Morning Brief, Thursday, October 4

Asia

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North and South Korea announced their intention to improve economic ties and formally end the Korean War, but analysts and South Koreans seem underwhelmed (especially when South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun was caught picking his nose on camera). The White House issued no statement on the matter, though President Bush did cite his administration's diplomatic approach to North Korea's nuclear program as a "case study" for Iran. The New York Times editorial page loves it.

Burmese junta to international community: Screw you.

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto now says she's "optimistic" that a power-sharing arrangement can be worked out with Pervez Musharraf. No word yet on whether Bhutto has opened a Twitter account to keep us all informed of her every move.

Middle East

The U.S. military caught an Iraqi member of parliament at an alleged al Qaeda gathering; his party's spokesman says it was a funeral.

The government of Iraq is buying weapons from China.

The great hope of the moribund Syrian economy: Iran? 

Europe

French President Nicholas Sarkozy is meeting with Czech and Polish leaders before visiting Russia, a visit sure to "raise eyebrows in Moscow," according to the International Herald Tribune.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner called for European countries to consider sanctions on Iran outside of the U.N. Security Council process.

Turkey's new president defended his country's human rights record at the Council of Europe meeting in Strasbourg, France.

Elsewhere

Some 1,250 South African gold miners remained trapped a mile underground after an accident knocked out the mine's main elevator.

More revelations are coming out about the Gonzales Justice Department's embrace of, shall we say, harsh interrogation techniques.

The Financial Times warns of a "subprime traffic jam" as U.S. mortgage companies struggle with requests from homebuyers looking to avoid defaulting on their loans. 

Today's Agenda

• Today is the 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik, and they'll be dancing in the streets in Moscow (not literally). Newsweek examines how this event has become unduly mythologized in the U.S. media.
• Saad Hariri, who leads Lebanon's embattled "March 14th" coalition, visits the White House.

Yesterday on Passport

• Transformational diplomacy in action at Dipnote
• Is Kim Jong Il a "rittle ronery?"
• India's new "airline" only has grounded flights