MOSCOW BLAST: Russia is holding an official day of mourning for the 39 people killed
in Monday's twin suicide bombings on Moscow's metro system.
Scores of others were severely wounded when two female suicide bombers
set off explosions at the height of the morning rush hour.
National flags will be flying half-staff in the Russian capital on
Tuesday. Television shows and other forms of entertainment have also
been canceled.
Russian President Dimtri Medvedev visited the Lubyanka station Monday,
where the first explosion took place, and laid flowers on the platform.
IRAN - NUCLEAR: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says China is growing more receptive to the idea of taking punitive action against Iran for its nuclear ambitions. Clinton gave the assessment Monday in an interview with Canadian television in Ottawa, where she is attending a meeting of foreign ministers from the world's eight richest nations. The five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- the U.S., France, Britain, Russia, and China -- plus Germany, have been negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program.
<!-- IMAGE -->US - CHINA: The White House says U.S. President Barack Obama is eager to "further develop a positive relationship" with China. A statement issued late Monday by spokesman Robert Gibbs says Mr. Obama made the remarks earlier in the day when he received the credentials of Zhang Yesui, Beijing's new envoy to the United States. Gibbs says the president "reaffirmed" the United States' one-China policy, and reiterated U.S. support for efforts by China and Taiwan to reduce tensions across the Taiwan Strait. China claims the self-ruled island as part of its territory.
<!-- IMAGE -->AMNESTY - EXECUTIONS: Amnesty International is calling on the Chinese government to reveal publicly the number of people it executes each year.
In issuing its annual report on the death penalty worldwide, Amnesty
says thousands of executions were likely to have taken place in China
in 2009. But it points out that information on the death penalty
remains a Chinese state secret.
China is said to be the world's largest executioner, putting more people to death than the rest of the world altogether.
The Amnesty report says at least 714 people were executed last year in 18 countries.
AUSTRALIA - BURMA: Australia said Tuesday that elections in Burma would be fair only if Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition party can participate.
Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told ABC radio that Burma's
new election law made it difficult, if not impossible, for the National
League for Democracy to take part with the Nobel laureate as its leader.
Smith said unless something fundamental or substantial changes, it
dashes hopes that there might be some progress made on democracy in
Burma.
On Monday, the United States blamed the Burmese government for the NLD's decision to boycott upcoming elections.
SOUTH KOREA SHIP: South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has ordered the military on alert
for any moves by rival North Korea, after the sinking of a warship
Friday.
A presidential statement Tuesday said Mr. Lee told his Cabinet that he wants the military to maintain its readiness.
The cause of an explosion that sank the ship is not known, but South
Korea says it is not likely North Korea attacked the vessel.
A blast ripped the warship apart Friday night during a routine patrol
along the tense maritime boarder west of the Korean peninsula.
Fifty-eight of the 104 sailors aboard the vessel were rescued soon
after the ship went down.
NASA - TOYOTA: U.S. government scientists will assist in the investigation of the sudden acceleration in several Toyota models.
The U.S. Department of Transportation says it will enlist the services
of experts from NASA, the U.S. space agency, and the National Academy
of Sciences to determine if electronics caused the problem that led to
the global recall of eight million Toyota vehicles.
In a separate study, the National Academy of Sciences will conduct a
15-month probe into electronic vehicle controls and unintended
acceleration across the automobile industry.
The studies are expected to cost $3 million.
FRANCE - US: U.S. President Barack Obama will meet with his French counterpart, Nicolas Sarkozy, at the White House Tuesday.
The two leaders are expected to discuss Iran, global warming, and
Afghanistan. Mr. Obama has been pushing Mr. Sarkozy to send more French
troops, and military or police trainers to Afghanistan.
During a speech Monday at Columbia University in New York, the French
president said his country will remain by the U.S. in Afghanistan.
French reluctance to send soldiers to Iraq and Afghanistan led to a
cooling of bilateral relations during the tenure of former President
George W. Bush.
Listen to our World News for details.
