OND is a community feature on Daily Kos, consisting of news stories from around the world, sometimes coupled with a daily theme, original research or commentary. Editors of OND impart their own presentation styles and content choices, typically publishing each day near 12:00AM Eastern Time.
The OND concept was borne under the keen keyboard of Magnifico - proper respect is due.
Current Contributers are ScottyUrb, Bentliberal, wader,Oke, rfall, JML9999 and Neon Vincent.
BBC:Oliver Letwin apologises for dumping papers in park bin
Oliver Letwin apologises for dumping papers in park bin
Minister Oliver Letwin has apologised for disposing of parliamentary papers, including constituents' letters, in a litter bin near Downing Street.
The Daily Mirror reported that he had thrown out more than 100 papers in St James's Park.
Mr Letwin told the BBC he had not thrown out government or classified papers, but apologised to constituents.
Downing St said it was "clearly not a sensible way to dispose of documents". Labour has asked for an inquiry.
BBC:Defence Secretary Liam Fox quits
Defence Secretary Liam Fox quits
Defence Secretary Liam Fox has resigned after a week of pressure over his working relationship with friend and self-styled adviser Adam Werritty.
Mr Fox was being investigated amid claims he broke the ministerial code.
In a letter to David Cameron, Mr Fox said he had "mistakenly allowed" personal and professional responsibilities to be "blurred".
Mr Cameron said he was very sorry to see him go. Transport Secretary Philip Hammond will replace Mr Fox.
BBC:G20 finance ministers in day two of eurozone talks
G20 finance ministers in day two of eurozone talks
Finance ministers of the G20 group of nations are meeting in Paris to continue talks on solving the eurozone debt crisis.
One question is whether the International Monetary Fund should increase in size as part of a broader global response to the situation.
However the idea has been met with some resistance by the US, reports say.
On Friday, US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke by phone to discuss the crisis.
US officials said Mr Obama had warned of the risks posed to the US economy, and also discussed preparations for a G20 summit in Cannes scheduled for early next month.
BBC:Gaddafi loyalists' and Libya NTC Tripoli battle ends
Gaddafi loyalists' and Libya NTC Tripoli battle ends
A gun battle in the Libyan capital Tripoli between forces loyal to the transitional government and gunmen they say support fugitive ex-leader Col Muammar Gaddafi has now ended.
It was the first serious confrontation in Tripoli since the city fell to the forces of the National Transitional Council (NTC) in August.
The fighting started after a demonstration by Gaddafi loyalists.
A hospital doctor has told the BBC that nine people were seriously injured.
BBC:Britons donate £72m for East Africa drought aid appeal
Britons donate £72m for East Africa drought aid appeal
The British public has donated £72m for victims of the devastating drought in East Africa, the most ever for a food crisis, UK aid agencies have said.
The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launched an appeal in July after the worst drought in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan for 60 years.
The DEC, representing 14 UK aid groups, said it had raised the third highest appeal total in its 45-year history.
But the charity said the situation for 10 million people remained "grave".
BBC:Italy PM Silvio Berlusconi wins confidence vote
Italy PM Silvio Berlusconi wins confidence vote
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has won a key confidence vote in parliament, sparked by questions over his handling of the economy and personal scandals.
Mr Berlusconi won the vote in the lower house by 316 vote to 301.
Italy's government credit rating was recently downgraded and parliament failed to back a key part of the budget this week, triggering the vote.
Mr Berlusconi also faces trial on sex, bribery and abuse of power charges.
Reuters:Some U.S. officials question response to Iran plot
Some U.S. officials question response to Iran plot
(Reuters) - While President Barack Obama and top aides have been united this week in grave warnings over an alleged Iranian assassination plot, some U.S. government officials are privately expressing disquiet that the outlandish-sounding plan has triggered U.S. calls for stiff new action against Iran.
These officials, while not disputing many facts of the case, say that if anything, the scheme reveals weaknesses in Iran's security agencies, and the increasingly fractured state of Iran's government as it faces intense international pressure.
They also questioned the wisdom of the White House strategy in using the affair to rapidly push for tougher sanctions on Tehran, increasing regional tensions.
"A lot of people basically feel really suspicious about this," one official said, questioning the White House's motivation "in ratcheting this thing up so quickly."
Reuters:Wall Street sit-in goes global Saturday
Wall Street sit-in goes global Saturday
(Reuters) - For an October revolution, dress warm. That's the word going out - politely - on the Web to rally street protests on Saturday around the globe from New Zealand to Alaska via London, Frankfurt, Washington and, of course, New York, where the past month's Occupy Wall Street movement has inspired a worldwide yell of anger at banks and financiers.
