[October 29, 2009] Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, Oct. 30 Tweet Oct 29, 2009 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- UNITED NATIONS -- The UN Security Council on Thursday called for enhanced measures to protect UN staff supporting the electoral process in Afghanistan. The 15-member body held an urgent meeting to discus the security situation of Afghanistan in response to Wednesday's terrorist attack on a UN facility in Kabul, which killed 5 UN staff members. (UN-Afghanistan) - - - - WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Senate Banking Committee approved unanimously on Thursday a legislation that would authorize the Obama administration to impose tougher sanctions on Iran for failing to give up an alleged nuclear weapons program. The Senate panel took the action a day after the House Foreign Affairs Committee approved a bill that would subject foreign companies doing gasoline business with Iran to tough U.S. sanctions. (U.S.-Senate-Iran) - - - - PARIS -- European Space Agency successfully shot two telecommunication satellites NSS-12 and THOR 6 aboard Ariane 5 ECA launcher at 2000 GMT Thursday from Arianespace in Kourou, French Guiana. Ariane 5 was ignited at the South American jungle of Kourou, with two direct broadcast satellites on mission: NSS-12, for the operator of SES World Skies, a cross-continent satellite operator, and THOR 6 for Norwegian mobile operator Telenor. (Paris-Satellites-Arianespace) - - - - KABUL -- A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck the Hindu Kush mountain region in northeast of Afghanistan on Thursday night. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake measured magnitude 6.0 on the Richter scale and the epicenter is 68 kilometers far from Feyzabad, capital of Badakhshan province and 261 kilometers from Afghan capital Kabul. The quake was strongly felt in Kabul. (Afghanistan-Quake) [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]