Top story: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-described mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks and four of his co-defendants will be tried in a federal court in New York, according to a justice department official. Meanwhile, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, accused of orchestrating the 2000 USS Cole bombing, will be tried by military commission.
The decision of how to try Mohammed, who was captured in 2003, been especially tricky since his lawyers plan to argue that he was illegally tortured by the CIA during his imprisonment. Documents show that he was waterboarded 183 times in March 2003.
Speaking about the decision in Tokyo, President Barack Obama said, "I am absolutely convinced that Khalid Sheik Mohammed will be subject to the most exacting demands of justice. The American people insist on it, and my administration will insist on it."
Around 40 Guantanamo inmates are expected to be tried in either civilian or military courts. 90 have been cleared for release. Another 75 may continue to be held under the laws of war because of the security threat they pose.
Mending fences: Obama met with Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who has been outspoken about his desire to make Japanese foreign policy more independent of Washington's influence. Obama agreed to reopen talks on the controversial relocation of a U.S. Marine base in Okinawa. Earlier this week, Hatoyama pledged $5 billion in new aid for Afghanistan.
The two leaders also discussed non-proliferation and climate change.
Asia
- A suicide bomber attacked a Pakistani intelligence office in Peshawar, killing 9.
- A Taliban bombing targeted a NATO base in Kabul.
- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged the Philippines government to sign a piece deal with separatist rebels.
Middle East
- Diplomats say the newly revealed Iranian nuclear plant at Qom is too small for a civilian nuclear program but large enough for a military one.
- Iran's Revolutionary Court will put the brother-in-law of opposition leader Mir Hossen Moussavi on trial.
- Palestinian election officials are urging the government to postpone the elections scheduled for January.
Europe
- Germany dropped an investigation into a suspect in the 2006 murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko.
- In a rare bit of good news for British Labour, the party won a special election in Glasgow.
- The Netherlands will drop its objection to Serbia's EU membership bid if the country is found to be cooperating with the international war crimes tribunal.
Americas
- Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya accused the United States of weakening its position on the country's political impasse.
- Brazil's government says deforestation rates have fallen to record lows.
- Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hussein was reportedly alert and lucid during his first meeting with his lawyer.
Africa
- A group of white South African have accused the government of racial discrimination.
- Chinese workers in Angola are being increasingly targeted for attacks.
- Eleven were killed in inter-ethnic fighting in Southern Sudan.
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