Morning Brief: Political thuggery in Zimbabwe
Top Story AFP/Getty Images Zimbabwean authorities seized a truck carrying American food aid intended for schoolchildren and ordered it be handed out at a rally for President Robert Mugabe, the U.S. ambassador in Harare said. Mugabe’s reelection campaign is being run by the military, the BBC reports. Americas Cuba is abolishing its system of salary ...
Top Story
Top Story
Zimbabwean authorities seized a truck carrying American food aid intended for schoolchildren and ordered it be handed out at a rally for President Robert Mugabe, the U.S. ambassador in Harare said. Mugabe’s reelection campaign is being run by the military, the BBC reports.
Americas
Cuba is abolishing its system of salary equality and introducing performance incentives.
The U.S. economy remains “generally weak,” according to regional Federal Reserve directors.
The United States has a massive prisoner problem on its hands.
Decision ’08
Wednesday was a bad news day for Barack Obama. His new economics advisor got hit from the left. His top VP vetter resigned under fire. The Illinois senator also got dinged by Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi (which might actually be helpful).
Democrats, meanwhile, slammed John McCain for saying that the question of when U.S. troops come back from Iraq is “not too important.”
Middle East and Africa
Talks over the future status of U.S. troops in Iraq are causing a “political crisis” in Baghdad.
The World Bank’s new pick for director of operations and strategy for Africa is raising eyebrows.
Former U.N. chief Kofi Annan is teaming up with the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to push for a “green revolution” in Africa.
Asia
Pakistan is furious after a U.S. airstrike killed 11 of its soldiers. The U.S. military has released footage from the strike, which it says was aimed at the Taliban.
Taiwan and China have agreed to set up offices in each other’s capitals.
The IAEA wants to know why Japanese parts were found at a North Korean nuclear site.
Europe
U.S. manufacturers fear that new EU chemical regulations will hit them hard.
Italy and France announced they are forming a “trade axis” to push a more protectionist line at the WTO.
Belgian beverage behemoth InBev has offered to buy Anheuser-Busch.
French police have arrested a serial garden-gnome thief.
Today’s Agenda
Irish citizens vote yeah or nay on the EU treaty.
Paris is hosting a donors’ conference for Afghanistan.
U.S. President George W. Bush visits PM Silvio Berlusconi in Rome.
NATO defense ministers are meeting in Brussels.
Yesterday on Passport
Blake Hounshell is a former managing editor of Foreign Policy.
More from Foreign Policy
America Is a Heartbeat Away From a War It Could Lose
Global war is neither a theoretical contingency nor the fever dream of hawks and militarists.
The West’s Incoherent Critique of Israel’s Gaza Strategy
The reality of fighting Hamas in Gaza makes this war terrible one way or another.
Biden Owns the Israel-Palestine Conflict Now
In tying Washington to Israel’s war in Gaza, the U.S. president now shares responsibility for the broader conflict’s fate.
Taiwan’s Room to Maneuver Shrinks as Biden and Xi Meet
As the latest crisis in the straits wraps up, Taipei is on the back foot.
Sign up for World Brief
FP’s flagship evening newsletter guiding you through the most important world stories of the day, written by Alexandra Sharp. Delivered weekdays.
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.