Morning Brief, Tuesday, October 24

Iraq

Bush may have resigned “staying the course” to the dustbin of history, but other U.S. officials continue to wax optimistic that success in Iraq is at least possible. Cue generic timetable: it’s still going to be another 12-18 months before Iraqi troops take full control of security, according to Gen. Casey today.  

Britain’s foreign secretary thinks Iraq could still break apart despite the best efforts of the coalition. Kristof thinks that’s a overly costly gamble at $6300 a second.

Iraqis get one of the best American exports: their own Daily Show.  

Nuclear negotiations

Contrary to previous reports, North Korea apparently wasn’t so apologetic to China for its nuclear test. 

These reports are certainly not accurate,” the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Liu Jianchao, told a regular press briefing in Beijing. “We haven’t heard any information that Kim Jong-il apologised for the test.”

And despite the threat of sanctions, Iran is testing new enrichment equipment that could double its uranium capacity, according to the IAEA. Should the nuclear route fail, Ahmadinejad is encouraging Iranian women to work less and devote themselves to bearing children so that a baby boom can be used to threaten the West.

The environment

We’re living beyond our means. A new report from the WWF contends that the planet faces large-scale ecosystem collapse by the middle of the century if current consumption levels continue. They also call out the worst offenders.

And as if on cue, toxic waste causes sections of China’s Yellow river to turn red.

Elsewhere

Far right party joins PM Olmert’s coalition in Israel, giving him a much-needed domestic boost, and a Spanish AP photographer is seized in Gaza.

Riots mar Hungary’s commemoration of the 1956 anti-Soviet uprising. 

Britain slams the door on Bulgarian and Romanian immigrants’ right to work. Whether the strategy will give Labour a boost is yet to be seen. 

And Google adds a new custom search engine to its offerings.