SOUTH ASIA- INDIA
Political Front: National Level: Liberhan Commission Report dominated Indian political front that convicts BJP and other Hindu extremist parties for their involvement in the demolition of Babri mosque in 1992. While the BJP has declared the report
to be politically motivated, Shiv Sena’s Chairperson Bal Thackeray has called upon Hindus to unite against fundamentalist Muslims, deemed a threat to Indian society. Also various political parties in the Lok Sabha have strongly condemned the 1984 Sikh massacres.
CPM general secretary Prakash Karat has opposed government’s increasing relations with the US proclaiming capitalism a curse for Indian society and the recent economic crisis as an obvious example of its failure.
Maoist and Naxal rebels destroyed school buildings, a railway station and other government property in different areas of Chattishgarh, Bihar and Jharkand while Border Security Force (BSF) has been deployed in some districts to counter insurgents’ activities.
In Kashmir Hurriyat conference’s moderate segment under Mir waiz Umar Farooq has held discreet talks with Delhi seeking a suitable resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
Regional Level: Peaceful polling, despite isolated incidents of violence was observed in Jharkand amidst high security arrangements. Meanwhile two blasts occurred in Assam leaving 7 people dead.
Geo-strategic Front: PM Man Mohan Singh has emphasized greatly on boosting ties with the US. Meanwhile Obama administration has reiterated commitment to implement civil nuclear energy pact with India. Also Canada has finally signed a civil nuclear energy agreement with the country after long negotiations.
Social Front: Indian Space Research Institution claimed that reducing water resources and a change in rain patterns has topographically affected vast regions in the country. Meanwhile in Madhya Pradesh malnutrition has hence far caused 25 causalities among children.
Economic Front: India has achieved 7.9% growth rate in the second quarter of this fiscal year. In the meantime the US-based internationally recognized foreign-policy think tank Carnegie Endowment has claimed that India would be the world’s third largest economy in 2050 after China and US.
EAST ASIA
Political Front: In the Philippines peace talks have resumed between the government and the insurgents. Meanwhile the Thai PM has denied any chance of reshuffle in cabinet line-up at this point in time.
Geo-strategic Front: Indonesian Customs officials have confiscated 75 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, which can be used as fertilizer or explosive material, being shipped in from Malaysia.
In a recent statement Cambodian PM claimed that their relations with Thailand normalize only in case of a regime change in the latter. Meanwhile Vietnam has expressed interest in enhancing economic and trade ties with the US.
Social Front: several hundred ‘hard-line’ Muslim protestors staged rallies in Indonesia urgeing the government to prevent the spread of HIV by implementing Islamic law. Meanwhile the Malaysian health authorities have been on high alert for a possible second wave of A/H1N1 influenza due to the increase of new cases in the northern hemisphere. Also Vietnam has recently confirmed two A/H1N1 influenza victims, bringing the casualties to 44.
The US State Department in its recent reports has appreciated Philippines for exerting “special efforts” to respect religious freedom and tolerance, as well as promote interfaith dialogue in the world arena. Meanwhile Thailand's military has requested the U.S. to provide satellite equipment and imagery in order to hunt thousands of Islamist separatists who have been killing Thai troops and civilians in an attempt to establish a strict Muslim state in the south.
Economic Front: Indonesia has been Australia's 18th largest investment destination with a cumulative stock of capital investment amounting to nearly $4 billion. Meanwhile foreign direct investment fell almost 30 percent to 89.28 trillion rupiah ($9.40 billion) this year.
Revised statistics released by Vietnam's General Statistics Office showed industrial production rising, but foreign investment falling and exports slowing. Meanwhile Vietnam and China have agreed to further strengthen the cooperation in the economic corridor.
Ten companies from eight countries have sought permission to invest in solar energy projects in Cambodia after the August removal of a 15 percent duty on import of the materials. Meanwhile Brunei has been ranked 30th out of 182 countries evaluated under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Index.
