Morning Brief, Wednesday, January 16

2008 U.S. Election

SCOTT OLSON/Getty Images

Republican Mitt Romney finally got his first “gold medal” in the Michigan primary, defeating John McCain 39 to 30 percent, while Mike Huckabee came in third place with 16 percent. Among Democrats, Hillary Clinton was the only major contender on the ballot and won with 55.4 percent of the vote.

Middle East

Bush’s parting message on leaving the Middle East: Iran is bad, peace is good, and the price of oil is too high.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office says it cannot determine whether U.S. sanctions against Iran are working.

A U.S. embassy vehicle was hit by an explosion in Lebanon that killed four bystanders, but no American diplomats.

Yisrael Beitenu, a right-wing pro-settlers party, withdrew from Israeli PM Ehud Olmert’s governing coalition. He retains a slight majority in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.

Asia

Tribal militants in South Waziristan, Pakistan, overran a government fort.

Fearing the political impact of rising inflation, China imposed price caps on food and moved to take more than $25 billion out of the financial system.

South Korean President-elect Lee Myun-bak wants to disband the Unification Ministry, which many accuse of being soft on the North, and absorb its functions into the Foreign Ministry.

The ceasefire between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebels ended with a bang. 

Europe

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told the BBC that Europe is “becoming a platform for a threat against the United States,” referring to terrorism.

The British Council is worried about the safety of its staff in Russia after some of them were interrogated by security agents.

Poland’s defense minister said he was encouraged by the U.S. response to his request for more security assistance in exchange for hosting part of a proposed U.S. missile shield.

Elsewhere

The International Energy Agency expects the growth in global demand for crude oil to slow in 2008.

Growing fears about a U.S. recession have sent stock markets tumbling.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva says that Fidel Castro is hale and hearty, though he invited Fidel’s brother Raul to visit Brazil.

Facing a funding shortage, the Red Cross is paring down.

Today’s Agenda

• Top officials from the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are visiting Antarctica.
• U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte heads for China and Vietnam.
• The U.N. Security Council is scheduled to discuss Kosovo (again).
• U.S. President Bush is meeting with Hosni Mubarak, his Egyptian counterpart.

Yesterday on Passport

• China’s NIMBYs take to the streets
• Romney wants to turn back the clock in Michigan
• Putin pouts over pooh-poohing of Vladimir “puting”

Web Exclusives

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