Top news: Rebels bombed the Army General Command in Damascus early Wednesday morning in what was the second day of heavy bombing in the capital. Yesterday, rebels struck a schoolhouse they said was being used by Assad's soldiers and pro-government militias, though official and rebel accounts diverge sharply. Meanwhile, fighting in the south spilled over into the Golan Heights when several mortars sailed across the border. Israel said it believed the shelling was accidental, but has filed a complaint with the U.N. peacekeeping force that patrols the border nonetheless.
At the United Nations, Syria remained the focus as Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for international action to halt the killing. Syria has become a "regional calamity with global ramifications," he said. "The international community should not look the other way as violence spirals out of control." In his speech, however, President Obama did not offer anything new on Syria, saying only, "we must remain engaged to assure that what began with citizens demanding their rights does not end in a cycle of sectarian violence."
Environment: A report commissioned by 20 governments predicts that more than 100 million people will die and global economic growth will be slashed by 3.2 percent by 2030 if the world fails to act on climate change. According to the report, 90 percent of deaths are expected to occur in developing countries.
Middle East
- A report from Save the Children detailed torture and imprisonment of children in Syria.
- Kuwait's highest court rejected the government's bid to rewrite election rules ahead of the country's parliamentary contest.
- The Qatari emir called on Arab nations to intervene in Syria to end the civil war.
Africa
- Kenyan teachers ended a three-week strike after the government agreed to raise their salaries.
- Rebels from the Central African Republic attacked a border post in Cameroon, killing three people.
- Kenyan forces bombed the airport and armory in the Somali port city of Kismayo, one of the last Al-Shabab strongholds.
Asia
- China's defense ministry announced that its first aircraft carrier is in service.
- A new report from Stanford and NYU found that the use of drones in Pakistan "terrorizes" civilians and may not serve U.S. security interests.
- Japan's main opposition party, the Liberal Democratic Party, will select its new leader on Wednesday.
Europe
- More than a dozen anti-austerity protesters were injured in clashes with Spanish police.
- Greek trade unions called for a general walkout on Wednesday to protest planned spending cuts.
- French President Francois Hollande called on the U.N. to enforce "liberated zones" in Syria.
Americas
- A judge ordered the arrest of Google's president in Brazil over controversial Youtube videos.
- Argentina's president dismissed the IMF's threat of sanctions over the country's questionable economic figures.
- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez leads Henrique Capriles by 10 points heading into the country's Oct. 7 presidential election.