Leaders of the world's most polluting nations at the Italy G8 summit agreed a common goal on curbing global warming—but not on what measures to take to get there. Summit leaders agreed in principle that global temperature rise should be no more than 2 degrees C. by 2050. But there were no interim targets and or timetables. This is true both of July 8 G8 declaration and the following day's resolution by the Major Economies Forum (MEF), the 17 countries that emit 80% of the world's greenhouse gases. Details on how to reach the 2-degree cap are expected to be hashed out at the December UN climate summit in Copenhagen, where a new treaty is expected to replace the Kyoto Protocol. (European Voice, July 10)

Thousands of protesters gathered in the suburbs of the central Italian town of L'Aquila July 10, as the G8 summit came to a close—the town itself being blocked off by thousands of riot police. "We do not want the G8 leaders to search for the ways to overcome the crisis that they started," said Paolo Ferrero of the Communist Refoundation Party, adding, "We want the demands of the affected people to be considered in the restoration of L'Aquila." Among the protesters were many local residents angered by the stalling of restoration work in L'Aquila, where nearly 300 died, 1,500 were injured and about 50,000 left homeless in April's earthquake. (Ria Novosti, July 10)

Chinese authorities have re-imposed a curfew in the city of Urumqi, Xinjiang, following new disturbances July 10. When authorities tried to close the White Mosque ahead of Friday prayers in the Uighur district which had been the center of last weekend's violence, this only sparked an angry protest at the mosque's gates. As the crowd rapidly swelled, the riot police who had been dispatched to secure the mosque finally relented and let prayers proceed—but not before arresting four foreign journalists. The curfew had been suspended for the past two days after officials said they had the city under control. State media now say the death toll in the weekend's clashes has risen to 184. Of these deaths, authorities say 137 were Han, 46 were Uighur, and one was of the Hui ethnic group. (Radio New Zealand, July 11; AP, July 10)

Thousands of protesters marched on an army base in Indian-controlled Kashmir, following the apparent murder of a young woman. Protesters say that the young student from the Kupwara district died after being assaulted by a member of India's Territorial Army. A general strike over the incident has brought the Kashmir Valley to a standstill. A soldier has been charged in the killing. The death is the tenth in recent weeks to be blamed on the security forces. (BBC News, July 10)

What are we to make of apocryphal Iraqi insurgent leader Abu Omar al-Baghdadi? We have been repeatedly told he is dead, he is captured, or he never existed. Every time one of these theories is announced to the world, he issues another statement. In 2007, he issued a statement daring Washington to nuke Iran. After Obama's election he tentatively offered a truce if the US would immediately withdraw. Now he (supposedly) issues a statement urging his insurgents to keep fighting despite the US pull-back from Iraq's cities. From Stars & Stripes, July 10:

Both ousted President Manuel Zelaya and de facto President Roberto Micheletti, arriving in Costa Rica July 9 for talks on the Honduran impasse, denied that there is anything to discuss. "I am not here to negotiate," Zelaya said at a press conference upon his arrival in San José. "Not to advocate the return of a democratically elected president would be ridiculous." Saying that international opinion is behind him, he added: "We hope during the next 24 hours, tomorrow that is, we have a clear response by the golpistas who broke the democratic process in the country." (Inside Costa Rica, July 9)

At least 25 were killed in Afghanistan's Logar (Lowgar) province after a truck loaded with explosives hidden under firewood skidded off the road and crashed. The payload exploded when police and crowd of civilians gathered around the vehicle to investigate. Of the dead, only four were police; 16 were schoolchildren aged 8 to 12, who had been on their way class. Authorities believe the explosives were detonated remotely. No-one has claimed responsibility. (NYT, LAT, July 9)

Some 300 protesters marched on Tehran University chanting "Death to the dictator!" before being dispersed by police who used tear gas and fired shots in the air. The march was held to commemorate the 10th anniversary of student protests that were put down by the Basij militia in 1999. The march was held in defiance of the threats from Tehran governor Morteza Tamaddon, who warned one day earlier: "If some individuals plan to have anti-security move through listening to a call by counter-revolutionary networks, they will be smashed under the feet of our aware people." (BBC News, AP, The Independent, July 9)