CENTRAL ASIA
Political Front: Campaigning for municipal elections in Azerbaijan has officially begun, with 18 parties and some 31,000 candidates registered to compete. According to a survey conducted by the Kazakhstan Institute of Politician Decisions, the sympathies of the city dwellers still lie with the ruling party Nur Otan; while largely being unaware of the merger of the National Social-Democratic Party (NSDP) and Azat (Freedom).
Geo-strategic Front: International mediators have come up with a mixed assessment of the Munich talks between the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Uzbekistan has closed its border with central Asian neighbor Kazakhstan to avoid spread of swine flu. Tajik President has urged CIS states to combine efforts to ensure information security, including safety of keeping databases online.
President of Turkmenistan and PM of Italy held bilateral talks in Rome. Also on Nov. 20th Tashkent hosted the meeting of US assistant deputy Secretary of State on South and Central Asia George Kroll with Uzbek and foreign journalists. During meeting the US representative denied any plans to resume military cooperation with Uzbekistan.
Social Front: Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the international community to ask the Kazakh government to improve the country’s human rights situation.
Global Fund has allocated Kyrgyzstan $28M to fight AIDS. Meanwhile Kyrgyz officials refused to grant permission for a protest against energy tariffs for fear of the spread of swine flu. Many schools also remained closed amidst the health risk. The Turkmen President has signed a decree authorizing an increase in wages, pensions, state allowances and scholarships.
Economic/Energy Front: Russia and Kazakhstan have concluded agreements on oil transit and the parallel operation of the two countries’ power grids. Meanwhile Uzbekistan has expressed willingness to withdraw from the Soviet-era power grid that unites four Central Asian countries, a decision the Uzbek government sees as politically motivated.
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
Geo-strategic Front: Italian Foreign Minister has announced to enhance relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) six member states. Relations between Saudi Arabia and the European Union have entered a new phase with the Riyadh-based European Commission Delegation changing its name to the “Delegation of the European Union to Saudi Arabia.” On the other side Saudi Arabia claimed taking control of a strategic mountain on the Saudi side of the border with Yemen, clearing the area of Yemeni Shia rebels.
Social Front: A Saudi religious scholar has issued a fatwa (religious edict) banning the hiring of runaway housemaids.
The cost of the flood damage in Jeddah has been estimated at SR3.5 billion. Of this total, SR1.5 billion would be provided to citizens in the form of indemnities while remaining SR2 billion has been the damage estimated to the city’s infrastructure. Meanwhile the US President Barack Obama hailed Saudi efforts to tackle the swine flu virus among over two million people gathered for Islam's holy ritual of Hajj.
Economic Front: Qatari stocks rose on sound fundamentals that attracted investors despite negative sentiments in the region over Dubai’s debt concerns. Meanwhile Bahrain and Kuwait have also logged gains as world stocks hit a fresh 14-month high. Massive investments to expand bus networks in Saudi Arabia and the UAE have highlighted the potential for major growth in the commercial vehicles market in the Middle East as regional economies rebound from the global economic downturn. Improvement in oil prices is expected to help Saudi Arabia escape its first fiscal deficit.
FERTILE CRESCENT
Political Front: The coalition of opposition parties in Egypt has placed seven demands in front of the government to guarantee free and fair parliamentary elections in 2010. meanwhile Iraq's parliament has approved an amended law needed to hold an election next year, but the new text risks being vetoed a second time which could delay both the vote and next year’s partial US troop withdrawal. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Vice President Adel Abdelmehdi have both agreed to the new parliament-proposed amendments of the country's election bill, while vowing for further amendments in an aim to appease the country's second Vice President Tariq Al-Hashemi. Meanwhile Sunni tribal leaders in the northern city of Mosul led peaceful protests against the election law claiming it does not treat their province fairly.
Lebanese President Michel Sleiman has called for the establishment of a committee to work towards the abolition of religion-based politics in Lebanon. He also proposed changing the electoral law to seek better representation. Meanwhile Hezbollah’s Secretary-General declared the party's new manifesto demanding a country for all faiths; the first "Open Letter" in 1985 originally called for the establishment of Islamic rule in Lebanon.
