Morning Brief, Friday, February 29

Middle East

JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images

Saddam Hussein’s associate and cousin “Chemical” Ali Hassan al-Majeed will be hanged for his role in the 1980s genocide against the Iraqi Kurds.

Israel continued its attacks on the Gaza Strip in response to Palestinian rocket attacks on the Israeli city of Sderot. An Israeli Deputy Defense Minister warned that the Palestinians were risking bringing a “shoah,” or holocaust, upon themselves if the attacks continued.

The U.S.S. Cole has taken position off the coast of Lebanon as “a show of support for regional stability.”

The U.N. Security Council will likely vote this weekend on a further round of sanctions against Iran.

2008 U.S. Elections

President George W. Bush said that Barack Obama’s willingness to meet with Raul Castro “will send the wrong message” while John McCain continued his attacks on Obama’s Iraq stance.

Obama and Hillary Clinton raised a combined $80 million in February.

Veteran Democratic operative Harold Ickes will lead Clinton’s battle for superdelegates.

Asia

The Chinese government is trying to gradually do away with its one-child policy.

A major project to divert water to Beijing for this summer’s Olympics is threatening the livelihoods of millions.

A suicide bombing killed seven in in Sri Lanka.

South Korea’s new president Lee Myung-bak has been having trouble forming a government but finally got his pick for PM approved.

Europe

Russia’s presidential election may not be until Sunday, but offices are already buying up portraits of Vladimir Putin’s handpicked succesor Dmitry Medvedev to adorn their walls. The Kremlin is hoping for a turnout of at least 70 percent.

Swedish and Norwegian police have arrested six terror suspects in a joint operation.

The EU will oppose splitting Kosovo along ethnic lines, according to its special envoy to the region.

The British army will remove Prince Harry from Afghanistan after it was revealed in the media yesterday that he has been serving there for 10 weeks.

Elsewhere

Kenyans rejoiced after a deal was reached to end the political crisis that left over 1,000 dead in ethnic violence. Serious questions remain about the country’s constitution and political institutions, however.

More than one in 100 Americans adults are in prison, according to a Pew Center report.

The FDA says that more deaths may be linked to blood thinners manufactured in China.

Bolivian lawmakers voted to hold a national referendum on President Evo Morales’ controversial new constitution.

Cuba has signed a U.N. human rights pact that was opposed by former president Fidel Castro.

Today’s Agenda

• NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer will meet with President Bush in Washington.
• It’s still February! Happy Leap Day.

Yesterday on Passport

• A wild statue about Prince Harry
• How not to build a virtual fence
• Quotable: Oh yeah?