Bush Welcomes 'Bold' European Action to Stabilize Financial Markets
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1EB2123:E2FDB7E6D97F9373D62DCB247B3EEDE770AD7039DCD7B7E4&
US president discusses financial crisis with Italian prime minister at White House
President Bush waves as he and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi conclude their joint statement in Rose Garden of White House, 13 Oct 2008U.S. President George Bush has welcomed what he calls "bold action" by European nations to help stabilize global financial markets.Mr. Bush discussed the financial crisis with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at the White House Monday. Italy and other European Union nations announced plans Sunday to encourage banks to lend money and unfreeze credit markets.Mr. Berlusconi says Mr. Bush intends to meet with other leaders from the Group of Eight rich nations in the coming weeks for further talks on the global financial crisis. The White House has not confirmed any plans for such a meeting.Mr. Berlusconi received a warm welcome from President Bush at a ceremony Monday morning on the White House South Lawn.Mr. Bush said he deeply appreciates the friendship and wisdom of Mr. Berlusconi. Mr. Bush also noted Italy's support of emerging democracies in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo and Lebanon.Mr. Berlusconi called Mr. Bush a man of great ideals and principles, and said it is important for the United States and Europe to act together in the economic crisis.The Italian leader will be the guest of honor at an official White House dinner Monday evening.The White House says Mr. Bush is returning the hospitality he received from Mr. Berlusconi and other Italian leaders on a visit to Rome in June.Mr. Berlusconi has remained a strong supporter of Mr. Bush despite the U.S. president's unpopularity in Italy and Italian public opposition to the Iraq war.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
------------------------------------------------------
World Bank President: Financial Crisis Will Hurt Poor Countries Most
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1EB2124:E2FDB7E6D97F9373D62DCB247B3EEDE770AD7039DCD7B7E4&
Robert Zoellick says as governments try to fix economic problems at home, they must not forget commitments to help poor countries reach UN Millennium Development Goals to reduce poverty
World Bank Group President Robert Zoellick listens as IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn briefs reporters in Washington, 12 Oct 2008The World Bank president says the global economic crisis could hurt poor people in developing countries most severely. Robert Zoellick said in Washington Sunday that as governments try to fix economic problems at home, they must not forget commitments to help poor countries reach the U.N. Millennium Development Goals to reduce poverty.Zoellick added that a prolonged credit crunch or a sustained global slowdown raises the risk that poor nations will be seriously hampered in efforts to improve the lives of their citizens.He said officials from the world's advanced economies agree that the international community should continue to help. The World Bank estimates that high food and energy prices have pushed another 100 million people into poverty this year alone.The director of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, said the current economic crisis puts additional strain on countries that are already suffering.Zoellick, Strauss-Khan and officials from the world's seven most industrialized nations discussed the crisis over the past few days in Washington.Zoellick said the World Bank has a one-point-two billion dollar fund to help countries cope with the impact of high food prices. He said the the bank's private-sector lending branch, the International Finance Corporation, also is considering creating a fund to help banks in the developing world.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.
------------------------------------------------------
Economy Takes Toll On Health
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1EB2125:E2FDB7E6D97F9373D62DCB247B3EEDE770AD7039DCD7B7E4&
Americans report feeling stressed
Psychiatrist say a faltering economy can lead to depression, and in extreme cases, suicideA bad economy can impact people's health as well as their wealth. Carol Pearson reports on the impact plunging stock markets are having on Americans.
