IV. International
(11-16-09)
.
The APEC Summit
closed with no deals made. Pres. Obama and Pres. Hu
Jintao moved to reject protectionism and pursue a new
model for economic growth after the world’s most severe
economic crisis in decades.
.
Pres. Obama has come
under fire from Asia-Pacific leaders for backsliding on
free trade as a 2-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
summit devoted to get the world economy out of crisis
opened in Singapore.
.
Pres. Obama (BHO) said US and Russia would have a
replacement treaty on reducing nuclear arms ready for
approval by year’s end, an announcement designed as an
upbeat mood leading to a summit with APEC leaders.
.
US prosecutors moved to seize 4 mosques and a NY
skyscraper belonging to the Alavi Foundation,
accused of illegally funneling funds to Iran’s
government. A total of 8 real estate properties and 9
bank accounts were involved.
. BHO’s Asia trip
is aimed at signaling a new era of US engagement in a
region that could offer vital support on security issues
and which accounts for more than half of the world’s
economy.
. They want
to send a message to the US that they resented the
Bush-Cheney arrogant posture of “You’re either with us,
or against us” mantra but came out begging with a cup in
hand for help to salvage its imploding economy which is
in trouble from creating chaos in other countries. No
country builds its economy through invasion and
occupation of other countries or by going to war
continuously under some cacaminy rationalization of its
national interests.
.
While the US almost slipped into a depression, many
Asian economies grew, including those of China, India,
Indonesia and Vietnam, while the SE Asian region
of 600 million people saw their incomes continue to
rise. The US is struggling from its preoccupation with 2
foreign wars, grappling with an economic crisis and has
been unable to position itself to share Asia’s swift
gains.
.
In his first visit to
China, BHO is walking a tightrope seeking to enlist
help in tackling urgent global problems while weighing
when and how or if he should raise
traditional human rights concerns.
.
He is expected to tread lightly when pressing China to
let its currency rise against the dollar. Doing so would
benefit the US economy by making American-made products
cheaper in China but is reluctant to upset Beijing. US
manufacturers contend the yuan is undervalued by
up to 40%.
. China is
the #1 lender to the US at a time when it hit a record
$1.42 trillion deficit. That makes for a lot of
Treasurys to be sold. It has expressed concerns that the
falling dollar threatens the value of its
existing US holdings.
.
The US needs China’s
help in dealing with foreign policy threat, including
curbing the nuclear ambitions of North Korea and Iran.
.
The exchange rate
between the dollar and the yuan is a
touchy issue. In the arcane language that governs the $3
trillion-a-day currency markets, many analysts read the
shift as a signal that Beijing was getting ready to let
the yuan resume rising against the dollar.
. Many countries
have complained about the weaker dollar and
China’s close link to it. Thailand, North Korea and
Russia have sought to stem the dollar’s rise against
their currencies by buying dollars.
. Philippines
is one of the
largest human traffickers in the world with consent and
collaboration from the higher echelons of government,
both provincial and local, For example, the majority of
the mayors in Pampanga province are against the efforts
of its governor to clean up the rampant sex industry in
Angeles City and elsewhere. Police officers are
sidelining as bar operators.
.
Manny Pacquiao
outpunched a taller and bigger opponent (Miguel Cotto of
Puerto Rico) in 12 rounds to win by TKO. He is the
first boxer to earn 7 world titles in 7 different weight
divisions, cementing his status as one of the
greatest boxers ever.
.
MMDA’s metropolitan
rural safety unit (MRSU) observes that “motorcycles are
becoming one among the favorite transportation means.”
It is because of its mobility, affordability and the
problem of escalating fuel prices.
. Indonesia
has become a major
transit point for people fleeing war-torn countries like
Afghanistan, Iraq and Sri Lanka. Indonesian officials
said they have intercepted a boat with 61 Afghan asylum
seekers.
. Indonesian
authorities said they deported eleven foreign Greenpeace
activists for joining a protest against forest
destruction.
.
A group of 22 Sri Lankan asylum seekers who left an
Australian customs ship to come ashore in Indonesia will
be allowed to stay for up to three months.
.
Dodgy practitioners of
traditional medicine in Viet Nam are preying on
the vulnerable with outrageous prices and dangerous
prescription.
.
