Morning Brief, Wednesday, September 26

Asia

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After more than a week of large, peaceful protests in Myanmar, riot police clashed with monks and demonstrators in the capital. At least one protester is reportedly dead, and hundreds were arrested. 

Bush announced new sanctions against Myanmar's government in a speech at the UN yesterday. The country's military junta also got smacked with the honor of heading the world's most corrupt country (tied with Somalia).

The Three Gorges Dam = pending environmental catastrophe. 

Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin sings for his supper at Beijing's new opera house.

Middle East

Ahmadinejad decides to take the "Nuclear dispute? What nuclear dispute?" position. He also asks for the addresses of any homosexuals in his country.

It just got harder to recruit police in Iraq. 

One word that describes the meeting between Bush and Maliki yesterday: Awkward. 

Washington

A House panel accuses Condoleezza Rice of interfering with their investigation of Blackwater in Iraq. 

The Gitmo terror trials are in disarray. 

U.S. officials are rolling out the red carpet for the new president of Turkmenistan.

Today's Agenda

• Leaders from Iraq, Haiti, Cuba, and Zimbabwe will address the UN General Assembly today.
• Harvard University and the Nuclear Threat Initiative publish their annual report on nuclear weapons security. Check out the handy stockpile map.

Yesterday on Passport

• Transsexuals in Iran
  
• Ahmadinejad hoisted on his own petard
• Rwanda is "most improved" African nation