My Press Review - Thursday 30 September

Jordan 'jammed' al-Jazeera World Cup shows

 

It looked, at first, like a serious technical glitch. But once staff at al-Jazeera Sports had checked, and then double-checked, they realised something sinister was happening: for nearly 20 minutes the channel's live transmission of the World Cup's opening match between South Africa and Mexico in June was almost impossible to watch because of blank or frozen screens or commentary in the wrong language.

 

 

War veterans' care to cost $1.3 trillion

 

The expense of caring for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars is an unfunded budget liability for U.S. taxpayers that in years to come will rival the cost of entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare, lawmakers will be told Thursday.

 

 

Musharraf to launch new party

 

The former Pakistani president General Pervez Musharraf said last night that he had "no regrets" about the security provided to Benazir Bhutto on the day of her assassination, as he prepared to officially launch his political comeback.

 

 

 Floodhit Pakistan printing cash as fast as it can

 

Political insiders say the economy could become a platform for a campaign within months, mostly likely led by an army bent on weakening Zardari.

 

 

 Israeli principal summoned over history textbook that adds Palestinian view

 

Israel's Education Ministry has called in the principal of Shaar Hanegev high school, which is using a banned textbook that explains both narratives of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

 

 

 Dutch edgy as racist Geert Wilders backs minority government

 

Leaders of three Dutch center-right parties sought internal endorsement on Wednesday for a minority government with Christian Democrat unease over support by an anti-Islam party casting a shadow over the deal.

 

 

 Danish editor reprints Prophet Mohammad cartoons

 

The Danish editor whose 2005 publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad sparked violent protests has released a book that reprints the pictures.

 

 

 China releases 3 Japanese; fourth still being investigated

 

China released three of four Japanese citizens whose detention had added to recent tensions between the two countries, Xinhua news agency reported on Thursday.

 

 

Are Yemen's War-Haunted Children Tomorrow's Fighters?

 

As the country lurches into another internal conflict, hundreds of thousands of children continue to be raised to see war as the only way to exist

 

 

Al Qa’eda ‘abducting their sons from Iraq’

 

Charity says at least 50 infant boys have been kidnapped, and fears they may be indoctrinated as next generation of militants.

 

 

After a decade at war, U.S. military faces strains

 

Secretary Robert Gates warned on Wednesday that nearly a decade of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan has heightened trends that could ultimately alienate the all-volunteer military from the society it defends.

 

 

 Former Australian PM attacks multiculturalism

 

John Howard, Australia's former prime minister, said some countries have gone too far in accommodating Muslim minorities.

 

 

Iran announces new delays at Bushehr nuclear plant – but denies Stuxnet link

 

Iran announced months of delays for its Bushehr nuclear plant today, as the US hit Iran with more sanctions over its human rights record.

 

 

Plan for 'space hotel' unveiled

A Russian firm has launched an ambitious plan to put a "cosmic hotel" into orbit by 2016, a Russian news agency reports.

Heavy security for Ayodhya ruling

Tens of thousands of security forces are deployed across north India ahead of a court ruling on the long-running Ayodhya religious dispute.

France faces EU action over Roma

 

The European commission today ordered France to comply with an EU directive on the free movement of EU citizens or face legal action over its expulsion of thousands of Roma.

 

 

Russia 'set to supply US airbase'

 

Russia is set to gain a stranglehold over fuel supplies to a crucial US airbase in Central Asia after striking a deal with the government of Kyrgyzstan.

 

 

China says yuan bill violates WTO

 

China on Thursday hit back at a bill passed by the House of Representatives aimed at pressuring Beijing to let its currency rise faster by branding it in violation of world trade rules.

 

 

Japan-Russia row escalates

 

Japan called on Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday not to visit the Pacific Kuril Islands that are at the center of a territorial dispute, warning of damage to bilateral relations.

 

 

EU gives France Roma ultimatum

 

France was warned by the European authorities today that it would face disciplinary proceedings and possible court action if EU freedom of movement is not enshrined in French law by next month.

