Security
Gadhafi forces retake towns near Libyan capital
‘Al-Hayat’: Qadhafi Asks Tribal Heads To Stop Spread Of Protests – To Avoid Massacres
No-fly zone plan goes nowhere as US, Russia and Nato urge caution
No military intervention in Libya without UN: France
Clinton says Libya risks ‘protracted civil war’
UN: Libyan refugee ‘crisis’ tops 140,000
Libya outed from UN Human Rights council
Islamist IHH swoops into Libya’s vacuum
U.S. Backs Bahrain Royalty
Saudi Arabia sends tanks to riot-hit Bahrain – paper
Thousands back on Yemen streets
Yemen president blames Israel for Arab world unrest
Yemeni Islamist Leader Interjects Call For Islamic State Into Anti-Government Demonstrations
UN warns Yemen authorities against protest clampdown
Yemeni journalists threatened
Special Report from Yemen: The Looming Threat of Tribal War
Oman deploys army units fearing more unrest
Protests in Oman Sputter
Saudi Arabia Is Ripe for Revolution
Saudi Arabia’s subtle protests are serious
‘Damascus Declaration’ Organization Calls On Syrian People To Come Out Against Regime
Exodus From Libya May Hit Egyptian Economy
Brotherhood changes English website to appear moderate
Palestinians try to create ‘Facebook revolution’
In Gaza, Calls For Kidnapping Israeli Soldiers, Settlers
The “Egypt Effect” on Palestinian Politics
Iranian forces fire teargas, clash with protesters
Russia’s Lavrov urges restoration of trust in Iran
Moscow calls for nuclear weapon free zone in Mideast
Nationalism Resurgent in Arab World
Egyptian, Syrian Candidates To Run For Arab League Secretary-General
Israel’s Barak: Must look beyond Mideast risks
Turkey’s foreign minister says Israel’s human rights violations are the worst
Mass funeral for Turkish Islamist
Turkey: Kirkuk Is The Identity Of Turkmen, And Cannot Be Surrendered To Others – i.e. To The Kurds
Tunisia Defections Threaten Transition
Tunisia legalises Islamist group
Chinese hackers targeted Morgan Stanley in 2009
Reporters ‘must work with China’
A Jasmine tea transformation
China minister in corruption case
Balancing act in Asia: The U.S. does less; Japan does more
S Korea offers talks amid drills
U.S. considers resuming food aid to North Korea
North Koreans out of revolutionary loop
Vietnam Dissident Released on Bail
Burma’s generals attempt to prevent revolution by cross-dressing
Fury over Pakistan oil price rise
US competing with India to maintain leadership stature: Obama
Men to die for India train fire
Dowry wars: The big issue that has India divided
US warns Sri Lanka over war probe
Why Russia Is Challenging Japan Over Kurils
Russian border guards propose lifting visas for foreigners
Irish coalition talks under way
Plagiarism Affair: Defense Minister Guttenberg Resigns
UN says world leaders must act to stop systematic rape of girls in conflict zones
The Economist: A waxing crescent: Islam is growing. But ageing and slowing. That will change the world
IOC dismisses ‘racist’ logo claim

Military
400 Marines to join Kearsarge near Libya
High Court rules for reservist in USERRA case
Report predicts ballooning defense budget
Russia Sets Arms Export Record of $10B
U.S. launches new missile shield for Europe
Prompt Global Strike Won’t Use ICBMs
Levin, federal workers slam Army’s move to put brakes on insourcing
Unified medical command could save $460m a year
Army swaps sit-ups for combat run in new PT tests

Maritime
Pirates Threaten to Kill Danish Family if Rescue Attempted
U.S. Senator Proposes Legislation for Counter Piracy
Roughead: 2 carriers required in 5th Fleet
Destroyer CO, CMC fired during deployment

Environment
EU pledges €90m in climate funds for Pacific island states
Parched crops
Nations split on route to reduce emissions
Government hits out at EU fishing rules

Economy
Financial terrorism suspected in 2008 economic crash
Oil price rise ‘poses risk’ to US
U.S. Auto Sales Sizzle
Gold climbs on Libyan unrest, silver near 31-year high
Fed Chief Discusses Exit From Stimulus
Chinese Investment in the US $2 Trillion and Counting
China’s Troubled Transition to a More Balanced Growth Model
The Future of Chinese Growth
Corruption Threatens India’s Growth
Indian budget steeped in optimism
Why India & China Have Nothing on America

Politics
House passes bill to cut spending, avert shutdown
Corporate Tax Rate Is Major Barrier to Economic Growth
Obama says he will support letting states opt out of health-care law earlier
Billions in Bloat Uncovered in Beltway
Religious groups fight Obama on tax deductions
Regulators Push 20% Home Deposits
Key House Republican praises Obama’s housing plan
Democrats Seek Five Percent Cut in Senate Office Funds
Why Middle America Is Rejecting Big Gov’t
On Income Inequality and the Question of Justice

Religion
Clinton: Mideast religious minorities under threat
Christian Students Attacked by Muslim Mob in Ethiopia
Global Muslim population will continue to grow in next 20 years

Housing starts highest since May, but still in multi-year slump
Housing starts have reached a five-month high, but given how far they’ve fallen, that’s not saying much. Housing starts have hovered near the same level for two years with no signs of rebound.

Merkel says German multicultural society has failed
The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel: “lmmigrants should learn to speak German.” Attempts to build a multicultural society in Germany have “utterly failed”, Chancellor Angela Merkel says.

America’s Founders and the Principles of Foreign Policy
America’s Founders sought to define a national good that transcended local interests and prejudices. The national good included the common benefits of self-defense and prosperity that all Americans would realize by participating in a large, commercial nation able to hold its own in an often hostile world.

Defending Defense: U.S. Military Spending Requirements
Since the end of the Cold War, administrations of both political parties have underfunded the military, first harvesting a “peace dividend” by reducing the size of the force and then repeatedly postponing investments needed to replace worn out equipment and preserve the technological advantages that have been a traditional source of American strength

Japan’s central bank cuts rates to around zero
In an attempt to stimulate lending and fight deflation, the Bank of Japan cut its benchmark interest rate to a range of 0 to 0.1 percent. While this represents only a small decline from its previous target of 0.1 percent, it marks a significant symbolic step back to Japan’s period of zero interest rates, a strategy the central bank employed until 2006 in a bid to spur growth.

Islam: Governing Under Sharia
Sharia, or Islamic law, is increasingly in the spotlight as its political and economic role expands in the Muslim world and even in the West.

The Impact of Cap-and-Trade on Homeownership
Proposed legislation would offer financial incentives to increase the population density of communities in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy use. However, the available evidence, which is admittedly limited, indicates that such “smart growth” policies are misguided, producing minimal results at great expense and disruption. Such policies would threaten to disrupt the already wobbly housing market, make housing less affordable, reduce housing quality, and substantially limit consumer choice.

Pending home sales rise 4.3 percent in August
The number of people who signed contracts to buy homes rose in August for the second straight month but remained far below last year’s pace. The weak economy and fears that prices will fall are keeping many consumers away from the housing market.

Capital Controls Eyed As Global Currency Wars Escalate
Stimulus leaking out of the West’s stagnant economies is flooding into emerging markets, playing havoc with their currencies and economies. Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Korea, Taiwan, South Africa, Russia and even Poland are either intervening directly in the exchange markets to prevent their currencies rising too far, or examining what options they have to stem disruptive inflows.

Woodward Hints At Powell As Next SecDef
Legendary author and reporter Bob Woodward indicated that former JCS Chairman and Secretary of State Colin Powell might get the nod to replace Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense when Gates leaves in 2011.