran.

Americas

  • JPMorgan Chase disclosed a $2 billion trading loss.
  • Peru's interior and defense ministers resigned over a botched operation against Shining Path rebels. 
  • Argentina passed a landmark gender rights law that will make it easier for people to change their legal and physical gender identity.

Africa

  • Somali pirates hijacked a Greek-owned oil tanker off the coast of Oman.
  • More than 40 people were injured in clashes between police and protesters in Guinea.
  • West African mediators met with leaders in Guinea-Bissau to negotiate a return to civilian rule.



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Morning Brief: Double bombing hits Damascus intelligence center

Posted By Joshua Keating Thursday, May 10, 2012 - 8:25 AM

Top news: Two bombings outside an intelligence complex in Damascus killed at least 40 people and injured 170, according to Syrian television. It was the largest and deadliest single attack since the Syrian uprising began in March 2011. 

No one immediately took responsibility for the bombing, but state media in Syria has suggested it is the work of terrorists supported by Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Opposition groups blamed Bashar al-Assad's regime, saying it was trying to frighten people out of joining the opposition. 

On Wednesday, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said there was only a narrow window to avoid a full-scale civil war in Syria: "There is no escaping the reality that we see every day. Innocent civilians dying, government troops and heavy armor in city streets, growing numbers of arrests and allegations of brutal torture, an alarming upsurge in the use of IEDs and other explosive devices throughout the country."

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 849 people have been killed in a U.N. imposed truce in April, not including those killed in today's blast. 

Ten rebels were also killed overnight when thanks shelled a village in the northwestern province of Idlib. 

U.S. politics: In a major reversal, President Barack Obama said he believes gay marriage should be legal. 

Middle East

Europe

  • Greece's center-left PASOK party will make a final attempt to form a coalition government. 
  • A British parliamentary panel will question former David Cameron aide Andy Coulson on his role in the News of the World phone hacking scandal. 
  • Russia says it has foiled a terrorist plot to attack the Sochi Olympics. 

Asia

  • The Japanese government agreed to spend $12.6 billion to bail out Fukushima nuclear plant operator TEPCO. 
  • Chinese activist Chen Guangchen said local officials in his town were carrying out reprisal attacks on his family. 
  • The International Committee of the Red Cross has suspended work in Peshawar and Karachi. 

Americas

Africa




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Morning Brief: Prospects for Greek coalition government dim

Posted By Uri Friedman Wednesday, May 9, 2012 - 8:37 AM

Top news: Leftist leader Alexis Tsipras, whose party finished second in Greece's elections on Sunday, will spend Wednesday meeting with officials from the country's two major parties -- PASOK and New Democracy -- as part of his effort to form a coalition government.

But such a deal is highly unlikely since Tsipras has called for nullifying the terms of Greece's bailout by the European Union and International Monetary Fund, which both PASOK and New Democracy support, albeit with reservations. New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras, who failed to broker a solution to Greece's political impasse on Monday, has warned that pulling out of Greece's bailout commitments could "lead to immediate internal collapse and international bankruptcy, with the inevitable exit from Europe." 

If Tsipras doesn't secure an agreement, new elections could be held within weeks. In the meantime, the political tumult in Greece is roiling markets.

Foiled bomb plot: New reports suggest that the suicide bomber tasked with attacking a U.S.-bound airplane by an al Qaeda affiliate in Yemen was actually a Saudi intelligence agent who was cooperating with the CIA. American officials have expressed concern that the leaked details about the plot could undermine U.S. efforts to partner with foreign intelligence services.

Middle East

  • An explosion struck a Syrian military vehicle that was escorting a convoy of U.N. observers, a day after envoy Kofi Annan warned of "serious violations" of the ceasefire in Syria. 
  • In the first test of Israel's new governing coalition, religious and secular parties clashed over draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews.
  • Armed men attacked the offices of Libya's interim prime minister in an apparent response to not receiving payment for fighting Muammar al-Qaddafi's forces.  

Europe

  • Jailed Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko was transferred to a hospital.
  • The Russian parliament confirmed Dmitry Medvedev as prime minister, though a third of parliamentarians voted against the nomination.
  • Serbia's Socialists and Democratic Party formed a governing coalition and agreed to support President Boris Tadic in an upcoming runoff election.

Asia

  • The Taliban killed five Afghan education officials in an ambush.
  • Dissident Chen Guangcheng said Chinese officials have begun helping him with his application to study in the United States.
  • An Iranian delegation struck trade deals with India shortly after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pressed India to scale back commercial relations with Iran.

Americas

  • The U.S. Treasury Department added two sons of Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman to its drug kingpin blacklist.
  • The Colombian government refused to negotiate with FARC rebels regarding the release of a French journalist.
  • Jamaica's two major political parties are investigating whether they received money from a convicted fraudster.

Africa

  • The South Sudanese military accused Sudan of renewing its airstrikes against the South.
  • A South African judge ruled that the country's police and prosecutors must investigate Zimbabwean officials over torture charges.
  • An Islamist group that took seven Algerian diplomats hostage in Mali issued a 30-day ultimatum to Algiers.



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Morning Brief: Greek leftists attempt to form government

Posted By Joshua Keating Tuesday, May 8, 2012 - 8:24 AM

Top news: Greece's left-wing Syriza bloc will have a chance to form a coalition government after center-right, pro-austerity parties failed to do so following a drubbing in Sunday's Greek election. Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras, whose anti-austerity, anti-bailout party finished a surprise second place in the vote, went into talks with President Karolos Papoulias on Tuesday and is expected to be given three days to form a government. The conservative New Democracy party failed after only one day. 

"We want to create a government of leftist forces in order to escape the bailout leading us to bankruptcy," Tsipras said. However, his chances of being able to form a coalition are slim, raising the possibility of repeat elections, likely on June 17. "The country is heading at high speed towards catastrophe," an editorial in Kathimerini said of that possibility. 

Despite the hopes of many voters that a left-wing coalition could reject the terms of the EU bailout or at least renegotiate them, a spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the country must stick to the plan. "The agreements must be adhered to. They are the best way forward for Greece," he said.

Meanwhile, the far right Golden Dawn party, known for its swastika-style logo and extreme anti-immigrant rhetoric, is planning its own agenda after winning 21 seats in Sunday's vote. In his victory speech Sunday, party leader Nikos Michaloliakos called for the "liberation" of part of neighboring Albania. 


Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/05/07/148044/neo-nazi-party-plots-rise-as-first.html#storylink=cpy

Terrorism: The CIA claims to have foiled a plan to smuggle a bomb onto a flight to the United States. 

Middle East

  • The leader of Israel's opposition Kadima party agreed to join Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, staving off early elections. 
  • Syria's opposition boycotted yesterday's parliamentary elections. 
  • Interpol has issued a worldwide red warning for Iraq's fugitive Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi. 

Asia

  • China has expelled Al Jazeera.
  • The U.S. military claimed responsibility for an airstike that mistakenly killed six members of a family in southern Afghanistan.
  • U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is visiting India where she will attempt to convince the country to take a harder stance against Iran. 

Europe

Africa

Americas

  • A Honduran journalist and gay rights activist was found murdered. 
  • The opposition Progressive Liberal party won a general election in the Bahamas. 
  • President Hugo Chavez called in to a state television broadcast saying he plans to return to Venezuela after his latest cancer treatment. 



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Morning Brief: Hollande defeats Sarkozy in French presidential election

Posted By Uri Friedman Monday, May 7, 2012 - 8:34 AM

Top story: Francois Hollande beat French President Nicolas Sarkozy with just over 51 percent of the vote in a runoff election on Sunday, becoming the first Socialist to win the presidency since Francois Mitterrand left office in 1995. Sarkozy, the first French president since 1981 to not win a second term, will officially transfer power to Hollande on May 15.

"Europe is watching us, austerity can no longer be the only option," Hollande declared in a victory speech. The president-elect's emphasis on expanding a European Union fiscal compact to include pro-growth measures resonated with French voters, and news reports are casting Sarkozy as the latest European leader to be felled by popular anger over the handling of Europe's debt crisis.

But Hollande's position also puts him at odds with proponents of austerity such as Germany's Angela Merkel -- who congratulated Hollande but warned that the EU treaty was "not up for grabs" -- and raises concerns about how the euro crisis will be resolved. The results of the French election have already rattled financial markets.       