 

 

Pressure mounts on Israel, accused of suppressing footage

 

International pressure on Israel is likely to grow as an expert panel investigating Israel’s boarding of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla four months ago has said Israel is suppressing footage of the incident it seized from the passengers, and a lawyer who investigated the May raid for the UN Human Rights Council said Israel’s raid could end up as a case before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

 

 

Tea party pioneer Hoffman getting pushed to sidelines

 

The conservative accountant who in 2009 transformed a House special election in upstate New York into an unlikely struggle for the soul of the Republican Party finds himself more of an outsider

 

 

Iraqi Shia militia hints of Iran's hand in south

 

Nearly four minutes of shaky, hand-held video clips show roadside bombs hitting U.S. convoys, a battery of Katyusha rockets and a soldier who appeared to be downed by sniper fire.And digitally burned into the left-hand corner is the raised-rifle emblem of a Shi'ite militia linked to Iran

 

'Water security of 5bn under threat'

 

The world's rivers are so badly affected by human activity that the water security of almost 5 billion people, and the survival of thousands of aquatic species, are threatened, scientists warned .

 

 

Berlusconi wins confidence vote

 

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi wins a vote of confidence in his government after making a plea for national unity.

 

 

David Miliband walks away from shadow cabinet

 

David Miliband quit because he feared his presence in his brother's shadow cabinet would revive the in-fighting that scarred the era of Blair and Brown.

 

 

Syria teachers fired for beatings

 

Two Syrian teachers are banned from working with children after a Facebook group posted a video of them abusing young students.

 

Alien-spotting chess president re-elected

 

An eccentric Russian who believes that chess was brought to earth by aliens was re-elected president of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) over Anatoly Karpov in a vote that split the chess world.

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What's Happening Today - Thursday 30 September

Japan:

Washington  has asked Japan to withdraw from the Azadegan oil field project in Iran, indicating that oil company Inpex could be mentioned in a new list of firms to be targeted for US sanctions (NB Comes day after Okinawa governor renews call for US military base to leave)

Japan:

Japan's Defense Ministry is considering a plan to station ground troops in Japan's southwestern islands near a disputed island chain, placing troops on the remote Yonaguni Island near Taiwan

China:

China's State Council has approved measures to prevent housing prices from increasing too quickly, including requiring a 30 percent down payment on mortgages and limiting the number of homes people are allowed to buy in cities where prices are high or have risen quickly

North Korea:

Watching developments as Vice Foreign Minister Pak Kil-yon tells UN General Assembly North Korea will strengthen its nuclear deterrent to "counter US threat"

Koreas:

South-North Korean working-level military talks held in border village of Panmunjom; first such meeting in nearly two years, began at 0100 gmt

South Korea:

UN's Food and Agriculture Organization regional conference continues in Gyeongju; agricultural officials, experts from 44 Asia-Pacific member countries discuss ways to resolve regional food shortages (-1 Oct)

Vietnam:

Two-day meeting of chiefs of ASEAN Security Agencies (MACOSA) concludes in Hanoi (Vietnamese news agency VNA)

Indonesia:

Watching for updates after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake occurred off the coast of Papua province in eastern Indonesia, occurring 105 kilometers north-northwest of Dobo, Kepulauan Aru, Indonesia; 310 kilometers west-southwest of Enarotali, Papua, Indonesia; 900 kilometers north-northeast of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; and 2,985 kilometers east of Jakarta, Java, Indonesia.

Russia:

Agricultural Ministries of Russia and Japan to meet at a congress in Moscow.

India:

Allahabad High Court gives judgement on 60-year old dispute between Hindus, Muslims over religious site in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh

India:

TENTATIVE Shutdown called by Communist Party of India (Maoist) in protest against civilian deaths in Jammu and Kashmir

India:

Indian steel czar Lakshmi Mittal is to complete the sale of its 50 percent stake in Kazakh oil firm Caspian Investment Resources (CIR) to China's Sinopec, the other half of which is owned by Russia's Lukoil Overseas

Pakistan:

International donor conference held in Islamabad; venue changed from Lahore due to security concerns; some 214 delegates expected to attend, representing NGOs, UN agencies

Nepal:

Parliament makes ninth attempt to elect prime minister; country has been without government since 30 June, when former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal stood down under pressure from Maoists

Russia:

