Morning Brief, Tuesday, December 5

Iraq

In a bid to shore up Iraqi PM Maliki’s political base, President Bush met with Shiite leader and Sadr-rival Abdul Aziz al-Hakim in the Oval Office yesterday, where Hakim rejected the Iraq Study Group’s expected recommendation that Iraq’s neighbors sit down at the table to map the road to peace.

The U.S. military is embedding more U.S. troops into Iraqi Army and police units in advisory and training roles. Thirty Iraqis have been killed around Baghdad in attacks today. U.S. Gen. Anthony Zinni changes his tune on the war: He now believes a quick exit would provide Iran with too much influence in the region.

Senate hearings on Defense Secretary nominee Robert Gates are underway. 

Europe

France launches a new 24-hour news network that intends to compete with the BBC, CNN, and Al Jazeera Intl. Finland ratifies the EU constitution (didn’t the French and Dutch “no” engrave that document’s tombstone?). Belarus detains the main opposition leader. And Russian relations with Britain continue to sour over the investigation of Litvinenko’s death, as British investigators arrive in Moscow and Russia declares no suspects will be extradicted. 

Elsewhere

Musharraf says Pakistan might give up its claim to Kashmir if India agrees to a self-government plan for the disputed region.  

Fiji’s military commander stages his long-threatened coup. A gunman opens fire on the U.S. embassy in Yemen.  

And here’s the economic state of the world:

Personal wealth is distributed so unevenly across the world that the richest two per cent of adults own more than 50 per cent of the world’s assets while the poorest half hold only 1 per cent of wealth.