A statement purporting to be from al-Qaeda's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has called on Muslims to harm "criminal" America. The first video from the Islamic militant network since the US presidential elections ran more than eleven minutes and was translated by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant web sites.

The toD verdict: According to Lawrence Wright, the author of The Looming Tower, the eventual outcome of the election wrong-footed al-Qaeda, which had been expecting a McCain victory. Arguably, the success of Barack Obama, a black man who spent part of his childhood in Indonesia and whose father was from a Muslim family has re-energised the crucial battle for "hearts and minds" in the war on terror. Just two months ago a BBC poll found the United States losing this propaganda war. Keep up to date with the latest developments and sharpest perspectives in a world of strife and struggle.

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Consequently, experts have concluded that this latest message is a desperate PR effort by al-Qaeda. Its aim is to undercut Muslim enthusiasm for Obama and reconstruct a clear enemy after the muddying of al-Qaeda's Manichean message. In the message, Zawahri said that although America had a "new face", it masked a "heart full of hate." Resorting to racial slurs, Zawahari sought to challenge the assumption that Obama would herald change in US foreign policy, calling the president-elect a "house slave" who would do the bidding of his white masters and continue the policies of George Bush.

Criticising Obama's plans for further troop deployments in Afghanistan, the message claimed that America "continues to be the same as ever, so we must continue to harm it, in order for it to come to its senses." However Zawahiri issued no specific threats and US officials made clear that there was no indication of a heightened threat against the US.

Cheney, Gonzales indicted in South Texas county

Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales have been indicted by a grand jury in Willacy County on Tuesday. Both are charged with blocking an investigation into the mistreatment of prisoners. Cheney is accused of having a financial stake in prison-related businesses, including the Vanguard Group, which has an interest in privately-run federal jails in the region. As such he is accused of "profiteering from depriving human beings of their liberty". The indictment accuses Gonzales of using his position while in office to stop an investigation in 2006 into abuses at one of the privately-run prisons. Willacy County, a hub for prisons at county, state and federal levels, has witnessed a number of eccentric court battles, most launched by Juan Guerra, the local district attorney. Critics accuse Guerra of trying to settle old scores in his final weeks in office. He insisted however that the decision to bring charges was made by the grand jury.

Anti-war groups fear Barack Obama may create hawkish cabinet

In other news concerning the US president-elect, antiwar groups have expressed concern over Obama's national security team. They note that most of the candidates for top security posts in the new administration voted for the 2002 resolution authorising President Bush to invade Iraq, or otherwise supported launching the war. Unease has centred on widespread reports that that Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates could be in the Obama cabinet. According to Sam Husseini of the Institute for Public Accuracy, "It's astonishing that not one of the 23 senators or 133 House members who voted against the war is in the mix".

Fatal blast hits Bangkok protest

A fatal bomb blast in Bangkok on Thursday has killed at least one and wounded 22 others. No group has claimed responsibility. The blast ripped through a group of anti-government demonstrators camped inside the city's Government House compound. The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has occupied the area since late August. They demand the resignation of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's government claiming it is a proxy of ousted former PM Thaksin Shinawatra. The largely peaceful protests erupted into violent clashes on 7 October; two people were left dead and nearly 500 injured when police fired tear gas at demonstrators trying to block parliament. Since then a small number of blasts have targeted the PAD protesters. Analysts suggest the latest explosion heralds the start of more aggressive efforts to disperse the camp which could spark an upsurge in political violence.

Britain establishes intelligence links with Syria

High-level intelligence links between Syria and Britain have been re-established according to The Times newspaper on Wednesday. Aimed at combating terrorism, preparatory meetings had been secretly conducted for months. The move was a key objective of UK Foreign Secretary David Milliband's historic visit to Damascus this week. Miliband said Syria could play a constructive role fostering stability. According to experts, Syria has an extremely efficient intelligence-gathering system renowned for tracking the movements of Islamic extremists around the middle east. Miliband's meetings, coupled with reciprocal presidential trips between Syria and France, have brought an end to the international isolation Damascus has suffered for hosting exiled leaders of Hamas and providing support for Hezbollah.

