Morning Brief, Wednesday, October 3

Asia

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North Korea has reportedly agreed to disable its nuclear facilities and disclose more information about its plutonium and alleged uranium programs. In Pyongyang, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun turned down an offer to linger an extra day in the North with Kim Jong Il. Judging by today's photos, Roh has made the dour Kim smile again.

Pakistan is losing ground against al Qaeda and the Taliban, Western and Pakistani officials say. Meanwhile, Benazir Bhutto complains that her power-sharing deal with Pervez Musharraf has "stalled".

Perhaps responding to the unanimous disgust of the U.N. Human Rights Council, Burma's government released 229 monks and nuns. Other monks are fleeing the capital, the BBC reports.

Middle East

The Polish ambassador in Iraq was wounded in an apparent assassination attempt in Baghdad.

As sectarian violence decreases, Iraq's bonds are making a surprising comeback.

But U.S. Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, second in command in Iraq, said that Iraqi forces would take up to a year to pacify Baghdad. Those efforts could be complicated now that Iraq's ruling Shiite bloc has condemned U.S. efforts to stand up former insurgents as police forces in Baghdad.

Europe

Ukraine's "orange coalition" is reiterating its claim to victory in that country's recent parliamentary elections.

European leaders want to halt the U.S. dollar's slide against the euro.

Snus, a popular Swedish smokeless tobacco, is heading for the United States. 

Elsewhere

Mexico is becoming a country of drug users as well as traffickers.

Aid agencies are struggling to cope with rising food and shipping costs. 

Indian-Americans are turning to Jewish-Americans for guidance in establishing themselves in U.S. social and political life.

Today's Agenda

• The American Film Institute celebrates its 40th anniversary.
• German Chancellor Angela Merkel visits Africa.
• Today marks the anniversary of German reunification. East Germans have been celebrating the occasion for 17 years ... by leaving in droves.
• Seattle hosts the 7th World Cyber Games. 

Yesterday on Passport

• Syria out of peace talks after Israeli attack
• Rewriting history with the stroke of a pen
• Britain's blogging foreign minister