Watching developments following reports Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov, sacked by President Medvedev, intends to appeal against his dismissal

Georgia:

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen visits to meet President Mikheil Saakashvili, Prime Minister Nikoloz Gilauri, Parliament Speaker David Bakradze, Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze (Visits on same day as breakaway republic of Abkhazia marks Independence Day, though only recognized by Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru)

Tajikistan:

Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) ministerial meeting on energy, petroleum continues in Dushanbe (- 1 Oct); member states are Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

Kazakhstan:

Group for implementing and evaluating Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) concludes first session

Iran:

Update after Iranian Judiciary chief Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani said ultimately called Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani a liar and that an endowment of Azad University is false

Turkey:

Black Sea Energy and Economic Forum continues (- 1 Oct); Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz, Iraqi Oil Minister Husayn al-Shahristani attend (Atlantic Council website)

Turkey:

The  Kurdistan Workers' Party is expected to hold a press conference in Qandil mountain in northern Iraq today, where it will announce an extension of a unilateral ceasefire for another 12 months

Turkey:

Looking ahead as Turkey hosts a summit of representatives from all Kyrgyz ethnic groups in Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan. It is intended to restore stability and promote tolerance following ethnic clashes in recent months. The conference will be co-sponsored by the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), of which Turkey currently holds the rotating presidency, and the Kyrgyz government. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Kyrgyz President Roza Otunbayeva, CICA Executive Director Cinar Aldemir and 130 other officials will participate in the summit.

Yemen:

Watching developments after a convoy carrying Shabwa province Govenor Ali al-Ahmadi and Yemeni Defence Ministry officials was ambushed in Shabwa province by masked assailants.

Lebanon:

Hezbollah will try to block further Lebanese financing of a UN-backed investigation into the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafia al-Hariri, a spokesman for the group said

Somalia:

Somali rebel groups Hizbul Islam and al Shabaab have stopped talks on merging to fight against the Somali government but plan to resume the discussions at a later point, according to Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys.

Ethiopia:

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi will urge Mogadishu to select a new Somali prime minister immediately to  help ease the pressure on the Transitional Federal Government posed by Al Shabaab.

Sudan:

Sudan's Missiriya tribe will use force against anyone who tries to prevent them voting in a referendum determining if the Abyei region will join the south, tribe leader Mukhtar Babu Nimir said

West Bank:

US envoy George Mitchell expected to holds talks with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas in bid to rescue direct peace talks with Israel which have stalled over dispute over settlement building; EU's foreign affairs chief, Catherine Ashton, also due in region to bolster EU support for direct talks

Libya:

Annual "Al-Wafa Day"; introduced in 1989 to honour all those who have contributed to "march of humanity through excellence, act of giving, innovative and exceptional accomplishment, at national, African, Arab or international level"; not clear if country's leader Mu'ammar al-Qadhafi, would attend ceremony at people's hall in Tripoli or deliver a speech to mark occasion

Sierra Leone:

Today, the UN Security Council is lifting a 13-year-old arms embargo against Sierra Leone after being assured that the nation is sufficiently stable following the civil war that ended in 2002

Ukraine:

Start of Yalta European Strategy (YES) annual meeting (- 3 Oct); organized by major businessman Viktor Pinchuk; top Ukrainian, EU officials in attendance; Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski meets counterpart Viktor Yanukovych on 1 October

Poland:

Interior ministers from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, security officials from UK, USA (G6 plus USA) meet in Krakow; second and last day

Poland:

Largest military exercise this year, Anakonda 2010, involving thousands of  troops, helicopters, ships and tanks near Russian borders (- 6 Oct)

Germany:

Chancellor Angela Merkel has welcomed European Commission proposals for increased sanctions against EU states that fail to curb deficits, but said treaty changes were still needed  in October.

Portugal:

Portugal will expand its austerity program, reducing public sector payroll by 5 percent in the coming year, Prime Minister Jose Socrates said. The policy will include progressive salary cuts targeted on the top 10 percent of earners, an increase of the value-added tax by two percentage points to 23 percent in 2011 and a new tax on certain financial transactions.