Greek election: In parliamentary elections on Sunday, voters in Greece abandoned the country's two major parties in an implicit rejection of the harsh terms of bailouts by the European Union and International Monetary Fund. The center-right New Democracy party, which attracted the largest percentage of the vote, will now try to form a unity government. 

Europe

  • Vladimir Putin was inaugurated as president of Russia a day after Russian police clashed with anti-government protesters in Moscow.
  • The presidential candidates for Serbia's ruling Democratic Party and the Serbian Progressive Party will most likely square off again in a runoff vote.
  • Voters in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein toppled their center-right coalition government.  

Middle East

  • Al Qaeda militants attacked a Yemeni army base after the Yemeni government said a Qaeda militant linked to the bombing of the USS Cole was killed in an airstrike.
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for early elections, which may now take place in September.
  • Syria is holding parliamentary elections, which the government has characterized as a sign of its commitment to reform.

Asia

  • A video posted on Islamist websites appeared to show U.S. hostage Warren Weinstein urging President Barack Obama to meet the demands of his captors in Pakistan.
  • The United States is reportedly releasing high-level detainees in Afghanistan as part of negotiations with insurgent groups. 
  • Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng said he doesn't know when he'll be permitted to leave China for the United States, as Chinese officials continued to criticize Washington's role in Chen's case.

Americas

  • The lawyers for five men charged with plotting the Sept. 11 attacks complained about the military tribunal process after a dramatic arraignment.
  • Colombia's FARC rebels confirmed that they're holding a French journalist as a "prisoner of war" and suggested that he may be released soon.
  • Mexico's presidential candidates participated in their first televised debate.

Africa

  • The Democratic Republic of Congo claimed it had regained control of territory seized by warlord Bosco "Terminator" Ntaganda. 
  • Militants destroyed the tomb of a Muslim saint in the Malian town of Timbuktu.
  • The African Union repeated its call for Mali's military junta to cede power.



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Morning Brief: China says Chen Guangcheng could apply to study abroad

Posted By Uri Friedman Friday, May 4, 2012 - 8:28 AM

Top story: In what could be a breakthrough in the case of Chen Guangcheng -- the Chinese dissident who escaped house arrest and spent six days at the U.S. embassy in Beijing -- China's Foreign Ministry suggested on Friday that the activist could study outside China. Chen "can apply through normal channels to the relevant departments in accordance with the law, just like any other Chinese citizen," a ministry spokesman explained.  

The announcement came after Chen called into a U.S. congressional hearing on Thursday and later stated that while he didn't intend on seeking political asylum in the United States, he was interested in spending time there and potentially attending New York University.

But the diplomatic crisis, which has overshadowed high-level talks between China and the United States in Beijing, may not be over just yet. China's top diplomat informed U.S. officials on Friday that human rights should not be "used as an excuse to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries," and a Chinese human rights lawyer tells Reuters that Chinese authorities could make it difficult for Chen to study abroad by delaying his paperwork. "We can't be 100 percent optimistic," the lawyer noted.    

British elections: Early results from local English and Welsh elections suggest that the opposition Labour party could win 38 percent of the national vote. British Prime Minister David Cameron said the government would not alter its economic policies in light of Labour's strong performance. 

Middle East

  • At least four students reportedly died when Syrian security forces cracked down on a student demonstration at Aleppo University. 
  • Iran is holding a second round of parliamentary elections.
  • Israel freed Hagai Amir, the brother of the man who killed Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

Europe

  • A twin bombing at a police station in Russia's North Caucasus region killed at least 13 people.
  • French President Nicolas Sarkozy is trailing his Socialist challenger Francois Hollande by roughly six percent in polls in the last day of campaigning for the country's presidential election. 
  • Cardinal Sean Brady, the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, is facing calls to resign over his alleged failure to report clerical sexual abuse.

Asia

  • A suicide bomber killed at least 20 people in an assault on a police checkpoint in northwest Pakistan.
  • Japan will shut down its last functional nuclear reactor on Saturday. 
  • Recent clashes between government troops and Kachin rebels in Myanmar have reportedly left more than 30 people dead.

Africa

  • Both Sudan and South Sudan agreed to a U.N. roadmap for ending hostilities and restarting negotiations, though tensions between the two sides remain high.
  • Africa received a greater share of global foreign direct investment in 2011 than ever before but is still considered the "least attractive" destination for FDI, according to a new survey.
  • Prosecutors are requesting that former Liberian President Charles Taylor, who was recently convicted of war crimes in The Hague, be given an 80-year sentence. 

Americas

  • Argentina's Congress approved the nationalization of the Spanish-controlled oil company YPF.
  • Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, will appear before a military tribunal in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba on Saturday. 
  • Three photojournalists were found dead in the eastern Mexican state of Veracruz shortly after a crime reporter was murdered in the same region.



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Morning Brief: Chen Guangcheng now wants to leave China

Posted By Joshua Keating Thursday, May 3, 2012 - 8:28 AM

Top story: Chen Guangcheng, the blind Chinese human rights activist who left the U.S. embassy yesterday under a deal negotiated between China and the United States, now says he wants to leave China, further complicated a diplomatic standoff that appeared headed for a quick resolution on the eve of a major summit between the two countries. 

Chen was taken from the embassy to a hospital yesterday under a deal that would allow him to study at a law school not far from Beijing, but two conflicting narratives have emerged in the  saga. Chen now says that he was not fully aware of his situation while in the embassy, was strongly encouraged to leave, and then abandoned by U.S. officials once he reached the hospital. "The embassy kept lobbying me to leave and promised to have people stay with me at the hospital," he said. "But this afternoon, as soon as I checked into the hospital room, I noticed they were all gone."

U.S. officials strongly deny this account, saying Chen was fully briefed on his options. “I was there. Chen made the decision to leave the Embassy after he knew his family was safe and at the hospital waiting for him, and after twice being asked by [U.S. Ambassador to China Gary] Locke if he was ready to go,” said Kurt Campbell, the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. “He said, ‘zou,’ – let’s go. We were all there as witnesses to his decision, and he hugged and thanked us all.”

Chen's change of heart appears to have happened after he reached the hospital and was reunited with his wife, who told him she had been threatened by officials during his absence. He also spoke by phone with political supporters who urged him to seek asylum. 

"I want them to protect human rights through concrete actions," he told CNN. "We are in danger. If you can talk to Hillary, I hope she can help my whole family leave China."

U.S. officials have not been able to speak with Chen in person since he left the embassy. Visiting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has not addressed the case directly but said in a speech at the opening of the annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue that “all governments have to answer our citizens’ aspirations for dignity and the rule of law.” China has strongly criticized U.S. handling of the case and demanded an apology for meddling in its internal affairs. 

The dialogue: Aside from Chen, the U.S. aims to use the conference, which opens today, to secure Chinese cooperation on efforts to rein in the Iranian and North Korean nuclear programs. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is urging China to move away from an export-led growth strategy. 

 

Europe

Middle East

Asia 

Americas

  • Brazil deployed more than 8,500 troops to the Amazon in an anti-crime operation. 
  • Brazil's development bank urged the government to lower interest rates.  
  • Twelve people were killed in a shootout between the Mexican army and suspected drug gang members in Sinaloa. 

Africa

  • Dozens were killed in an attack on a cattle market in Northeastern Nigeria. 
  • The U.N. Security Council passed a resolution threatening to impose sanctions on Sudan and South Sudan. 
  • Violence continued in Bamako as Mali's ruling junta hunted down troops involved in this week's attempted counter-coup.



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Morning Brief: Chinese dissident leaves U.S. embassy

Posted By Uri Friedman Wednesday, May 2, 2012 - 8:19 AM

Top story: The blind Chinese human rights lawyer Chen Guangcheng, whose whereabouts have been a mystery since he escaped house arrest last week, left the U.S. embassy in Beijing on Wednesday and headed to a check-up at a hospital in the Chinese capital before reuniting with his family.

Xinhua, China's official news agency, reported that Chen left the embassy "of his own volition" after a six-day stay, while American officials tell the New York Times that the activist emerged only after he received assurances from the Chinese government that he would remain safe if he stayed in his country -- a deal that Reuters is calling "unprecedented."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is in Beijing for previously scheduled talks with Chinese officials, said she spoke with Chen on Wednesday and that the dissident's understanding with the Chinese government included "the opportunity to pursue higher education in a safe environment."

The Chinese Foreign Ministry, for its part, demanded an apology from the United States for taking Chen into its embassy.   

