Morning Brief: When Hillary met Barack

Top Story

MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

To the chagrin of the political press, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton held a "secret" meeting in Washington. Few details have leaked out, but NBC is reporting that the two senators met at Dianne Feinstein's home in Georgetown.

Decision '08

Obama appeared on stage last night with two vice-presidential possibles from Virginia: Gov. Tim Kaine and Sen. Jim Webb.

Howard Dean will remain chair of the Democratic Party, Politico reports.

John McCain supports warrantless wiretapping on Americans. McCain told USA Today he won't try to distance himself from President Bush.

Americas

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates fired the two top Air Force officials. Wired's Noah Schachtman explains why.

At his Guantánamo arraignment, 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed dared the U.S. to execute him.

A violent Washington, DC, neighborhood will be subject to Iraq-style checkpoints.

Military police arrested an openly gay soldier in Brazil.

Global Economy

The International Energy Agency is calling for $45 trillion in energy investments by 2050.

Asia

Pakistan seized 2,200 pounds of explosives that officials say was for an unspecified suicide plot.

Indonesia and the Philipines raised interest rates to combat rising inflation.

China denied hacking the laptop of U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez when he visited Beijing in December.

Middle East and Africa

Zimbambwe has ordered all groups to suspend their activities.

Did Iranian agents dupe the United States on Iraq?

Barack Obama clarified what he meant by "undivided Jerusalem."

Europe

An extremeley raunchy novel is making waves in Germany.

The verdict on Dmitry Medvedev's first Western trip? "Decidedly mixed."

Turkey's top court blocked a government move to allow students to wear headscarves.

Today's Agenda

It's the 64th anniversary of D-Day.

Yesterday on Passport

• Back to the grind for Chinese students
• Hamas unendorses Obama
• Mugabe’s goons threaten to burn U.S. diplomats alive