Zimbabwe's main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai

ZIMBABWE POLITICS:  Zimbabwe's opposition says a power-sharing deal is in jeopardy after President Robert Mugabe allocated key ministries to his ZANU-PF party. A Zimbabwean government notice said Saturday that Mr. Mugabe gave control of the defense, home affairs and finance ministries to ZANU-PF. The opposition called the move unilateral. It was announced one day after talks between Mr. Mugabe, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change and Arthur Mutambara, who heads a breakaway opposition faction.

Financial officials in Washington, 10 Oct 2008

WORLD ECONOMY:  U.S. President George Bush is meeting with finance officials from the world's top economic powers at the White House today to discuss the financial crisis that has sent stock indexes plunging around the world. The heads of international finance institutions will be joining the G-7 finance ministers at the meeting. Following talks in Washington Friday, finance ministers and central bankers from the G-7 (the United States, Japan, Britain, Germany, France, Canada and Italy) pledged to take decisive action and use all available tools to support important financial institutions and prevent their failure.

Gov. Sarah Palin gestures during a campaign speech in Clearwater, Florida, 6 Oct. 2008

US POL - PALIN - PROBE:  A newly released report by Alaska's Legislative Panel found that Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin abused her power as state governor by pressuring officials to fire a state trooper who was once married to her sister. The investigation found that Palin violated state ethics rules governing public officials. The report says that Palin allowed her husband, Todd Palin, to use the Alaska's governors office and its resources to pressure employees into finding a way to fire state trooper Mike Wooten.

Obama_McCain

US POLITICS:  Republican U.S. presidential candidate John McCain has urged his supporters to be respectful toward rival Barack Obama to control angry outbursts at McCain campaign events toward the Democratic nominee. Senator McCain told a crowd at a campaign event Friday in Minnesota that Obama is a decent person. McCain's campaign has raised questions in recent days about Obama's character and his fitness to be president. At some McCain campaign stops, audience members have railed angrily against Obama.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan raises his hand during  vote to extend mandate to launch military operations against Kurdish rebels in Northern Iraq in Ankara, 08 Oct 2008

TURKEY - KURDS:  The Turkish military say its warplanes and artillery units have bombed dozens of Kurdish rebel bases in northern Iraq. A military statement says 31 positions of the rebel Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were successfully hit in the late Friday strikes. Turkish officials have been considering new actions against Kurdish rebels following recent attacks on security forces. Last week, Kurdish fighters killed 15 Turkish soldiers during a raid on a military outpost in southeastern Turkey, close to the Iraqi border. Seven people were killed Wednesday in an attack on a police vehicle, also in the southeast.

Indonesia Aceh Map

INDONESIA - ACEH:  The founder of Indonesia's Aceh separatist rebel movement returned home today after more than 30 years in exile. Thousands of people turned out to welcome Hasan di Tiro, founder of the former rebel group, the Free Aceh Movement. The 83-year-old appeared to be in frail health as he was helped off the plane in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh and was greeted by his elderly sister. Di Tiro's declaration of independence from Indonesia in 1976 sparked a three-decade civil war that claimed 15 thousand lives and left the province on the northern tip of Sumatra island in ruins.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il (l) talks with soldiers as Kim inspects a female military unit, 11 Oct 2008 (frame grab distributed by South Korea's Yonhap news agency)

NOKOR - KIM:  North Korean media have released the first photograph of a public appearance by leader Kim Jong Il since he allegedly suffered a stroke in August. South Korea's Yonhap news agency reports that North Korean state television today showed a still picture of Mr. Kim's inspection of a female artillery unit. North Korean media have not clarified when the appearance took place. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) first reported the military inspection on Friday, but did not make any reference to Thursday or Friday's celebrations for the founding of the ruling Worker's Party.

Manmohan Singh (file photo)

INDIA - KASHMIR:  Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inaugurated Indian Kashmir's first train service amid heavy security and a separatist strike protesting his visit. The train service covers 117 kilometers between Baramuilla in the north and Qazigund in the south. For the moment, only a 66-kilometer portion will be used. On Friday, two people were killed, and 75 injured, when police fired teargas at protesters in Indian Kashmir's main city of Srinagar. Authorities deployed thousands of soldiers today to patrol Srinagar, as shops, schools and businesses were shut down.

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