The Israeli Authorities in Jerusalem handed Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, head of the Higher Islamic Committee in Jerusalem and Khatib of the Al-Aqsa mosque, a restriction order preventing him from entering the Al Aqsa Mosque for six months. The edict has been condemned as a violation the International Law and the freedom of religion.
Geo-strategic Front: Algerian Foreign Minister expressed hope to mend ties with Egypt after the recently violence in Sudan causing tension between the two nations. Meanwhile Lebanon's new cabinet has agreed on a policy statement that acknowledges Hezbollah's right to use its weapons against Israel. Also Jordan has filed an official complaint against Israel demanding it stop excavations and renovations at the Church of Holy Sepulcher in East Jerusalem.
Social Front: The civilian death toll in Iraq fell to its lowest level in November since the 2003 US-led invasion, defying predictions of a spike in violence before next year’s parliamentary election. Meanwhile authorities in the southern city of Basra have removed a ban on the sale of alcohol.
October and November have been bloody months for Lebanon's migrant domestic workers - over the last five weeks nine women have died. Most deaths have been reported as suicide.
Economic Front: Chairman of Egypt’s investment authority, recently held meeting with an Iraqi delegation to discuss joint development projects. The Lebanese Communist Party (LCP), together with other leftist groups, held three separate demonstrations in and around Beirut to protest against state plans for privatization of essential services, poor electricity supply and the high wages of government ministers.
TURKEY
Political Front: Turkish PM has reiterated his commitment to implementation of democratic initiative in order to resolve decades-old Kurdish issue. PKK initially offered government to start peace talks but later announced to launch protest against detention of their leader. The pro-Kurdish party DTP also withdrew its support from the democratic initiative. Meanwhile the EU has strongly appreciated Turkish government for its efforts to end the Kurdish problem.
A new document titled the Cage Operation Action Plan was uncovered by the Taraf daily last week and ostensibly reveals military plans to destroy the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) through the assassination of prominent non-Muslim figures in Turkey. Links between this plan made by naval officers and the previous one launched by Ergenekon have been found. In response to this plan Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan shared the belief that people in Turkey would react adversely to those who want to ‘imprison the nation in a cage’.
Geo-strategic Front: Israel and Turkey have marked their first ministerial visit since the Gaza row. Meanwhile Turkish Defence Minister has given Israeli contractors 50 days to fulfill the delivery of the Israeli-made surveillance drones, known as Herons.
Turkey has accepted an invitation to be part of an international group that would monitor peace talks between the Philippine government and the country's largest Muslim group. Meanwhile seen as a possible trustee for the low-enriched Iranian uranium, Turkey continued its shuttle phone diplomacy with the related parties. Turkey and Libya have announced to abolish visa requirements, opening a new era in once-strained ties. In the meantime Turkey and Jordan have also agreed to lift visa requirements during the President's visit to Jordan.
Social Front: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized the top court’s ruling that nixed the Higher Education Board, or YÖK’s, decision to change the current coefficient system applied to university entrance exams in favor of the graduates of vocational high schools, including religious imam hatip schools.
Number of victims of swine flu has crossed 160 so far. Adverse weather conditions are another challenge faced by the government. Lastly, Turkish scientists succeeded in destroying cancerous cells with drug-loaded micro scale nanocages.
Economic Front: Turkish multinational enterprises, or MNEs, have expanded their foreign investment in the last several years, yet much of that progress has been reversed due to the global turmoil.
CHINA
Political Front: Chinese President Hu Jintao has urged constant efforts to improve the building of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to secure the Party's role as the steel core of the country's leadership. Two 46-year-old officials have become China's youngest provincial-level Party chiefs as the country announced major leadership reshuffles ahead of the 18th Party Congress in 2012. Meanwhile one of the Senior Chinese leaders has called on publicity departments and media organizations to "vigorously" broadcast the core values of socialist China and inspire the public to achieve the Party's development goals.