How many will show up, let alone stay to camp out to disrupt city centers for days, or months, to come, is anyone's guess. The hundreds at Manhattan's Zuccotti Park were calling for back-up on Friday, fearing imminent eviction. Rome expects tens of thousands at a national protest of more traditional stamp.
Few other police forces expect more than a few thousand to turn out on the day for what is billed as an exercise in social media-spread, Arab Spring-inspired, grassroots democracy with an emphasis on peaceful, homespun debate, as seen among Madrid's "indignados" in June or at the current Wall Street park sit-in.
Blogs and Facebook pages devoted to "October 15" - #O15 on Twitter - abound with exhortations to keep the peace, bring an open mind, a sleeping bag, food and warm clothing; in Britain, "Occupy London Stock Exchange" is at pains to stress it does not plan to actually, well, occupy the stock exchange.
Reuters:Obama sends military advisers to central Africa
Obama sends military advisers to central Africa
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Friday he was sending about 100 U.S. troops to central Africa to help and advise government forces battling Ugandan Lord's Resistance Army rebels accused of murder, rape and kidnapping children.
Obama -- who once denounced the LRA as an "affront to human dignity" -- made clear the troops would serve as trainers and advisers in efforts to hunt down rebel leader Joseph Kony and would not engage in combat except in self-defense.
In a letter to Congress, Obama said the first U.S. forces arrived in Uganda on Wednesday and would be deployed to South Sudan, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo "subject to the approval of each respective host nation."
Obama's decision commits U.S. forces to help confront a rebel group that has drawn international condemnation for decades of chilling violence, including hacking body parts off victims and the abduction of young boys to fight and young girls for use as sex slaves.
Reuters:U.S. rejects plan to strengthen IMF in euro zone crisis
U.S. rejects plan to strengthen IMF in euro zone crisis
(Reuters) - Proposals to double the size of the IMF as part of a broader international response to Europe's debt crisis ran into resistance from the United States and others, burying the idea for now and putting the onus firmly back on Europe.
The outlines of the plan, that had the backing of several developing economies, emerged as G20 finance ministers and central bankers met in Paris to discuss a world economy under threat from European nations mired in debt.
A second day of talks on Saturday may produce more robust language on the urgency of tackling the euro zone debt crisis but little of substance is likely to be inked in with an EU summit in nine day's time the make-or-break moment.
A communique and round of closing news conferences are expected around 11 a.m. EDT with other decisions set up for a G20 leaders' summit in Cannes on November 3/4.
Reuters:SEC warns staff their stocks data was exposed
SEC warns staff their stocks data was exposed
(Reuters) - The Securities and Exchange Commission is warning staffers that their personal brokerage account information may have been compromised, after it uncovered security flaws with an ethics compliance program.
The SEC put the program in place after its internal watchdog raised concerns about possible insider trading among SEC staffers.
In an October 7 letter to SEC employees, Chief Information Officer Thomas Bayer said that the contractor hired to operate a computer program that tracks trades had violated its agreement with the SEC by providing names and account numbers to a subcontractor without permission.
"We are not aware of any actual misuse of the data," Bayer wrote. "Nevertheless, it is the SEC's policy to provide notification of any incident that presents the potential for unauthorized access to personal information."
Reuters:Chances of deficit panel success unclear
Chances of deficit panel success unclear
(Reuters) - Whether the special "super committee" of Congress will succeed in its mission to slash U.S. deficits is up in the air, a panel member said on Friday, as some lawmakers tried to fence off large budget items like defense.
Representative Chris Van Hollen, a Democratic member of the special panel, said he was "absolutely convinced" the six Democrats and six Republicans would try hard to reach agreement on a plan by its November 23 deadline. The panel has been asked to find at least $1.2 trillion in savings over 10 years.
"Whether we are able to overcome some of the obstacles by the end of the day is still unclear," Van Hollen said at an event sponsored by the National Journal.
The panel of senators and U.S. House of Representatives members has been meeting, mostly behind closed doors, for more than a month in an effort to put together a deficit reduction package. They have said very little publicly about their deliberations or whether any progress has been made on the politically explosive issues of tax hikes and spending cuts for government healthcare and retirement programs.
Seattle Times:Wozniak rolls up to be first in line for new iPhone 4S
Wozniak rolls up to be first in line for new iPhone 4S
SAN JOSE, Calif. — To the cheers of employees, Steve Wozniak was the first one to walk into the Los Gatos, Calif., Apple Store to pick up a new iPhone 4S.
The Apple co-founder was one of thousands who waited in line to buy the latest model, which has a faster processor and improved camera. Employees high-fived Wozniak as he entered the store.
When Wozniak emerged from the Los Gatos store with his phone, his first task was to test Siri, the voice-activated assistant function. Wozniak asked his iPhone to dial his wife's phone.
"The first command ever (spoken) into it, and it did it right," Wozniak said. "I'm really happy already."