US:

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev wraps up visit

US:

Washington has imposed sanctions on Iranian officials deemed responsible for human rights violations, including the Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) Mohammad Ali Jafari; current Minister of Welfare and Security and former Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsouli; current Prosecutor-General and former Minister of Intelligence Qolam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei; former Prosecutor-General of Tehran Saeed Mortazavi; Minister of Intelligence Heydar Moslehi; Interior Minister and former Deputy Commander of the Armed Forces for Law Enforcement Mostafa Mohammad Najjar; Deputy Chief of Iran's National Police Ahmad-Reza Radan; current Deputy IRGC Commander for Intelligence and former Commander of the IRGC's Basij Forces Hossein Taeb.

Mexico:

Reaction after yet another mayor, the 12th this year, is attacked. Two people were injured in a grenade attack on the Matamoros City Hall in Mexico's Tamaulipas state

Ecuador:

Ecuador receives the first installment of $800 million from a $1 billion Chinese loan. The remaining $200 million, which is destined for the oil sector, will be negotiated in upcoming months.

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My Press Review - Wednesday 29 September

Mahmoud Abbas gives Israel a week to halt settlement expansion. Does he mean it this time?

 

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas backed down again on his threat to quit peace talks over Israeli settlement expansion, this time pending consultation with the Arab League Oct. 4.

 

 

Hitmen ‘have killed 630 Iraqis with silent guns’

 

Gunmen using weapons equipped with silencers have killed more than 630 people in Iraq since June, the interior ministry has said.

 

 

Iran's flying boats go on display at sea

 

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards have taken delivery of three squadrons of flying crafts named ''Bavar 2'', according to the country's state TV.

 

 

Okinawa governor changes stance to demand Marine air units be moved off island

 

In a move to counter his more radical opponent in November’s election, Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima on Tuesday called for Marine air units to be moved off the island.

 

 

Ed Miliband says Tony Blair was wrong on Iraq

 

New Labour leader Ed Miliband today conceded the conflict in Iraq had divided the country and said Tony Blair's government was ''wrong'' to go to war.

 

 

Medvedev shows he is his own man

 

"Wow! It looks like we've got a president after all." This was the typical reaction from political commentators in the Russian blogosphere Tuesday after the news emerged that President Dmitry Medvedev had fired the entrenched and defiant Mayor Yury Luzhkov — and many political analysts agreed

 

China in Nobel committee warning

 

China warns the Nobel Peace Prize committee in Oslo not to award the prize to the well-known Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo.

 

 

Why so many mayors are now targets in Mexican drug war

At least 11 Mexican mayors have been killed this year in assassinations blamed on drug traffickers.

 

 

First World War officially ends

 

War officially ends on Sunday when Germany pays last of reparations.

 

 

Saying No to ‘I Do,’ Economy in Mind

 

A decline in marriage accelerated during the recession, according to new census data, with more couples postponing marriage and choosing to cohabit instead.

 

An Afghan governor dies and Hamid Karzai cries. Is that a problem?

 

Bob Woodward's recent book amplified US whispers that Afghan President Hamid Karzai is unstable. There is a problem, but it isn't his brief show of emotion today.

 

 

Ukraine looks to return to 1996 Constitution

Ukraine's Constitutional Court On September 23 started hearing an appeal submitted by lawmakers from the ruling coalition who asked to void 2006-enacted amendments to the constitution that imposed curbs on presidential authority. The verdict, favouring President Viktor Yanukovych, is expected to be announced as early as this week

 

Dealing with debt

 

THANKS in part to the extraordinary measures taken to stop the global economic crisis turning into a worldwide depression, government budgets around the world are awash in a sea of red ink. Now that the worst is past, governments must think about how to reduce their deficits. Most will have to slash spending, or increase taxes, or do both.

 

 

Berlusconi's confidence vote gamble

 

Silvio Berlusconi today decided to take an unexpected, all-or-nothing gamble by submitting his government to a confidence vote in parliament. If he loses he will have to resign, and even if he fails to secure an outright majority in the lower house tomorrow, he could step down.

 

 

Kuchma against introduction of second national language in Ukraine

 

The second President of Ukraine (1994-2004), Leonid Kuchma, has said he is sure there should be only one national language the country – the Ukrainian language.

