Morning Brief: Al Qaeda on the ropes?

Top Story

Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images for Meet the Press

Al Qaeda is more or less defeated in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to CIA Director Michael Hayden. In an interview with the Washington Post, the spy chief says, "On balance, we are doing pretty well" against the terrorist group. Experts caution, however, that these gains could easily be reversed.

Decision '08

Democratic party leaders are pushing superdelegates to make up their minds, and a key party committee meets tomorrow to rule on the status of Florida and Michigan. Real Clear Politics expects fireworks.

The McCain and Obama camps continue to trade barbs over whether and how the Illinois senator should visit Iraq.

Obama has another preacher problem on his hands.

The New York Times profiles John McCain and his shift from the Navy to politics.

Americas

An elite LA hospital provided a liver transplant for one of Japan's most notorious gangsters.

The Brazilian government published rare photographs of one of the world's few remaining uncontacted tribes.

Peru is running out of guano as demand for fertilizer soars.

Middle East and Africa

Indirect talks between his country and Israel have been productive, a Syrian official tells Haaretz.

Palestinian students in Gaza can no longer get Fulbright grants.

Time's Scott MacLead wonders, is Ahmadinejad finished?

Asia

Burma has begun evicting cyclone victims from refugee centers.

Chinese authorities ordered the evacuation of 1.3 million people from the vicinity of a "quake lake" in central China.

Japan has rescinded its offer of military aid to China, and will use civilian planes instead.

The outgoing NATO commander in Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of failing to fully cooperate against militants.

Europe

Protests over high fuel prices are spreading across Europe.

Global Economy

The World Bank unveiled a $1.2 billion fund to help countries deal with high food prices.

The chairwoman of the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation expects bank failures in the months to come.

The United States is having trouble with "clean coal" technology.

Today's Agenda

Latin American leaders are meeting in Caracas to discuss the food crisis ahead of next Tuesday's international summit in Rome.

The U.S. National Spelling Bee Final airs on ABC.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates delivers an address to fellow defense leaders at the Asia Security Conference in Singapore.

The International Federation of Agricultural Producers holds its biannual conference in Warsaw, Poland.

Yesterday on Passport

• Reader poll: Should Obama go to Iraq?
• Marines pushing Jesus in Fallujah?
• Israeli foreign minister adds to Olmert’s woes