Sri Lanka army "takes rebel area"

Sri Lankan soldiers have captured a strategically important line of defence in the north of the island. After several days of intensive fighting, which claimed the lives of fifty rebels and ten soldiers, government forces overran the five-mile fortified embankment located on the northern Jaffna peninsula. Two further defensive lines are said to divide Tamil Tiger territory from the government's. Government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella claimed the recent capture could herald a breakthrough in bringing an end to Tamil Tiger control in Jaffna peninsula. This latest development follows a string of government successes. Earlier this week Sri Lankan troops captured the town of Mankulam effectively cutting off rebel supply routes. On Sunday, the army claimed it had entered the Tamil Tiger stronghold of Pooneryn thereby controlling the entire western coast. The government is conducting a major offensive to end the island's civil war in which the Tamil Tigers have been fighting for a separate state for the ethnic Tamil minority.

Indian police arrested a Hindu monk on Wednesday during an investigation into a wave of bomb attacks that have killed more than 200 people this year. Sudhakar Dwivedi, who often used the alias Swami Amritanand, was arrested in Kanpur in the central state of Uttar Pradesh. The head of a Hindu monastery, Amritanand was charged with conspiring in an attack on the predominantly Muslim town of Malegoan in September which killed four people.

The toD Verdict: In years past, terrorism in India has been largely blamed on Islamist groups. Concern has recently shifted, however, to the rising problem of Hindu militancy which many fear could be fulfilling Jawaharlal Nehru's prediction in 1964 that the main danger to India was "Hindu right-wing communalism." The case of Sudhakar Dwivedi follows the arrest of nine other suspects who have been charged with murder and conspiracy in connection with the Malegoan bombing. In August, two members of a Hindu chauvinist group the Bajrang Dal died while trying to build a bomb in the northern town of Kanpur. Two other suspected members of the same group died under similar circumstances in 2006. Keep up to date with the latest developments and sharpest perspectives in a world of strife and struggle.

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Bal Thackeray, the leader of another Hindu hard-line group the Shiv Sena, wrote in June that "the threat of Islamic terror in India is rising... it is time to counter the same with Hindu terror. Hindu suicide squads should be readied to ensure the existence of Hindu society and to protect the nation."

Worryingly, analysts have highlighted disturbing connections between fringe Hindu militants and military and civilian officials. One of the Malegoan suspects, Lt. Colonel Shrikant Prasad Purohit, has been accused of providing money, arms and training to the bombers. Meanwhile, in the eastern state of Orissa, Hindu police officers have been accused of deliberate inaction and active participation in recent anti-Christian violence. Fraternal outfits of the state-ruling BJP party such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal have been implicated in the violence.

Hindu militancy, which has been labeled "reverse terrorism" by partisans who see such action as revenge for earlier Muslim or Christian provocation, is a worrisome escalation of violence that could pose an existential threat to multicultural India.

Afghan suicide attack kills many

A suicide car bomb has killed at least 18 civilians and one US soldier in eastern Afghanistan Thursday. The attack targeted a US-led coalition convoy at a market near Jalalabad, the capital of the eastern Nangarhar province. Although no one has claimed responsibility for the bombing, it remains likely the attack was carried out by Taliban insurgents fighting foreign and Afghan government troops.

Chemical ship hijacked off Yemen

A Turkish cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden was seized by pirates Wednesday. Carrying 4,500 tonnes of unspecified chemicals to India, the Karagol was hijacked 26km off the coast of Yemen. The attack follows a series of other incidents in the Gulf of Aden. Another chemical-carrying tanker was seized by Somali pirates on Monday. The next day, the Russian and British Navy's positively identified a Yemeni vessel involved in a hijacking attempt on a Danish cargo ship. British commandos reportedly gave chase, killing two of the suspected pirates in an ensuing gunfight.

Insurgents "seize" Somalia port

Islamist insurgents have taken control of the port of Merka, 90km south of the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Without firing a shot, hundreds of fighters from the al-Shabaab group drove into the strategic port after government-aligned militia left overnight. The capture of Merka is another significant territorial gain for the insurgents who also control the port of Kismayo, which was taken in August. Different Islamist groups now control most of south Somalia. Experts suggest that al-Shabaab now have a new base for its attacks on the western-backed government and its Ethiopian military allies in Mogadishu. The UN has been trying to broker a peace process in Somalia which has been wracked by conflict for nearly two decades. Under the peace plan, Ethiopian troops were to start withdrawing from Mogadishu. Al-Shabaab's growing strength may now force a change in strategy.

