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  Afghan vows to keep corrupt officials out of govt

  The embattled Afghan president pledged Sunday that there would be no place for corrupt officials in his new administration — a demand made by Washington and its international partners as they ponder sending more troops to confront the Taliban and shore up his government.

• Iranian lawmaker warns Russia over missile delay

  A senior Iranian lawmaker warned Russia that its delay in delivering an anti-aircraft missile defense system to Tehran could harm relations between the two countries, state television reported Sunday.

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  Hurricane watch issued for coastal La., Miss.

  A hurricane watch has been issued for coastal Louisiana and Mississippi as Hurricane Ida begins making its way through the Gulf of Mexico toward the U.S.

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  Pakistani gov't pressured on post-offensive plan

  As Pakistan's army plows ahead with its offensive in South Waziristan, its success is at risk because the government has yet to come up with plan to run and rebuild the lawless territory so that the Taliban and al-Qaida don't re-emerge.

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  Germany celebrates memory of Berlin Wall falling

  Twenty years ago Monday, they danced atop the Berlin Wall, feet thudding on the cold concrete, arms raised in victory, hands clasped in friendship and giddy hope.

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  Chinese premier pledges funds, aid to Africa

  China's premier on Sunday pledged $10 billion in low interest loans to African nations over the next three years and said Beijing would cancel the government debts of some of the poorest of those countries.

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  Berlin guard: Opening wall `terrible' but right

  Harald Jaeger was a loyal East German border guard — respected and trusted to command a crossing point to the west on Berlin's Bornholmer Strasse.

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  Saudis take mountain from Yemen rebels

  Saudi Arabian forces have taken control of a mountain straddling the border with Yemen and cleared it of Shiite rebels, in five days of fighting that saw three soldiers killed and 15 wounded, the assistant defense minister said on Sunday.

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  Dalai Lama visits town near Tibet, angering China

  Joyous Buddhist pilgrims welcomed the Dalai Lama back Sunday to the Himalayan town he first set foot in five decades ago while fleeing Chinese rule in his native Tibet — a rare trip close to his homeland that has angered Beijing.

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  Queen leads Britain's ceremony for war dead

  Queen Elizabeth II led Britain's annual ceremony for the country's war dead Sunday, honoring them with a moment of silence as the military reported the 200th British soldier killed in combat in Afghanistan.

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  Market attack in Pakistan kills at least 12

  A suicide bomber killed an anti-Taliban village mayor and 11 other people in an attack near Pakistan's volatile city of Peshawar on Sunday, officials said.

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  Abbas supporters in West Bank urge him not to quit

  Supporters of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas turned out in the West Bank on Sunday to urge him to run again for the presidency following his announcement that he did not want a second term in the job.

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  SPECIAL REPORT: In eastern Europe, people pine for socialism

  In the dense forests of the idyllic Danube island of Persin, home to the endangered sea eagle and the pygmy cormorant, lie the ghastly remains of a communist-era death camp.

• Russia must keep promise to supply missiles: Iran

  Russia should keep its word on selling a missile defense system to Iran, an influential parliamentarian was quoted by Iranian media as saying Sunday.

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  Saudis claim gains from Yemen rebels

  Saudi Arabia said it had regained control of territory seized by Yemeni rebels in an incursion last week, but the rebels denied the claim and said Yemeni villages were being bombed heavily.

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  China to boost aid to Africa as ties blossom

  Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao offered Africa $10 billion in concessional loans over the next three years on Sunday, saying China was a "true and trusted friend" of the continent and its people.

• Hurricane Ida strengthens, 42 dead in Salvador

  Hurricane Ida strengthened off the Mexican resort city of Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula on Sunday as the storm's heavy rains killed at least 42 people in El Salvador.

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  Dalai Lama visits Indian state disputed by China

  Thousands of Buddhist monks and supporters welcomed Tibet's exiled spiritual leader on Sunday to a remote Indian region also claimed by China, a trip that has renewed tensions between the Asian giants.