 

 

Jordan expects US nuclear deal

 

Jordan expects to reach a compromise with the US on its nuclear power plans by the end of the year, a senior official said yesterday.

 

 

Miliband to announce future plans

 

David Miliband is expected to make a statement about his future, amid growing speculation he will quit front-line politics.

 

UK defeated in Iraq - US general

 

The British army suffered defeat in Iraq when it pulled out of Basra in 2007, a senior American general claims.

 

EU mulls suing France over Roma

 

The European Commission is due to decide whether to take legal action against France over its expulsion of thousands of Romanian and Bulgarian Roma (Gypsy) migrants.

 

Jimmy Carter Is Hospitalized

 

An airport spokeswoman in Cleveland says former President Jimmy Carter was taken off the plane by rescue crews and taken to a hospital.

 

 

Nobel Laureate Maguire blocked from Israel

 

A Nobel Peace Prize winner seized on an aid flotilla to Gaza earlier this year was stopped from entering Israel today.

 

 

Iran hands 'blogfather' jail term

 

The Iranian blogger Hossein Derakhshan, a beacon for those fighting for freedom of expression in the Islamic nation, was sentenced to 19 years in prison today for alleged anti-state activities.

 

 

In Multilingual Switzerland, One Tongue Struggles

 

In one corner of the country, depending on whom you talk to, there is either strong support or bitter resistance to Romansh.

 

 

Silvio Berlusconi ally calls Romans 'pigs' ahead of key parliamentary vote

 

Umberto Bossi, a key ally of Silvio Berlusconi, caused outrage in Italy's capital by calling the inhabitants of Rome "pigs" ahead of a crucial parliamentary vote which will test the strength of the prime minister's faltering coalition.

 

 

Nation's international patent numbers surge

 

The number of international patent applications from China grew sharply in the first half of this year, showing that Chinese companies have sharpened their edge in global intellectual property competition, according to industry insiders.

 

Train sets world record in speed

 

Reaching a speed of 416.6 km per hour, a new high-speed train linking Shanghai and Hangzhou set a fresh world record of train speed during its trial operation on Tuesday morning.

 

Minister warns over defence cuts

 

The defence secretary warns the PM that draconian cuts to the armed forces while the UK is at war will result in 'grave consequences'.

 

 

Indian court to rule on mosque row on Thursday

 

An Indian court will rule on Thursday whether Hindus or Muslims own land around a demolished mosque in northern India, a judgment haunted by memories of 1992 riots that killed some 2,000 people.

 

 

Women managers paid less than male counterparts

 

Women managers in the United States are paid 81 cents for every dollar earned by male managers, according to a government report released on Tuesday.

 

 

The currency war that no one really wants to talk about

 

So much for international co-operation. The G20 has already given up its attempts to agree a unified approach to the taxation of banks in the wake of the financial crisis. Now it is refusing to discuss the huge imbalances in the global economy that made that crisis possible in the first place.

 

Ex-Iceland PM referred to court

 

Iceland's parliament votes to refer former Prime Minister Geir Haarde to a special court over his role in the country's financial crisis.

 

Yemen to join World Trade Organization next year

 

Yemen is keen to conclude its proposition to join the World Trade Organization this year and  to accede in 2011,

 

 

Karzai Names Panel for Taliban Talks

 

A decision by President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan was the government’s first concrete step to open formal contacts with the Taliban.

 

 

Saudi Arabia to halt Indian worker abuse

 

Often a dissatisfied employer will falsely claim a labourer has ‘escaped’, an Indian official says.

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What's Happening Today - Wednesday 29 October

North Korea: 

Watching developments after Kim Jong-un, youngest son of leader Kim Jong-il, has been appointed member of ruling Workers' Party Central Committee and deputy chairman of National Defence Commission in a move widely seen as paving way to succeed his father

South Korea: 

Parliament holds hearings for Prime Minister-designate Kim Hwang-sik 

South Korea: 

UN Food and Agriculture Organization holds regional conference in Gyeongju; agricultural officials and experts from 44 Asia-Pacific member countries discuss regional food shortages (-1 Oct) 

South Korea: 

Kazakh Defence Minister Adilbek Zhaksybekov visits to weapons contracts with counterpart Kim Tae-young; also visits defence contractors and military units

South Korea:

South Korean farmers hold anti-government rally in Seoul.

