INDONESIA - EARTHQUAKE: Indonesian officials say the death toll from Wednesday's powerful earthquake continues to rise, and thousands remain trapped under collapsed buildings. Officials say the death toll has risen to at least 530, but warn that the final total could be in the thousands. The 7.6-magnitude quake struck off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra Wednesday, and officials are still trying to determine the extent of the damage. So far, most of the deaths have been reported in the Sumatra city of Padang where at least 500 buildings were toppled by the quake.
SOUTH PACIFIC TSUNAMI: Authorities in the South Pacific have begun recovering scores of bodies from the wreckage caused by four major tsunamis.
Nearly 150 people were killed when the tsunamis wiped out scores of
villages and tourist retreats on the neighboring islands of Samoa and
American Samoa and nearby Tonga. The tsunamis were triggered by an
8.0-magnitude undersea earthquake.
Most of the fatalities are on Samoa, where at least 110 people were
killed. At least 31 people have been confirmed dead on American Samoa,
while seven fatalities are confirmed on Tonga.
ASIA - STORM: Millions of survivors across Southeast Asia are waiting for aid after Typhoon Ketsana tore a path of destruction across the region, killing nearly 400 people. As they do, an even stronger storm is building in the Pacific and swirling toward the Philippines. Typhoon Parma already has winds of up 150 kilometers-per-hour and could hit the Philippines as early as Saturday. Officials say Typhoon Ketsana was one of the deadliest storms to hit the region in years, causing nearly 280 deaths in the Philippines. At least 101 people are reported dead in Vietnam and 11 in Cambodia.
CHINA - ANNIVERARY: China celebrated its rise to power and 60 years of Communist Party rule Thursday, holding a massive military parade in the capital Beijing. Troops kicked-off the celebrations by firing cannons and marching down a red carpet in Tiananmen Square. Chinese President Hu Jintao reviewed thousands of troops and hundreds of tanks and other weaponry while riding in an open-top limousine. After that, Mr. Hu paid tribute to China's accomplishments, standing at the same place Mao Zedong did 60 years ago on Tiananmen Square.
IRAN: Talks about Iran's nuclear program between Iran and six world powers have begun in Switzerland.
Diplomats from the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany
hope Iran will talk seriously about stopping its nuclear activities.
Western nations are concerned that Iran is trying to make a nuclear
weapon, but Iran says it is enriching uranium for peaceful purposes.
While the multi-party talks go on in Geneva, U.S. officials say there
could be a rare one-on-one meeting between Iranian officials and
American diplomats.
US - AFGHANISTAN: U.S. President Barack Obama has gathered his most senior military and
political advisors at the White House to assess strategy for the war in
Afghanistan.
President Obama met Wednesday with key members of his Cabinet, along
with top military commanders and others in the secure White House
Situation Room. Details were not released.
General Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. military leader in
Afghanistan, took part by video link. The head of the U.S. Central
Command, General David Petraeus, also joined the review.
GUINEAS - PROTEST: Guinea's military leaders are calling for a government of national
unity following a deadly crackdown on a massive anti-government rally
in the capital.
A government statement read on national television Wednesday said the
ruling National Council for Democracy and Development will also set up
a international inquiry into the violence.
The council said it wants the investigation to involve the United Nations and for an African leader to be appointed mediator.
A local rights group says at least 157 people were killed and 1,200
wounded in Monday's rally in Conakry.
WORLD ECONOMY: The International Monetary Fund says the world economy is pulling out of recession faster than previously thought.
The latest World Economic Outlook says the global economy will grow by
3.1 percent in 2010, after contracting about 1 percent in 2009.
That is better than the last update in July -- when the report
predicted growth of 2.5 percent. The IMF credits efforts such as
interest rate cuts and other stimulus programs.
But the IMF's chief economist says the improving numbers do not mean
the economic crisis is over.
Listen to our World News for details.