Morning Brief: Senators to the rescue?

Top Story Alex Wong/Getty Images The U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote today on a modified version of the $700 billion rescue package that was rejected Monday by the House of Representatives. The Senate bill has not been made available, but it is said to include a variety of tax breaks and extensions and raises ...

By , a former managing editor of Foreign Policy.
592282_081001_Dodd5.jpg
592282_081001_Dodd5.jpg

Top Story

Top Story

Alex Wong/Getty Images

The U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote today on a modified version of the $700 billion rescue package that was rejected Monday by the House of Representatives.

The Senate bill has not been made available, but it is said to include a variety of tax breaks and extensions and raises the limit on government-insured deposits to $250,000.

House Republicans seem mollified by the adjustments, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been noncommittal, saying only, “The Senate will vote … and the Congress will work its will.”

Congressional offices are reporting that, after the House bill failed, the bulk of calls from constituents began tilting in support of the bailout.

Stocks recovered somewhat yesterday from Monday’s crash, but overnight money markets showed a more mixed picture and credit is still tight. Meanwhile, wealthy investors are hedging their bets, hoarding gold bullion as fears of a global recession grow.

Decision ’08

Both Barack Obama and John McCain are urging the bailout bill’s passage.

CBS has published the third part of Sarah Palin’s interview with anchor Katie Couric.

Fred Thompson: Palin is qualified.

Americas

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg reportedly intends to seek a third term.

Canada’s prime minister has been accused of delivering a plagiarized speech in 2003.

Geraldine Baum explains what really goes on behind the scenes at the U.N. General Assembly.

Asia

North and South Korea are to hold military talks Thursday.

An alleged U.S. drone attack killed six people in North Waziristan, Pakistan.

Sales of Japanese automobiles are plunging as U.S. consumers feel the bite of the credit crunch.

Middle East and Africa

The number of Iraqi civilians killed in September is less than half that of a year ago.

Saad Hariri, the leading Sunni Lebanese politician, says Syria presents a “clear and direct threat” to his country.

Saudi women’s plain black cloaks are getting blinged out.

Europe and the Caucasus

The credit crunch is threatening Moscow’s real estate boom.

Spain arrested 121 people for Internet child pornography.

EU troops have begun patrolling the buffer zone surrounding South Ossetia.

Today’s Agenda

The Senate is scheduled to vote on the U.S.-India nuclear deal.

President Bush meets with Gen. David McKiernan, who commands NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Iraq’s citizen patrols are to fall under the sway of the central government.

Rosh Hashanah and Ramadan are coming to a close.

Blake Hounshell is a former managing editor of Foreign Policy.

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