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Tuesday's global agenda: Senate weighs funding for Middle East and abortion
Your morning global affairs speed-read
The Senate Appropriations subcommittee for State and Foreign Operations marks up its spending bill today. The full House committee passed its own $40.1 billion bill last week, setting up a clash with the Senate over anti-abortion language and funding for the United Nations Population Fund.
Today's markup will also give the State Department's allies on Capitol Hill a chance to set aside $770 million for a new Middle East and North Africa Incentive Fund, the department's single biggest new program [The Cable]. House appropriators didn't fund the program.
Defense: The Senate Armed Services Committee begins its three-day, closed-door markup of the defense spending bill for FY 2013.
Iran: The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog said Tuesday that he expected to soon sign a deal with Iran over its nuclear research [The New York Times]. The apparent breakthrough comes just one day before world powers meet with Iranian officials in Baghdad.
Yemen: A huge blast that killed more than 100 people during a military parade rehearsal in Sana on Monday was in apparent retaliation for the government campaign against Al Qaeda’s southern sanctuaries that began this month [The New York Times].
Cambodia: Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell travels to Cambodia today for the East Asia Summit and the Lower Mekong Initiative. The U.S. became a member of the regional forum last year.
What you might have missed on Global Affairs:
Report: Top US diplomat for Middle East leaving for UN post
Democratic lawmaker introduces visa waiver bill for Israelis
Rep. Dreier back in Egypt to observe historic elections
UN nuclear watchdog chief hopes for deal during Iran visit
