Morning Brief: Zimbabwe’s political turmoil deepens

Top Story ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/Getty Images Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has withdrawn from Zimbabwe’s runoff election, accusing President Robert Mugabe of ordering attacks on opposition supporters and plotting to steal votes. Mugabe plans to go ahead with the contest. Decision ’08 John McCain is pushing a plan to lower vehicle emissions. Barack Obama has ties to ...

By , a former managing editor of Foreign Policy.
594543_080623_tsvangirai2.jpg
594543_080623_tsvangirai2.jpg

Top Story

Top Story

ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/Getty Images

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has withdrawn from Zimbabwe’s runoff election, accusing President Robert Mugabe of ordering attacks on opposition supporters and plotting to steal votes. Mugabe plans to go ahead with the contest.

Decision ’08

John McCain is pushing a plan to lower vehicle emissions.

Barack Obama has ties to big ethanol.

Obama called Sunday for a crackdown on energy speculators. U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman doesn’t agree that speculators are driving up prices.

Middle East and Africa

IAEA chief Mohammed ElBaradei warned Saturday that an Israeli attack on Iran would “turn the Middle East to a ball of fire.” Iran said Monday that it sees “common ground” with the major powers’ offer of incentives, but reiterated that suspending its nuclear enrichment efforts is not on the table.

Europeans are wary of Obama’s pledge to drop suspension as a precondition to negotiations.

Fighting has broken out between Sunni and Shiite groups in northern Lebanon.

Global Economy

The U.S. economy will “stagnate” in the second half of 2008, the International Monetary Fund now expects.

Oil prices are up despite Saudi Arabia’s emergency meeting Sunday.

Big changes are in store for the Internet.

Americas

Tom Brokow will anchor Meet the Press for the time being.

Voters in a fourth Bolivian province voted for autonomy in Sunday’s referendum, according to the exit polls.

Asia

South Korea and the United States have reportedly reached a beef import deal.

Thailand’s prime minister faces a no-confidence vote.

North Korea is inviting selected media to watch the demolition of its nuclear plant’s cooling tower.

Europe

A Macedonian journalist who had been accused of murder died in his cell after an apparent suicide.

France and Algeria have inked a deal promoting civil nuclear cooperation.

Fidel Castro accused the European Union of “hypocrisy.”

Today’s Agenda

A notorious Bosnian Serb police chief faces war crimes charges in The Hague.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice heads to Germany, after which she’ll visit Japan, South Korea, and China.

Singapore hosts international water week.

The European Parliament’s constitutional affairs committee meets to discuss the Lisbon Treaty.

Blake Hounshell is a former managing editor of Foreign Policy.

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