THE GUARDIAN - Syria: pressure mounts on Assad , Nov 15, 2011

"• Syria is trying to head off suspension from the Arab League which is due begin tomorrow. It is scrabbling to find the mandatory 15 of the 22 states onside to convene a meeting of League ambassadors in an attempt to stall, or overturn the suspension."

REUTERS - Colombia's FARC rebels pick hardline new leader, Nov 15, 2011

"(Reuters) - Colombia's FARC guerrillas named Timoleon Jimenez, a hard-liner known as Timochenko, as their new leader after the Andean country's armed forces killed his predecessor, a rebel statement said on Tuesday
In one of the largest strikes against the guerrillas, Colombian forces killed FARC leader Alfonso Cano on November 4. But the insurgents vowed to fight on, dampening hopes that his death might bring the nation closer to peace."

INDIA Today - Parliament Lokpal panel divided on including PM, Nov 15, 2011

"Consensus eluded the Parliamentary panel on Lokpal on the issue of including the prime minister within the ambit of the ombudsman with a majority opposing the suggestion, saying it could lead to complications while some others favoured it with riders.
While some members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances and Law and Justice felt the Prime Minister should be brought under the Lokpal, others felt this should be avoided.
A middle path was suggested by some other members who said the prime minister can be brought within the ambit of the ombudsman but with some riders like excluding his duties relating to external affairs and internal security, among others."

INDIA Today - SC raps UP govt on Taj Mahal protection : Uttar Pradesh News, Nov 15, 2011

"The Supreme Court on Tuesday rapped the Uttar Pradesh government for failing to explain whether water supply for the wooden foundation of the Taj Mahal was sufficient to prevent any damage to the monument.
The Supreme Court bench of Justice D.K. Jain and Justice Anil R. Dave had issued notice to the government taking suo motu cognisance of some newspaper reports which expressed fears that lack of water for the foundation was affecting the monument.
The court asked if there was sufficient water for the foundation and, if not, what steps were being taken to address the situation.
The court expressed dissatisfaction with the Uttar Pradesh government's reply saying "the monument is in your state. But it is the duty of the Supreme Court to protect it".
The court also sought a report from the Archaeological Survey of India listing the points raised by other agencies which regularly inspect the monument.
The case would he heard next after four weeks."

INDIA Today - Muammar Gaddafi's chemical weapons found, Nov 15, 2011

"Deadly chemical weapons hoarded by slain Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi have been found in the North African country, British Prime Minister David Cameron has said.
The chemical arsenal which was uncovered recently follows the discovery of a deadly mustard gas cache in Libya, The Sun reported.
The country's new government called in international inspectors who found the chemical weapons.
"Gaddafi agreed to declare and dismantle all his weapons of mass destruction. Although we made real progress diminishing the threat he posed, in the last few days we have learnt that the new Libyan authorities have found chemical weapons that were kept hidden from the world," Cameron said at an event Monday night.
Gaddafi was killed in his hometown Sirte in October by forces of the rebel National Transitional Council.
He had earlier admitted to having 25 tonnes of mustard gas agent, 1,400 tonnes of other chemicals and 3,500 unfilled aerial bombs."
   

ABC News, Australia - Obama: the entourage and the Beast, Nov 16, 2011

"Barack Obama will touch down in Canberra this afternoon for a brief visit, but the US president will not be coming alone.
While the US government has refused to give details of the presidential retinue for security reasons, a look at Mr Obama's past overseas visits suggests he will bring a huge entourage on his first official trip to Australia.
The presidential retinue includes an estimated 500 people, including 200 Secret Service agents, the White House chef, and a military officer carrying America's nuclear codes."

VOA News - Syria's Homs Pays Heavy Price in Uprising, Nov 15, 2011

"Syria's third-largest city of Homs has paid a heavy price as one of the centers of the country's eight-month old opposition uprising.
Rights activists say Syrian security forces have killed more than 1,100 civilians in the city and its surrounding province since the uprising began, more than any other part of the country. Experts say the unrest has escalated in Homs because of the region's poverty, its role as a natural home for army defectors and its history of anti-government protest."

VOA News - Obama Visit to Australia Seen as Part of US Shift toward Asia, Nov 15, 2011

"President Obama will address a joint sitting of the Australian parliament this week on a visit that marks the 60th anniversary of the military alliance between Canberra and Washington. The ANZUS (Australia, New Zealand, United States) treaty was signed in San Francisco in September 1951, at the height of the Cold War.
Successive governments in Canberra have insisted that the alliance is fundamental to Australia’s long-term security.
In September, Hillary Clinton led the official celebrations of a treaty that has underwritten the security of Australia, which has become one of America’s most loyal allies."

XINHUA NET - EU reinforces sanctions against Syria, Nov 15, 2011

The European Union (EU) on Monday reinforced its sanctions against Syria "in view of the gravity of the situation" there.
According to the conclusions adopted here on Monday by the foreign ministers of the 27-member bloc, 18 more persons "responsible for human rights violations" were added to the list of those targeted by an asset freeze and travel ban.
This decision brings the total number of persons subject to the measures to 74. At the same time, 19 entities remain covered by a freeze of their assets in the EU."

BRUNEI TIMES - Maritime link study between 5 Asean nations starts next year, Nov 15, 2011

FeASIBILITY study on maritime connectivity between five Asean member states including Brunei has been planned for implementation by early next year, said the Indonesian Ambassador to Asean.
Ngurah Swajaya (picture) told reporters after a press conference held for the Asean Senior Officials (SOM) Preparatory Meeting as part of the 19th Asean Summits and Related Summits, the study was aimed at creating a better connectivity between the countries.
He shared that the countries who would fall under the study would be Philippines through Davao, Indonesia through, Brunei, Malaysia and possibly Thailand."

