In a statement released Sunday in the newspaper Al-Hayat, a formerly unknown secular opposition group — the "Vanguards of Libya's Liberation" — announced their intention to overthrow Libyan leader Moammar Khaddafi.

Budapest appears to be banking on a long-term US presence in southern Hungary, as they have announced plans to decommission their Taszar air force unit and Szeged-based technical brigade.

A new political party has been formed in Japan, distinguished from other Japanese parties largely by their openly stated desire for the removal of U.S. military bases from Japan.

Recent events in Israel have now led to far more ominous saber-rattling coming from both Egypt and Syria.

Two of the great powers -- the United States and Japan -- will be holding elections this quarter. Each country will play a major role in the other's election. Neither Dole nor Clinton is a protectionist, but Pat Choate, Ross Perot's running mate, is a very articulate one.

As was widely reported this week, Kabul has fallen to the Taliban militia. However, the war in Afghanistan is far from over. Last week Uzbekistan hosted secret meetings in which the Afghan government appealed for the support of Afghan faction leader General Rashid Dostum.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev last week asked to join four former Soviet Republics — Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan — that are developing a "Eurasian Corridor" to transport goods to Europe without passing through Russian territory.

A recently released OECD report praised Slovakia on its macroeconomic performance, though the report proceeded to criticize the country's microeconomic development.

Greece has recently announced support for Syria in the ongoing Middle East peace process.

China has just completed the 20th round of negotiations with Russia and the Central Asian republics with which China shares a border. China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan signed a treaty last April, creating a 5,000 mile long demilitarized zone along China's border.