Japan increasingly worried over China’s territorial claims

Amid China’s aggressive moves in the South China Sea come reports that Japan has conducted at least 117 operations in the period between July and September of this year to intercept Chinese military planes from entering Japanese air space.  The two nations are involved in a dispute the Senkaku Islands that both claim are part of its territory.  China steadfastly claims sovereignty over all of the South China Sea, which has other claimant nations like Japan and the Philippines on a defense footing.

Russian planes also routinely fly close to Japan’s northern region, near the Kuril Islands claimed by both nations. Japan and China are seeking to implement a communications mechanism to avoid misunderstandings as tensions continue to rise in Asia.

Sudan deploys troops to join Saudi-led coalition

With the Saudi-Houthi war in Yemen in a stalemate, Sudan has seen fit to intervene on the Saudi side, deploying close to 700 troops.  With both Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir indicted by the ICC and his troops accused of human rights violations, this development indicates that the Saudi war effort is not going according to plan.

Arriving in the port city of Aden, where rocket and suicide car bomb attacks claimed by an IS affiliate killed approximately 22 Saudi and Emirati troops two weeks ago, the Sudanese troops are the first in expected reinforcements, which are expected to increase to 10,000.  Aden is the seat of the Yemeni government-in-exile, as the Houthis control the capital, Sana’a, with Iranian support.

Guinea elects Alpha Conde for second term, opposition calls for peaceful protests

Securing 58% of the vote, Guinean President Alpha Conde has been elected to a second five-year term in what EU observers said was a fair election overall, despite protests by opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo, who called the elections “fraudulent” and is now advocating “peaceful protests” against the government.  The mineral-rich Western African nation witnessed pre-election violence with dozens killed in political demonstrations.

Another area of concern for President Conde are the reported two new cases of Ebola virus infection.  Guinea was close to meeting the threshold for being declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organization, but now Conde must deal with that situation along with preventing the protests against his re-election turning violent.

Pentagon: Leader of al Qaeda’s Khorasan Group killed in Syrian airstrike

The Pentagon has reported that Abdul Mohsen Adballah Ibrahim al Charekh, the highest ranking member of al Qaeda-linked Khorasan Group, was killed in a US-led coalition airstrike. Al Charekh was labeled a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US treasury and played a substantial role in the group’s finances.

The Khorasan Group is a Washington-branded group consisting of al Qaeda veterans in which the Obama administration considers an immediate threat to the US. The Khorosan group co-locates with Al Qaeda’s Syrian branch, Jabhat Al Nusra, and Al Nusra admits no distinction between the two. In May al Nusra publicly announced that the Khorasan Group “is merely a Western invention to justify the bombings on us.”

Israel/Palestine violence persists: Israeli police constructing wall; Israeli students attacked

An unauthorized visit by 30 Israeli students to repair St. Joseph’s Tomb resulted in an attack on the students by Palestinian security forces and rioters. Joseph’s Tomb is a Jewish religious site in the Palestinian-held Area A in the West Bank, and requires prior approval from the Israeli Defense Force for entry.

Additionally, a deadly attack at a Beersheba bus station took place on Sunday, where a Palestinian terrorist armed with a pistol and knife killed one Israeli soldier and wounded ten others.

The attacker was killed, as was an innocent bystander misidentified as an accomplice.

As Palestinian attacks on Israeli citizens escalate, including a call by Hamas for a third intifada, Israel has been forced to take greater precautions; on Sunday, Israeli police began construction of a wall to protect Jewish neighborhood Armon Hanatziv that is subject to firebomb and stone attacks propelled from the nearby Palestinian Jabel Mukaber village. So far 42 Palestinians and 7 Israelis have been killed in the region. In addition, Israeli citizens are arming themselves with guns, pepper spray, and rolling pins as a means of protection against future attacks.

Other stories we’re following:

FSB claims breaking up plot to bomb trains in southern Russia

NATO exercises in Mediterranean with an eye on Russia

US willing to negotiate with North Korea

China suspected of hacking US companies after signing accord pledging not to

Suicide bombings kill 17 in Nigeria

Rebels apparently receive more US-made weapons for Assad opposition

Iran to allow IAEA greater access to nuclear sites

Turkish soldiers, Kurdish rebels killed in Turkey clashes

Yemen government to attend UN-sponsored talks with Houthis

UK parents able to remove passports from potential teen IS recruits

AP: UAE official seeks right to enrich uranium

At least 40 IS members killed in Syrian air strikes on motorcade this weekend

Russian CEO heads to Cairo to discuss Nuclear Power plant