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Iran offers to suspend enrichment in exchange for outside nuclear fuel

Marking a break from Iran's insistence that it will not negotiate over its uranium enrichment program, a senior Iranian diplomat said the country would suspend uranium enrichment if offered a supply of fuel for its nuclear power stations. The West greeted the proposal with hesitation, saying that Iran had been offered a similar arrangement in a proposal from 2006. The Guardian (London) (10/3)

• UN retains Rwandan general accused of war crimes 
• South Africa looking to help youngsters avoid HIV/AIDS 
• International vendors flood India nuclear market 
• China spy revelations raise doubts about Skype security 
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• U.S. envoy ends North Korea trip 

• UN retains Rwandan general accused of war crimes
  Hoping to stave off a diplomatic conflict with the government of Rwanda, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has agreed to keep on a Rwandan general as the second-highest ranking officer in Darfur -- despite allegations that the general committed war crimes during the 1990s. The Washington Post (10/3)

• South Africa looking to help youngsters avoid HIV/AIDS
  South African families find their ability to cope stretched to a breaking point as they struggle to raise children orphaned as a result of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and help them avoid the fate that befell their parents. Officials have launched a countrywide program including education programs to inform children about the dangers, but some wonder if the effects will be felt soon enough to help today's youngsters. The Christian Science Monitor (10/3)

• Report: HIV/AIDS jumped to humans earlier than thought
  The HIV/AIDS virus made the jump to humans sometime between 1884 and 1924, decades earlier than previously thought, according to a new study published Friday in the journal Nature. The Globe and Mail (Toronto)/The Associated Press (10/2)

• Movie star battles tetanus, asks mothers to contribute
  Mexican-born actress Salma Hayek is calling on mothers to throw their support behind a global campaign to wipe out tetanus, which kills 140,000 babies every year. Procter & Gamble has vowed to donate one vaccine for every package of Pampers sold in a bid to help UNICEF reach its goal of eradicating tetanus by 2012. AlertNet.org/Reuters (10/2)

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• India bans public smoking, faces uphill implementation battle
  The Toronto Star/Reuters (10/2)

• International vendors flood India nuclear market
  The U.S. is joining Russia, France and other nations in the multibillion-dollar bid to build out India's nuclear market. India seeks to increase its nuclear power tenfold over the next 20 years. The Christian Science Monitor (10/3)

• Captive-bred Black rhinos introduced to wild
  Captive-bred black rhinoceroses have been released into the wild for the first time in 25 years. Once widespread in Africa, black rhino populations have undergone a sharp decline due to poaching and loss of habitat. BBC (10/3)

• EU emissions deal up in the air
  Plans by the EU to lead an ambitious worldwide charge against carbon emissions are running into obstacles. The deadline for a comprehensive climate plan finds EU members divided on the scope of reductions, exemptions for favored industries and other issues. The Economist (10/2)

• China spy revelations raise doubts about Skype security
  China was recently named in a report alleging the country is intercepting and archiving messages on the Skype communications network, based on the appearance of certain keywords. Law enforcement and intelligence agencies have been bothered by the growth of Skype's base and its potential as an application that is relatively easy to hack into. The Independent (London)/The Associated Press (10/3)

Chief of Party, Iraq Community Action Program III International Relief and Development (IRD) Iraq Administrative Assistant Center on Global Counterterrorism Cooperation Washington, DC IDIQ Program Manager, USA International Relief and Development (IRD) Arlington, VA IDIQ Program Manager International Relief and Development (IRD) Iraq Project Director, Cultural Heritage Project International Relief and Development (IRD) Arlington, VA Project Coordinator, Cultural Heritage Project International Relief and Development (IRD) Erbil, Iraq Senior Program Officer, Infrastructure International Relief and Development (IRD) Arlington, VA Technical/Proposal Writer, Democracy &Governance International Relief and Development (IRD) Arlington, VA Finance Associate Friends of the World Food Program Washington DC Director of Development Freedom House Washington, DC Finance and Accounting Officer (Reforming Family Law Program) - Kuwait Freedom House Kuwait Program Officer (Reforming Family Law Program) -- Kuwait Freedom House Kuwait Project Director (Reforming Family Law Program) -- Kuwait Freedom House Kuwait General Manager CHF International Afghanistan Assistant Country Director CARE USA Kabul, Afghanistan

• U.S. envoy ends North Korea trip
  Chief U.S. envoy Christopher Hill left North Korea Friday after a three-day effort to jumpstart stalled progress on disarmament efforts. Hill called his talks "detailed and very substantive" but declined to announce any details until he reports back to Washington. The New York Times (10/3)

• Russian president calls for international financial regulation
  Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said Thursday American economic leadership is coming to an end and reiterated his support for an increased multilateral approach to global financial regulation. The New York Times (10/3)

• France ready to boost cooperation, aid Venezuela's nuclear ambitions
  France is prepared to help Venezuela's development of a civilian nuclear power program and would like the South American country to play the role of go-between with Iran, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Friday. France hopes Venezuela can use its relatively cordial relations with Tehran to further develop negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, but Iranian officials have thus far been less than receptive to the idea. The Toronto Star/The Associated Press (10/2)

• Sri Lanka jets bomb separatist offices
  Sending a strong message that the government no longer considers any targets off limits, Sri Lankan jets bombed the Tamil Tiger political chief's offices. The government has vowed to crush the separatist guerrilla movement before the end of the year. CBC.ca/The Associated Press (10/3)

• Al-Bashir warns ICC about pursuing charges
  Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who denies allegations set forth by the International Criminal Court that his administration has committed war crimes, said an effort by the court to pursue those charges would likely unravel Sudan's ongoing peace mission and imperil regional stability. ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo has said he has evidence that al-Bashir was directly responsible for attacks against civilians. BBC (10/3)

• Report: Drugs, organized crime increasing threat to Guinea-Bissau
  Increases in the drug trade and organized crime threaten to "wreak havoc" on Guinea-Bissau, according to a report released Thursday by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Ban encouraged the Security Council to set up a special panel to further investigate individuals involved in the trade and consider targeted sanctions against them. AlertNet.org/Reuters (10/2)

• Other News

• Northeastern Uganda deadly place to be a child
  IRINNews.org (10/2)

• India anti-terror response raises questions, doubts
  The New York Times (10/3)

• Israel warns response to Hezbollah attack would be harsh
  CBC.ca/The Associated Press (10/3)

• Piracy in Somalia at critical stage
  Mail & Guardian (South Africa)/Agence France-Presse (10/3)

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UN appeals for funds to help Syrians affected by worst drought in 40 years UN Radio News Service