The government of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has launched the "Tianshan Project" to stop the distribution of illegal and reactionary publications produced by ‘terrorists’, ‘separatists’ and ‘extremists’ within the region.
Geo-strategic Front: China has called for early resumption of Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. Chinese Defence Minister has recently paid highest level visit to North Korea. China has also announced to donate $700,000 to UN peacekeeping missions.. In the meantime ruling parties of China and South Africa have pledged to learn more from each other on running their states. Growing relations of China with France, Singapore, Canada, Albania, Japan, Hungary, Russia, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and South Africa remained important. Meanwhile Chinese efforts to strengthen ties with Brazil, Peru and Ecuador also grabbed attention.
Social Front: The China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF) and the Ministry of Finance have jointly launched a plan to finance service towards the jobless with mental and physical disabilities. Meanwhile Chinese President Hu Jintao has pledged to mobilize the whole society to improve AIDS/HIV control. China has also made progress in implementing a two-year action plan on human rights since it was published in April.
Chinese vice premier has called for efforts to build the South-to-North Water Diversion Project into a water-efficient and environment-friendly project. Meanwhile China has promised to cut its carbon emissions up to 40-50% by 2020.
Hong Kong: Spread of swine flu is a potent social issue in Hong Kong.
Economic Front: A US senior expert has expressed serious concern regarding Nobel economics laureate Paul Krugman's recent push for a stronger Chinese currency claiming that it would jeopardize economic recovery. Meanwhile China railed against the United States' decision to slap anti-subsidy duties on Chinese-made steel pipes for the oil industry in the largest trade measure the US has ever launched against China. China has expressed interest in taking active measures to increase imports from Europe to address the trade imbalance.
Lastly, non-State-owned enterprises (non-SOEs) employed 70 million people or 80 percent of China's total workforce in the industrial sector in 2008.
Political Front: National Level: Liberhan Commission Report dominated Indian political front that convicts BJP and other Hindu extremist parties for their involvement in the demolition of Babri mosque in 1992. While the BJP has declared the report
to be politically motivated, Shiv Sena’s Chairperson Bal Thackeray has called upon Hindus to unite against fundamentalist Muslims, deemed a threat to Indian society. Also various political parties in the Lok Sabha have strongly condemned the 1984 Sikh massacres.CPM general secretary Prakash Karat has opposed government’s increasing relations with the US proclaiming capitalism a curse for Indian society and the recent economic crisis as an obvious example of its failure.
Maoist and Naxal rebels destroyed school buildings, a railway station and other government property in different areas of Chattishgarh, Bihar and Jharkand while Border Security Force (BSF) has been deployed in some districts to counter insurgents’ activities.
In Kashmir Hurriyat conference’s moderate segment under Mir waiz Umar Farooq has held discreet talks with Delhi seeking a suitable resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
Regional Level: Peaceful polling, despite isolated incidents of violence was observed in Jharkand amidst high security arrangements. Meanwhile two blasts occurred in Assam leaving 7 people dead.
Geo-strategic Front: PM Man Mohan Singh has emphasized greatly on boosting ties with the US. Meanwhile Obama administration has reiterated commitment to implement civil nuclear energy pact with India. Also Canada has finally signed a civil nuclear energy agreement with the country after long negotiations.
Social Front: Indian Space Research Institution claimed that reducing water resources and a change in rain patterns has topographically affected vast regions in the country. Meanwhile in Madhya Pradesh malnutrition has hence far caused 25 causalities among children.
Economic Front: India has achieved 7.9% growth rate in the second quarter of this fiscal year. In the meantime the US-based internationally recognized foreign-policy think tank Carnegie Endowment has claimed that India would be the world’s third largest economy in 2050 after China and US.
EAST ASIA
Political Front: In the Philippines peace talks have resumed between the government and the insurgents. Meanwhile the Thai PM has denied any chance of reshuffle in cabinet line-up at this point in time.
