Morning Brief, Tuesday, April 1

Asia

TIM SLOAN/AFP/Getty Images

U.S. nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill should have plenty to talk about with his South Korean counterparts in Seoul today. North Korea has been ratcheting up tensions along the demilitarized zone. And for the first time in eight years, state newspaper Rodong Sinmun has begun personally insulting a South Korean president, branding President Lee Myung-Bak a “political charlatan”, an “absent minded traitor,” and a “U.S. sycophant.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says President George W. Bush should consider boycotting the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. Olympic athletes are feeling torn on whether to speak out. China says Tibetans are plotting suicide attacks.

Wen Jiabao offered peace talks with Taiwan. “Anything can be discussed,” the Chinese premier said, according to Xinhua state news agency.

Asian exports are shifting to Europe, Russia, and the Middle East.

Pakistan’s new legislature has promised to reinstate some 60 judges who were ousted at the behest of President Pervez Musharraf. If the Supreme Court justices are reinstated, they will likely declare Musharraf’s current five-year term illegal.

Middle East

Iraqi civilian casualties in March reached their highest level since August.

Turkey’s top court agreed to hear a case that would ban the ruling Justice and Development Party for undermining secularism. Needless to say, this is controversial.

Understated headline of the day: “Hamas’s Insults to Jews Complicate Peace Effort.”

2008 U.S. Elections

While the Democrats duke it out, John McCain is building his war machine for November.

Barack Obama criticized McCain’s policies on Iraq.

Europe

Visiting Kiev, President Bush vowed to help Ukraine join NATO.

An unnamed EU foreign minister has lost his bags at Heathrow’s new Terminal 5.

German public-sector unions settled a pay dispute with the government, avoiding a massive strike.

Elsewhere

Concern is growing that Zimbabwe’s ruling party is trying to rig the vote.

Cubans can now stay in their own country’s hotels.

The U.S. Treasury Department’s plan to overhaul financial regulations is meeting with skepticism on Capitol Hill.

Ninety-five Pentagon weapons systems are over-budget by a total of $295 billion, the GAO reports.

Today’s Agenda

• Poland’s parliament votes on the EU treaty.
• U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is in Denmark for talks in advance of this week’s NATO summit in Bucharest, Romania.

Yesterday on Passport

• Al Gore puts his money where his mouth is
• Saudi father shoots daughter after catching her on Facebook
• Why FP is better than a Big Mac