Morning Brief, Wednesday, April 16

Americas

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Washington, D.C., Tuesday for the first papal visit to the United States since 1999. He was greeted warmly by U.S. President George W. Bush at Andrews Air Force Base, a rare honor. On the plane before he landed, the pontiff said he felt "deeply ashamed" of the sex-abuse scandals that have rocked the U.S. Catholic Church in recent years. Today is the pope's 81st birthday.

New York's economy is being propped up by foreign visitors.

Middle East

Iraqi desertions in Sadr City have many U.S. soldiers doubting their allies' will to fight.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter met with a top Hamas official in the West Bank, kissing him on both cheeks. He'll meet with more Hamas leaders in Cairo.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah is the most admired leader in the Arab world, according to a new poll.

Asia

China's economy grew by 10.6 percent in the first quarter of 2008, but food prices grew by 21 percent.

Only concerns about the athletes' safety would lead to a U.S. boycott of the Beijing Olympics, says U.S. Olympic Committee official Jim Scherr. Transcript here.

China is playing a greater role in the nuclear dispute with Iran.

Europe

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on the Russian Duma to embrace human rights.

French ex-actress Brigitte Bardot is on trial again for "inciting racial hatred" toward Muslims.

Meanwhile, Silvio Berlusconi says illegal immigrants are an "army of evil." He's going to be Italy's next prime minister.

2008 U.S. Elections

Barack Obama has a 10-point national lead over Hillary Clinton in the latest Washington Post/ABC News poll. Obama is also closing the gap in Pennsylvania and Indiana, according to the new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll.

Global Economy

Get ready for still higher grain prices: Kazakhstan halted wheat exports; Indonesia banned rice exports.

The OECD estimates that subprime losses will total $350 to $420 billion, much lower than the IMF's estimate of $945 billion.

Iran's oil minister doesn't see what all the fuss is about with oil at $114.08 a barrel.

Today's Agenda

The pope visits the White House.

The U.N. Security Council meets in New York to discuss "peace and security in Africa."

British PM Gordon Brown heads to the United States for an official visit.

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama hold a debate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Iraqi PM Nuri al-Maliki is visiting Brussels to talk about gas.

Yesterday on Passport

• China's new national hero
• Why sovereign wealth funds can't save Africa
• Tuesday Map: Pirates