Morning Brief, Thursday, October 17

Asia

CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images

Cheering throngs greeted former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto upon her triumphant return to Karachi, Pakistan.

A memorial service for a top gang boss in Taiwan drew hundreds of mourners.

China: still angry about the Dalai Lama.

Europe

As had been rumored, French President Nicholas Sarkozy will split with his wife, Cécilia.

French transit workers began a 24-hour strike to protest Sarkozy’s economic reform plans.

German transit workers also hit the picket lines, but in this case to demand higher pay.

German Chancellor Anglea Merkel has been strangely quiet in the face of growing domestic unhappiness with the German troop presence in Afghanistan.

Pointing to the example of Iraq, Russian President Vladimir Putin said resource-rich countries like his need a strong defense, and vowed to build more nuclear weapons. Also Thursday, Russia tested a  new ballistic missile.

Middle East

U.S. President George W. Bush warned that Iran risks provoking “World War III” if it produces a nuclear weapon. 

As expected, Turkish lawmakers passed a measure allowing the military to conduct cross-border raids into Iraq. 

U.S. officials are nervous over Iraq’s award of contracts to Iranian and Chinese companies to build two power plants.

The first U.S. combat unit to leave Iraq will pull out of Diyala province in December.

Elsewhere

A top NATO general charged that Iran is sending weapons to the Taliban. 

Who smuggled underwear into Guantánamo? Investigators are stumped.

A second Congolese warlord was sent to The Hague to face war-crimes charges.

Google reveals which countries search for words like “sex,” “Nazi,” and “burrito” the most.

Today’s Agenda

• European leaders are meeting in Lisbon, Portugal, to discuss EU reform.
• President Bush welcomes Liberan leader Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to the White House.

Yesterday on Passport

• “Little pinkie” hits the right spot
• The IMF has a blog?
• What the Tehran summit was really about