Iran diplomat abducted in Pakistan

Gunmen kidnapped an Iranian diplomat and killed his guard in the Pakistani city of Peshawar Thursday morning. The commercial attaché of the Iranian consulate was attacked whilst on his way to work in Hayatabad, a neighbourhood near the Khyber tribal region bordering Afghanistan. Areas around Peshawar are strongholds of the Taliban and al-Qaeda. The incident occurred just a day after an American aid worker and his driver were shot in the city. Despite these attacks, experts say that despite some high profile incidents, foreigners are rarely targeted in Pakistan.

US cracks down on Islamic charity

The United States moved on Wednesday against an Islamic charity suspected of helping to bankroll Hamas. Action by the Treasury Department means that any bank accounts or other financial assets in the US belonging to the Union of Good will be frozen. Americans are also barred from donating to the group. The militant Palestinian group is considered an international terrorist organization by the US. An undersecretary at the department said that "terrorist groups such as Hamas continue to exploit charities to radicalise vulnerable communities and cultivate support for their violent activities". According to the department, funds transferred by the Union of Good have compensated Hamas terrorists by providing payments to the families of suicide bombers.

Saudi Arabia claims it foiled a 2003 terror plot against the United States. Militants planned to hijack a plane, exploding it over a densely populated US city. The 2003 plot was just one of 160 planned terror attacks the Kingdom claims to have disrupted.

The country, birthplace of the al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, has pursued an aggressive campaign against militants since May 2003, when the terrorist group launched a series of bombings in the capital Riyadh.

The toD verdict: Saudi Arabia has been applauded recently for its aggressive and multi-dimensional crackdown on jihadist militants. In a big step forward in the country's fight against militancy, Saudi courts have begun procedures to try 991 prisoners held on terrorism charges. Meanwhile, British prime minister Gordon Brown met former jihadists Wednesday as he toured a rehabilitation centre for extremists in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia's claim to have foiled nearly two hundred terror plots is meant to reinforce the Kingdom's success in waging a wide-ranging offensive against radical militancy.  Keep up to date with the latest developments and sharpest perspectives in a world of strife and struggle.

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But more tenuous connections to Islamist terrorism still persists. Saudi Arabia remains the financial hub of worldwide terror networks. In treasure, so too in blood. Extremist clerics gather recruits to be dispatched to many of the world's hotspots. Saudis are thought to form the largest contingent of foreign terrorists fighting in Iraq. And the kingdom still promotes an extreme form of Islam known as Wahhabism, both at home and abroad. A review of Saudi Arabia's 2007-2008 education curriculum by The Hudson Institute found that, despite promised reforms, the Kingdom still teaches a violent ideology in which it is deemed permissible for a Muslim to kill an "apostate," an "adulterer," a "homosexual," as well as non-Muslims practicing "polytheism," or Christianity.

While Saudi Arabia should be praised for many of its efforts, further action is needed. Can the Kingdom be relied upon to take the necessary measures?

Naval stand off between Burma and Bangladesh

Tensions in the Bay of Bengal escalated on Monday. Naval vessels from Bangladesh and Burma faced off after a row erupted over oil and gas exploration in the area. Bangladesh officials claim a Burmese flotilla began exploration for oil and gas in disputed waters near Saint Martin's island. Dhaka dispatched a naval patrol to the area after lodging a diplomatic protest.

Bangladesh is sending a senior diplomat to Burma to resolve the dispute. Dhaka says it wants to resolve the dispute peacefully but that it will do everything necessary to protect its sovereignty. Military-ruled Burma has made no official comment.   

Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Toheid Hossain will hold talks with Burmese officials on Wednesday. The two countries are also scheduled to hold talks in mid November to demarcate a maritime boundary. Analysts predict that success is highly unlikely due to the vast energy resources found in the bay. Both nations, two of the world's poorest, will want to stake a claim to those resources.

Guinea police tear-gas protesters

Police clashed with protesters in Guinea's capital Monday, killing one person and injuring twenty others. Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets protesting high fuel prices. The government cut fuel prices by 21 percent over the weekend. Protesters claim the fall in prices should have been deeper. Since last July however global oil prices have fallen by 50 percent. Although confined to neighbourhoods outside the capital, the violence could spread. Widespread discontent with the government of dictator-president Lansana Conte means Guinea is particularly vulnerable to unrest. Early last year more than 130 protesters were shot dead by security forces during strike action designed to force out the government.

