Morning Brief, Tuesday, April 24
SAID KHATIB/AFP/Getty Images Middle East Nine U.S. soldiers died and at least 20 were injured in a suicide bomb blast at a U.S. base in Diyala province, Iraq. Democrats in the the U.S. congress are pushing for troop withdrawals to begin on October 1 of this year. The military wing of Hamas celebrated Israel’s 59th ...
SAID KHATIB/AFP/Getty Images
Middle East
Nine U.S. soldiers died and at least 20 were injured in a suicide bomb blast at a U.S. base in Diyala province, Iraq. Democrats in the the U.S. congress are pushing for troop withdrawals to begin on October 1 of this year.
The military wing of Hamas celebrated Israel’s 59th birthday with a barrage of rockets. According to the Israeli military, though, the real goal was to provide cover for a hostage-taking attempt, which was foiled.
The construction of a wall in a Sunni neighborhood in Baghdad is provoking ire in both Sunni and Shiite camps. Opposing the wall has earned Shiite PM Nuri al-Maliki some points with Sunnis.
Europe
Turkey’s prime minister chose not to run for president following massive street protests denouncing the moderate Islamist leader as a threat to secularism. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul will run in his stead.
Russia reacted with Siberian chill to a U.S. proposal that the two countries cooperate on a European missile shield.
It’s back on the boats for the British Navy in the Persian Gulf.
Asia
Toyota surpassed General Motors in the first quarter of 2007 to become the world’s largest carmaker. Nissan, meanwhile, laid off 1,500 workers.
China is set to surpass the United States this year as the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases.
For China’s real estate developers, life is tough these days.
Taiwan’s military said it could repulse Chinese forces after just two weeks in the event of an invasion.
Elsewhere
Ethiopian forces are reportedly using that old tried and true counterinsurgency technique in Somalia: pounding a densely populated city with tanks.
Mexico City’s legislative assembly votes today on whether to legalize first-trimester abortions.
Wolfowitz lawyers up and promises to change his management style.
Blake Hounshell is a former managing editor of Foreign Policy.
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