Russia: 

Presidential envoy Aleksandr Khloponin reports on comprehensive strategy for restive North Caucasus at meeting of Federation Council (parliament's upper house)

Russia:

A Moscow court will sentence on a group of nationalists accused of trying to assassinate reformer Anatoly Chubais in 2005.

Kyrgyzstan:

Two-thirds of the military advisers in the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) Border Guard Service will be moved from the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek to Osh, the director of the service said 

Tajikistan:

The United States has said it will get more involved in protecting the Tajik-Afghan border. US Ambassador to Tajikistan Kenneth Gross said Washington will fund a 1,200 meter bridge over the Panj River, which allows 24-hour transport communication for Tajikistan and Afghanistan, but also for an anti-terrorism center in southern Tajikistan.  In addition, the United States will increase financial aid to Tajik security agencies. A US-Tajik agreement has been signed that will provide for a Natural Guard of Tajikistan training center worth about $10 million.

Tajikistan:

Dushanbe hosts Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) ministerial meeting on energy and petroleum (- 1 Oct); member states are Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan:

Uzbek gas distribution company Oztransgaz told Tojiktransgaz it will cut natural gas supplies to Tajikistan by half, beginning today, unless a $1.8 million debt is settled

Pakistan:

Watching for reaction as US Gen. David Petraeus warned senior Pakistani commanders that the United States may engage in unilateral ground operations in Pakistan's tribal regions if Islamabad fails to do more to dismantle the North Waziristan militant networks

Pakistan:

Pakistan warned NATO leaders in Brussels it will stop protecting supply lines into Afghanistan if US and NATO aircraft continue to conduct airstrikes on sovereign territory 

Pakistan:

A US drone killed four people, whose names remain unreported or unknown, in the latest extrajudicial killing of militant suspects in Zeba village, west of Wana, in South Waziristan.

Pakistan:

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari promoted Lt. Gen. Khalid Shamim Wayne to general and appointed him chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC). He will assume his new role after incumbent Gen. Tariq Majid retires in early October, just as Pervez  Musharraf is to return to Pakistan from exile in the UK.

Azerbaijan:

Appeal hearing for imprisoned journalist Eynulla Fatullayev who was sentenced to 11 years in jail for drug offences, slandering army; European Court of Human Rights ruled in April that Fatullayev should be freed 

Turkey: 

Black Sea Energy and Economic Forum (- 1 Oct); Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz, Iraqi Oil Minister Husayn al-Shahristani attend

Iraq:

US Vice President Joe Biden called on Iyyad Allawi to accelerate talks to form an "inclusive" government though his office emphasized that Washington is not supporting specific candidates.

Qatar: 

New round of Darfur peace talks between government and rebel Liberation and Justice Movement takes place in Doha

Israel: 

US Middle East envoy George Mitchell visits, meets Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Mahmud Abbas today to discuss peace talks after Israeli freeze on West Bank construction expired on 26 September; Palestinians threatened to walk out if construction resumes

Egypt: 

Joint Turkey-Egypt Naval Military Exercise Friendship Sea-2010 (- 4 Oct)

Egypt:

Egypt's parliamentary elections will be held during the last week of November, a ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) spokesman said. The NDP has scheduled a conference on strategy for mid-November. No specific date for the elections has been announced, but it is probably 29 November.

Sudan:

Sudanese authorities have announced a three-week delay in registering voters for a referendum on southern Sudanese independence. Election commission chair Mohammed Ibrahim Khalil said he hopes to meet the January 9 deadline, but voter registration may begin later than planned to allow staff members to deliver registration forms to 3,600 centers. Khalil expects the forms to be delivered to the centres by November 15.