Afghanistan: President Barack Obama pledged to end the war in Afghanistan and signed a strategic partnership agreement with Afghan President Hamid Karzai during an unannounced visit to Kabul on Tuesday. Less than two hours after Obama left the country, however, a suicide bomber attacked a compound housing foreigners in the Afghan capital, killing seven Afghans. 

Middle East

  • Unidentified attackers clashed with mostly Islamist protesters in the Egyptian capital, leaving at least nine people dead.
  • Human Rights Watch accused the Syrian government of committing war crimes in Idlib province during ceasefire negotiations.
  • The Israeli military ended its investigation into the 2009 shelling of a house in the Gaza Strip that killed 21 members of an extended Palestinian family.

Asia

  • Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was sworn in as a member of Myanmar's new parliament.
  • Rescuers in India continued to search for bodies after a ferry accident that killed at least 100 people. 
  • South Korean officials accused North Korea of disrupting GPS navigation in the country.

Europe

  • The unemployment rate in the eurozone rose to 10.9 percent in March -- the highest level since the creation of the euro in 1999.
  • The British Sky Broadcasting Group defended its record amid criticism of News Corporation, which owns 39 percent of BSkyB.
  • The credit rating agency Standard & Poor's upgraded Greek debt from "selective default."

Africa

  • Junta leaders in Mali said that they had defeated a counter-coup and that a transition to civilian rule was still on track. 
  • A suicide attack in central Somalia killed seven people, including two lawmakers.
  • The president of Chad called for a regional force to crack down on the Nigerian militant group Boko Haram.

Americas

  • The Bosnian-born U.S. citizen Adis Medunjanin was convicted of plotting suicide bombings of New York subways.  
  • Bolivian President Evo Morales nationalized a subsidiary of the Spanish power company REE. 
  • A woman claiming to be a member of the FARC said the Colombian rebel group had captured a French journalist as a prisoner of war.



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Morning Brief: Clinton leaves for China amid Chen Guangcheng crisis

Posted By Joshua Keating Tuesday, May 1, 2012 - 8:26 AM

Top news: U.S. Secretary Hillary Clinton left on Monday night for talks in China that are likely to be overshadowed by the case of dissident Chen Guangchen. The blind human rights activist is believed to be holed up at the U.S. embassy in Beijing, though neither side has acknowledged his presence there. 

Clinton avoided comment on Chen prior to leaving for the talks, which will include efforts to win Chinese cooperation on issues ranging from the Iranian and North Korean nuclear programs, to Syria's human rights crackdown, to territorial claims in the South China Sea. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is also attending to discuss longstanding disputes over currency and market access. Without mentioning Chen specifically, Clinton promised to press Chinese leaders on human rights. 

President Barack Obama also avoided mentioning Chen in a Monday press conference with visiting Japanese leader Yoshihiko Noda, saying only that “every time we meet with China the issue of human rights comes up.” Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell arrived in Beijing to discuss Chen's case with Chinese officials on Sunday.

According to allies of Chen, he will not ask for political asylum but will demand to remain in China to press on with his campaign for reform.   

War on terror: Obama administration counterterrorism advisor John Brennan defended the legality of U.S. drone strikes in a speech. 

Europe

  • A British parliamentary inquiry concluded that Rupert Murdoch is "not a fit person" to run a large corporation like News Corp. 
  • National Front leader Marine Le Pen has declined to back President Nicolas Sarkozy in the second round of France's presidential election. 
  • Italy plans to cut $5.5 billion in spending to avoid a sales tax increase. 

Africa

  • Soldiers loyal to ousted Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure appear to be attempting a counter-coup. 
  • Nigerian forces raided a suspected Islamist militant base in Kano. 
  • Troops loyal to alleged war criminal Bosco Ntaganda took two towns in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Middle East

Americas

  • Mexico's congress passed a bill to compensate victims of crime. 
  • Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said there are "clear indications" that FARC rebels are holding a French journalists hostage. 
  • Before returning to Cuba for cancer treatment, President Hugo Chavez announced steps to withdraw Venezuela from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. 

Asia




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Morning Brief: United States stays quiet on Chinese dissident's whereabouts

Posted By Uri Friedman Monday, April 30, 2012 - 8:35 AM

Top story: The Obama administration has yet to comment on mounting speculation that Chinese rights activist Chen Guangcheng is at the U.S. embassy in Beijing (pictured above), but it has reportedly dispatched State Department official Kurt Campbell to meet with Chinese officials about Chen's fate. The blind lawyer escaped from house arrest last week.

The talks come ahead of scheduled visits to China by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner later this week. "This is the greatest test in bilateral relations in years, probably going back to '89," former CIA analyst Christopher K. Johnson tells the New York Times, in reference to the suppression of protests in Tiananmen Square.

Chinese authorities, meanwhile, are furiously blocking web searches of terms related to Chen's escape -- ranging from "Shawshank" (a reference to an American prison-break film) to "UA898" (a United Airlines flight from Beijing to Washington).

Syria: Two suicide bombings in the Syrian city of Idlib on Monday killed at least eight people, according to state media, shortly after state television reported that attackers had struck the Syrian Central Bank in Damascus with rocket-propelled grenades. At the moment, there are only around 15 U.N. ceasefire monitors in Syria.

Africa

  • Sudan declared a state of emergency along its border with South Sudan amid continued fighting between the two sides.
  • The Ugandan military accused Sudan of supporting Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army.  
  • A bomber attacked a Nigerian police convoy a day after at least 19 people were killed in two attacks on church services in the country.

Europe

  • Shukri Ghanem, a former Libyan prime minister and oil minister under Muammar al-Qaddafi, was found dead in the Danube river in Austria. 
  • The British government said it had made every effort to secure the release of a British aid worker who was murdered in Pakistan. 
  • The Spanish economy has officially slipped back into recession.

Asia

  • A U.S. drone strike reportedly killed three suspected militants in Pakistan's tribal region. 
  • U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the international community to lift sanctions against Myanmar in an address to the country's parliament, as the opposition called off a boycott of parliament.
  • Protesters in Malaysia accused the police of brutality in breaking up a large demonstration.

Middle East

  • A Bahraini appeals court ordered retrials for more than 20 activists, including Abdulhadi al-Khawaja.  
  • Benzion Netanyahu, the father of Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, died at age 102. 

Americas

  • Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House.
  • A French reporter is missing after a clash between the Colombian military and FARC rebels.
  • Peru is investigating the mysterious death of hundreds of pelicans along its northern coast.



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Morning Brief: Downgraded Spain faces record-high unemployment

Posted By Uri Friedman Friday, April 27, 2012 - 8:21 AM

Top story: Spain announced on Friday that the country's unemployment rate had hit 24.4 percent in the first quarter of 2012 -- the highest rate in the eurozone. The release of Spain's record-high unemployment figures followed the rating agency Standard & Poor's decision to downgrade the country's credit rating to BBB+, which puts Spain on par with Italy.  

"Spain is in a crisis of huge proportions," Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo warned in a radio interview. Markets initially reacted negatively to the news out of Spain but have since recovered "as the downgrade was largely viewed as a belated acknowledgment of the market realities," according to the Associated Press. 

The developments come as Spain slips back into recession and moves to the forefront of the European debt crisis despite the Spanish government's austerity measures and labor market reforms.

Chinese dissident escapes: Chen Guangcheng, a blind rights activist who had been under house arrest in Shandong province, has escaped from his home and may now be in Beijing, though his whereabouts are unclear. In a video posted online, Chen demanded that Prime Minister Wen Jiabao punish officials who had abused him and his family. 

Europe

  • Four explosions struck the Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk in a suspected terrorist attack.
  • The Netherlands reached an agreement to meet budget targets set by the European Union.
  • A Dutch judge upheld a new law prohibiting foreigners from entering cannabis coffee shops. 

Asia

  • The United States agreed to move thousands of Marines out of Okinawa, Japan.
  • Pakistan's prime minister refused to resign after the Supreme Court convicted him of contempt of court.
  • An Afghan special forces soldier killed a U.S. soldier and his translator in southern Afghanistan.

Americas

  • The U.S. Secret Service is investigating fresh allegations of agents paying for strippers and prostitutes in El Salvador.
  • The United Kingdom banned exports to Argentina's military amid a standoff over the Falkland Islands.
  • A U.S. federal judge rejected a request to release photos and video of Osama bin Laden from the raid on his compound. 