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  Zimbabwe's Tsvangirai vows to stay in government

  Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said on Sunday he would stay in the government and challenge President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF to implement last year's political deal in full.

• Women fight new battle in Iraq's insurgent corner

  In what was once one of Iraq's deadliest areas, women who survived sectarian carnage and insurgency now fight a new battle to feed families whose menfolk have been killed, jailed or left jobless.

• Obama to Meet With Prime Minister of Myanmar

  President Barack Obama plans to meet with the prime minister of Myanmar in a high-level affirmation of a policy of engaging the country despite its human rights record.

• Indian Town Joyfully Greets Dalai Lama

  The Dalai Lama brushed off Chinese protests and traveled to a remote Himalayan town near the Tibetan border to lead five days of prayers and teaching sessions.

• Letter from Europe: Lessons From the Former East Germany

  It was, and largely remains, a taboo to suggest that West Germany, the winner of the Cold War, had anything to learn from the East.

• Medvedev Says Russia May Back Sanctions on Iran if Deal Falls Apart

  The statement by President Dmitri A. Medvedev resembles an earlier one, but it takes on added significance now because Iran has equivocated on the international agreement.

• Blast Rocks Market in Pakistan

  A suicide bomber apparently targeting an anti-Taliban mayor struck a market in northwest Pakistan Sunday, killing the mayor and at least eleven others, police said.

• Blast Rocks Crowded Market in Northwest Pakistan

  A suicide bomber apparently targeting an anti-Taliban mayor struck the town of Adazai Sunday, killing the mayor and at least eight others, police said.

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  Jeremy Morris, Proved Exercise Is Heart-Healthy, Dies at 99½

  Mr. Morris was a British epidemiologist whose heart-attack research laid the scientific groundwork for the modern aerobics movement.

• All Afghan War Options by Obama Aides Said to Call for More Troops

  The president has apparently rejected the most extreme choices being discussed on troop levels in the eight-year-old war.

• NATO Airstrike Said to Kill 7 Afghan Soldiers

  The Afghan Defense Ministry and local officials in Badghis Province said that seven members of the Afghan security forces had been killed in a NATO airstrike the day before.

• Israeli Asks Abbas Not to Step Down

  Appealing to the president of the Palestinian Authority, who announced that he would not seek re-election, the Israeli president said: “Don’t let go.”

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  Defence chiefs voice anger at 'mixed messages' on Afghanistan

  Senior commanders say public not convinced British troops can succeed and that purpose of mission remains unclearGrowing frustration among Britain's most senior military commanders over the government's handling of the war in Afghanistan burst into the open today as they stepped up plans to restric...

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  Book depicting 'Queen of Paraguay' Eliza Lynch prompts calls for Brazilian penitence

  Eliza Lynch was depicted by Brazil as a warmongering manipulator after South America's bloodiest war. Irish authors present a more sympathetic accountWhen Brazil won the bloodiest war in South Americ's history it cast itself as the victim and Eliza Lynch as one of the chief villains.

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  Angolan radio taken in by 'Lula' hoaxer

  Brazilian government starts investigation into how radio comedian impersonated president Luiz Inácio da Silva in Rio interviewWhen Brazil's notoriously interview-shy president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, offered journalists from Angolan state radio an exclusive telephone chat, they should probably ...

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  Victory for Obama in fight to extend healthcare

  Vote marks significant step towards administration's goal of extending health coverage to millions of people lacking itBarack Obama's landmark healthcare legislation was narrowly passed by the US Houe of Representatives late last night.

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  Queen leads Britain's remembrance of war dead

  Monarch lays wreath at Cenotaph in London as MoD announces death of UK soldier in AfghanistanThe Queen today led Britain in the country's remembrance of its war dead at the annual wreath-laying ceremny at the Cenotaph in London.

