WESTERN EUROPE
Finance ministers from the Group of Seven rich countries warned that recovery remains "fragile" and unemployment continues to rise. In the U.S. economy unemployment hit a 26-year high of 9.8 percent. Germany celebrated the anniversary of its reunification on Saturday, 3rd Oct. Ireland's recession-hit voters have overwhelmingly approved the European Union's reform plans in a referendum. The country had been the primary obstacle to ratifying the EU Lisbon Treaty, a mammoth agreement designed to modernize and strengthen the 27-nation bloc's institutions and decision-making powers. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has agreed to take part in Britain's first televised election debate among party leaders while in Germany Voters re-elected conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel. The center-left Social Democrats — who had been in government for 11 years — scored only 23 percent of the vote. Gen. David Richards, Britain's new army commander has said that the U.K. is ready to send more soldiers to Afghanistan, if asked to by the commander of the U.S. and NATO forces there.
SOUTHERN EUROPE
Tens of thousands of people gathered in a Rome square Saturday to defend press freedom. The premier Berlusconi, a media magnate, has dismissed the accusations as a "joke" and the demonstration as a "farce." While in Greece opposition Socialists were expected to win parliamentary election on Sunday (4th Oct) with between 41 and 44 percent of the vote, according to an exit poll for Greek TV stations
SOUTHEAST EUROPE
After surviving a no-confidence vote last week, the Romanian cabinet is now facing a possible reshuffle, in a bid to assure better governance. The sacking of Interior Minister Dan Nica, has fueled already tense relations between the country's governing coalition parties and Prime Minister Emil Boc has decided to form a minority cabinet. Albania’s opposition Socialist Party (SP) has refused to return to parliament unless a thorough investigation is conducted into the June general elections. EP Rapporteur on visa liberalization for the Western Balkans, sparked debate at the European Parliament demanding to include Albania and Bosnia Herzegovina (BiH) in the process. The 15th contingent of Albanian peacekeepers departed for Afghanistan on Sept 29th. In the meanwhile Italian Ambassador to Kosovo Michael Giffoni is to serve as the EU's "facilitator" in Serb-dominated northern Kosovo, a move the PM said reflective of international interest in stabilizing the area. Also the UN has acceded to accept partial responsibility for the deaths of two protestors belonging to the group Vetevendosje (Self-Determination) in February 2007. Kosovo will also participate for the first time in a two-day IMF and World Bank event in Istanbul, in Oct. The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) has accused the PM of threatening media freedom and freedom of speech. The EU Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER) has revealed substantial progress in Croatia's accession talks. In the meanwhile the government voiced its intent to fulfill all requests made by The Hague war crimes tribunal. Serbian President Boris Tadic told participants at the 64th UN General Assembly session in New York that Belgrade will never recognize Kosovo as a sovereign state. A two-day regional conference on co-operation in fighting organized crime was held in Belgrade on Sept 28th. Serbia also intends to apply for official EU candidacy this year. European and U.S. officials are to meet with Bosnian leaders next week to discuss the political deadlock in the Balkan country.
Finance ministers from the Group of Seven rich countries warned that recovery remains "fragile" and unemployment continues to rise. In the U.S. economy unemployment hit a 26-year high of 9.8 percent. Germany celebrated the anniversary of its reunification on Saturday, 3rd Oct. Ireland's recession-hit voters have overwhelmingly approved the European Union's reform plans in a referendum. The country had been the primary obstacle to ratifying the EU Lisbon Treaty, a mammoth agreement designed to modernize and strengthen the 27-nation bloc's institutions and decision-making powers. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has agreed to take part in Britain's first televised election debate among party leaders while in Germany Voters re-elected conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel. The center-left Social Democrats — who had been in government for 11 years — scored only 23 percent of the vote. Gen. David Richards, Britain's new army commander has said that the U.K. is ready to send more soldiers to Afghanistan, if asked to by the commander of the U.S. and NATO forces there.
SOUTHERN EUROPE
Tens of thousands of people gathered in a Rome square Saturday to defend press freedom. The premier Berlusconi, a media magnate, has dismissed the accusations as a "joke" and the demonstration as a "farce." While in Greece opposition Socialists were expected to win parliamentary election on Sunday (4th Oct) with between 41 and 44 percent of the vote, according to an exit poll for Greek TV stations
SOUTHEAST EUROPE
After surviving a no-confidence vote last week, the Romanian cabinet is now facing a possible reshuffle, in a bid to assure better governance. The sacking of Interior Minister Dan Nica, has fueled already tense relations between the country's governing coalition parties and Prime Minister Emil Boc has decided to form a minority cabinet. Albania’s opposition Socialist Party (SP) has refused to return to parliament unless a thorough investigation is conducted into the June general elections. EP Rapporteur on visa liberalization for the Western Balkans, sparked debate at the European Parliament demanding to include Albania and Bosnia Herzegovina (BiH) in the process. The 15th contingent of Albanian peacekeepers departed for Afghanistan on Sept 29th. In the meanwhile Italian Ambassador to Kosovo Michael Giffoni is to serve as the EU's "facilitator" in Serb-dominated northern Kosovo, a move the PM said reflective of international interest in stabilizing the area. Also the UN has acceded to accept partial responsibility for the deaths of two protestors belonging to the group Vetevendosje (Self-Determination) in February 2007. Kosovo will also participate for the first time in a two-day IMF and World Bank event in Istanbul, in Oct. The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) has accused the PM of threatening media freedom and freedom of speech. The EU Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER) has revealed substantial progress in Croatia's accession talks. In the meanwhile the government voiced its intent to fulfill all requests made by The Hague war crimes tribunal. Serbian President Boris Tadic told participants at the 64th UN General Assembly session in New York that Belgrade will never recognize Kosovo as a sovereign state. A two-day regional conference on co-operation in fighting organized crime was held in Belgrade on Sept 28th. Serbia also intends to apply for official EU candidacy this year. European and U.S. officials are to meet with Bosnian leaders next week to discuss the political deadlock in the Balkan country.