Middle East

  • U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the Syrian government was "in contravention" of envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan.
  • At least 13 people were killed in attacks in Iraq's Diyala province.
  • Pakistan deported Osama bin Laden's three widows and children to Saudi Arabia.

Africa

  • The West African bloc ECOWAS will send troops to Mali and Guinea-Bissau in response to coups in both countries. 
  • The U.N. Security Council is considering sanctions against Sudan and South Sudan.
  • Ghana has become the first African country to simultaneously offer children rotavirus and pneumococcal vaccines. 



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Morning Brief: Violence continues in Hama

Posted By Joshua Keating Thursday, April 26, 2012 - 8:36 AM

Top news: Syrian activists claim that up to 70 people were killed in an explosion that flatted part of a residential neighborhood in the city of Hama. Activists claim the explosion was caused by government shelling or a scud missile attack. State media put the number killed at 16 and said the explosion came from a rebel bomb-making factory. 

According to the opposition, more than 100 people have been killed in Hama in recent days, despite a U.N. brokered ceasefire. Violence has continued in the Syrian capital as well.

U.N. envoy Kofi Annan told the Security Council on Tuesday that Syrian troops had not withdrawn from population centers. Two U.N. observers have now returned to Hama ahead of a team of 300 that the U.N. would like to send. Syria's main opposition group is calling for a special Security Council session to discuss the ongoing violence in Hama. 

France's foreign minister said on Wednesday that the U.N. should consider allowing international military action in Syria if the peace plan fails. 

International justice: At the Hague, former Liberian President Charles Taylor was convicted on 11 counts of aiding and abetting war crimes in Sierra Leone during the 1990s. He is the first African head of state convicted by an international tribunal.

Asia

Middle East

  • The head of the Israeli Defense Forces said in an interview that he does not believe Iran will develop nuclear weapons.
  • The White House has approved the expanded use of drones in Yemen. 
  • Egypt confirmed that former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq will be allowed to compete in the upcoming presidential election. 

Africa

Europe

  • Testifying before a government ethics inquiry, Rupert Murdoch apologized for the News of the World hacking scandal.  
  • The Dutch caretaker government is scrambling to reach a budget deal before a Monday EU deadline. 
  • Germany's president has canceled a trip to Ukraine over concerns about the health of jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. 

America




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Morning Brief: Pakistan follows India with missile test

Posted By Uri Friedman Wednesday, April 25, 2012 - 8:09 AM

Top story: Pakistan announced on Wednesday that it had successfully tested an intermediate-range, nuclear-capable ballistic missile, less than a week after archrival India test-fired a long-range missile that can also deliver a nuclear warhead. The Pakistani military said the Shaheen-1A launched into the Indian Ocean today has a longer range than its predecessor, the Shaheen-1 (pictured above).

Pakistani defense analyst Mansoor Ahmed tells the New York Times that the test was not in response to India's and that "Pakistan is only concerned with maintaining a minimum credible deterrent capability vis-a-vis India." India, for its part, framed its test as an effort to counter China's regional power. 

Meanwhile, speculation is mounting that North Korea may carry out a third nuclear test after a failed rocket launch.

Double-dip in Europe: New data shows that the U.K. economy contracted in the first quarter of 2012 after shrinking in the fourth quarter of 2011, which technically means that the United Kingdom has returned to recession. Spain revealed on Monday that it too had slipped back into recession.   

Middle East

  • Violence continued in and around Damascus despite a ceasefire and observer mission in Syria.
  • Israel's military chief raised doubts about Iran's intent to build nuclear weapons, as Israel's prime minister expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of sanctions against Tehran.
  • A court found the Egyptian actor Adel Imam guilty of insulting Islam.

Europe

  • News Corporation Chairman Rupert Murdoch testified before a judicial inquiry on his business practices and ties to British politicians. 
  • Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko launched a hunger strike in prison.
  • French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he would not strike a deal with the far-right in his reelection bid.

Asia

  • China subtly warned North Korea not to carry out an expected nuclear test.
  • The Supreme Court in the Philippines ruled that an estate belonging to the country's president should be split up among 6,000 farmers.
  • The Securities and Exchange Commission has reportedly launched an investigation into whether Hollywood studios paid bribes in China.

Americas

  • Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney secured five more primary victories.
  • The son of ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai defended his academic record and lifestyle in a letter to the Harvard Crimson student newspaper. 

Africa

  • The African Union is demanding that Sudan and South Sudan adhere to a peace deal.
  • South African youth leader Julius Malema lost an appeal against his expulsion from the ruling African National Congress.
  • Two attacks in central Nigeria have left five people dead.



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Morning Brief: Sudan bombs South Sudan as Bashir vows not to negotiate

Posted By Joshua Keating Tuesday, April 24, 2012 - 8:23 AM

Top news:  Sudan continued its bombardment of South Sudan yesterday, with jets launching missiles into the state capital of Bentiu. Officials say eight bombs in total were dropped last night. There have also been reports that Sudanese troops have crossed the border into their recently independent Southern neighbor. *

South Sudan announced last week that it was withdrawing from the disputed Heglig border region in order to avoid all-out war, but the scope of the current attacks seem to go beyond Heglig, and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has vowed not to negotiate until all South Sudanese troops are out of Sudan since southern leaders “do not understand anything but the language of the gun and ammunition." Last week, he referred to the South Sudanese leadership as "insects" and vowed to drive them from power. 

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir is currently in Beijing to lobby for Chinese diplomatic and economic report. He said that Sudanese actions amount to a declaration of war, though neither side has yet issued a formal declaration. 

Since independence last year, the two countries have argued over territorial disputes, oil pipeline rights, and accusations of supporting rebel groups within each others' countries. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged both sides "to stop the slide toward further confrontation and... to return to dialogue as a matter of urgency."

Washington: President Obama outlined his administration's genocide prevention policies in a speech at the U.S. Holocaust Museum as well as announcing new sanctions on Syria and Iran. 

Middle East

Europe

Americas

Africa

  • Nigeria's parliament is due to discuss a report revealing $6 billion in fraud related to the country's fuel subsidy. 
  • A protester was killed during a separatist demonstration in Kenya's Mombasa region.  
  • The International Criminal Court may investigate reports of atrocities in Mali.

Asia

  • A Philippine exploration firm has found more natural gas than expected in a disputed area of the South China Sea. 
  • Chinese state media reported that former officials from Wukan have been punished for their town's high-profile rebellion. 
  • Pakistan's Supreme Court is due to announce the verdict in the contempt trial of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today. 
Update: The timeline of these events has been updated since first posted.



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Morning Brief: Sarkozy suffers setback in French presidential race

Posted By Uri Friedman Monday, April 23, 2012 - 7:53 AM

Top story: French President Nicolas Sarkozy received 27.1 percent of the vote in the first round of the country's presidential election on Sunday, while his Socialist challenger Francois Hollande finished with 28.6 percent (French Twitter users flaunted a ban on publishing early results by speaking in code). The contest, which will be followed by a second round of voting on May 6, marks the first time that a sitting French president has lost in the first round, according to the BBC.  

In another first, National Front leader Marine Le Pen garnered 18 percent of the vote -- the largest share a far-right candidate has ever won in the French presidential election. On Monday, Sarkozy promised to control immigration and prioritize national security, in what Reuters interprets as a bid to woo Le Pen's supporters.

The outcome of the election will have major implications not only for France but also for Europe as a whole. Hollande has pledged to renegotiate a European Union fiscal treaty and promote solutions to the region's debt crisis that Germany opposes.

War in Afghanistan: Afghanistan and the United States completed a strategic partnership agreement that promises American support for Afghanistan for a decade after the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops in 2014.

Middle East

  • Iran claimed to have extracted secret data from an American drone that it captured last year.
  • Anti-government protests in Bahrain did not disrupt the Formula One Grand Prix on Sunday.
  • Egypt's state-owned natural gas company halted the delivery of gas to Israel over a payment dispute.

Africa

  • Former Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika will be buried at his farm in southern Malawi.
  • Eritrea accused the CIA of spreading "lies" about the health of its president. 

Europe

  • The collapse of budget talks in the Netherlands has prompted talk of early elections.
  • Spain slipped back into recession according to new data from its central bank.
  • Norway shooter Anders Behring Breivik apologized for killing "innocent" people in his Oslo bombing but did not express regret for his rampage at a Labour Party summer camp.