The local advertising
industry appears to have stopped the downturn as
producers are increasing ad-spending especially on
consumer producers, insiders say.
.
The National Assembly
argued that Viet Nam should scale back its nuclear
program, cautioning that massive spending on the
country’s first nuclear power project could burden the
economy.
.
Canada’s Premier Stephen Harper will embark on a 3-day
visit to India to finalize a deal on civilian
nuclear technology and sign an agreement to safeguard
investors’ rights in the 2 countries.
. Lok Sabha
speaker Meira Kumar said visits and exchanges among
Parliamentarians of various countries could contribute
positively toward upholding the values and ideals of
democracy globally.
.
Anil Sabharwal, Air
India’s manager at JFK International Airport in NY, has
been sent back to New Delhi after charges of sexual
assault on him.
. Taiwan’s
envoy to APEC said a
wide-ranging trade agreement with China to bolster the
island’s competitiveness could be completed by the end
of 2010.
.
The two Koreas
clashed 11/10 in the first violent skirmish in 7 years.
Since then North Korea (big talkers) has issued
harsh daily statements demanding an apology from
South Korea and warning that the south will “pay
dearly” for the naval clash. The two Koreas have accused
each other of violating territorial waters and firing
the first shot in the skirmish, which left a North
Korean ship badly damaged.
.
Japan’s Foreign Minister pressed for a quick
resolution of a dispute over the relocation of a key US
Marine base, but also said if would consider options
previously rejected by Washington, which could draw out
negotiations.
.
About 1 in 2 people in
Thailand commend Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva
for his measured leadership in dealing with the souring
relations with Cambodia, for staying calm in spite of
the provocations.
.
The situation in Cambodia has not deteriorated to
the point of warranting concern for the safety of Thai
expatriates there, Thai Dep. P.M. said. Talks with
Cambodia at this juncture to mend fences are unlikely to
resolve any differences.
.
Laos is one of the poorest and least populated
countries in Asia. It is roughly the size of the UK but
has fewer people—about 6 million people, than
metropolitan Bangkok.
. Hong Kong
is a new target of
US prosecutors pursuing a global campaign against
evaders of federal taxes, spurred by data acquired in
their crackdown on Swiss banks.
.
A large iceberg was
spotted off an island about halfway between Antarctica
and Australia, a rare sight in waters so far
north, Australian scientists said.
.
New Zealand has imposed travel ban on Fiji
officials which has irked Commodore Frank Bainimerama,
the self-appointed prime minister who can now not
visit the country for rugby matches, visit close family
or receive medical treatment.
. Fiji’s
self-appointed prime
minister said a 2014 election date was “guaranteed.” Two
years ago he had said a poll would be held on Dec. 10
this year. The prime minister bans anything critical of
his regime.
.
Pres. Ramos Horta of
East Timor wants UN troops to stay in his country
until 2012 because of great potential instability and
the country needs more time to organize its police and
the economy.
.
Fifty London taxis have been driving around the city
since Oct. and will do so until the end of the year,
covered in photographs of Macau. The move aims to
put Macau at top of the list of main destinations for
British tourists.
.
The mystery of
Bangladesh’s mass arsenic poisoning was finally
solved when the culprit was identified in tens of
thousands of man-made ponds excavated to provide soil
for flood protection. Arsenic comes from water down
millions of low-tech “tube wells” scattered across the
country.
. Militants
staged a pair of attacks against anti-Taliban figures in
NW Pakistan, killing one of the men as part of an
escalating campaign to weaken the country’s resolve to
fight Islamic extremism.
. Troops of 52
Division, 59 Division and Task Force 3 (TF-3) in Sri
Lanka have uncovered LTTE military items while
conducting cleaning operations in liberated areas.
.
More than 300 stray dogs
that were dumped by Malaysia on isolated islands
(off West Selangor) became cannibalistic after weeks of
starvation, animal welfare activists said.
.
Security at this year’s APEC meetings in Singapore
went smoothly, compared to the International Monetary
Fund and World Bank meetings in 2006. No arrests were
made at meeting sites, e.g., Suntec Singapore,
Shangri-la Hotel and Istana.
. The Sultan
of Brunei assured the P.M. of Japan of stable,
long-term supplies of liquefied natural gas from the
Sultanate.