------------------------------------------------------
US Economist Paul Krugman Wins Nobel Prize
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1EB2126:E2FDB7E6D97F9373D62DCB247B3EEDE770AD7039DCD7B7E4&
Krugman cited for analysis of how economies of scale can affect trade patterns and location of economic activity
American economist Paul Krugman won this year's Nobel economics award, the last in a series of 2008 Nobels handed out over the past week. From Paris, Lisa Bryant reports for VOA that Krugman was cited by the Nobel committee for his analysis of how economies of scale can affect trade patterns and the location of economic activity. Paul KrugmanThe Nobel committee awarded this year's Nobel to Princeton University professor Paul Krugman for his theories to answer questions about free trade andglobalization. Among other things, the committee said in its statement, Krugman's ideas were based on economies of scale - that it's cheaper to produce things in mass. And his theories also explain why trade is dominated by countries with similar economic conditions and countries that trade in similar products. The committee said Sweden - which both imports and makes cars - is a case in point.In a telephone interview after the announcement, the U.S. economist said the award would enhance his visibility. And he described the current global economic turmoil as terrifying.Krugman comments on politics as well as economics as an analyst for the New York Times newspaper. He has sharply criticised the Bush administration on a number ofissues - including the US-led war in Iraq. Krugman spoke on ABC Television on Sunday before he won the Nobel prize and was asked about the world coming together to solve the current financial crisis. "I mean, if something doesn't come out by late today, you know, I mean we don't know but it's very scary, and I have to say it's been really disappointing," Krugman said. "The communique, the big G-7, the big powers, released a communique on Friday which was boilerplate; it was not an actual plan, it was.... in fact, if you're used to reading communiques which alas I am, it had all the signs of basic disagreements papered over, so this is not good. You know, at each stage during this crisis, policy has been less than people expected, and that builds up a cumulative loss of credibility here. You know, I just heard someone this morning that somebody from Treasury is saying 'well we plan to begin these equity injections into banks within two weeks.' Two weeks! You know, Gordon Brown in Britain announced a plan on Wednesday, and they're going to do the equity injections in Britain tomorrow."Krugman's $1.4 million award ends the series of Nobels for this year. Last week, the Nobels for physics, chemistry, mathematics, literature and peace were awarded.
------------------------------------------------------
Obama to Outline Economic Plan in 'Major' Address
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1EB2127:E2FDB7E6D97F9373D62DCB247B3EEDE770AD7039DCD7B7E4&
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama seeks to extend his lead in national polls over Republican candidate John McCain
Barack Obama Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says he will announce a plan to help Americans in the economic crisis Monday, as he seeks to extend his lead in national polls over Republican candidate John McCain.A campaign statement says Senator Obama will release a plan for middle-class Americans in Toledo Ohio, a critical battleground state. The campaign did not provide details.Two new opinion polls (one by Reuters, C-Span and Zogby, and the other by Rasmussen Reports) indicate Obama has a six-point lead over Senator McCain, with concerns about the U.S. economy dominating the campaign three weeks before the election.McCain has vowed a comeback, promising to "whip" Obama in their last televised debate Wednesday. The Republican candidate is intensifying his efforts in key battleground states, with planned campaign appearances today in Virginia and North Carolina.Obama went door-to-door Sunday in the working-class Ohio town of Holland to talk with residents about the economy. Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin also campaigned Sunday in Ohio, where she said small-town USA understands the value of neighbors and hard work. She accused Obama of not paying attention to such voters.Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden gave a speech Sunday on domestic issues in the Delaware senator's birthplace of Scranton, Pennsylvania, asserting that an Obama-Biden White House would protect jobs and access to health care. Biden was joined by former President Bill Clinton and current New York Senator Hillary Clinton, in the first joint campaign appearance by the couple to help boost support for Obama.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
------------------------------------------------------
Iraqi PM Tells British Troops to Go Home
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1EB2128:E2FDB7E6D97F9373D62DCB247B3EEDE770AD7039DCD7B7E4&
In an interview with The Times newspaper published Monday, Mr. Maliki thanked the British troops for their help
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says it is time for British troops to leave the country because they are no longer necessary for security and control.Nouri al-Maliki In an interview with The Times newspaper published Monday, Mr. Maliki thanked the British troops for their help. He said there might be a need for their experience in training Iraqi forces and some technological issues, but that the emphasis is now on business cooperation and friendship.The Iraqi leader also criticized Britain's decision to move its troops out of Basra earlier this year, which he said gave gangs and militias the chance to control the city.In violence Sunday, four separate attacks in northern city of Mosul and the capital, Baghdad, killed at least 16 people and wounded more than 50 others. Mr. Maliki also ordered an investigation into a recent series of attacks against Christians in Mosul. Following talks with Christian officials, Mr. Maliki condemned the violence that has prompted nearly one thousand Christian families to flee the city recently.Iraqi authorities have deployed more than a thousand police officers to guard Christian districts and churches in Mosul.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
