Germans will take to the polls tomorrow to decide whether current chancellor Angela Merkel will continue to lead the country. Her leading challenger is Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a member of the Social Democratic Party, Bloomberg.
Thousands took to the streets in the West Bank yesterday to protest the deaths of 3 Palestinians killed in an Israeli air raid earlier this week, AFP.
16 people have died in 2 suicide car bombs in northwest Pakistan. Pakistan’s military worked to drive members of the Taliban away from that area, which borders Afghanistan, earlier this year and the region was quiet for awhile but it now appears that Taliban members are returning along with violence, BBC News.
More from behind the scenes on the reveal of Iran’s second uranium enrichment facility, including the secret messages that tipped off the U.S., New York Times. Iran will allow UN inspectors into the site, Associated Press.
Paul G. Kirk, Jr., a former businessman and lobbyist, was sworn as an interim appointment to the Massachusetts seat of the U.S. Senate left empty by the passing of Edward Kennedy. Kirk will serve until a special election is held on January 19, Boston Globe.
In his weekly address, President Obama discusses progress made at the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh earlier this week. The most notable outcome of the Summit was the declaration that the G-20 (Group of 20) would surpass the G-8 as the dominant forum for international cooperation. The G-20 was expanded from the G-8 (Canada, France, Germany, United Kingdom, United States and Russia) to include developing nations including China, Mexico, and India. Transcript.
The Daily Brief 