Libya: 

Arab League Secretary-General Amr Musa visits to discuss upcoming extraordinary Arab summit in Sirte on 9 October

Kenya: 

International Criminal Court investigators visit to investigate post-election violence of 2008, when more than 1,500 people died; final day 

Belarus:

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) objected to plans to raise public sector pay in Belarus by one-third before the country's forthcoming presidential election, saying the increases lacked economic basis and broke agreements

Poland: 

Interior ministers from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, as well as security officials from UK and USA (G6 Plus USA), begin two-day meeting in Krakow (-30) 

Kosovo:

An explosion in the northern Serb-dominated region of Kosovka Mitrovika has destroyed Kosovo's Ipko telecommunications antenna that had been on top of a residential building and is latest attack on Serbian communication systems in the country.

Norway:

A suspect in Norwegian custody confessed that he and two accomplices planned to attack Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten. Norwegian authorities are interrogating 39-year-old Norwegian citizen Mikael Davud, a Chinese Uighur, and 31-year-old Norwegian resident David Jakobsen, an Uzbek. 

Norway:

Norwegian Oil and Energy Minister Terje Riis-Johansen expressed concern about electrical supplies in the winter due to some outages at Swedish nuclear reactors and low reservoir levels at hydro-power plants.  Swedish nuclear reactors have faced problems with maintenance due to a lack of recruits in the sector 

EU: 

Trade unions across Europe stage day of action against austerity measures 

Italy: 

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi expected to address Parliament and is expected to outline the priorities for the government until the end of its term.

Belgium: 

European Commission expected to reach decision on whether to launch proceedings against France following deportations of Roma migrants

France:

French government presents its 2011 budget.

Spain:

Spain's largest union expected to hold a general strike to protest against plans of the Socialist government to reform the labour market after two years of talks between unions, business and government ended without agreement.

Ireland:

Irish trade unions hold protest against govt economic and banking policies outside Anglo Irish Bank HQ.

Cuba:

Cuban labour reforms, which will eliminate 500,000 jobs in the next six months, could cause up to 80 percent of all public workers to be directly linked to production. The reshuffling of labourers to other sectors will be based on each person's "demonstrated ability" and will be carried out with the aid of advisory committees and the state labor union.

US:

House of Representatives votes on bill putting pressure on China to raise value of yuan amid trade row.  Major US trade associations warned such legislation which punishes the allegedly undervalued yuan could prompt a counterproductive trade feud, costing US jobs

Venezuela:

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said his government is considering a nuclear energy program for peaceful purposes. Venezuela needs an atomic energy program and will not be stopped as it conducts initial studies, Chavez stated during a news conference.

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My Press Review - Tuesday 28 September

Pakistan faces amnesty crisis

 

A showdown between the military and the government was narrowly averted yesterday over a controversial amnesty granted to politicians and officials charged with crimes ranging from corruption to murder.

 

 

Chechnya Coerces Women on Dress, Activists Say

 

Women in Chechnya are under pressure to adopt Islamic dress, according to human rights activists.

 

 

Kuwait praised over labour law overhaul

 

Official says new regulation will allow expatriate workers to change jobs or return home, which is not possible under the current system.

 

 

India Ayodhya verdict delayed by concerns over Hindu-Muslim tensions

 

Tuesday, India's Supreme Court will hear a petition for more mediation in a 1992 case in which Hindus zealots destroyed a mosque on a long-contested site. The Ayodha verdict, due last week, has been delayed for security reasons.

 

 

Question mark over Brazil clown's political hopes

 

A Brazilian clown who is a favourite to win a seat in congress in Sunday's election is challenged to prove he can read and write, or be debarred

 

 

Kosovo president resigns over breach of constitution

 

Fatmir Sejdiu, the president of Kosovo, has announced his surprise resignation in a move that could hamper the start of Eu-brokered talks between Belgrade and Pristina.

 

 

Tourists flock to Chernobyl 25 years after disaster hit Ukraine

 

Tourists are flocking to Chernobyl, the site of the worst nuclear disaster in history, almost 25 years after the explosion at the Soviet-era nuclear reactor. The 'zone', which lurks some 60 miles from the Ukrainian capital Kiev, has been described as one of the "world's unique places to visit" by US magazine Forbes

 

 

IMF: Mauritania witnessing an economic recovery with 5.5 % growth

An International Monetary Fund mission, led by Mr. Boileau Loko visited Nouakchott from September 15 to 26, 2010 to conduct discussions regarding the first review

 

 

Hearing Begins on Killing of Afghans

 

An investigator testified that a soldier’s videotaped statement describing how he and his colleagues randomly killed three civilians appeared to be a reliable account.