Bomb blasts injure 60 in Thailand

Three bomb blasts struck the southern Thai state of Narathiwat on Tuesday, injuring sixty people. No group has claimed responsibility, but police said separatist militants were behind the attacks. Officials have long blamed Muslim insurgents for the violence. Buddhist Thailand's Malay dominated provinces have endured an insurgency that has killed more than 2,700 people since 2004. Analysts claim that the insurgency is more complex than Thai officials admit, involving numerous factions and criminal gangs. Both Buddhists and Muslims associated with the State are often targeted.

Although small blasts are common, incidents on this scale remain rare. The explosions came a week after new Thai prime minister Somchai Wongsawat visited the Muslim-majority southern districts and told reporters that the five-year-long insurgency appeared to have eased. Military and diplomatic initiatives to put an end to the unrest have foundered repeatedly.

Pakistan warns US policy is "counter-productive"

Pakistan's president warned the new head of US Central Command that cross-border attacks by US forces into Pakistan were "counter-productive". In the most high-profile protest yet from Islamabad, President Asif Ali Zardari told General David Petraeus that such strikes were detrimental to the "war on terror". These comments mirror Prime Minster Yousef Raza Gilani's claim that unless the next US president halted missile strikes on insurgent targets in northwest Pakistan, it risked failure in its efforts to end militancy in the Muslim country. "No matter who the president of America will be, if he doesn't respect the sovereignty and integrity of Pakistan ... anti-America sentiments and anti-West sentiment will be there," said Gilani. In the last two months, the US has launched at least seventeen strikes on militant targets in Pakistan.

Zardari and Gilani's remarks underscore how repairing US-Pakistan relations will be high on the list of priorities for the next US president. They also reveal the difficulties faced by the United States and Pakistan as they try to combat rising militancy in the country. Relations between the two allies have cooled recently because of continued US cross-border air strikes.

Iraqi capital rocked by three explosions

Three bombs exploded in Baghdad Tuesday, killing at least thirteen people and wounding 35 others. Two attacks, at a bus depot and marketplace, targeted predominantly Shia neighbourhoods. The third, in central Baghdad, was aimed at the convoy of a Shia government official and former member of the Iraqi Governing Council, Ahmed Shiyaa al-Barak. Nine were injured in the attack, but there were no fatalities.

A series of bombs exploded across the eastern Indian state of Assam on Thursday. Between 12 and 18 blasts, the majority in the main city Guwahati, tore through crowded streets and markets. Casualty reports vary, suggesting that between 26 and 67 were killed. The coordinated blasts, which were detonated within one hour of each other, have led to widespread panic, chaos and lawlessness. No group has yet claimed responsibility.

The toD verdict: Intelligence officials are blaming these latest explosions on the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), a separatist militant group which has waged a long-running insurgency in the region. According to Assam police chief RN Mathur, "No other group can trigger so many blasts in so many places in such a coordinated fashion." Keep up to date with the latest developments and sharpest perspectives in a world of strife and struggle.

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In recent weeks security forces have launched a massive crackdown on the group's senior leadership. "Ulfa is striking back in a massive way by taking on soft targets," Mathur said.

ULFA has waged a war for independence in Assam, and the expulsion of non-Assamese people from the state, for over two decades. An effort to start peace talks between the rebels and the Indian government broke down in 2006. If ULFA is responsible, this latest attack serves to highlight the numerous ethnic and national fissures which fragment India's multi-cultural, multi-ethnic mosaic. India's northeast in particular is home to numerous armed separatist groups. It is estimated that more than 10,000 people have died in this region in the past decade.

Deadly car bombs hit Somaliland

A series of suicide car bombs exploded across northern Somaliland and Puntland on Wednesday. Reports indicate that at least 29 people were killed when five bombs ripped through key targets including the presidential palace, the Ethiopian consulate and UN offices, all within minutes of each other. Both regions had until now been largely spared the daily violence rocking southern and central Somalia.

Puntland's President Mohamoud Musa Hirsi Adde said the attacks were "organised from the same place and by the same people." Responsibility for the attacks is currently unclear, however most suspect Islamist insurgents, given the coordinated nature of the bombings and the targeting of Ethiopia. US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Jendayi Frazer said they bore the markings of al-Qaeda.

