In a move designed to cripple the Brotherhood’s leadership ahead of Parliamentary elections, ten officials are arrested over five provinces overnight:

• Egypt Arrests 3 Top Muslim Brotherhood Leaders (AP / Washington Post)

The Afghan president says his people’s priority is “ending raids at night on Afghan homes, … ending the arrests of Afghans in their homes and their villages,” and “gaining judicial independence completely and rather very very soon”:

• Karzai Demands End to Nato Raids (Al Jazeera)

Terrorism experts say the group has adjusted its tactics to incorporate smaller scale attacks that are increasingly difficult to prevent:

• Al-Qaeda is a Wounded but Dangerous Enemy (Washington Post)

An offensive to take down the Taliban Stronghold in Marja is being used as a litmus test illustrating how difficult it will be to train Afghan troops to be self sufficient…

• Afghan Force Faces Crucial Test in Marja (LA Times)

… Meanwhile, pressure mounts for reconciliation negotiations with Taliban:

• Don’t Wait for Victory to Start Talking to the Taliban, Ainsworth Tells Nato (Guardian)

Confirming Ahmadinejad’s intentions of enriching uranium as nuclear negotiations move forward:

• Iran to Tell U.N. Agency of Nuclear Enrichment Plans (NY Times)

Ahmadinejad’s move to quiet domestic critics will impede negotiations with the West:

• Ahmadinejad Orders Nuclear Work (Al Jazeera)

Afghan officials express doubts about charges of complicity against the deputy chief and security head of the national police in Kapisa, arrested in a NATO raid:

• Afghan Police Official Accused of Helping Insurgents Make Bombs (LA Times)

A senior Taliban commander says the conviction of Aafia Siddiqui has created a “religious and moral obligation to help the distressed Pakistani woman convicted by the US court on false charges”:

• Taliban to Execute US Soldier if Aafia not Released (International)

“Surgenomics” – A term describing the US strategy to ramp up military forces with an explicit mission to co-opt the locals financially:

• Will the Taliban Buy into Surgenomics? (Guardian)

The governments ceasefire offer only needs the signature of al-Houthi and the conflict will cease “immediately”:

• Peace Agreement Eludes Yemen (Al Jazeera)

Targeting Shi’a at the culmination of their pilgrimage, insurgents are clearly dedicated to derailing Iraqi democracy:

• In Iraq, Karbala Bombings Spark Fears of Renewed Sectarian Violence (Christian Science Monitor)