Morning Brief, Thursday, January 24

Middle East

MUJAHED MOHAMMED/AFP/Getty Images

The police chief in Mosul, Iraq, was ambushed and killed—the latest in a growing wave of al Qaeda attacks against Sunnis working with the U.S. military.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is making diplomatic inroads in the region. Fresh from his first phone call with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, the Iranian president may soon be headed for Iraq.

Palestinians are still crossing from Gaza into Egypt in large numbers. Israel is considering telling the Egyptians that Gaza is all theirs to administer.

Kuwait's investment authority sees an opportunity for bargain-hunting thanks to the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis.

Asia

Olympic teams are "taking extreme measures" to steel themselves for the air pollution in Beijing, the Washington Post reports.

China is cracking down on Internet pornography.

An opening for religious freedom in Hanoi? The Roman Catholic Church is boldly challenging the government of Vietnam. 

Europe

Italian PM Romano Prodi reportedly plans to roll the dice and call for a vote of confidence in the Italian Senate, having survived two votes in the lower house. Most analysts expect him to lose this one, however.

A "rogue trader" allegedly defrauded French bank Société Generale of more than $7 billion.

The Wall Street Journal previews Bill Gates's big speech at Davos on the ills of capitalism, which he will give later today. 

2008 U.S. Elections

Mitt Romney's aggressive campaign tactics have earned him the ire of his rivals for the Republican nomination. 

Elsewhere

The rate of Amazon deforestation is soaring in Brazil.

Bono took a breather from Davos and met with U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates at the Pentagon in Washington.

The World Bank plans to implement the recommendations of Paul Volcker's 2007 report on corruption at the institution.

Horses are making a comeback with the U.S. border patrol.

Today's Agenda

• Nicolas Sarkozy heads to India for an official state visit.
• Colombia hosts a meeting of South American leaders.

Yesterday on Passport

• Davos Diary, Day 3: Panels galore
• How will Gaza play in the 2008 campaign?
• Downloading: Punishable by death?

Web Exclusive

Seven Questions: Martin Feldstein on the "R" Word
Is the global economy headed for a rough patch? FP spoke with distinguished Harvard economist Martin Feldstein on what a U.S. recession would mean for America and the world.