Morning Brief, Monday, April 14

Middle East

ALI YUSSEF/AFP/Getty Images

Iraq dismissed 1,300 soldiers and policemen who perfomed poorly in Basra.

The Iraqi military's procurement chain remains "plagued by corruption and inefficiency," the New York Times reports.

The Iraqi government will soon pressure the Iranians to be more constructive, U.S. National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley said. He also said it would be a "cop-out" to boycott the opening ceremonies in Beijing.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter defended his plans to meet with Hamas leaders.

Asia

Nepal's Maoists are poised for a huge electoral victory.

China has agreed to formal talks, according to Taiwan's vice president.

China's state media says the Dalai Lama is "anti-human rights."

Korean President Lee Myung-bak is seeking to improve relations with the United States. Meanwhile, the U.S. appears to be cutting the North Koreans some slack.

Europe

Italians trudged to the polls for an election that might see Silvio Berlusconi return to power. Italy has had more than 60 governments since the Second World War.

The threat of terrorism is getting worse, Britain's home secretary has warned.

Bulgaria's Interior Minister stepped down.

2008 U.S. Elections

Over the weekend, Barack Obama faced strong criticism for remarks he made at a San Francisco fundraising event.

Elsewhere

Kenya announced a new power-sharing cabinet.

The New York Times previews the pope's upcoming visit to the United States. He'll get a warm welcome from President Bush, though they have their differences.

The Zimbabwean opposition denounced the electoral commission's recount plans.

The calls to do something about the global food crisis are growing louder.

The U.S. housing slump has gone global.

Today's Agenda

German Chancellor Angela Merkel visits Ireland, where she try to coax Irish voters into approving the EU treaty.

A conference organized by United Russia, the ruling party in Russia, kicks off in Moscow.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Agency for International Development are hosting a conference on international food aid in Kansas.