Tuesday's global agenda: Campaigns call Sept. 11 truce as bin Laden takes center stage

Your morning global affairs speed-read

The two presidential campaigns are taking a short break from campaigning to mark the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks today even as Osama bin Laden's death has become a potent weapon for the Obama administration to tout the president's commander-in-chief credentials. The Hill has the story here.

Iran crisis: The United Nations's atomic agency has received new intelligence that Iran has moved further toward the ability to build a nuclear weapon, The Associated Press reports. The new revelations come as Israel and the Obama administration appear increasingly at odds over a "red line" for Iran. [Washington Post]

Taking a stand: Congress is back from summer break today and will immediately bring up a slew of human-rights bills under the fast-track process called suspension of the rules. 

Rep. Chris Smith's (R-N.J.) “Vietnam Human Rights Act” (H.R. 1410), which puts conditions on U.S. aid to the communist country, is up first. Human-rights abuses in Vietnam are also the target of H.R. 484 from Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.), which calls on Vietnam to cease abusing national security provisions to crack down on advocates for religious and political freedom.

Rep. Ed Royce's (R-Calif.) “North Korea Refugee Adoption Act” (H.R. 1464) calling for a State Department adoption strategy is next, followed by Rep. Mike Grimm's (R-N.Y.) H.Res. 177 expressing support for internal rebuilding, resettlement and reconciliation within Sri Lanka.

In the Senate, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) has introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 17,  “expressing the sense of Congress that Taiwan should be accorded observer status in the International Civil Aviation Organization.”

In other news: 

Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi vowed to reform the economy and stick by the peace treaty with Israel in meetings with U.S. officials and business leaders that are part of America's largest trade delegation ever to the Middle East. [Associated Press]

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping hasn't been seen in public since Sept. 1 and skipped a meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last week, raising intense speculation about the health and whereabouts of the man expected to become China's top leader this fall. [The Wall Street Journal]

Somalia chose a moderate academic, Hassan Sheik Mohamud, as its new president to take over from the internationally backed transitional administration. [The New York Times]

What you might have missed on Global Affairs:

Obama names ambassador to Iraq

State Department not ready to consider Syrian resettlement to the United States

Kucinich goes after ivory poachers in Uganda

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