An image grab taken from Iran's official Arabic-language Al-Alam TV shows Iranians holding an anti-US rally in Tehran, 04 Nov 2009

IRAN: Iranian police have clashed with opposition demonstrators who renewed protests against the government on the 30th anniversary of the seizure of the U.S. embassy in Tehran. Witnesses say police fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of people who came out to the streets of Tehran Wednesday for protests supported by defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi. Demonstrators shouted "death to the dictator" as they rekindled protests that began in June against the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Voters are handed 'I Voted In Arlington' stickers after voting at Rosslyn Fire Station #10, in Arlington, Virginia, 03 Nov 2009

US ELECTIONS: Republican Party candidates won two key governorships Tuesday in U.S. state elections widely seen as a referendum on President Barack Obama's administration and its policies. Statewide issues dominated campaigns in both Virginia and New Jersey, but political analysts said the vote in the two populous eastern states indicated a shift in voters' preferences, away from Democrats and toward Republican candidates. That would reverse the trend established in last year's presidential race and indicate trouble ahead for Democrats nationwide in 2010, when all seats in the House of Representatives will be on the ballot.

Former Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah gives a press conference at his residence in Kabul, 04 Nov 2009

AFGHANISTAN: Afghan President Hamid Karzai's main political rival is questioning the president's commitment to fighting corruption. Former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah withdrew days ago from a second-round runoff vote because of concerns over fraud. On Tuesday, he said Mr. Karzai's government lacks legitimacy because of the controversial election process that declared Mr. Karzai the winner by default. Abdullah addressed a news conference in Kabul. It followed a similar conference by Mr. Karzai Tuesday in which the president vowed to "make every possible effort" to eradicate government corruption, but also appeared to reject removing high-level officials in any anti-corruption purge.

Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (2008 file photo)

BURMA - US: Senior U.S. diplomats are meeting with detained Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi Wednesday, as the Obama administration pursues a new diplomatic approach towards the military-ruled nation. The Nobel Peace laureate shook hands with Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell as she arrived at a luxury hotel in the main city of Rangoon. The meeting is a rare break from the detention she has endured for 14 of the last 20 years. The meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi came hours after Campbell, the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia, and his deputy, Scott Marceil, held talks with Prime Minister Thein Sein in Burma's administrative capital, Naypyidaw.

Broken houses are seen after the storm in Phu Yen Province, a province in south central coast, in Vietnam, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009

ASIA STORM: Disaster officials in Vietnam say tropical storm Mirinae killed more than 40 people, and several others are still missing. Most of the known deaths are in the coastal provinces of Phu Yen and Binh Dinh, where heavy rains caused serious floods. Rescue efforts are under way to help people trapped in flooded villages, and to locate the missing. State media reported Wednesday that the storm damaged or destroyed at least 2,500 homes and flooded some 1,800 hectares of farm land.

World Bank Headquarters, Washington DC

CHINA - WORLD BANK: The World Bank has raised China's economic growth forecast to 8.4 percent for 2009. The prediction issued Wednesday by the Washington-based development bank represents a major increase from the 7.2 percent it forecast in June. The World Bank says it boosted its outlook based on the effects of a $586 billion economic stimulus package approved by Beijing last year at the height of the global financial crisis. But the bank is urging China to undertake a "successful rebalancing" of its heavily export-driven economy by encouraging more domestic spending.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during press conference in Cairo, Egypt 4 Nov 2009

US - MIDEAST: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the United States does not accept the legitimacy of Israeli settlement activity on Palestinian territory. Clinton delivered her remarks Wednesday in Cairo after talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Middle East peace efforts. She said the U.S. would like to see Israel completely halt all settlement activity. Clinton drew sharp criticism from Palestinian leaders last week when she welcomed Israel's offer to restrain settlement activity in order to start peace negotiations as an "unprecedented" concession.

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