Morning Brief, Thursday, February 28

2008 U.S. Elections Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is not running for president, but he still thinks “an independent can win the presidency” and hints he might endorse a candidate who “embraces practical solutions that challenge party orthodoxy.” John McCain and Barack Obama traded criticisms about the role of al Qaeda in ...

596248_080228_bloomberg2.jpg
596248_080228_bloomberg2.jpg

2008 U.S. Elections

2008 U.S. Elections

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is not running for president, but he still thinks “an independent can win the presidency” and hints he might endorse a candidate who “embraces practical solutions that challenge party orthodoxy.”

John McCain and Barack Obama traded criticisms about the role of al Qaeda in Iraq.

Asia

Former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, returning to Thailand Thursday to face corruption charges, was met by thousands of emotional supporters. Thaksin’s party won the legislative elections held in December.

A missile strike in Pakistan reportedly killed 12 people, among them suspected militants, along the Afghan border. In a separate incident, Afghan police say they killed a prominent Taliban commander.

A river in central China turned red due to toxic pollution, leaving 200,000 people without water.

Two Indian cities rank last in the world for air quality, according to a new report sponsored by MasterCard.

Middle East

Sunni volunteer forces who have signed up to fight al Qaeda in Iraq may be losing patience with the United States.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will likely make an ostentatious show of influence on his upcoming trip to Iraq, analysts say.

Israel destroyed the Interior Ministry building in Gaza in response to escalating rocket attacks on southern Israeli towns. “We are at the height of the battle,” said Israeli PM Ehud Olmert.

The Baghdad Bureau of the New York Times has a new blog.

Europe

Dmitry Medvedev is “creating his own public identity according to a choreographed script,” C.J. Chivers reports for the New York Times.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy announced an international investigation into rebel attacks on Chad’s capital and the disappearance of Chadian opposition leaders.

Speaking by telephone from Berlin, a White House official said for the first time that the Bush administration is open to binding emisisons targets for greenhouse gases.

Elsewhere

Federal Reserve Chairman Benjamin Bernanke said that slowing growth, not inflation, is his top worry.

A bill making its way through Congress would triple U.S. funding to combat HIV/AIDS.

Marxist guerrillas in Colombia released four hostages at the behest of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.

Today’s Agenda

  • U.S. President George W. Bush will hold a news conference today at 10 a.m.
  • Ralph Nader will reportedly announce his running mate at noon. (Hint: It’s not Mike Bloomberg.)
  • A Harry Potter fan is auctioning off his collection of 553 first-edition copies of Harry Potter books in 63 different languages.

Yesterday on Passport

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