Creating jobs: highest priority China’s Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang urged the labor department to step up efforts create more employment opportunities for the country’s millions of migrant workers. In his appeal he stressed the importance of employment for China’s social stability. Official numbers now state unemployment in China up 0.2 percent at 4.2 percent but […]
I did not anticipate that I would be focusing so much on Tajikistan and its problems, but Radio Liberty is reporting that a deal has been signed between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan on water and power. Apparently, parts of Tajikistan have been without power since December. The deal will trade Uzbek debt for Uzbek gas and […]
ISLAMABAD, Feb 19: Pakistan would make a formal request to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) next month for an additional loan of $4.5 billion, Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin said on Thursday. “I will visit the Washington offices of the IMF in March to make a formal request for more […]
ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday dismissed as speculative the growing criticism of the accord signed with the Tehrik Nifaz-i-Shariat Muhammadi for introduction of Nizam-i-Adl in Malakand, warning speculations would not be helpful. ‘Establishing peace, security and stability are matters of highest priority for Pakistan government and it will use all necessary means to achieve these […]
That was how the liberal Novaya Gazeta, Anna Politkovskaya’s old paper and one that recently lost another of its journalists to a contract killing, summed up today’s “not guilty” verdict in the trial of Chechen brothers Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makhmudov as well as Moscow ex-cop, Sergei Khadzhikurbanov, for the murder of opposition journalist. Yet, at […]
Thomas Friedman wrote an intriguing article in last week’s NY Times on how immigration for highly-skilled workers could save the American economy. He said the following: “All you need to do is grant visas to two million Indians, Chinese and Koreans,” said Shekhar Gupta, editor of The Indian Express newspaper. “We will buy up all […]
Just a handful of stories that have caught my eyes in the last couple of days, with relatively little commentary: Business Report reminds us just how vital South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel is not only for the country’s economic policy, but how vital he might end up being for Jacob Zuma (and the ANC’s) […]
Hello everyone. So I’ll be moving to my new blog, Afghanistan, which you guessed it, will concentrate on, Afghanistan. Elina will be taking over Central Asia and I look forward to her posts and to see where she takes the blog. I will from time to time do a post here as well. So please […]
**Welcome!!! My Foreign Policy Association ‘Afghanistan and Central Asia’ blog has been split in two and I will be the main blog writer for this Afghanistan blog. I will write up a quick summary of what I plan to cover and emphasize on this site in the next couple days. Glad you’re here.** President Obama fulfilled one […]
The Obama Administration faces its first truly divisive decision regarding its relationship with Israel and promises for a changed U.S. posture towards the Arab World. Delegates from the U.S. Department of State attended this week preparatory and planning sessions for the second antiracism Durban Review Conference in April, a forum largely heralded as a platform […]
Yesterday Ayman Nour was released from prison. Mr. Nour, Egypt’s most famous secular opposition politician, was imprisoned several years ago after performing a bit too well in the first multi-party presidential elections. Ostensibly jailed for forging a few hundred petition forms supporting his candidacy, Mr. Nour’s arrest effectively dampened a cautiously optimistic mood amongst established […]
More stimulus packages for struggling industries China’s State Council announced plans for further support packages aimed at helping struggling industries and boosting domestic demand. Stimulus packages for six industries–auto, textile, steel, shipbuilding, electronics, and machinery–were already announced earlier. Following the new announcement China will provide support packages for ten more industries, among them the oil […]
“It is better to start building a popular secular base, which starts with non-sectarian gatherings in schools and universities in all regions and builds up to civil society, and then we can begin to change the laws and system of the country,” said Greek Catholic Bishop Gregoire Haddad. Wise man! One of Ziad Baroud’s smart […]
The Special Tribunal for Lebanon, due to try the suspected killers of ex-Premier Rafiq Hariri, it will open in a suburb of The Hague on March 1 reported NAHARNET. More here.