Jean Ping of the African Union noted they "came at a time of renewed efforts by IGAD, the AU and the United Nations to bring about lasting peace, security and reconciliation in Somalia." Regional leaders are currently meeting in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, to discuss the ongoing crisis in Somalia and the performance of the transitional federal government.

Suicide attack on Afghan government ministry

Three people were killed and nine injured when a suicide bomb ripped through an Afghan ministry in Kabul on Thursday. Two men using small arms fought police guards at the entrance to the Ministry of Culture and Information while a third gained entry to the building and detonated the bomb. The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack in statements to news agencies. Although security in the capital has improved, with attacks down by 50 per cent on last year, this incident is the latest "audacious" attack by Taliban militants. A number of high-profile incidents in the capital have demonstrated increasingly sophisticated tactics, such as the mixing of both suicide bombers and gunmen, which analysts believe is designed to gain maximum press coverage.

Congolese rebels declare ceasefire

Rebels led by General Nkunda fighting government forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo have declared a unilateral cease-fire after a four day offensive in North Kivu province. Forces of the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP) were just 25 kilometres from the major city of Goma when they declared a halt to fighting late yesterday. A statement signed by Nkunda said the intention was "not to panic the population of Goma as well as those who are in displaced persons camps in the immediate environs of the city". Despite the ceasefire, chaotic scenes have erupted in the city with reports that Congolese soldiers are out of control. Tens of thousands of people have fled the city contributing to an already dire humanitarian situation. According to the UN, fighting since 28 August has pushed the number of displaced civilians in North Kivu to more than one million.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that the conflict "is creating a humanitarian crisis of catastrophic dimensions." He also suggested that the conflict threatens the entire region, referring to reports that Rwandan soldiers were involved in the fighting against Congolese government forces, and that heavy weapons fire had taken place across the DRC-Rwanda border.

Collapse of the Moro peace process: disaster and opportunity

Roughly 300 people have been killed and over 650,000 displaced in more than two months of fighting between Philippine security forces and renegade Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters. The escalation of violence follows the Supreme Court's decision to block the implementation of a Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain between the government and the MILF in August.

According to a report by Amnesty International released on Wednesday, the suspension of peace talks between the government and Moro rebels in Mindanao threatens the lives of "hundreds of thousands of civilians." Another report by the Asian Centre for Human Rights concludes that the collapse of the peace talks may provide an opportunity for both parties to address inherent flaws within the peace process. According to the report, the indigenous Lumad people of Mindanao, who never resorted to armed rebellion, were never included in the peace process with the Moros. If the MOA-AD had been signed on 5 August 2008, it would have meant the loss of at least one million hectares of Ancestral Domains belonging to these indigenous peoples. The non-inclusion is not the only a flaw in the peace process but constitutes a clear violation of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997.

Key websites used by al-Qaeda-linked operatives have been closed for the past six weeks. The al-Ekhlas, al-Buraq and al-Firdaws websites are all linked to al-Fajr the propaganda wing of al-Qaeda. All have been out of action since shortly before 11 September this year. Previous attempts to block al-Qaeda sites have all failed, with many of the sites suffering occasional glitches but re-emerging soon thereafter.

The toD Verdict: The internet is a central and increasingly important tool for al-Qaeda, providing a forum for recruitment, training and propaganda. According to Naval Postgraduate School professor John Arquilla, jihadist groups "don't exist without the web." Analysts and jihadists alike have therefore concluded that the closure of these internet forums must be one element of a broad, coordinated western strategy to defeat al-Qaeda. Keep up to date with the latest developments and sharpest perspectives in a world of strife and struggle.

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A counter theory has emerged however, highlighting deep divisions between violent jihadist movements. This theory holds that the websites are casualties of sectarian cyber warfare between rival Shia and Sunni groups. In September, dozens of Shia Internet sites were reportedly attacked by Wahhabi hackers. Subsequently, www.alarabiya.net was hacked, displaying a message which read "If the attacks against Shia Internet sites continue, none of your Internet sites will be secure any longer."

Analysts say that the closure of these sites will significantly reduce the capacity of al-Qaeda to distribute its propaganda. Many other extremist websites remain operational, however, and the states working to combat radical militancy should recognise that cyberspace is a field of battle just as important as more traditional terrains.