• Germany leads call to rid Europe of US nuclear arms

  Pressure is growing within Nato for the removal of the remaining US nuclear weapons on European soil, and for a new doctrine for the alliance that would depend less on nuclear deterrence.The initiative is being driven by the new German government coalition, which has called for the removal of Ameri...

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  Berlin Wall timeline

  Dates and events that shaped the Berlin Wall and finally brought about its downfall

• How capitalism let Hungary down | Gyula Hegyi

  Disillusionment with post-1989 life has tempted some to turn against democracy, not just neoliberal economicsWhen I was a child in the 1960s, there was a photo in my history book. "Man market in the 930s" was its title.

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  House of Representatives passes Obama healthcare legislation

  Vote marks significant step towards administration's goal of extending health coverage to millions of people lacking itBarack Obama's landmark healthcare legislation was narrowly passed by the US Houe of Representatives late last night.

• Grief in Fort Hood after shooting

  America's biggest military base is a tight-knit community. In the aftermath of mass murder by an army psychiatrist, many feel the horror and trauma of war has invaded their homes. Paul Harris reports from Fort Hood, TexasPrivate Marquest Smith thought the first sounds of gunfire sounded like popcor...

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• England 3-0 Belarus

  Peter Crouch scores twice to boost his hopes of playing at next year's World Cup finals and help England beat Belarus in their last qualifying match.

• Macedonia 'is ready for EU talks'

  The European Union should open talks aimed at welcoming Macedonia as a member, the European Commission says.

• Israel must end 'unfair' jailing

  Israeli human rights groups say Israel must release or put on trial hundreds of Palestinians held without trial or charge.

• Hunger worsening, warns UN

  Targets to cut numbers of hungry people in the world will not be met without more international effort, UN food agencies warn.

• Russia sees Iran threat - Clinton

  US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tells the BBC that Russia now recognises the threat posed by Iran.

• UN urges Gaza war crime follow-up

  Israel and the Palestinians must carry out 'credible' investigations into alleged war crimes in the Gaza conflict, the UN chief says.

• Zimbabwe MP sent back to jail

  A senior aide to Zimbabwe's PM, Roy Bennett, is ordered back to prison until his terrorism trial starts, a court official says.

• Kidnap victim Dugard speaks out

  US kidnap victim Jaycee Dugard speaks publicly for the first time since being found living with her alleged abductors for 18 years.

• Russian MPs make election protest

  Russian opposition parties walk out of parliament and threaten mass protests over local elections they say were rigged.

• Mandela notes show 'grave error'

  A new collection of Nelson Mandela's writings reveals candid moments including him admitting a "grave error" in 1994.

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  In Yemen conflict, number of displaced grows

  More than 150,000 people have fled fighting between troops and rebels in the northwest, according to news reports and U.N. records. The government is also battling insurgents in the south. It was soetime after 2 a.

• Gordon Brown pledges 500 more British troops to Afghanistan

  The prime minister conditions the increase on all coalition countries pulling their weight, an assurance by Kabul that it will recruit more soldiers, and sufficient gear for the extra troops. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown pledged today to send another 500 troops to bolster international forc...

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  Iran investigating prominent opposition cleric

  Mehdi Karroubi has accused security forces of raping and torturing protesters detained after the disputed reelection of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The probe could spark new street demonstrations. Iranian authorities launched a provocative attack on the opposition movement Tuesday by announcing...

• Russia balks on tougher Iran sanctions

  Defying U.S. pressure as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton begins a visit to Moscow, Russia's top diplomat promotes negotiation over punishment to persuade Iran to halt its nuclear program. Further sanctions on Iran would be "counterproductive," Russia's top diplomat said Tuesday, pushing back po...

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  Rev. Moon performs worldwide mass wedding

  In a ceremony streamed over the Web, Unification Church officials say 40,000 people recited vows around the world as the controversial minister stood before an estimated 7,500 couples in South Korea. The legions of followers stood in rapt attention today -- men in black tuxedos and red ties, women...