Americas

  • A new report alleges that Wal-Mart shut down an internal investigation that had unearthed evidence of bribery by a subsidiary in Mexico.  
  • The International Monetary Fund increased its lending capacity by $430 billion at an annual meeting in Washington, D.C. 
  • Mexican police are investigating the fatal shooting of a retired general in Mexico City.

Asia

  • Aung San Suu Kyi's party in Myanmar is boycotting parliament over the wording of the oath of office for lawmakers, as the European Union suspends its sanctions against the country. 
  • North Korea is escalating its rhetoric against South Korea's leaders after Pyongyang's failed rocket launch.
  • Police clashed with demonstrators in Bangladesh's capital amid anger over a missing politician.



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Morning Brief: Security Council mulls response to ongoing violence in Syria

Posted By Uri Friedman Friday, April 20, 2012 - 8:08 AM

Top story: On Thursday, Syria and the United Nations agreed to allow at least 250 unarmed observers into the country to monitor a ceasefire, as foreign ministers from Arab and Western nations in Paris for a Friends of Syria meeting called envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan the "last hope" to avoid civil war in Syria. 

But serious complications remain. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and news outlets have reported evidence of ceasefire breaches over the past week, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged the U.N. Security Council to slap an arms embargo and other sanctions on Syria if the violent crackdown persists. 

France, meanwhile, is drafting a new Security Council resolution that would dispatch 500 monitors and helicopters to Syria, as Ban urges the Security Council to quickly pass a resolution authorizing the deployment of up to 300 observers. Russia, which did not attend the Friends of Syria meeting, appears to be supportive of expanding the observer mission but not imposing additional sanctions.  

French election: Nicolas Sarkozy's reelection prospects are looking bleak ahead of the first round of voting on Sunday. Sarkozy could become the first one-term French president since 1981.

Africa

  • Fighting is spreading along the disputed border between Sudan and South Sudan.
  • Mali's ousted leader, Amadou Toumani Toure, fled to neighboring Senegal.
  • A new scientific report has highlighted a vast supply of groundwater beneath Africa.

Middle East

  • Police in Bahrain are clashing with protesters ahead of the Grand Prix this weekend. 
  • Thousands of protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square called for an end to Egypt's military rule.

Asia

  • Chinese authorities are reportedly detaining officials in Chongqing with ties to Bo Xilai for questioning.
  • Myanmar's President Thein Sein is visiting Japan to discuss financial aid and debt relief. 
  • The Chinese press is ridiculing India's long-range missile test.

Americas

  • The United States freed two Chinese Muslim detainees at the Guantanamo Bay prison, in the first prisoner transfer there in more than a year. 
  • The Secret Service is expanding its inquiry into the prostitution scandal in Colombia.
  • Princess Cruises apologized for one of its ships sailing past a stricken boat carrying three Panamanians, two of whom later died.

Europe

  • Norway shooter Anders Behring Breivik said he'd studied al Qaeda's tactics before embarking on his rampage last year.
  • Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned the news media to be careful about how it reported teenage suicides, which have spiked recently. 
  • Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi made an unexpected appearance at his trial for paying for sex with an underage girl. 



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Morning Brief: India tests nuclear-capable missile that can reach Beijing

Posted By Joshua Keating Thursday, April 19, 2012 - 8:26 AM

Top news: India successfully tested a nuclear-capable missile on Thursday with a range of more than 3,100 miles, giving it the ability to strike Beijing or Eastern Europe. The test of the primarily Indian-built Agni-V was the crowning achievement of a new arms building effort undertaken with neighboring China in mind. (Agni IV pictured.) The new missile will be operational in two years.  

Defense Minister A.K. Antony said the test indicated that India had “joined the elite club of nations.” Until now, only the permanent five Security Council members, plus Israel, were thought to have long-range nuclear missile capability. India is not a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, but its nuclear program enjoys de facto international legitimacy under a 2008 deal with the United States. 

Reaction from China was mixed. "China and India are large developing nations. We are not competitors but partners," said a foreign ministry spokesman. But the government-owned Global Times tabloid warned that "India should not overestimate its strength."

The development will highlight growing fears of an arms race in East Asia. China announced a double-digit increase in military spending in March while India recently became the world's number one arms importer. 

Also on Thursday, South Korea announced that it had developed and deployed a missile capable of striking any target within North Korea. 

Feature: The Colombian escort at the center of the Secret Service scandal speaks with the New York Times. Three agents are being forced out of the service. 

Asia

  • The U.S. and NATO have finalized agreements on winding down the war in Afghanistan. 
  • U.S. officials condemned that actions of troops who posed for photographs with the corpses of Afghan insurgents. 
  • Aung San Suu Kyi's party is in a standoff with the Myanmar government over the wording of a swearing-in oath for newly elected lawmakers.  

Middle East

Africa

  • The U.S. special envoy to Sudan condemned the South Sudanese seizure of a contested oil town. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir vowed to teach South Sudan a "final lesson by force" in response to the seizure.  
  • Guinea-Bissau's new military junta says it will wait two years before holding elections. 
  • Ousted Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure -- whose whereabouts have been unknown -- is at the Senegalese embassy in Bamako, according to Senegal's president. 

Europe

Americas




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Morning Brief: North Korea backs out of U.S. nuclear deal

Posted By Uri Friedman Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 8:09 AM

Top story: On Tuesday, North Korea declared that it was no longer bound by a deal with the United States in February to suspend uranium enrichment, nuclear tests, and long-range missile tests in exchange for food aid, which Washington halted after Pyongyang's failed rocket launch last week. An agreement to allow nuclear inspectors into the country has also fallen apart.

"We have thus become able to take necessary retaliatory measures," the North Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement, which came shortly after the U.N. Security Council condemned North Korea for its rocket launch and ordered additional sanctions against the country.  

North Korea didn't specify what form that retaliation would take, but some fear that Pyongyang is planning a third nuclear test. "Many analysts expect that with its third test, North Korea will for the first time try a nuclear device using highly enriched uranium," Reuters notes.

Myanmar: Lawmaker and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi will travel outside Myanmar for the first time in more than two decades, according to her party, in yet another sign of the country's opening. She'll visit Norway and Britain in June. 

Middle East

  • Syrian security forces are reportedly shelling Homs despite a ceasefire, as the wives of the British and French ambassadors to the United Nations release a video plea to Asma al-Assad. 
  • Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterating his preconditions for peace talks to resume.
  • At least 1,200 Palestinians in Israeli jails launched coordinated hunger strikes.

Asia

  • India will test fire an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
  • Afghan President Hamid Karzai delivered an emotional speech on his vision for an independent Afghanistan, as the United States and NATO finalize their withdrawal plan.
  • China summoned a diplomat from the Philippines once again over tensions in the South China Sea.

Americas

  • Argentina's nationalization of the oil firm YPF has provoked threats of retaliation from Spain.
  • American investigators are searching for up to 21 women who may have spent the night with U.S. security officers in Colombia.
  • Investor Warren Buffett has been diagnosed with stage one prostate cancer. 

Europe

  • Norway shooter Anders Behring Breivik faced questioning from prosecutors on the third day of his trial.
  • A Libyan military commander is suing a former British foreign minister for illegally transferring him to Libya, where he faced torture under Muammar al-Qaddafi.
  • British authorities arrested the Muslim cleric Abu Qatada only months after he was released following a failed effort to deport him. 

Africa

  • Malian soldiers reportedly arrested several top political figures, including two men who had planned to run for president.
  • Sudan and South Sudan are clashing on a new front along their disputed border. 
  • The United States criticized Swaziland for its crackdown on protests last week.



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Morning Brief: Bo Xilai reportedly blocked murder investigation of wife

Posted By Joshua Keating Tuesday, April 17, 2012 - 8:20 AM

Top news: More details are coming to light in the murder and corruption scandal that has rocked China's ruling elite. Reuters is reporting that former Chongqing party boss Bo Xilai had allowed and then tried to block an official investigation into allegations that his wife was behind the murder of a British businessman. Neil Heywood, who was found dead on Nov. 15 and is now believed to have been poisoned, had allegedly been threatening to expose a plan by Bo's wife, Gu Kailai, to move money out of the country. 

Bo's police chief, Wang Lijun, reportedly confronted Bo with evidence of Gu's involvement on Jan. 18 and was first allowed to proceed with his investigation before Bo quashed it several days later. Wang apparently attempted to seek asylum at the U.S. consulate on Feb. 6 before being arrested.

