Morning Brief, Wednesday, May 23

Middle East

TIM SLOAN/AFP

Congressional Democrats yanked a provision in the supplemental funding bill for Iraq requiring that U.S. combat troops withdraw from Iraq along a specified timeline, admitting that they did not have the votes to overcome a likely presidential veto. 

Thousands of civilians caught in the crossfire between an extremist group and the Lebanese Army fled a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon camp during a lull in the fighting, which continues.

In a show of force, the U.S. Navy carried out surprise exercises in the Persian Gulf. 

Americas 

The U.S. Senate shot down an attempt by two Democratic senators to strike the guest worker program from the hugely controversial immigration bill that is currently under discussion. 

Did you know that Mexico now operates 47 consulates in the United States? 

U.S. President George W. Bush declassified intelligence purporting to show that in 2005, Osama bin Laden ordered (now deceased) al Qaeda associate Abu Musab al-Zarqawi to launch attacks in the United States.

Asia

Asian and Gulf countries are enhancing their political and economic ties—and fear that the United States has become the soft underbelly of the global economy.

Japan’s hottest export? Engineers.

U.S. labor unions are tentatively reaching out to their Chinese counterparts.

Europe

Kurdish separatists are behind yesterday’s massive suicide attack in the Turkish capital, according to Turkish authorities. 

Outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair proposes making carbon-free nuclear power a greater part of Britain’s energy mix.

Serbia’s Special Court for Organized Crime convicted 12 men of murdering former Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic back in 2003. 

A Russian deputy prime minster said there is “no problem” in UK-Russia relations despite the Litvinenko case and a British request for the extradition of the ex-spy’s suspected killer.

Elsewhere

Amnesty International released its annual human rights report for 2007. It’s grim.

Today’s Agenda

• International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohammed ElBaradei reports to the U.N. Security Council on Iran’s compliance with  a 60-day deadline to suspend down its enrichment activities.
• Today is the second day of the Strategic Economic Dialogue between the United States and China. Members of the Chinese delegation are due to meet with key members of Congress, but U.S. officials are cautioning not to expect any major policy outcomes from the dialogue.
• Tonight is the televised final round of the National Geographic Bee.

Yesterday on
Passport

• NATO’s weak link in Afghanistan
• United States, EU3 in another spat with ElBaradei
• Poll: Can suicide bombing be justified?