Geo-strategic Front: Indonesian Customs officials have confiscated 75 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, which can be used as fertilizer or explosive material, being shipped in from Malaysia.
In a recent statement Cambodian PM claimed that their relations with Thailand normalize only in case of a regime change in the latter. Meanwhile Vietnam has expressed interest in enhancing economic and trade ties with the US.
Social Front: several hundred ‘hard-line’ Muslim protestors staged rallies in Indonesia urgeing the government to prevent the spread of HIV by implementing Islamic law. Meanwhile the Malaysian health authorities have been on high alert for a possible second wave of A/H1N1 influenza due to the increase of new cases in the northern hemisphere. Also Vietnam has recently confirmed two A/H1N1 influenza victims, bringing the casualties to 44.
The US State Department in its recent reports has appreciated Philippines for exerting “special efforts” to respect religious freedom and tolerance, as well as promote interfaith dialogue in the world arena. Meanwhile Thailand's military has requested the U.S. to provide satellite equipment and imagery in order to hunt thousands of Islamist separatists who have been killing Thai troops and civilians in an attempt to establish a strict Muslim state in the south.
Economic Front: Indonesia has been Australia's 18th largest investment destination with a cumulative stock of capital investment amounting to nearly $4 billion. Meanwhile foreign direct investment fell almost 30 percent to 89.28 trillion rupiah ($9.40 billion) this year.
Revised statistics released by Vietnam's General Statistics Office showed industrial production rising, but foreign investment falling and exports slowing. Meanwhile Vietnam and China have agreed to further strengthen the cooperation in the economic corridor.
Ten companies from eight countries have sought permission to invest in solar energy projects in Cambodia after the August removal of a 15 percent duty on import of the materials. Meanwhile Brunei has been ranked 30th out of 182 countries evaluated under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Index.
CENTRAL ASIA
Political Front: Campaigning for municipal elections in Azerbaijan has officially begun, with 18 parties and some 31,000 candidates registered to compete. According to a survey conducted by the Kazakhstan Institute of Politician Decisions, the sympathies of the city dwellers still lie with the ruling party Nur Otan; while largely being unaware of the merger of the National Social-Democratic Party (NSDP) and Azat (Freedom).
Geo-strategic Front: International mediators have come up with a mixed assessment of the Munich talks between the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Uzbekistan has closed its border with central Asian neighbor Kazakhstan to avoid spread of swine flu. Tajik President has urged CIS states to combine efforts to ensure information security, including safety of keeping databases online.
President of Turkmenistan and PM of Italy held bilateral talks in Rome. Also on Nov. 20th Tashkent hosted the meeting of US assistant deputy Secretary of State on South and Central Asia George Kroll with Uzbek and foreign journalists. During meeting the US representative denied any plans to resume military cooperation with Uzbekistan.
Social Front: Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the international community to ask the Kazakh government to improve the country’s human rights situation.
Global Fund has allocated Kyrgyzstan $28M to fight AIDS. Meanwhile Kyrgyz officials refused to grant permission for a protest against energy tariffs for fear of the spread of swine flu. Many schools also remained closed amidst the health risk. The Turkmen President has signed a decree authorizing an increase in wages, pensions, state allowances and scholarships.
Economic/Energy Front: Russia and Kazakhstan have concluded agreements on oil transit and the parallel operation of the two countries’ power grids. Meanwhile Uzbekistan has expressed willingness to withdraw from the Soviet-era power grid that unites four Central Asian countries, a decision the Uzbek government sees as politically motivated.
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
Geo-strategic Front: Italian Foreign Minister has announced to enhance relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) six member states. Relations between Saudi Arabia and the European Union have entered a new phase with the Riyadh-based European Commission Delegation changing its name to the “Delegation of the European Union to Saudi Arabia.” On the other side Saudi Arabia claimed taking control of a strategic mountain on the Saudi side of the border with Yemen, clearing the area of Yemeni Shia rebels.
Social Front: A Saudi religious scholar has issued a fatwa (religious edict) banning the hiring of runaway housemaids.