Gu and Wang are currently in custody while Bo has not been seen in public since March. The scandal involving Bo, once seen as a shoe-in for a senior party leadership post, has exposed what some observers have called the largest rift within the party since Tiananmen Square. While not mentioning Bo specifically, Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao called corruption the greatest threat to the party in an interview with a respected political journal this week.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has promised to raise the issue of Heywood's death in a  meeting with a senior Chinese official at Downing Street this week. Chinese officials initially said that Heywood, who had lived in China for 10 years, died as a result of excessive alcohol consumption, an explanation accepted by the British embassy and his family. The British government has reportedly decided to allow Heywood's Chinese widow to enter the country if she wishes. 

Scrutiny has also fallen on Bo's son Bo Guagua, a Harvard student whose flamboyant lifestyle has reportedly irritated party leaders.  

Development: U.S. candidate Jim Yong Kim was selected to lead the World Bank. 

Asia and Pacific

Middle East

  • A team of six U.N. observers set up headquarters in Damascus. 
  • The Israeli military has suspended a soldier who was videotaped beating a pro-Palestinian activist. 
  • Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has said his country never promised the U.S. it would hold off on attacking Iran while nuclear talks are taking place. 

Americas

Europe

  • Accused mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik lashed out at the Norwegian government on the first day of his trial. 
  • The Spanish government threatened to seize budget control of several regions if they do not mee budget targets. 
  • French President Nicolas Sarkozy is denying allegations that he tried to sell a nuclear reactor to Muammar al-Qaddafi in 2010. 

Africa

  • Coup leaders in Guinea-Bissau have shut down the country's borders and airport. The African Union has suspended the country's membership. 
  • The politicians were arrested in connection with the allegedly fraudulent purchase of a presidential plane in Cameroon. 
  • Sudan's parliament voted to declare South Sudan a "enemy state."



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Morning Brief: Fighting subsides in Afghan capital

Posted By Uri Friedman Monday, April 16, 2012 - 8:12 AM

Top story: On Sunday, the Taliban launched coordinated attacks in Kabul and three eastern Afghan provinces, in what a spokesman for the group said was the start of the spring offensive. Thirty-six militants, eight policemen, and three civilians were killed in 18 hours of violence, according to Afghanistan's Interior Ministry. There are reports that the Taliban-allied Haqqani network may have also been involved in the assault. 

On Monday, Afghan President Hamid Karzai praised the performance of his security forces and blamed the attacks on intelligence failures -- particularly on the part of NATO. The brazen strikes once again undermined confidence in NATO's plan to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by 2014.

Also on Sunday, Taliban fighters orchestrated a massive jailbreak in a northwestern Pakistani town that freed nearly 400 prisoners, including a man who was sentenced to death for plotting to assassinate former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

Norway shooter goes on trial: Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people in a car bombing and shooting rampage last July, appeared in an Oslo court on Monday to begin a trial that is expected to last 10 weeks. "I acknowledge the acts but I don't plead guilty as I claim I was doing it in self-defense," Breivik told the judge, adding that he did not recognize the court's authority because of the government's support for multiculturalism.

Middle East

  • Egypt's presidential election commission disqualified three of five leading presidential candidates on technical grounds.
  • The first U.N. military observers arrived in Syria to monitor a four-day-old ceasefire, amid reports of continued government shelling.
  • Israel blocked pro-Palestinian activists from traveling to Bethlehem in the West Bank.

Asia

  • The Philippines and the United States have begun joint military exercises in the South China Sea.
  • Australia has decided to ease sanctions against Myanmar.
  • In his first public speech, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un emphasized his commitment to strengthening the military.

Europe

  • The yield on Spain's 10-year bonds rose above six percent, sparking renewed concerns about the need for a bailout.
  • Pope Benedict XVI celebrated his 85th birthday at the Vatican. 
  • King Juan Carlos of Spain underwent hip surgery following a hunting trip in Botswana that has been criticized by politicians.  

Americas

  • The Summit of the Americas in Colombia concluded without a consensus statement and with divisions over whether to include Cuba in the next gathering, as a scandal surfaced involving the Secret Service.
  • Peruvian troops freed gas workers kidnapped by Shining Path rebels. 
  • The Spanish oil company Repsol is appealing to Argentine officials for talks over concerns that its subsidiary in Argentina could be nationalized.

Africa

  • Coup leaders in Guinea-Bissau say they will establish an interim government with opposition parties, and have accepted an offer by East Timor's outgoing president to act as a mediator. 
  • Sudanese warplanes bombed a U.N. peacekeeping base in South Sudan.
  • Gunmen reportedly abducted a Swiss woman in the Malian city of Timbuktu.



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Morning Brief: World reacts to North Korean rocket launch

Posted By Uri Friedman Friday, April 13, 2012 - 8:04 AM

Top story: North Korea launched a rocket on Friday despite warnings by the United States and its allies, who worry that Pyongyang is testing technology for a long-range missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead. But in a blow to North Korea's young leader, Kim Jong Un, the rocket reportedly disintegrated shortly after launching. After hours of silence, North Korea's state-run media confirmed that the rocket "failed to enter its preset orbit."

International reaction has been swift. American, Japanese, and South Korean officials condemned the launch, and the United States reiterated its plan to suspend roughly $200 million in promised food aid to North Korea. Russia's foreign minister said the launch violated U.N. Security Council sanctions but added that, after talks with his Chinese and Indian counterparts, Russia opposed new sanctions on North Korea. The Security Council will meet on Friday to discuss the launch.

Reuters, meanwhile, is highlighting concerns that North Korea could undertake a third nuclear test to demonstrate its military strength after this week's high-profile failure.

Syria: A ceasefire negotiated by envoy Kofi Annan appears to be holding for a second day, though activists have reported scattered clashes and the presence of tanks, armed checkpoints, and rooftop snipers. The U.N. Security Council is set to vote on a resolution that would dispatch monitors to Syria to help enforce the peace plan.   

Africa

  • Soldiers in Guinea-Bissau have seized control of parts of the capital in an apparent coup attempt.
  • The U.N. Security Council called for an end to fighting on Sudan's southern border.
  • Mali's interim ruler threatened "total war" against Tuareg rebels in the north. 

Asia

  • David Cameron has become the first British prime minister to visit Myanmar. 
  • The Pakistani parliament presented the United States with a list of demands, including an end to CIA drone strikes.
  • The Chinese economy grew by an annual rate of 8.1 percent in the first quarter of 2012 -- its slowest pace in nearly three years.

Americas

  • Partners in Health and Gheskio began administering cholera vaccines in Haiti, where the disease has killed more than 7,000 people.
  • Trade, energy, and drug trafficking will likely dominate the conversation at this weekend's Summit of the Americas in Colombia.
  • The Peruvian government refused to negotiate with Shining Path rebels who recently kidnapped 42 gas workers.  

Middle East

  • Formula 1's governing body has confirmed that the controversial Bahrain Grand Prix will take place on April 22.
  • Ahmed Ben Bella, the first president of Algeria after it gained independence from France, died at the age of 95.
  • The Egyptian parliament passed a law prohibiting former President Hosni Mubarak's senior officials from running for president, though the ruling military council must still approve it.  

Europe

  • The trial of four men accused of plotting an attack on a newspaper that published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad has begun in Denmark.
  • The first suspect in a Spanish investigation into the abduction of newborns appeared in court.
  • French President Nicolas Sarkozy admitted that he did not visit Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant, as he had indicated in a campaign speech.



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Morning Brief: North Korea rocket launch nears

Posted By Joshua Keating Thursday, April 12, 2012 - 8:25 AM

Top news: North Korea's launch of a new long-range rocket appears imminent, with the country's government announcing that it has begun fueling. The U.S. is preparing a diplomatic response that will include the suspension of food aid and an effort to rally worldwide condemnation. However, diplomatic options are limited and will likely not include further sanctions on the U.N. Security Council as the U.S. looks to preserve its political capital for further actions against Iran or Syria. 

The launching would signal the failure of a deal reached just six weeks ago between Washington and Pyongyang under which the North Koreans agreed to suspend work on uranium enrichment and allow international inspections in return for food aid. North Korea claims the planned launch, commemorating the 100th birthday of Kim Il-sung, is intended to put a peaceful satellite into orbit, but foreign governments incluing the United States and China say it will violate the country's international obligations.