Pakistani school hit in missile attack

Two missiles destroyed half of a religious school near Miranshah in North Waziristan early Thursday. Witnesses claim that at least eight students were killed by the attack. According to reports, the school lies in close proximity to the residence of Jalaluddin Haqqani, a fugitive Taliban leader. It is widely suspected that the airstrike was launched from a pilotless US drone. Haqqani's residential complex was previously targeted in a missile attack which killed more than 10 people. Recent weeks have witnessed an increase in US missile attacks against suspected militants in Pakistan, creating tensions between the two "war on terror" allies. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has said he will not tolerate violations of his country's territory. The latest missile attack comes hours after the Pakistani parliament unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the government to defend its sovereignty.

Tamil Tiger attack on merchant vessels

Two merchant ships carrying supplies to northern Sri Lanka have been attacked by Tamil Tigers. According to the naval officials, the vessels were carrying humanitarian aid to the Jaffna peninsula when they were targeted by three explosives-laden boats. Sailors opened fire, capturing one of the boats and destroying the two others. The Jaffna Peninsula is situated in the far north of Sri Lanka.  The attack comes as government forces continue their offensive in the north, attacking the Tamil Tiger's last bases after capturing their eastern strongholds in July 2007. The army is currently within 2 kilometres of the rebel headquarters in Kilinochchi and aim to crush the rebels and end their fight for a separate state for the ethnic Tamil minority.

"Triangle of Death" handed over to Iraqi military

US forces handed control of security in the province of Babil to Iraqi forces on Thursday. The province south of Baghdad is the 12th of Iraq's 18 provinces to witness the handover of primary responsibility for security to Iraqi forces. However, the move is significant. The province includes an area which became known as the "triangle of death". According to Lieutenant-General Lloyd Austin, commander of U.S. combat forces in Iraq, the province was experiencing over twenty attacks per week. Within a year this has fallen by eighty percent, thanks in large part to the Sunni Awakening Councils. He called the event a "milestone for Iraq in maturing as a sovereign and democratic nation." At a handover ceremony in the provincial capital Hilla, Iraq's National Security adviser Mowaffaq al-Rubaie said that Iraqis will also take control of Wasit province within days. "This is proof that our military forces have reached self-sufficiency, and can now be depended upon to preserve internal security," Rubaie said.

Tensions in South Ossetia threaten to boil over

Tensions in the Caucasus rose on Thursday when Georgia claimed Russia has deployed as many as 7,000 soldiers in the separatist region of South Ossetia. Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili claimed that an additional 2000 soldiers have entered the region. Tbilisi says it has monitored "suspicious movements" by the Russian military, raising fears of further military action following a five day war between the two neighbours in August. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov denied the troop build-up, claiming that Georgia has repeatedly deployed special forces near the rebel regions thereby violating a ceasefire agreement.

The British government is considering setting up a "big brother" database of all phone and e-mail traffic in the country, its senior law enforcement official said Wednesday. The database, just one of several ideas being considered would form part of a high-tech strategy to fight terrorism and crime. The suggestion comes after the police and security services warned that criminals were becoming increasingly sophisticated in their use of technology.Keep up to date with the latest developments and sharpest perspectives in a world of strife and struggle.

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The toD verdict: British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith argued yesterday that technological change has created a complex, fragmented online world: "The communications revolution has been rapid..." she told a conference at the Institute of Public Policy Research, "and the way in which we intercept and collect communications data needs to change too."

But the question of which measures the police and security services require to prevent future terrorist attacks raises a central theme in the domestic war on terror: how can the expansion of state power be balanced against the civil liberties people are accustomed to? It is a question facing all democratic societies and, according to the British parliament, one that the government is not always answering correctly. Earlier this week the House of Lords defeated plans to increase from 28 to 42 days the length of time terrorist suspects may be held without charge.

The government should expect stiff opposition from the proposals. Emboldened by their recent 42-day success, politicians, civil liberties groups, and Labour MPs have already condemned the new idea. Chris Huhne, the domestic affairs spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, accused the government of devising "Orwellian plans for a vast database of our private communications."

British soldier dies in Helmand

A British soldier from D Squadron Household Cavalry Regiment has been killed in an explosion in Helmand province, Afghanistan. The soldier's death which occurred on Wednesday during a routine patrol brings the number of British soldiers killed on operations in Afghanistan since 2001 to 121.

In separate news, the German parliament is expected to extend the Bundeswehr's mandate in Afghanistan on Thursday. Roughly 4,500 German troops, concentrated in the former safe area of northern Afghanistan, face a deteriorating security situation. Germany's parliament is likely to extend the mandate for the German mission by 14 months instead of the usual 12, bridging a gap caused by German and Afghanistan elections in autumn 2009.