The cost of the flood damage in Jeddah has been estimated at SR3.5 billion. Of this total, SR1.5 billion would be provided to citizens in the form of indemnities while remaining SR2 billion has been the damage estimated to the city’s infrastructure. Meanwhile the US President Barack Obama hailed Saudi efforts to tackle the swine flu virus among over two million people gathered for Islam's holy ritual of Hajj.
Economic Front: Qatari stocks rose on sound fundamentals that attracted investors despite negative sentiments in the region over Dubai’s debt concerns. Meanwhile Bahrain and Kuwait have also logged gains as world stocks hit a fresh 14-month high. Massive investments to expand bus networks in Saudi Arabia and the UAE have highlighted the potential for major growth in the commercial vehicles market in the Middle East as regional economies rebound from the global economic downturn. Improvement in oil prices is expected to help Saudi Arabia escape its first fiscal deficit.
FERTILE CRESCENT
Political Front: The coalition of opposition parties in Egypt has placed seven demands in front of the government to guarantee free and fair parliamentary elections in 2010. meanwhile Iraq's parliament has approved an amended law needed to hold an election next year, but the new text risks being vetoed a second time which could delay both the vote and next year’s partial US troop withdrawal. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Vice President Adel Abdelmehdi have both agreed to the new parliament-proposed amendments of the country's election bill, while vowing for further amendments in an aim to appease the country's second Vice President Tariq Al-Hashemi. Meanwhile Sunni tribal leaders in the northern city of Mosul led peaceful protests against the election law claiming it does not treat their province fairly.
Lebanese President Michel Sleiman has called for the establishment of a committee to work towards the abolition of religion-based politics in Lebanon. He also proposed changing the electoral law to seek better representation. Meanwhile Hezbollah’s Secretary-General declared the party's new manifesto demanding a country for all faiths; the first "Open Letter" in 1985 originally called for the establishment of Islamic rule in Lebanon.
The Israeli Authorities in Jerusalem handed Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, head of the Higher Islamic Committee in Jerusalem and Khatib of the Al-Aqsa mosque, a restriction order preventing him from entering the Al Aqsa Mosque for six months. The edict has been condemned as a violation the International Law and the freedom of religion.
Geo-strategic Front: Algerian Foreign Minister expressed hope to mend ties with Egypt after the recently violence in Sudan causing tension between the two nations. Meanwhile Lebanon's new cabinet has agreed on a policy statement that acknowledges Hezbollah's right to use its weapons against Israel. Also Jordan has filed an official complaint against Israel demanding it stop excavations and renovations at the Church of Holy Sepulcher in East Jerusalem.
Social Front: The civilian death toll in Iraq fell to its lowest level in November since the 2003 US-led invasion, defying predictions of a spike in violence before next year’s parliamentary election. Meanwhile authorities in the southern city of Basra have removed a ban on the sale of alcohol.
October and November have been bloody months for Lebanon's migrant domestic workers - over the last five weeks nine women have died. Most deaths have been reported as suicide.
Economic Front: Chairman of Egypt’s investment authority, recently held meeting with an Iraqi delegation to discuss joint development projects. The Lebanese Communist Party (LCP), together with other leftist groups, held three separate demonstrations in and around Beirut to protest against state plans for privatization of essential services, poor electricity supply and the high wages of government ministers.
TURKEY
Political Front: Turkish PM has reiterated his commitment to implementation of democratic initiative in order to resolve decades-old Kurdish issue. PKK initially offered government to start peace talks but later announced to launch protest against detention of their leader. The pro-Kurdish party DTP also withdrew its support from the democratic initiative. Meanwhile the EU has strongly appreciated Turkish government for its efforts to end the Kurdish problem.
A new document titled the Cage Operation Action Plan was uncovered by the Taraf daily last week and ostensibly reveals military plans to destroy the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) through the assassination of prominent non-Muslim figures in Turkey. Links between this plan made by naval officers and the previous one launched by Ergenekon have been found. In response to this plan Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan shared the belief that people in Turkey would react adversely to those who want to ‘imprison the nation in a cage’.
