A free trade agreement between the United States and Panama will go into effect at the end of the month, the last of three deals passed a year ago.

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Ricardo Quijano, Panama's minister of Commerce and Industry, exchanged letters on Monday locking in Oct. 31 for implementation of the FTA. 

"Under this comprehensive agreement, Panama will eliminate tariffs and other barriers to U.S. exports, which will promote economic growth, and expand trade between our two countries," Kirk said Monday.

A senior Iranian official denied Sunday that an agreement had been reached for direct nuclear talks with the United States, following a White House denial on Saturday.

The New York Times reported Saturday that the two countries agreed in principle to hold one-on-one negotiations over Iranian nuclear ambitions. The White House issued a denial soon after, while saying the administration remained open to meeting bilaterally.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar said Sunday at a news conference there was no discussion about one-on-one negotiations.

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Your morning global affairs speed-read

If it's Monday, it's time to play bingo — presidential debate bingo, that is. Thanks to the good folks at the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, watching tonight's third and final debate, on foreign policy, will be as fun as it will — no doubt — be enlightening.

Mitt Romney enters tonight's debate tied with President Obama after all but erasing the president's lead on national security. Expect Romney to continue hammering Obama on last month's attack in Libya, as Republicans have throughout the weekend; Obama, meanwhile, is out with a new ad this morning touting his “responsible” end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. With much of tonight's discussion centering on the Middle East, the Washington Institute for Near East Policy has a handy cheat-sheet of questions neither candidate has adequately answered so far.

Another topic that should receive renewed attention is the showdown over Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program, following reports — since denied — that the United States and Iran could sit down for one-on-one talks after the election. [The New York Times]

The Oversight chairman rejected claims he had endangered Libyan civilians, accusing Democrats of "falsely politicizing the issue.”

The White House is denying a report that said an agreement was reached for one-on-one talks on Iran's nuclear program.

The fresh attacks come as the president prepares to go head-to-head with Mitt Romney in Monday night’s foreign policy debate.

Sen. Marco Rubio is dredging back up the issue of intelligence leaks by the White House, claiming recent disclosures by the administration on possible counterstrikes against terror targets in Libya could end up endangering those operations. 

Amid numerous Republican demands for information from the White House over the Benghazi attack, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) is also seeking answers from the Obama administration over the security failures in Libya.

Lieberman, who announced his Senate Homeland Security investigation into the attack last week, sent letters Friday to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper requesting documents and briefings relating to the Benghazi attack and diplomatic security.

In announcing the investigation last week, Lieberman touted it as a “bipartisan inquiry” supported by both him and ranking member Susan Collins (R-Maine).