Morning Brief, Monday, February 26

BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP

Middle East 

Countries from the United Nations Security Council plus Germany meet today to decide on Iran's punishment for defying a deadline on its nuclear program. Iran's president said his program has "no reverse gear." Meanwhile, the United States claims to have found more Iranian-made weaponry in Iraq. 

Iraqi vice president Adel Abdel-Mahdi narrowly escaped an assassination attempt, and Iraq's president, Jalal Talabani, has flown to Jordan to be treated for exhaustion and dehydration.

Israeli troops are conducting major security operations in the West Bank town of Nablus.

Europe 

Radical al Qaeda-linked cleric Abu Qatada lost his appeal in a British court, and will be deported to Jordan.

Immigration is bolstering the ranks of Catholics in England.

The International Court of Justice ruled that the 1995 massacre of Muslim males in Srebrenica was a genocide, but Serbia wasn't directly responsible.

Asia 

Dick Cheney popped in for surprise visits to Pakistan and Afghanistan, delivering a stern rebuke to Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf on his failure to rein in Taliban and al Qaeda militants.

The United States may lift sanctions on North Korea's financial lifeline, Banco Delta Asia in Macao.

Elsewhere 

Ecuador decries European import duties on its bananas.

American scientists are following the federal grant money and shifting their research to security matters.

The world's central banks, seeking higher returns, are investing in riskier assets.