Morning Brief, Tuesday, June 19
Middle East Chris Hondros/Getty Images News The U.S. military launched an aggressive attack on Sunni insurgents in Baquba, a city northeast of Baghdad. Notably, Iraqi troops are not involved in the clearing operations, though they will be expected to hold the western part of the city. Near the Iranian border, U.S. and British troops are ...
Middle East
Middle East
The U.S. military launched an aggressive attack on Sunni insurgents in Baquba, a city northeast of Baghdad. Notably, Iraqi troops are not involved in the clearing operations, though they will be expected to hold the western part of the city. Near the Iranian border, U.S. and British troops are fighting Shiite militias. Again, no Iraqi troops are involved.
Joining the European Union, the United States lifted its embargo on aid to the Palestinian Authority after President Mahmoud Abbas kicked Hamas out of the government. The strategy: “We are going to support President Abbas and what he wants to do,” said U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Israel’s strategy toward Gaza remains in flux.
Smuggling weapons into Gaza is about money, not ideology, the New York Times‘ Michael Slackman reports from northern Sinai.
Europe
Airbus had a great day at the Paris Air Show, with 200 solid orders for its new A350 jetliner—half of its 2007 target. But Boeing is doing even better this year.
An Italian judge is delaying the trial of 26 suspected CIA operatives who are accused of kidnapping an Egyptian man in Milan.
European hedge funds are trying to head off impending regulation.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy had to reshuffle his cabinet when his environment minister, Alain Juppé, lost his seat.
Asia
Blackstone is getting into the outsourcing business in India.
China is making a good show of getting tough on labor abuse after the brick kiln slaves scandal. But here “ideals and reality conflict,” as the International Herald Tribune headline reads.
China plans to build a highway to the Mt. Everest base camp for the 2008 Olympics.
Elsewhere
The CEO of Yahoo!, which can’t seem to catch up to Google, resigned.
The number of refugees in the world rose by 14 percent in 2006, mainly due to Iraq. Full UNHCR report here (pdf).
Spring comes two weeks early to the Arctic.
Today’s Agenda
- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert meets with U.S. President George W. Bush in the Oval Office.
- Nicolas Sarkozy meets with Tony Blair and his successor as British prime minister, Gordon Brown, at 10 Downing St.
- It’s Dragon Boat Race time in Hong Kong. My experience: This once-traditional event has been taken over by law firms and investment banks, but it’s still fun.
Yesterday on Passport
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