Morning Brief: On to NATO

Top Story After reaching a deal at the G-20 that pledged $1.1 trillion to help economies struggling with the financial crisis, Barack Obama and his European counterparts head to the NATO summit in Strasbourg, France, where the U.S. president will try to sell U.S. allies on his plan for Afghanistan. While vocally supportive of the ...

By , a former associate editor at Foreign Policy.
587160_090403_nato12.jpg
587160_090403_nato12.jpg
(L to R) US President Barack Obama, US First Lady Michelle Obama, French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and French President Nicolas Sarkozy are pictured during the NATO summit arrival ceremony at the Palais Rohan on April 3, 2009 in Strasbourg. The summit, which marks the organisation's 60th anniversary, is taking place on April 3 and 4, 2009 in Strasbourg and the neighbouring German cities of Baden-Baden and Kehl. AFP PHOTO/SAUL LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

Top Story

Top Story

After reaching a deal at the G-20 that pledged $1.1 trillion to help economies struggling with the financial crisis, Barack Obama and his European counterparts head to the NATO summit in Strasbourg, France, where the U.S. president will try to sell U.S. allies on his plan for Afghanistan.

While vocally supportive of the U.S. strategy, NATO members have been reluctant to pledge more troops to the fight. For now, NATO has only agreed to send a new 300 member corps to train Afghan police.

NATO is celebrating its 60 anniversary this year. French President Nicolas Sarkozy recently announced that his country was returning to full membership in the alliance for the first time since the 1960s. NATO plans to announce a new secretary general at this meeting, though the choice remains unclear.

Asia

North Korea is finalizing its preparations to launch a missile, perhaps on Saturday. 

A fierce battle near Kabul left 12 militants dead.

Thai and Cambodian soldiers fired on each other in a brief border skirmish.

Middle East

New Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman was questioned by police in connection with a fraud and bribery investigation.

Fatah and Hamas have once again suspended their reconciliation talks in Cairo.

A South African judge will lead the U.N. investigation into alleged war crimes in Gaza.

Europe

The Euro rose on the European Central Bank’s decision yesterday to cut interest rates.

France has agreed to accept one whole prisoner from Guantanamo Bay.

Nearly eight months after fighting ended, Russian troops are still in Georgia.

Americas

Mexican police captured drug lord Vicente Carrillo Leyva, a leader of Juarez cartel.

663,000 Americans lost their jobs last month.

Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich has been indicted on corruption charges.

Africa

South Africa will issue permits for Zimbabwean refugees to stay in the country for six months.

Sudan’s government has pushed general elections back a year to 2010

In other news, a Malawian judge has rejected Madonna’s adoption request.

SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

Joshua Keating is a former associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating

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