Morning Brief: Meet the veep

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Top story

John McCain will meet with potential running mates this weekend including Flordia governor Charlie Crist, Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal and former opponent Mitt Romney.

Middle East

Iraqi government troops are pushing farther into Baghdad neighborhoods controlled by Moqtada al Sadr.

Eight Iraqi civilians were killed in a U.S. airstrike.

Israeli PM Ehud Olmert says "painful concessions" may be necessary in talks with Syria.

Asia

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon toured cyclone damage in Yangon.

Beijing is taking a more conciliatory tone with Taiwan now that Ma Ying-jeou has taken office.

Malaysia's prime minister has survived a challenge from within his own party, for now.

The Dalai Lama sees China's earthquake response as a sign of change for the country.

Africa

South Africa's army will be called in to stop the xenophobic attacks that have already claimed more than 40 lives. Thousands of immigrants are now fleeing the country.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai will return to Zimbabwe on Saturday despite death threats.

Europe

President Mikheil Shaakashvili's party won commandingly in parliamentary elections in Georgia, but the opposition is claiming the vote was rigged.

French unions held nationwide protests over president Nicolas Sarkozy's proposed pension reforms.

Russia's Dmitry Medvedev left for his first foreign trip as president with stops in Kazakhstan and China.

Latin America

Guatemala's top prosecutor was murdered by gunmen while investigating a grisly child murder.

The U.S. lifted a ban on sending cellphones to Cuba.

2008 U.S. Election

Barack Obama may face a tough challenge in winning over South Florida's Jewish voters, according to the New York Times.

McCain and Obama are sparring over Cuba policy.

Hillary Clinton is pushing to count disqualified delegates from Michigan and Florida.

World Economy

U.S. oil company executives told congress they're not to blame as oil prices hit $133 a barrel. 

Today's Agenda

Nominated CENTCOM head Gen. David Petraeus faces a senate confirmation hearing.

Yesterday on Passport

• This Week in China
• Big day for diplomacy
• U.S. House votes to permit suing of OPEC