The rocket is set to launch between today and Monday and its flight path will take it south between the Philippines and Japan. Both countries have vowed to shoot it down if it threatens their territory.  

In other developments this week, leader Kim Jong Un was named first secretary of the party, a newly created position that analysts believe is now North Korea's top leadership position. His father Kim Jong Il was posthumously named "eternal general secretary" of the party.  

Syria:  The deadline for a U.N. backed ceasedfire passed today and appears to be holding for now. 

Middle East

  • An Egyptian court declined to disqualify conservative presidential candidate Hazem Saleh Abu Ismail because of his mother's American citizenship. 
  • The Tunisian government has reversed a ban on demonstrations in the capital's central thoroughfare. 
  • Eight militants were reported killed in clashes in Southern Yemen. 

Africa

  • Dioncounda Traore was sworn in as the interim president of Mali. 
  • South Sudan says it has taken over a disputed border town. 
  • Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has returned from a trip to Singapore, seemingly in good health. 

Asia

Europe

Americas




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Morning Brief: Mystery surrounding ousted Chinese leader Bo Xilai deepens

Posted By Uri Friedman Wednesday, April 11, 2012 - 8:16 AM

Top story: On Tuesday, Chinese authorities made two announcements that only inflated what the New York Times is calling the "biggest political scandal to hit China's Communist Party in a generation" -- one that comes amid a leadership transition in China.

Officials declared that Bo Xilai, who was removed from his post as Chongqing party chief in March, would also be suspended from the ruling Politburo and larger Central Committee for suspected "discipline violations." And they also revealed that Bo's wife, Gu Kailai, is being investigated in the killing of British businessman Neil Haywood, whose death was initially attributed to alcohol poisoning but is now considered an "intentional homicide." The official Chinese press claims these actions demonstrate the government's commitment to the rule of law.     

In his first comments since Gu's arrest, British Prime Minister David Cameron vowed to "get to the bottom" of Heywood's death.

Earthquake in Indonesia: An 8.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia's Aceh province on Wednesday, triggering aftershocks and a regional tsunami alert. Authorities say that there are no immediate reports of casualties or damage, but the news raised fears of another natural disaster like the 9.1-magnitude earthquake and tsunami in 2004.

Middle East

  • Envoy Kofi Annan urged Iran to support his peace effort in Syria and said the Syrian government had assured him that it would respect a ceasefire due to begin on Thursday.
  • Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared that his country had enough reserves of foreign currency to survive for years without exporting oil.
  • Iraq's fugitive vice president claims two more of his bodyguards were tortured to death by the country's security forces.

Asia

  • North Korea began injecting fuel into a long-range rocket set to launch within days.
  • The Malaysian government is considering legislation that would end indefinite detention.
  • The Philippines and China are working to resolve a naval standoff in the South China Sea.

Americas

  • U.S. presidential candidate Rick Santorum withdrew from the Republican race, paving the way for Mitt Romney's nomination. 
  • Bolivia says it will cancel a Brazilian firm's contract to build a road through the Amazon rainforest. 
  • A kidnapped Costa Rican diplomat was freed in Venezuela.

Europe

  • Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos is expected to call this week for the country's first election since the debt crisis. 
  • Raymond Aubrac, a leader of the French resistance against the Nazis, died at age 97.
  • Organizers of anti-government demonstrations in Moscow took their protests to the southern city of Astrakhan to support an opposition mayoral candidate. 

Africa

  • Sudan pledged to retake its largest oil field, which South Sudan seized on Tuesday. 
  • More than 30,000 people attended the funeral of Tanzanian film star Steven Kanumba. 
  • In her first days in office, Malawian President Joyce Banda has opened an investigation into the death of an activist and fired the country's police chief, minister of information, and head of state broadcasting.



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Morning Brief: Syrian clashes continue despite ceasefire

Posted By David Kenner Tuesday, April 10, 2012 - 8:16 AM

Top story: A deadline set by former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, the Arab League and United Nations special envoy for Syria, for both government and opposition forces to withdraw their troops and arms came into effect, but violence continued across Syria. Syrian activists reported that troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad shelled the city of Homs and Aleppo province, while unrest also occurred in the capital of Damascus.

Annan's peace plan had called for a complete cessation of violence by Thursday. The Syrian government had initially agreed to his plan, but then issued a set of additional demands on Sunday that effectively undermined the agreement.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, speaking from Moscow, said that some army units had been withdrawn, but that "armed gangs" were still fomenting violence.

A shooting along the Turkish-Syrian border on Monday, which claimed the lives of two Syrian refugees, also increased tensions between Damascus and Ankara. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the attack was "a very clear violation of the border," and that Turkey "will take the necessary measures."

European court backs extradition of terror suspects:  The European Court of Human Rights ruled that the extradition from Britain to the United States of five men wanted on terror-related charges would not be a violation of human rights.

Europe

  • A psychological evaluation of Anders Behring Breivik, who killed dozens of people in cold blood in Norway last year, declared him sane.
  • Russian officials said that they had foiled a series of terrorist attacks.
  • Security was increased on the Brussels transportation system after a transport inspector was fatally assaulted.

Middle East

  • Seven policemen were injured in Bahrain following an attack with an improvised explosive device at a police checkpoint.
  • An Egyptian court suspended the work of an assembly meant to draft Egypt's new constitution.
  • Tunisian security forces fired tear gas to disperse a crowd of thousands of protesters in Tunis.

Asia

  • An updated hazard map showing the potential destructive force of another tsunami in Japan has caused alarm throughout the country.
  • A suicide car bomber detonated outside of a government building in western Afghanistan, killing at least 14 people.
  • A Bangladeshi labor activist who had organized protests against low wages was found murdered outside the capital of Dhaka.

Africa

  • The leader of Mali's junta rejected intervention by his country's neighbors to secure northern Mali, which has fallen out of government control.
  • Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho agreed to relinquish his government's remaining stake in a hydroelectric dam in Mozambique.
  • A bomb exploded in the central Somali town of Baidoa, killing at least 12 people.

Americas

  • The trial of alleged drug kingpin Walid Makled began in Venezuela.
  • Peru's Shining Path rebels kidnapped seven workers from a natural gas project.
  • Venezuela's justice minister said that a Costa Rican diplomat was freed hours after being kidnapped.



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Morning Brief: North Korea prepares for rocket launch

Posted By Uri Friedman Monday, April 9, 2012 - 8:21 AM

Top story: On Sunday, North Korea invited a group of foreign journalists to the Sohae satellite station near the border with China to observe the long-range Unha-3 rocket that it plans to launch by next Monday. The launch will coincide with national celebrations for the 100th birthday of North Korea's founder Kim Il Sung.

"Painted with the North Korean flag, it towered 30 meters high," writes the BBC's Damian Grammaticas, who was on the scene. "Soldiers stood guard while technicians worked on the rocket."

North Korea claims the rocket will only carry a weather satellite, but South Korea and the United States believe Pyongyang is testing a ballistic missile. And South Korea is also warning that new satellite images of piles of earth near the entrance to a tunnel at a nuclear test site suggest North Korea may be planning a third underground nuclear test. 

Syria: Syrian opposition fighters rejected a government demand for written guarantees to end attacks just 48 hours before a proposed ceasefire, as deadly clashes persist and envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan looks increasingly fragile. Turkey, meanwhile, is accusing the Syrian army of firing across the border. 

Asia

  • The United States ceded control of special operations missions -- including night raids -- to Afghan forces.
  • Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari met with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a rare high-level visit between the rival countries.
  • South Korea's police chief resigned after a woman was raped and murdered despite calling the police for help.

Africa

  • A car bomb killed at least 38 people in the Nigerian city of Kaduna on Easter Sunday. 
  • Mali's president stepped down as part of a deal that will transfer power from coup leaders to the parliamentary speaker.  
  • Malawian Vice President Joyce Banda was sworn in as president after the death of Bingu wa Mutharika. 

Americas

  • Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff will meet with President Barack Obama on Monday as part of her first official visit to the United States. 
  • Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has returned to Cuba for a third round of cancer treatment.

Middle East

  • Ahead of nuclear talks between Iran and global powers, the head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization suggested that his country might be willing to make concessions on uranium enrichment while the foreign minister added that Iran would not agree to pre-conditions.
  • The Muslim Brotherhood warned of renewed unrest if Omar Suleiman, Hosni Mubarak's former spy chief, succeeds in his bid for the presidency.
  • At least 25 people were killed when militants attacked a military camp in southern Yemen.