Geo-strategic Front: Israel and Turkey have marked their first ministerial visit since the Gaza row. Meanwhile Turkish Defence Minister has given Israeli contractors 50 days to fulfill the delivery of the Israeli-made surveillance drones, known as Herons.
Turkey has accepted an invitation to be part of an international group that would monitor peace talks between the Philippine government and the country's largest Muslim group. Meanwhile seen as a possible trustee for the low-enriched Iranian uranium, Turkey continued its shuttle phone diplomacy with the related parties. Turkey and Libya have announced to abolish visa requirements, opening a new era in once-strained ties. In the meantime Turkey and Jordan have also agreed to lift visa requirements during the President's visit to Jordan.
Social Front: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized the top court’s ruling that nixed the Higher Education Board, or YÖK’s, decision to change the current coefficient system applied to university entrance exams in favor of the graduates of vocational high schools, including religious imam hatip schools.
Number of victims of swine flu has crossed 160 so far. Adverse weather conditions are another challenge faced by the government. Lastly, Turkish scientists succeeded in destroying cancerous cells with drug-loaded micro scale nanocages.
Economic Front: Turkish multinational enterprises, or MNEs, have expanded their foreign investment in the last several years, yet much of that progress has been reversed due to the global turmoil.
CHINA
Political Front: Chinese President Hu Jintao has urged constant efforts to improve the building of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to secure the Party's role as the steel core of the country's leadership. Two 46-year-old officials have become China's youngest provincial-level Party chiefs as the country announced major leadership reshuffles ahead of the 18th Party Congress in 2012. Meanwhile one of the Senior Chinese leaders has called on publicity departments and media organizations to "vigorously" broadcast the core values of socialist China and inspire the public to achieve the Party's development goals.
The government of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has launched the "Tianshan Project" to stop the distribution of illegal and reactionary publications produced by ‘terrorists’, ‘separatists’ and ‘extremists’ within the region.
Geo-strategic Front: China has called for early resumption of Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. Chinese Defence Minister has recently paid highest level visit to North Korea. China has also announced to donate $700,000 to UN peacekeeping missions.. In the meantime ruling parties of China and South Africa have pledged to learn more from each other on running their states. Growing relations of China with France, Singapore, Canada, Albania, Japan, Hungary, Russia, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and South Africa remained important. Meanwhile Chinese efforts to strengthen ties with Brazil, Peru and Ecuador also grabbed attention.
Social Front: The China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF) and the Ministry of Finance have jointly launched a plan to finance service towards the jobless with mental and physical disabilities. Meanwhile Chinese President Hu Jintao has pledged to mobilize the whole society to improve AIDS/HIV control. China has also made progress in implementing a two-year action plan on human rights since it was published in April.
Chinese vice premier has called for efforts to build the South-to-North Water Diversion Project into a water-efficient and environment-friendly project. Meanwhile China has promised to cut its carbon emissions up to 40-50% by 2020.
Hong Kong: Spread of swine flu is a potent social issue in Hong Kong.
Economic Front: A US senior expert has expressed serious concern regarding Nobel economics laureate Paul Krugman's recent push for a stronger Chinese currency claiming that it would jeopardize economic recovery. Meanwhile China railed against the United States' decision to slap anti-subsidy duties on Chinese-made steel pipes for the oil industry in the largest trade measure the US has ever launched against China. China has expressed interest in taking active measures to increase imports from Europe to address the trade imbalance.
Lastly, non-State-owned enterprises (non-SOEs) employed 70 million people or 80 percent of China's total workforce in the industrial sector in 2008.
________________________________________________________
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 developed jointly by the Gilani Research Foundation and BPM as a free resource and social discussion tool.
Please Preview your comments before posting.
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 developed jointly by the Gilani Research Foundation and BPM as a free resource and social discussion tool.
Please Preview your comments before posting.
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