The 2009 G-20 summit, began today in London, running through Friday, April 3d. The overall objective will seek to reach consensus among Leaders of member nations on how to confront the Global economic crisis. The agenda, to say the least, is full. However, there are divergent proposals and solutions, and still many challenges that must first be confronted. This […]
Last week’s news of a sizable and unprecedented subsidy for solar installations in China generated noteworthy commotion in the market, as Chinese solar companies’ share price soared as investors’ rush to snatch up solar stocks, followed by confusion over the terms of the subsidies, disenchantment at the likelihood of eligibility restrictions, and finally malaise as […]
President Obama is expected to participate in the UN-connected meeting called the Alliance of Civilizations. It is the second forum of the alliance and scheduled for April 6-7 in Istanbul. The Alliance was established in 2005, and it aims to reduce cross-cultural tensions. The director of the alliance has said that Obama’s visit to Turkey […]
President Obama has a packed schedule of summit meetings. Today he met with President Medvedev of Russia, reported on in the New York Times, and employed his considerable charm to try to move the Russians toward accepting the quid pro quo of the U.S. giving up missile defense in Eastern Europe in return for […]
G-20 leaders are debating not whether to give more money to the IMF, but how much. The Brazilian Finance Minister is on record asking for US$750 billion more; the U.S. is reportedly in the same ballpark; Japan has already agreed to ante up US$100 billion; others are talking about a smaller overall Christmas gift of […]
Black Carbon in Waxman-Markey – As we’ve seen here, particulates from uncombusted materials – coal, diesel, and biomass – have a much bigger impact on the climate than previously recognized, not to mention the devastating direct health impacts. (See under Soot here and at Black Carbon and Solar Cookers.) It is entirely worth noting that […]
This week there seem to be an endless amount of international summits… between the G20, NATO, Afghanistan, and Obama dashing here and there in Europe and Turkey, how can you keep track? The Global Intelligence Firm Stratfor has provided its coverage free of charge for those interested. It seems that in order to read the […]
The Washington Post is reporting that President Obama’s pre-summit meetings with the leaders of Russia and China have produced concrete results. With Russia, Obama has agreed to start new arms-reduction talks designed to lead to a treaty reducing offensive nuclear weapons; and, with China, Obama has agreed to start new strategic and economic dialogues aimed […]
Despite its age, this film continues to be relevant. “The Killing Fields” is a film about friendship and survival with the backdrop being civil war. It is the true story about New York Times reporter Sidney Schanberg (Sam Waterston) and Cambodian journalist and translator Dith Pran (Haing S. Ngor) in early to mid-1970s Cambodia. [kml_flashembed […]
Journalism is a competitive professional field, where journalists often work hard to get the unique angle, the scoop, the exclusive. But it’s also a collegial profession with a tradition of journalists helping each other in both small and big ways. In the current climate of layoffs and downsizing in the media industry–notably the decline of […]
In the spirit of April Fools Day, a prescient George Carlin spoof of who really controls things in America. His insight is eerily relevant to the Wingnuttery of today’s debate about the fundamental character of our nation.
The State Department’s blog Dipnote is one of my favorite blogs and this week they highlighted U.S. efforts to combat Somali piracy. The U.S. helped organize and now actively participates in an international armada of ships that patrol the pirate infested waters off the coast of Somalia. This effort has been a model of multinational […]
As we discuss growing multilateral alliances, and as we report on Russia’s declining economy and rising geopolitical ambitions, we also can continue to note Moscow’s attempts to forge partnerships to ensure its energy dominance whilst staving off more economic attrition. Today, Russian President Dimitry Medvedev met German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. The meeting […]
The World Bank released a grim report on Russia’s economy. The Bank predicts a contraction of 4.5 percent this year and warns that the financial crisis could push nearly six million Russians into poverty. Despite worries (arguably small) of civil unrest due to unemployment, the public comments of Russia’s leaders still reflect assertive foreign policies. […]
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Setton Farms of California, which grows pistachio nuts for Kraft Foods, Inc., has announced a recall of its crop from the previous year after finding salmonella contamination in tested batches. There have been reported cases of illness related to the contamination which are being investigated. However, […]