Europe

  • Russian investigators dropped charges against a doctor in the case of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died in a Russian jail.  
  • Early results suggest that former KGB official Leonid Tibilov has been elected president of South Ossetia. 
  • The British government reportedly approved the rendition of Abdel Hakim Belhaj, now a top Libyan military commander, to Muammar al-Qaddafi's regime in 2004.  



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Morning Brief: Malawian government stays silent on president's reported death

Posted By Uri Friedman Friday, April 6, 2012 - 8:17 AM

Top story: Citing anonymous medical and government sources, both the BBC and Reuters are reporting that Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika has died after suffering a heart attack. But the government has not confirmed the reports, only saying that the 78-year-old leader was taken to South Africa for medical treatment.

The BBC notes that if Mutharika has indeed died, it could spark a constitutional crisis. The vice president is technically supposed to assume power, the news outlet explains, but "Vice President Joyce Banda and Mr. Mutharika fell out after a row over the succession in 2010, and she was expelled from the ruling Democratic People's Party." 

Mutharika, a former World Bank economist, was first elected in 2004 and has increasingly faced allegations of nepotism, economic mismanagement, and authoritarian tendencies.  

Victor Bout trial: A U.S. judge sentenced Russian arms dealer Victor Bout to 25 years in jail for attempting to sell heavy arms to the FARC, a Colombian rebel group, for use in targeting American pilots. Russia condemned the sentence as "political," while Bout's lawyer promised to appeal the verdict.  

Africa

  • Tuareg rebels declared an independent state called Azawad in northern Mali.  
  • Hundreds of Congolese troops loyal to a former rebel leader have reportedly defected from the army.
  • Invisible Children released a second "Kony 2012" video.

Middle East

  • The Syrian military is continuing to clash with opposition fighters ahead of a ceasefire deadline, as thousands of Syrian refugees flee to Turkey. 
  • The United Arab Emirates has detained foreign employees of the National Democratic Institute.
  • The lawyer for Saif al-Islam Qaddafi at the International Criminal Court claimed his client, who is being held by a Libyan militia, has been beaten and kept in isolation.

Asia

  • Myanmar is holding talks with the Karen rebels as part of an effort to broker peace with ethnic minority insurgents.
  • Pakistani politicians are criticizing the United States for placing a $10 million bounty on the militant leader Hafiz Saeed. 
  • Lai Changxing, the head of a major Chinese smuggling ring, has gone on trial.  

Europe

  • Umberto Bossi, the head of Italy's Northern League, resigned amid an investigation of party officials for fraud and illegal party financing.
  • Bosnia-Herzegovina is marking the 20th anniversary of the start of the Bosnian war.
  • Scotland Yard has suspended eight police officers over allegations of racism. 

Americas

  • Peru's president claimed the Shining Path rebel group had been defeated in one of its strongholds after the capture of a key leader. 
  • A U.S. court sentenced the leader of a Mexican drug gang to life in prison for the murder of three people associated with the American consulate in Ciudad Juarez.
  • The U.S. Coast Guard used a cannon to sink an unmanned Japanese ship that had drifted toward Alaska after Japan's 2011 earthquake and tsunami.



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Morning Brief: Islamist Egyptian candidate may be barred by mother’s U.S. citizenship

Posted By David Kenner Thursday, April 5, 2012 - 7:58 AM

Top story: Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, a Salafist preacher who has gained considerable support as a candidate in Egypt's presidential election, may be disqualified from running because his mother received U.S. citizenship before her death. Egyptian law bars candidates with a parent who held another nationality, even if they also had Egyptian citizenship.

 According to California public records and a Los Angeles voter registration website, Abu Ismail's mother became a U.S. citizen before she passed away in the past few years. Egyptian Interior Ministry officials also said they received copies of the mother's "travel documents" that showed she had taken U.S. citizenship. Abu Ismail's campaign staff sent a team to California to investigate the report, and announced that it was filing a lawsuit to force the Interior Ministry to disclose its evidence.

Abu Ismail's ouster from the race could help unite the fractured Islamist vote. Khairat el-Shater, the candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood, would likely attract many of his supporters.

Syria clashes intensify: Activists said that Syrian troops launched new offensives across the country in advance of an April 12 ceasefire negotiated by U.N. and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan.

Asia

  • The United States will ease some sanctions on Myanmar following its election.
  • India's army chief rejected claims that two army units had moved toward the capital without the government's knowledge.
  • U.S. officials believe that Iran is fomenting violence in Afghanistan.

Middle East

  • A rocket fired from Egypt's Sinai Peninsula struck the Israeli resort city of Eilat.
  • The International Criminal Court demanded that the Libyan government hand over Saif al-Islam, the son of Muammar al-Qaddafi.
  • Iraq's Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi, currently a fugitive, accused Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki of waging a campaign against Sunnis.

Europe

  • Pope Benedict XVI delivered a stern homily that criticized reform-minded priests for a lack of obedience.
  • Greek protesters clashed with police after a 77-year-old man committed suicide outside parliament.
  • The Bank of England kept its interest rate at a record-low 0.50 percent.

Africa

  • Mali's Tuareg rebels declared an end to their military operations, saying they had seized enough land to form a state.
  • Senegalese musician Youssou Ndour was appointed minister of tourism and culture in the new president's cabinet.
  • Sierra Leone described a multi-million dollar arms purchase as routine after U.N. officials had raised concerns.

Americas

  • Mexico extradited Jesus Zambada, allegedly one of its biggest drug lords, to the United States.
  • Chile's Supreme Court ruled that construction of a massive dam could continue.
  • Suriname's president was granted immunity by the parliament for violations committed during his previous military rule.



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Morning Brief: Deadly theater blast targets Somali officials

Posted By Uri Friedman Wednesday, April 4, 2012 - 8:28 AM

Top story: An attack by a female suicide bomber at the newly reopened National Theater in Mogadishu on Wednesday killed at least 10 people, including the heads of Somalia's Olympic committee and soccer federation, according to the BBC. AFP reports that the explosion took place as Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali was delivering a speech to mark the first anniversary of the country's satellite television network. The prime minister appears to have escaped unharmed.

The Islamic militant group al-Shabab, which retreated from the Somali capital in August but has continued to carry out attacks on the presidential palace and other locations, claimed responsibility for today's bombing.

The blast shatters a period of relative calm and cultural resurgence in Mogadishu -- one documented today by the New York Times in an article on the capital's "remarkable comeback." The Times notes that "Somali singers just held their first concert in more than two decades at the National Theater, which used to be a weapons depot and then a national toilet." Today it is a scene of carnage.

Russia on Syria: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Western and Arab leaders of undermining Kofi Annan's peace plan in Syria by sending money and communications equipment to opposition fighters, who Lavrov said could not defeat the Syrian army even if they were "armed to the teeth." 

Europe

  • French police detained 10 suspected Islamic militants in raids across France. 
  • Serbian President Boris Tadic is resigning so that he can seek reelection in May.
  • James Murdoch stepped down as chairman of BSkyB amid the ongoing phone hacking scandal.

Asia

  • Afghanistan and the United States are close to striking a deal to continue night raids with more oversight by Afghan authorities, amid reports of deadly attacks against NATO troops and Afghans in the north. 
  • The first U.S. Marines are arriving in the northern Australian city of Darwin as part of Washington's pivot toward the Pacific region.
  • Southeast Asian leaders called on Western countries to lift sanctions on Myanmar after the country's recent by-elections.

Middle East

  • Clashes between militias from rival towns in Western Libya killed at least 22 people.
  • Turkey has put the two surviving leaders of a 1980 military coup -- including former Turkish President Kenan Evren -- on trial.
  • The International Criminal Court declined a request by the Palestinian Authority to investigate alleged Israeli war crimes during the 2008 offensive against Hamas in Gaza. 

Africa

  • Coup leaders in Mali proposed a national convention on the country's future and suggested they may charge the overthrown president with treason and financial misconduct. 
  • Thousands of protesters in Mauritania's capital demanded that the president resign and make way for democratic elections. 
  • The African National Congress has condemned expelled youth leader Julius Malema for calling South African President Jacob Zuma a "dictator." 

Americas

  • Soldiers and police officers released by Colombia's FARC rebels are speaking out about their captivity.
  • The United Kingdom has sent its most powerful warship to the Falkland Islands on what British officials claim is a routine deployment.
  • Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney won primaries in Wisconsin, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. 



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