Senior Al Qaeda in Iraq commander killed

Al Qaeda in Iraq's second in command has been killed in Mosul, according to the US military. Moroccan-born Abu Qaswarah or Abu Sara was known to have ties to senior Al Qaeda leaders in Afghanistan and Pakistan. US forces have launched many attacks against suspects in Mosul this year. The city remains an island of Al Qaeda strength. Abu Qaswarah's death, if confirmed, would provide a further boost for the US military this week. Two days ago another senior Al Qaeda in Iraq commander was killed. Mahir al-Zubaydi was said to have played a key role in planning some of the worst atrocities in Iraq over the past few years.

Meanwhile, Iraqi leaders are examining a new draft security pact. The latest draft requires foreign troops to pull out by June 2011 unless invited to stay by Iraqi leaders. It would also allow Iraqi courts to try US soldiers accused of serious crimes committed while off-duty in Iraq. The draft, which must be ratified by the Iraqi parliament to take effect, could succeed or fail at the hands of Iran. The commander of US military forces in Iraq has accused Iraq's neighbour of trying to influence the vote, bribing Iraqi legislators into rejecting the security deal. Gen. Ray Odierno told the Washington Post that although he lacked definitive proof, many intelligence reports suggested "pay offs" were being made.

Terrorist Youtube offline

Aqsatube, a youtube clone focusing on Palestinian militant videos, has been taken offline by French hosting firm OVH. The website mimicked the mainstream video site in almost every way, allowing users to watch clips, upload their own videos, and see what others were watching. Content included masked men firing rockets to the sounds of martial Arabic music, and videos recorded by suicide bombers before they carried out their attacks. Aqsatube is just one of many similar sites, some of which appear to be produced by Hamas, a claim the Palestinian political group denies. The proliferation of these websites underlines the growing importance of the internet to jihadist militant groups; recruiting, training and propaganda are all handled online. According to Naval Postgraduate School professor John Arquilla, "They don't exist without the web".

Pakistani Taliban wants to talk

Taliban militants in Pakistan's tribal areas say they are willing to hold unconditional talks with the government. "We are also willing to lay down our arms, once the military ceases operations against us" said Maulvi Omar, a spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban. The army recently launched major military offensives against insurgents in the Federally Administered Tribal Regions. On Wednesday, Pakistani forces reportedly pounded hideouts in a tribal region near the Afghan border, killing 16 Taliban linked rebels.

Previous FATA operations have been prematurely halted by truces, allowing militants to regroup. Although the army has orders to fight until they control the entire area, Pakistan's government has said that it is willing to talk to the militants once they lay down their arms.

Bomb blast in Nepal's south

A woman and two infants, all members of the same family, have been killed by a bomb explosion in Nepal. The blast occurred in the south-east of the country, a region which has witnessed constant ethnic unrest despite the end of Nepal's civil war nearly two years ago. Two separate militant groups claimed responsibility. Both say they are fighting for the rights of the traditionally marginalised Madhesi ethnic group. Many extreme Madhesi factions have emerged in recent years. The new Maoist government has invited the groups for talks, however the bomb blast shattered a ceasefire which most of the groups had declared throughout a recent two week feast.

Pakistan ordered the deportation today of about 50,000 Afghan refugees from Bajaur in the restive belt of "tribal agencies" along the border with Afghanistan. "The orders have been issued to the tribal police to push all of them out," Abdul Haseeb, a local government official, said on Monday, adding that their homes would be bulldozed to keep them from returning. An estimated 20,000 refugees had returned to Afghanistan in recent weeks. Thousands more have moved to other parts of Pakistan.

The toD verdict: Government officials have long accused Afghan refugees of links to extremist armed groups. "We have reports of their links with militants and their involvement in terrorist activities," said Safirullah Wazir, the government's top administrator in Bajaur. Critics have suggestedthe move unfairly scapegoats the refugees, affording the government the convenient impression of taking action. However, the move may also signal a new genuinely hard-line approach to the growing militancy problem. The army recently launched a military offensive against insurgents in the Federally Administered Tribal Regions. Previous FATA offensives were halted prematurely by truces which allowed militants to regroup. This time the army has orders to fight until they control the entire area. Keep up to date with the latest developments and sharpest perspectives in a world of strife and struggle.

