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FP Passport Morning Brief
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Benedict bids emotional farewell
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*Top news: *Bidding farewell in his last public address as the head of the
Roman Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI conceded [1] that his term had at
times been marked by "choppy waters," the most direct reference offered by
the pope in reference to the sex scandals that blossomed under his watch.

Addressing a packed crowd of more than 100,000 in St. Peter's Square, the
scene in the Vatican was emotional [2]. Several cardinals, in town ahead of
the papal conclave and seated to the pope's right, could be seen dabbing at
tears. In his address, Benedict compared his time in office to the voyage of
St. Peter and the apostles across the Sea of Galilee, saying God had given
him "many days of sun and light breezes." "But there were times when the
waters were choppy and, as throughout the history of the church, it looked as
if the Lord was sleeping," Benedict said. "But I have always known that the
Lord was in that boat, that the boat was not mine or ours, but was his and he
will not let it founder."

Benedict officially steps down Thursday and will retire to Castel Gandolfo,
the traditional summer residency of the papacy, where he will retain the
title "his holiness" but will renounce some of the papal garb, dressing a
white cassock and giving up the red shoes of the papacy -- a symbol of the
blood of the martyrs -- for brown ones. According to statements by Vatican
officials, it is expected he will live a largely a secluded life in prayer.

*U.S. politics: *The U.S. Senate voted [3] to confirm former Republican
Senator Chuck Hagel as the next secretary of defense in a 58-41 vote,
concluding a brutal confirmation process that has raised fears Hagel will
arrive at the Pentagon lacking the political capital necessary to confront
looming budget cuts.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Middle East

* Iran and Western negotiators agreed [4] to continue talks over the
country's nuclear program, a development viewed as a modest success in
restarting the diplomatic process.
* A string of ballistic missile attacks carried out by the Syrian government
killed [5] 141 people, including 71 children, in Aleppo last week,
according to a new report by Human Rights Watch that raised the death toll
much higher than previously reported.
* Egypt's main opposition coalition announced [6] that it will boycott
upcoming parliamentary elections, a move likely to ensure that Islamist
parties will retain control of the legislature.

Asia

* A group of 17 Afghan police officers were drugged by their comrades and
then shot to death [7] in their sleep.
* The NATO coalition in Afghanistan announced [8] that a widely cited figure
showing that enemy attacks had dropped by 7 percent from 2011 to 2012 was
false, the result of a clerical error, and that attacks had, in fact,
remained steady.
* A group of prominent Chinese journalists, scholars, and rights activists
released [9] an open letter calling for major political reform days ahead
of the party congress.

Africa

* A car bomb exploded [10] at a checkpoint in northern Mali manned by Tuareg
soldiers allied with the government, killing seven.
* Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court said [11] they are willing
to delay the trial of four Kenyans, including presidential candidate Uhuru
Kenyatta, who stand accused of fueling violence following their country's
2007 election.
* Rwandan President Paul Kagame said [12] that he is not interested in
running for a third term in office when his current mandate expires in
2017.

Europe

* Despite British requests to maintain secrecy in the case, a London coroner
announced [13] that he would hold on open and "fearless" inquiry into the
death of Alexander Litvinenko, a former KGB agent turned critic of the
Putin government who was killed using a rare radioactive isotope.
* Italy's borrowing costs rose sharply [14] in a Wednesday bond offering,
the first test of the country's ability to raise funds in capital markets
following an inconclusive election result.
* EU fisheries ministers agreed [15] in an overnight meeting to end the
controversial practice of fish dumping after representatives from
sourthern European nations were able to secure some concessions.

Americas

* On the heels of passing a major education reform bill that dismantled
union power, Mexican authorities arrested [16] the powerful boss of the
country's teachers union, Elba Esther Gordillo, alleging that she had
embezzled $160 million in funds from her union.
* According to a new list released by Mexican authorities, over 26,000
people went missing [17] during the administration of President Felipe
Calderon, who launched an aggressive war against Mexico's drug cartels.
* The U.S. Supreme Court rejected [18] a challenge by journalists and human
rights activists of a federal law broadening the government's ability to
monitor international phone calls and emails.

/-By Elias Groll
/

Oli Scarff/Getty Images

The Latest from *FP*
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* Most. Dangerous. World. Ever. - By Micah Zenko [21]
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* Vote M for Murder - By James Verini [23]

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[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/28/world/europe/pope-benedict-XVI-final-general-audience.html?ref=world
[2] http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/benedict-putting-the-good-of-the-church-before-oneself/2013/02/27/d2468d74-80d5-11e2-8074-b26a871b165a_story.html
[3] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/27/us/politics/hagel-filibuster-defense-senate-confirmation.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130227
[4] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/28/world/middleeast/iran-nuclear-talks.html?ref=world
[5] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/27/world/middleeast/new-report-details-syrian-missile-attack.html?ref=world
[6] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/27/world/middleeast/opposition-in-egypt-will-boycott-elections.html?ref=world
[7] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/28/world/asia/afghan-police-officers-drugged-and-killed.html?ref=world
[8] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/27/world/asia/coalition-says-afghan-attacks-didnt-fall-after-all.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130227
[9] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-21597752
[10] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21595018
[11] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21595136
[12] http://news.yahoo.com/rwandas-kagame-says-wont-seek-3rd-term-115359337.html
[13] http://news.yahoo.com/coroner-examine-uk-bid-keep-litvinenko-details-secret-105501071.html
[14] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21601306
[15] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21598367
[16] http://news.yahoo.com/head-mexicos-powerful-teachers-union-jailed-064823862.html
[17] http://news.yahoo.com/mexico-says-26-121-missing-during-drug-war-195022902.html
[18] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/27/us/politics/supreme-court-rejects-challenge-to-fisa-surveillance-law.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130227&_r=0
[19] http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/02/26/scare_cuts_sequester_national_security
[20] http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/02/26/cleaning_up_a_dirty_war
[21] http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/02/26/most_dangerous_world_ever
[22] http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/02/26/kenya_slum_politics
[23] http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/02/26/vote_m_for_murder_kenya_elections
[24] http://www.foreignpolicy.com
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[26] http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/contact_us
[27] http://www.foreignpolicy.com/about_us
[28] http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/02/26/uncharitable_organizations
[29] http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/02/26/vatican_insider_pope_conclave_catholic
[30] http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/02/26/the_russia_gambit_syria_kerry
[31] http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/02/26/how_not_to_withdraw_from_afghanistan
[32] http://www.foreignpolicy.com/national_security_newsletter_signup
[33] http://www.foreignpolicy.com/national_security_newsletter_signup
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