 

 

Cyber Storm III aims to protect against real thing

 

An international cyberwar game to be staged this week by the Department of Homeland Security will simulate a sophisticated hacker attack that undermines the trusted relationships between computers on which the very architecture of the Internet relies.

 

Kazakhstan could export grain to Persian Gulf countries

 

Kazakhstan considers building grain terminals in the United Arab Emirates and Jordan to export its grain to the Persian Gulf countries, Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov said at Monday's Cabinet meeting

 

Jewish group falls from favor at White House

 

The White House appears to be distancing itself from the liberal advocacy group J Street that it once embraced as its envoy to the U.S. Jewish community after disclosures that nearly half the group's funding for 2008 came from a single Hong Kong donor

 

 

Pakistan: NATO strikes breach airspace

 

Pakistan vehemently protested NATO helicopter strikes that killed more than 70 militants, saying Monday that U.N. rules do not allow the copters to cross into its airspace even in hot pursuit of insurgents.

 

 

C.I.A. Steps Up Drone Attacks Within Pakistan

 

The C.I.A. has drastically increased bombing in the mountains of Pakistan, American officials said, part of an effort to try to cripple the Taliban there.

 

 

Germany Moves Toward Ending Draft

 

Party leaders agreed to halt a policy embedded in the Constitution half a century ago to help keep the armed forces from ever again becoming a self-directed state within a state.

 

 

Romanian gipsy gang 'snatched 200 children from homes to use them as beggars'

 

A gang of Romanian gipsy child-snatchers stole almost 200 poor children from their families and brought them to Britain to pick pockets, a court heard.

 

 

EU 'must end Kosovo Roma return'

 

EU countries should end the forcible return of Roma and other minorities to Kosovo, Amnesty International says in a new report.

 

 

Shell increases trade with Iran

 

Shell, the Anglo-Dutch oil giant, paid the state-owned Iranian oil company at least $1.5bn (£0.94bn) for crude oil this summer, increasing its business with Tehran as the international community implemented some of the toughest sanctions yet aimed at constricting the Islamic republic's economy and its lifeline oil business.

 

 

Has the West declared cyber war on Iran?

 

Computers can go wrong, and everyone is used to it. But that's at home. We assume that the machines controlling the infrastructure that makes everything tick – power stations, chemical works, water purification plants – have rock-solid defences in place to deal with unexplained crashes or virus attacks by malicious strangers.

 

 

Gül: Turkey told Hamas to stop firing rockets into Israel

 

Turkey has urged the Palestinian group Hamas to stop rocket attacks on Israel and seek dialogue with Europe and the United States, President Abdullah Gül has said.

 

 

Flemish-speaking Belgian minister wants English to be Europe's 'common language'

 

A Flemish-speaking Belgian politician has fanned the flames of a heated EU language debate and outraged the country's French speaking community by calling for English to become Europe's "common language".

 

 

Hamid Karzai's brother in US corruption probe

 

The brother of the Afghan President Hamid Karzai is under investigation by US prosecutors as part of a corruption probe that could complicate Washington's dealings with Kabul.

 

 

Israel calls for end to UN Gaza investigations

 

Israel called on Monday for an end to United Nations Human Rights Council investigations into its actions in the 2008-09 Gaza conflict, insisting that the body was “obsessively biased” against it.

 

 

Romanian ministerquits after cop protest

 

Romania’s Interior Minister Vasile Blaga resigned on Monday, just days after a rally by policemen protesting against International Monetary Fund-mandated pay cuts.

 

 

Solar Energy - Egypt going green

Egypt is serious about benefiting from the solar energy as the power and energy sector is working on establishing a photovoltaic solar plant

 

NATO launches airstrikes into Pakistan, 50 dead

NATO helicopters in eastern Afghanistan launched rare airstrikes into Pakistan, reportedly killing more than 50 militants after an outpost near the border came under attack from insurgents, officials said Monday.

 

 

Saudi wasting up to 30% of groundwater - scholar

 

Kingdom could reduce the amount of water wasted to 5% if it changed technology. 

 

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