• Surprise ending at Mexico City crime scene

  Mexicans are so cynical about their police, all too often involved in shady activity, that they are loath to report crimes. What took place under a reporter's window showed another possibility. The irst gunshot drew me racing to the window.

• Nobel panelists defend award to Obama

  Four of the five Norwegian Nobel committee members speak out on an award they say was merited and unanimous. One notes Obama's seeming unhappiness; another calls critics of the choice patronizing. One judge noted with surprise that President Obama "didn't look particularly happy" about being award...

• World Briefing

  Pakistan: Planes strike militants / Russia: Stalin suit rejected / Saudi Arabia: 3 die in shootout / Guinea: Mining pact with China / West Bank: Palestinians plan homes / China: Lead found in children PAKISTAN

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  Attacks highlight Pakistan's vulnerability to militants

  The country is being hit with symbolic and deadly blasts as its military prepares an offensive against the Taliban in South Waziristan. One attack shows collaboration with Punjabi factions. Dressed in camouflage and armed with automatic rifles, grenades, mines and suicide vests, the 10 militants w...

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  In Egypt and Saudi Arabia, succession looms

  Egypt President Hosni Mubarak and Saudi Arabia King Abdullah, both in their 80s, have long played leading Mideast roles. Some worry that successors will complicate relationships. They are a desert kng and a military officer-turned-president.

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• Adrienne Redd

  October 15, 2009 Summary -- This autumn Dr. Redd, a professor of sociology at Arcadia University, is teaching a first-time seminar at Arcadia entitled Understanding Global News.

• Understanding Global News: Professor Adrienne Redd

  October 14, 2009 US258.8, Understanding Global News Professor Adrienne Redd Arcadia University Course Description SyllabusReddUndGlobNews.pdf

• The Art of Afghan Alliance Building

  Winning Hearts and Minds, Eight Years On October 13, 2009 Eight years ago, Washington's special envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, told former mujahideen leaders -- the likes of Marshal Muhammad Qasim Fahim and Abdul Rasul Sayyaf -- that they had a choice: either be part of the soluti...

• Clarity in the Caucasus?

  The Facts and Future of the 2008 Russian-Georgian War October 11, 2009 Few people believed that the fact-finding investigation into the 2008 Russia-Georgia war by the European Union -- whichreleased its final report on September 30 -- would reveal new facts.

• The World Next Week Podcast: October 9, 2009

  October 9, 2009 Foreign Affairs Managing Editor Gideon Rose and CFR.org Editor Robert McMahon preview major world events in the week ahead. In this week's podcast: the United States debates a troop surge in Afghanistan; Russian and Chinese officials meet for energy talks; and the UN Security C...

• Letter From New Delhi: India’s Myopic Opposition

  The Battle for the Soul of the BJP October 8, 2009 Teen Murti Bhavan, a classical stone-and-stucco structure in the handsomest enclave of New Delhi, has long been identified with its most famous former resident: Jawaharlal Nehru, India s first prime minister and the architect of the Congre...

• Arctic Doom, Arctic Boom: The Geopolitics of Climate Change in the Arctic

  October 8, 2009 This month Praeger will release Arctic Doom, Arctic Boom: The Geopolitics of Climate Change in the Arctic by Scott Zellen. This short book gives us a picture of the political uncetainty present in the world s smallest ocean.

• Foreign Affairs at One Day University

  October 5, 2009

• The World Next Week Podcast: October 2, 2009

  October 2, 2009 Foreign Affairs Managing Editor Gideon Rose and Council on Foreign Relations Fellow Kim Barker preview major world events in the week ahead. In this week's podcast: the Dalai Lamatours the United States; the U.

• What to Read on Religion and Foreign Policy

  September 30, 2009 Academic and policy discussions of international issues generally ignore religion or, at most, treat it as part of some other problem to be solved. But despite the conventional expectations of inexorable secularization, according to the World Values Survey, religion remains an...

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