Morning Brief, Friday, June 29

Middle East

Car bomb kills at least 20 in Iraq. Five U.S. soldiers killed on patrols in Baghdad.

Israeli President Moshe Katsav agrees to step down if rape charges against him are dropped. 

Egypt puts an end to female circumcision. 

Europe

The EU shows the U.S. some love, agreeing to continue to share banking records for counterterrorism purposes. This comes one day after the EU agrees to share passenger data for trans-Atlantic flights. 

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown appoints Iraq war opponents to his cabinet. 

London police defuse car bomb.

Americas

The Fed leaves key interest rates unchanged.

The U.S. Senate dashes President Bush's hopes for immigration reform. 

The bald eagle lives on. Somewhere (in his studio, probably) Stephen Colbert sheds a tear of joy. 

Elsewhere

The IAEA and North Korea reach agreement on how to monitor the closing of a major nuclear reactor.

Nearly one million affected by severe flooding in South Asia. 

Today's Agenda

• iPhone, iPhone, iPhone!
• Hu Jintao arrives in Hong Kong for handover anniversary
• Canadian natives protest ahead of National Day to bring attention to poverty and unresolved land claims for indigenous population 

Yesterday on Passport

• How popular is China?
• 3,807 security badges missing from O'Hare International Airport
• Why marathoners won't break records in Beijing