Morning Brief, Tuesday, August 28
Asia JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images The Taliban promised to release all 19 remaining South Korean hostages. Pervez Musharraf may resign as army chief of staff in exchange for remaining president for five more years, Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper reports. Already, a cabinet minister has resigned in protest of Musharraf’s dual role. The United States wants Taiwan to ...
Asia
Asia
The Taliban promised to release all 19 remaining South Korean hostages.
Pervez Musharraf may resign as army chief of staff in exchange for remaining president for five more years, Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper reports. Already, a cabinet minister has resigned in protest of Musharraf’s dual role.
The United States wants Taiwan to cancel its plans for a referendum on joining the United Nations.
Middle East
Investigators are probing a massive ring of fraud and illegal kickbacks related to weapons supplies in Iraq.
The U.S. military says a joint U.S.-Iraqi operation killed 33 insurgents north of Baghdad.
Hundreds of Hamas militants are training in places like Iran, Israel’s deputy chief of staff says.
Europe
French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned that Iran risks military attack because of its nuclear program. (The IAEA reports that Iran has settled the plutonium issue.)
Wildfires in Greece threaten to engulf the Greek government in political controversy. The EU, for its part, is sending aid.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown rejected the idea of setting a timetable for the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq.
Elsewhere
Miners in South Africa claim to have found the world’s biggest diamond, though skeptics say it’s an implausible find.
Some savvy investors are making money amid the subprime mortgage mess.
U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar and ex-Sen. Sam Nunn renewed their push to lock up the former Soviet Union’s loose nukes.
Today’s Agenda
- The $2.4 billion, Vegas-style “Venetian” resort and casino opens in Macao.
- Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, a former Islamist, will likely be elected president of Turkey.
- Remember Manuel Noriega? Panama’s former strongman is back in court, where he faces French extradition charges.
- Israel’s Ehud Olmert and the Palestinian Authority’s Mahmoud Abbas are meeting in Jerusalem to talk about an upcoming peace conference.
Yesterday on Passport
Blake Hounshell is a former managing editor of Foreign Policy.
More from Foreign Policy
America Is a Heartbeat Away From a War It Could Lose
Global war is neither a theoretical contingency nor the fever dream of hawks and militarists.
The West’s Incoherent Critique of Israel’s Gaza Strategy
The reality of fighting Hamas in Gaza makes this war terrible one way or another.
Biden Owns the Israel-Palestine Conflict Now
In tying Washington to Israel’s war in Gaza, the U.S. president now shares responsibility for the broader conflict’s fate.
Taiwan’s Room to Maneuver Shrinks as Biden and Xi Meet
As the latest crisis in the straits wraps up, Taipei is on the back foot.
Sign up for World Brief
FP’s flagship evening newsletter guiding you through the most important world stories of the day, written by Alexandra Sharp. Delivered weekdays.
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.