BRUNEI TIMES - Brunei chips in US$15-25 million to AIF, Nov 15, 2011

"BRUNEI has contributed between US$15 million and US$25 million to the Asean Infrastructure Fund (AIF), an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) senior official said yesterday.
Indonesian Ambassador to Asean Ngurah Swajaya said Brunei has made its contribution to the fund. He said he was unable to confirm the exact amount, but shared that the amount was "somewhere around US$15 to US$25 million".
Swajaya said the fund involves the equity participation of all Asean member states as well as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the regional financial institution to which Japan and the United States are the largest contributors."

BRUNEI TIMES - Sarawak gears up for floods, Nov 15, 2011

"SARAWAK is now prepared to face the coming monsoon season, which is most likely to bring floods.
Updates from Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas have revealed that more than 50 new telemetry systems were installed at newly-discovered flood-prone areas in the state recently.
He said, since the last bad flood in 2009, flood-prone areas had increased and there was a need to improve the old system and install new ones.
There are about 400 telemetry systems throughout the state. While new ones are being installed, the old ones will be improved."

BRUNEI TIMES - Doha Agenda 'unlikely in near future', Nov 15, 2011

"THE Asia-Pacific leaders, His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam among them, do not foresee a conclusion in the "near future" to decade-old trade negotiations, under the umbrella of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), that have continuously been delayed.

"We have deep concerns regarding the impasse confronting the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) and the reality is that a conclusion of all elements of the Doha agenda is unlikely in the near future," leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) said in a statement at their 19th meeting here yesterday.
The DDA aims to achieve a major reform of the international trading system through the reduction of trade barriers and revision of trade rules. With a work programme of about 20 "elements" or areas related to trade, the agenda missed its deadlines in 2005 and in 2006. Efforts were also made in the subsequent and recent years to reinvigorate the talks."

ABC News, Australia - NT gift to head off any Obama croc drama , Nov 15, 2011

"The Northern Territory Government's insurance company is giving Barack Obama a policy that would cover the US president in the event of a crocodile attack.
Territory chief minister Paul Henderson says the policy from the Territory Insurance Office (TIO) will pay the president's family $50,000 if he gets attacked by a crocodile while visiting Darwin on Thursday.
"The president will have total insurance against crocodile attack whilst he's here in the Northern Territory," Mr Henderson said.
"And if he gets too close to the cliff's edge there overlooking the harbour, he will have insurance in the event of any crocodile attack.""

ABC News, Australia - Syria isolated as Jordan turns on Assad, Nov 15, 2011

"Jordan's King Abdullah has become the first Arab leader to publicly call for Syria's president to step down and make way for a new political regime.
Syria is facing the strongest pressure yet to end its eight-month crackdown against protesters and institute political reforms.
Arab League nations are preparing to suspend the country's membership and impose political and economic sanctions that would completely isolate Syria within its own region."

NZ HERALD - Super Mario's big ask - rescue euro, secure nation's future, Nov 15, 2011

"Mario Monti has begun the unenviable task of hauling Italy - and the euro - back from the brink.
In the unelected Monti's first address as Italy's Prime Minister, he said that the embattled country needed to work together to give its children a "concrete future".
Silvio Berlusconi's departure paved the way for President Giorgio Napolitano to install a technocratic government led by Monti, a 68-year-old former EU Competition Commissioner, which must not only implement cuts and labour reforms but must consider extending them to curb market pressure on Italy's €1.9 trillion ($3.3 trillion) of debts."

NZ HERALD - Obama's Australian visit tightens defence links, Nov 15, 2011

"United States President Barak Obama will touch down in Canberra tomorrow beneath a shield of fighter jets and surrounded by massive security to reaffirm America's alliance with Australia.
While Obama's visit will emphasise strong historic, cultural and economic ties - including progress on the new Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement - the key focus will remain on the two countries' 60-year-old security alliance."

FIJI LIVE - Australia moves to lift India uranium ban, Nov 15, 2011

"Prime Minister Julia Gillard moved Tuesday to lift Australia's controversial ban on uranium sales to nuclear power India in a bid to strengthen relations with the fast-growing economic powerhouse.
While Canberra exports uranium to China, Japan, Taiwan and the United States, India has been excluded because New Delhi has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, a prerequisite her Labor Party puts on sales.
But Gillard said it was time to change, with the subject likely to dominate the annual Labor Party conference in Sydney next month where any policy switch needs to be ratified."

FIJI LIVE - Brad Pitt set to quit acting at 50, Nov 15, 2011

"Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt has revealed he plans to quit acting in three years, but the 47-year-old admitted he is not sure what he will do after ditching a career which made him a household name.

During an interview with an Australian current affairs show in Tokyo to promote his latest movie "Moneyball", the American actor was asked how much longer he would like to "do your business for"."

SAMOA NEWS - Diabetes coalition and DOH team up to walk for health and to prevent diabetes, Nov 15, 2011

"Miss American Samoa Skyline Nua (left) goes through the procedure of being screened for diabetes by a Department of Health official (right) at Utulei Beach last Friday after the “Act on Diabetes Now” Walk, coordinated by the American Samoa Diabetes Coalition and the Department of Health. The walk, which ended at Utulei Beach, is one of the activities planned for November, which is Diabetes Awareness Month. [photo: FS]"