US/CANADA
Canada's minority Conservative government survived a non-confidence motion on Thursday on its handling of the economic crisis due to a split among the three opposition parties. Had the government lost the vote, Canada would have been tipped into its second election in a year. In the mean while Canada and United States continue to work to end a spat over the "Buy American" restrictions in U.S. economic stimulus spending, but remain short of a deal.
Canada's minority Conservative government survived a non-confidence motion on Thursday on its handling of the economic crisis due to a split among the three opposition parties. Had the government lost the vote, Canada would have been tipped into its second election in a year. In the mean while Canada and United States continue to work to end a spat over the "Buy American" restrictions in U.S. economic stimulus spending, but remain short of a deal.
LATIN AMERICA
In Honduras, Interim President Roberto Micheletti told reporters that a dialogue is "beginning" between his supporters and those of President Manuel Zelaya, w
ho was forced from office on June 28 by a military-backed coup. Some 2,000 people marched across Venezuela's capital Saturday to protest what they say is the persecution of President Hugo Chavez's opponents. Also around 150 Venezuelan university students ended a hunger strike Wednesday after the Organization of American States agreed to hear their concerns over alleged political persecution. While Venezuela's top prosecutor has asked Interpol to capture former President Carlos Andres Perez for violence committed during street protests two decades ago. U.N. Special Envoy to Haiti, Bill Clinton is now fighting to revive the country’s economy which was destroyed by the severe embargo he oversaw as president against the country’s then-brutal regime. While in Ecuador the leftist President Rafael Correa is in an intensifying dispute with indigenous groups who enforced a violent blockade in protest of a proposed legislation allowing mining on their lands without their consent. Wednesday's violence recalled a similar clash in June in Peru in which at least 33 people were killed when police broke up a roadblock by Indians protesting development decrees. A senior U.S. diplomat in Cuba for talks, first time in over a decade, also met with opposition activists. In Peru a court imposed a six-year prison sentence on the disgraced ex-President Alberto Fujimori in a televised trial. Previous convictions are expected to keep him in jail till 2030. The Chilean air force has invited its Peruvian counterpart to observe military maneuvers that the later termed as threatening. Also in Chile President Michelle Bachelet proposed a Ministry for Indigenous Affairs to place more weight on policies affecting Chile's Indian communities. In the meanwhile a judge is questioning the eldest son of the late Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in an investigation into his father's overseas bank accounts.
In Honduras, Interim President Roberto Micheletti told reporters that a dialogue is "beginning" between his supporters and those of President Manuel Zelaya, w
ho was forced from office on June 28 by a military-backed coup. Some 2,000 people marched across Venezuela's capital Saturday to protest what they say is the persecution of President Hugo Chavez's opponents. Also around 150 Venezuelan university students ended a hunger strike Wednesday after the Organization of American States agreed to hear their concerns over alleged political persecution. While Venezuela's top prosecutor has asked Interpol to capture former President Carlos Andres Perez for violence committed during street protests two decades ago. U.N. Special Envoy to Haiti, Bill Clinton is now fighting to revive the country’s economy which was destroyed by the severe embargo he oversaw as president against the country’s then-brutal regime. While in Ecuador the leftist President Rafael Correa is in an intensifying dispute with indigenous groups who enforced a violent blockade in protest of a proposed legislation allowing mining on their lands without their consent. Wednesday's violence recalled a similar clash in June in Peru in which at least 33 people were killed when police broke up a roadblock by Indians protesting development decrees. A senior U.S. diplomat in Cuba for talks, first time in over a decade, also met with opposition activists. In Peru a court imposed a six-year prison sentence on the disgraced ex-President Alberto Fujimori in a televised trial. Previous convictions are expected to keep him in jail till 2030. The Chilean air force has invited its Peruvian counterpart to observe military maneuvers that the later termed as threatening. Also in Chile President Michelle Bachelet proposed a Ministry for Indigenous Affairs to place more weight on policies affecting Chile's Indian communities. In the meanwhile a judge is questioning the eldest son of the late Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in an investigation into his father's overseas bank accounts. OCEANIA
At least 14 people were reported killed in American Samoa following the powerful earthquake and tsunami which hit the area early Tuesday, while a tsunami warning was also issued for New Zealand and other Pacific islands. Australia's central bank chief on Monday said economic stimulus was set to be eased as the country hits "recovery phase". While an influx of refugee boats in Australia could divide Australians a year from elections and reignite an immigration row that carried conservatives to victory in 2001.
At least 14 people were reported killed in American Samoa following the powerful earthquake and tsunami which hit the area early Tuesday, while a tsunami warning was also issued for New Zealand and other Pacific islands. Australia's central bank chief on Monday said economic stimulus was set to be eased as the country hits "recovery phase". While an influx of refugee boats in Australia could divide Australians a year from elections and reignite an immigration row that carried conservatives to victory in 2001.
________________________________________________________
Business and Politics in the Muslim World (BPM)refers to the project entitled, "Globalized Business and Politics: A View from the Muslim World.' The blog development project has been undertaken and jointly developed by the Gilani Research Foundation and BPM as a free resource and social discussion tool.
Business and Politics in the Muslim World (BPM)refers to the project entitled, "Globalized Business and Politics: A View from the Muslim World.' The blog development project has been undertaken and jointly developed by the Gilani Research Foundation and BPM as a free resource and social discussion tool.
No comments:
Post a Comment