Global Affairs and Finance for November 13, 2009

Suicide truck bombing on Peshawar offices signals major escalation in the war with the Taliban, the main intelligence agency was targeted.

Baghdad's first trade fair since the invasion six years ago attracted 396 companies, only a few were American companies.

President Obama's tour of Asia has begun, with Air Force One touching down in Tokyo today.

President Barack Obama’s strategy for Afghanistan will include a plan for “how we’re going to get folks out” after a secure environment can be passed to the Afghan government, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters aboard Air Force One on Thursday.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly encouraged all heads of State and government to accept the invitation issued by Danish Prime Minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, to attend the closing days of next month’s United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen.

China's rapid growth is due not just to heavy investment, but also to the world's fastest productivity gains.

China's first privately owned bank readies for listing.

The top priority for the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is the protection of civilians from abuse, be it from the government forces that it is mandated to support or armed rebel groups, a senior official said today.

The Appeals Chamber of the United Nations tribunal set up to deal with the worst crimes committed during the Balkan wars of the 1990s today cut four years off the 33-year sentence imposed on a former Bosnian Serb army general who commanded much of the siege of Sarajevo.

The Republican National Committee will no longer cover abortions as part of their employee health-insurance plan.

Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, self proclaimed mastermind of the 9-11 attacks, and four other Guantánamo Bay detainees would be sent to New York to face trial in a civilian federal court.

F.H.A. might need a direct bailout.

Revenue and profits were up at Wal-Mart more than expected, but sales fell 0.4 percent at stores open at least a year.

General Electric said on Thursday that it would sell its fire alarm and security systems unit to United Technologies for $1.82 billion.

Hewlett-Packard agreed to buy 3Com for $2.7 billion.

Toll Brothers said that contracts for its luxury homes in America for the three months ending October 31st had surged by 42%.

The Euro zone emerged from recession in the third quarter with GDP growth of 0.4%

The trade deficit for the U.S. grew more than expected in September.

Pfizer said it would pull out of New London, Connecticut, eight years after its set off a landmark eminent domain battle.

Entrepreneurs are experimenting with moving outsourcing jobs to corners of India that have been largely cut off from its rapid growth.

The United Nations humanitarian chief will undertake a mission to Sri Lanka next week.

Military prosecutors have charged Maj. Nadil Malik Hasan with premeditated murder in last week’s shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Tex., an official said.

Government officials from Central Asian and neighboring countries, international organizations and financial institutions pledged at a United Nations-sponsored forum yesterday to cooperate in developing the best strategies for an early regional recovery from the global economic crisis.

Senior Sgt. Mark Todd said that he brought down the gunman, matching the account of an eyewitness but not the initial version from the authorities.

Gordon Brown wants Britain 's non-US coalition partners to commit 5,000 more troops to Afghanistan.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged States to remain focused on strengthening the protection of civilians from the inhumane and indiscriminate impact of cluster munitions, in a speech to the parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW).

Emergency supplies of antiviral drugs are being sent to Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

President Dmitri A. Medvedev said in his state of the nation speech that Russia needed to reform its economy.

Motorola might divide into three separate companies.

The Palestinian Electoral Commission on Thursday said general elections called for January should be postponed.

King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, issued a Royal order extending the service of Prince Muhammad Bin Nawaf Bin Abdul Aziz, the Kingdom’s Ambassador to the UK, for a period of four years.

Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said that if asked, his country might be willing to temporarily store Iran 's enriched uranium.

Chinese President, Hu Jintao, summarizes a plan to boost economic growth and support the global recovery during a speech at the APECCEO Summit in Singapore today.

Construction growth in Nigeria is quickly becoming the fastest in the world because of increased wealth and urbanization from its oil industry.

U.S. federal prosecutors moved forward with procedures to seize the assets of the Alavi Foundation, which they say may be part of a front for the Iranian state-owned bank.

The United States and European Union are in agreement of a draft deal that gives the U.S. law enforcement access to European financial data to combat terrorism, raising concerns consumer and privacy advocates.