------------------------------------------------------
SADC Facilitator Due in Zimbabwe
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1EB2129:E2FDB7E6D97F9373D62DCB247B3EEDE770AD7039DCD7B7E4&
Former South African President Mbeki expected to try to persuade President Mugabe to give up control ministry governing police
Former South African president Thabo Mbeki and his team of facilitators are expected in Harare for long and tough negotiations on a new Zimbabwe cabinet. Peta Thornycroft reports from Zimbabwe's capital that Mr. Mbeki is expected to persuade President Robert Mugabe to give up control of the home affairs ministry, which controls the police.South African President Thabo Mbeke (file photo)Mr. Mbeki and his team are expected to be flown into Zimbabwe by the South African air force and negotiations are expected to take place at state house. Mr. Mbeki returns to Harare exactly four weeks after he presided over an agreement for an inclusive government signed by President Robert Mugabe, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, and minority party leader Arthur Mutambara. According to the agreement, Mr. Tsvangiari was named prime minister designate in the still to be appointed cabinet. But it left Mr. Mugabe in control of still to be appointed Cabinet ministries in a transitional government that must draw up a new constitution before new elections. In the past two weeks, Mr. Tsvangirai and Mr. Mugabe have been haggling over four ministries, Home Affairs, Local Government, Foreign Affairs and Finance. The other 27 ministries were largely agreed to by Mr. Tsvangirai and Mr. Mugabe, according to sources close to the negotiations.The portfolio split gave Mr. Tsvangirai the main service delivery and economic ministries such as Health, Education, Industry and Commerce. He would have control over the broken water and power sectors, which adversely affect every aspect of life in Zimbabwe.The social and economic ministries, observers say, would allow Mr. Tsvangirai to make a significant difference to people's lives before the next election.One commentator in a sensitive political position said Mr. Mugabe wanted control of the army, secret service and police as part of Zanu-PF's long tradition of high profile authoritarianism. One commentator said control of the police was only important if it was to be used for "insidious" purposes and that it would be more difficult to misuse the police in an inclusive government which is expected to pass many reformist laws.Insiders say they believe that Mr. Mbeki is fully informed of all issues around the present deadlock. Mr. Mugabe published a government notice late Friday distributing the 31 ministries between Zanu-PF and the MDC, although he did not need to do that constitutionally or in terms of last month's agreement. He gave the disputed Home Affairs Ministry to Zanu-PF.The MDC has described this as disgraceful, outrageous and unilateral, and an extraordinary provocation.
------------------------------------------------------
Indian Prime Minister Calls for Tough Steps to Stem Growing Violence
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1EB212A:E2FDB7E6D97F9373D62DCB247B3EEDE770AD7039DCD7B7E4&
Manmohan Singh says violence that seems to be permeating across country is an assault on composite culture of India
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is calling for tough action to stem a surge of terrorist and communal violence that has claimed hundreds of lives in recent months across the country. Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, much of the violence is blamed on radical groups, both Muslim and Hindu. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh 14th National Integration Council meeting, in New Delhi, 13 Oct 2008Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Monday violence seems to be permeating across the length and breadth of the country, and called it an assault on the country's composite culture.Mr. Singh was addressing a meeting of the National Integration Council, which includes chief ministers of the country's 28 states, leaders of political parties, and senior ministers."An atmosphere of hatred and violence is being artificially generated," he said. "There are forces deliberately encouraging such tendencies and also spawning militant outfits who engaged in irrational violence. These need to be firmly dealt with." The Prime Minister voiced his concern as India grapples with a wave of terrorist, sectarian and religious violence that has killed hundreds of people across the country in recent months.A series of bomb attacks across several major cities has killed 140 people. The eastern state of Orissa has been wracked with clashes between Hindus and Christians since August. In the northeastern state of Assam, ethnic clashes between indigenous tribes and Muslim settlers have killed more than 50 people in recent weeks.Many of the attacks are blamed on radical Muslim and Hindu groups. Hardline Hindu organizations have been accused of carrying out deadly attacks on Christians. Authorities say a homegrown radical Islamist group, the Indian Mujahideen, carried out the bomb attacks in several cities.In recent weeks, police have arrested more than 20 Muslims, including students of a prominent Muslim University, for their links to the Indian Mujahideen. However, Muslim leaders accuse the police of making indiscriminate arrests in the wake of the bomb attacks.Responding to such concerns, Prime Minister Singh cautioned law enforcement agencies on the need to be sensitive. "At the same time it is important that in trying to counter terrorism wrong methods and means are not adopted," the prime minister said. "Any impression that any community or sections amongst them are being targeted, or some kind of profiling is being attempted should be avoided." Authorities are under pressure to act against both Hindu and Muslim fundamentalist groups and stem the growing tide of violence.But analysts say action against radical groups is often not firm enough in a country where political parties do not want to alienate either Hindu or Muslim voters. Muslims make up about 12 per cent of the population in Hindu majority India.
