Morning Brief, Monday, February 25
Americas ISMAEL FRANCISCO/AFP/Getty Images In a shocking upset, Raúl Castro was made president of Cuba. In his acceptance speech, he vowed to change very little and consult his brother regularly. Former CIA analyst Brian Latell spoke to NPR about Raúl here. For the first time since 1964, four non-Americans — Daniel Day-Lewis, Javier Bardem, Marion ...
Americas
Americas
In a shocking upset, Raúl Castro was made president of Cuba. In his acceptance speech, he vowed to change very little and consult his brother regularly. Former CIA analyst Brian Latell spoke to NPR about Raúl here.
For the first time since 1964, four non-Americans — Daniel Day-Lewis, Javier Bardem, Marion Cotillard, and Tilda Swinton — took home Oscars at the Academy Awards.
Asia
The Pakistani Army’s top surgeon was killed in a suicide attack in Rawalpindi.
A spokesman for Pervez Musharraf denied a report saying the Pakistani president was considering stepping down.
Pakistan may have accidentally hijacked YouTube for a few hours last night.
South Korea’s new president, Lee Myun-bak, has been sworn in. He vowed to meet anytime with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.
The New York Philharmonic has arrived in Pyongyang for Tuesday’s concert.
Europe
Russian readers reacted strongly to a New York Times article about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s moves to effectively create a one-party state.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy told a visitor to an agricultural fair to “get lost.” You can see the video of the incident here.
The Communist candidate has won the presidential election in Cyprus.
Middle East
At least 63 people have died from an attack on Shiite pilgrims in Iraq.
Israeli PM Ehud Olmert called for new sanctions on Iran after the latest IAEA report found Tehran had not fully answered questions about its nuclear program.
About 4,500 Gazans formed a “human chain” along the Israeli border to protest what they see as an Israeli siege. Hamas was hoping for 50,000.
Inflation is hitting the Middle East hard.
2008 U.S. Elections
Her electoral bid in trouble, Hillary Clinton unleashed a new weapon against Barack Obama: withering sarcasm. With the Texas and Ohio primaries approaching on Mar. 4, Clinton and Obama have begun drawing sharper constrasts on healthcare and trade.
Nicholas Kristof caught up with Obama’s family in Kenya.
Consumer advocate Ralph Nader launched his third presidential bid.
State governors think the next vice president could be one of them.
Today’s Agenda
- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is visiting South Korea, China, and Japan this week.
- Top diplomats from P5+1 countries are meeting in New York to discuss the IAEA’s latest report on Iran’s nuclear program.
- Israeli PM Ehud Olmert is visiting Japan.
Blake Hounshell is a former managing editor of Foreign Policy.
More from Foreign Policy
Chinese Hospitals Are Housing Another Deadly Outbreak
Authorities are covering up the spread of antibiotic-resistant pneumonia.
Henry Kissinger, Colossus on the World Stage
The late statesman was a master of realpolitik—whom some regarded as a war criminal.
The West’s False Choice in Ukraine
The crossroads is not between war and compromise, but between victory and defeat.
The Masterminds
Washington wants to get tough on China, and the leaders of the House China Committee are in the driver’s seat.
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