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The fresh resolve of the Pakistani government hints not only at mounting US pressure, but also at a confluence of domestic factors providing a unique window of opportunity to address the security situation. Local FATA tribesmen have recently formed militias to face down destabilising foreign elements in their land. Meanwhile, devastating suicide bombings such as the blast at Islamabad's Marriott Hotel last month have increased public opinion in favour of stern action in the border regions.

In a bid to build political consensus, the government has convened a joint session of the upper and lower houses of parliament on Wednesday to discuss the situation. Could an alliance of political unity, public support and heavy military action prove the turning point of Pakistan's troubles?

Iraqi minorities face political marginalisation

Roughly 75 Christians and other peaceful protesters gathered at a church in Baghdad on Monday to demand a restoration of measures which would ensure minority political representation. A draft version of the provincial elections law Skip to next paragraphallowed for provincial council seats for Christians, Yazidis and Shabeks, but it was dropped before Parliament approved it on 24 September. There are signs however that the article may be put back into the law, which must be approved by a three-member presidential panel before it can take effect. The panel has indicated it would recommend to Parliament that the measure dealing with minorities be reinstated. Even so, the incident reflects the precarious state of Christian communities in the country; more than a million Christians used to live in Iraq, a number that has now nearly halved.

Twenty dead in Pakistan blast

A suicide bomber killed at least eighteen people and injured more than sixty others at the home of a lawmaker in Bhakkar in eastern Pakistan on Monday. The attacker attempted to force his way into the house of opposition politician Rashid Akbar Khan Nawani. According to police reports Nawani was injured but survived. The suicide bombing was the third attack this week aimed at a prominent Pakistani politician. Pakistan has been plagued by suicide attacks, killing about 1,200 people in the last year, which many believe are in reaction to the government's moves against Islamist extremists. However, there is speculation this latest attack was motivated by sectarianism. Nawani is a member of Pakistan's minority Shiite Muslim community, which some militant groups regard as a threat in this predominantly Sunni country.

Bomb blasts as Iraq and US discuss military pact

Two blasts occurred near Baghdad's Green Zone on Tuesday moments before a joint US-Iraqi press conference involving US Deputy Secretary of State Joseph Negroponte. One report claims the blasts were caused by two mortar bombs falling close to the foreign ministry. A second said the blasts were caused by car bombs. Mr Negroponte is in Iraq for talks on the handover of security to Iraqi forces. At the press conference, Iraq's Foreign Minister said Washington and Baghdad are close to a deal to keep US troops in this country next year but it will take "bold political decisions" to overcome the final hurdles.

Seventeen dead in Mogadishu clash

At least seventeen people have been killed in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Tuesday during fighting between government and anti-government forces. Islamist insurgents fired mortars at the presidential palace from Bakara market. Guards and their Ethiopian allies responded by firing shells at the market. Reports indicate 3 soldiers and 12 civilians were killed. The deaths are just the latest example of rising violence in Mogadishu, which has displaced almost 40,000 people in the last few weeks. The UN has started to pull out its foreign staff from Baidoa, where Somalia's parliament is based. According to Human Right Watch, Somalia is the most ignored tragedy in the world today.

African governance improving

Governance in nearly two-thirds of sub-Saharan African countries has improved according to the new Ibrahim index. Funded by Mo Ibrahim, an entrepreneur and philanthropist, the index is a comprehensive survey of political participation, human rights and the rule of law, transparency, corruption, development and economic opportunity. Based on data from 2006, Mauritius is the best-governed out of 48 countries, Liberia was considered the most improved and Somalia is ranked last. "Obscured by many of the headlines of the past few months, the real story coming out of Africa is that governance performance across a large majority of African countries is improving," said Ibrahim.

Kenya releases 8 victims of African rendition

Eight Kenyan men deported to Ethiopia and jailed as terror suspects for more than a year have returned to Kenya. Their release comes just a few days after a report from Human Rights Watch which highlighted the victims of the 2007 Horn of Africa rendition program. Around 90 people fleeing Ethiopia's offensive in Somalia were arrested by Kenyan authorities and then unlawfully rendered to Ethiopia in early 2007, where they effectively disappeared. Reports suggest that a Kenyan human rights lawyer is to encourage the men to sue the Kenyan government for deporting them in the first place.