------------------------------------------------------
Conservatives Win Lithuanian Parliamentary Election
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1EB212B:E2FDB7E6D97F9373D62DCB247B3EEDE770AD7039DCD7B7E4&
But strong support for populist parties expected to make it difficult to form coalition government
Preliminary official results from Lithuania's parliamentary election indicate the main conservative opposition party has won the first round of the former Soviet republic's parliamentary elections, heralding the end of years of Social Democratic rule led by Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas. The Homeland Union received about 18 percent of the vote, but the strong support for populist parties is expected to make it difficult to form a coalition government. As Stefan Bos reports for VOA, voters also decided Sunday on the future of a controversial nuclear power plant in a non-binding referendum closely watched by the European Union.Man, accompanied by his children, casts his ballot in Vilnius, 12 Oct 2008The apparent victory of Lithuania's conservative Homeland Union Party in parliamentary elections Sunday came amid voter anger over the Baltic country's economic difficulties after years of spectacular growth. Difficult talks are expected between the Homeland Union and two populist parties of a former president and a Russian millionaire, that received at least a quarter of the cast ballots. The Homeland Union, led by former Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius, is a traditional tax-cutting conservative party but it also says the budget deficit could rise and this could mean a delay in the country's attempts to introduce the Euro currency. The party is also the one which most often raises the issue of Russia as a threat to Lithuania.Yet voters seem to believe that not much will change in their country, whoever comes to power, as they told EuroNews Television."If you look at the party programs, they are very much similar, therefore personalities on the party lists will decide whom to vote for," one man said.Under Lithuania's election rules, a second round of voting will be held on October 26, which observers say could still impact the final party line-up.Whoever comes to power will have to tackle double digit inflation and fears the once high flying economy will slide in the global financial crisis.Sunday's ballot also featured a non binding referendum on whether to keep a controversial Soviet-era nuclear plant operating beyond its scheduled closure in 2009. The Election Commission said the referendum may be invalid, because of a low turnout, a setback for authorities who wanted to pressure the European Union.EU members want Lithuania's nuclear station to be closed because of design problems similar to those in the Ukrainian plant of Chernobyl, which caused the world's worst nuclear disaster.European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has made clear Lithuania agreed to close the Soviet-era plant by the end of 2009 as part of its deal to join the European Union in 2004."There is a commitment, a legal commitment, arising out of the accession treaty that is not at the discretion of either Lithuania or the Commission," Barroso said. "This is a commitment that must be honoured as we must never compromise on safety. So I of course, as guardian of the treaty at the Commission can only say that the treaties have to be respected."However Lithuanian Prime Minister Kirkilas has told the EU that Lithuanians would have to face sharp energy rises as a result of the closure of the Ignalina plant, which provides 70 percent of the country's needs.Observers say many Lithuanians believe that the closure of the plant would make them once again dependent on Russia. Lithuania broke away from the Soviet Union in 1990.
------------------------------------------------------
Thai Queen Attends Protester's Funeral
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1EB212C:E2FDB7E6D97F9373D62DCB247B3EEDE770AD7039DCD7B7E4&
Thai queen's funeral visit seen as support for opposition
Anti-government protesters walk past a portrait of Thai Queen Sirikit on the grounds of the government house complex which the protesters have been occupying for more than a month Monday, 13 Oct. 2008 in BangkokThailand's Queen Sirikit made a rare public appearance Monday at the funeral of a female protester killed in clashes last week with police.The father of the 28-year-old woman says Queen Sirikit told him that his daughter had died in a noble cause.The woman's father also said Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej donated more than $29,000 to help treat those injured during the protests.Two people were killed and more than 400 injured during the clashes last week, the worst street violence in the capital in 16 years. Queen Sirikit spent less than an hour at the funeral and was greeted by cheers of "long live the queen!"Opposition activists at the funeral saw her appearance as a sign of the monarchy's support.The opposition People's Alliance for Democracy has been occupying government offices for weeks, demanding that Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat step down because of his links to ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.Mr. Somchai is Thaksin's brother-in-law.Protesters draped themselves in the yellow shirts and scarves - the color associated with the king - and said they are loyal to the monarchy.When tanks rolled into the streets in September 2006 and ousted Mr. Thaksin in a bloodless military coup, the military said it was protecting the monarchy.A government spokesman said Mr. Somchai is scheduled to brief King Bhumibol Monday on the country's current political situation.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
------------------------------------------------------
If you have questions about this E-mail newsletter send an e-mail to:
Click here to unsubscribe from the VOA Daily World News Summary: http://enews.voanews.com/u?id=E2FDB7E6D97F9373D62DCB247B3EEDE770AD7039DCD7B7E4
Forward this E-mail: http://enews.voanews.com/bin/ftaf?id=E2FDB7E6D97F9373D62DCB247B3EEDE770AD7039DCD7B7E4
No comments:
Post a Comment