28 January 2009 by Marc in South America | Permalink
CARACAS, VENEZUELA: There has been a quiet struggle between South America and Israel ever since the Gaza attacks. On the first day of the invasion, Chavez kicked the Israeli envoy out of Venezuela, and Evo Morales quickly followed suit. Despite having claimed that diplomatic ties were cut, Venezuelan diplomats were still in Israel until today. Doing what, I don’t know. Could be the Hugo Chavez Roadmap for Peace, but now we’ll never know. Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelan Foreign Minister, had this to say:
The response of the state of Israel is weak, late and, in any case for us, it’s an honour… We’re proud that the state of Israel that exists today, led by these criminals, made this decision… All of the Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities know religious discrimination is not a problem that has, or will have, a place in our society.
Article from Al Jazeera English: Israel expels Venezuelan envoys
Tags: Caracas, Chavez, Diplomacy, Israel, Venezuela
28 January 2009 by Marc in Middle East | Permalink
Video from Russia Today
GAZA: This video covers the prettiest side of the Gaza tunnel smuggling. There have also been reports of gun and drug smuggling through the network, enough to give the Israeli Defense Force reason to worry. But, to be fair, there wouldn’t be smuggling if there wasn’t a blockade to smuggle around.
Tags: Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Tunnels
27 January 2009 by Marc in Africa | Permalink
From the Zimbabwe Independent by Annonymous
ZIMBABWE: Apparently, this cartoonist doesn’ believe the SADC is much help to Zimbabwe.
I love reading political cartoons from countries where the cartoonists are in real danger. Not because I wish ill on any cartoonists, but because I think it’s so brave to make light of things that way. The Zimbabwe Independent has a rockin’ cartoon page. I highly recommend it.
Cartoon Page: Zimbabwe Independent Cartoon Page
Tags: Cartoon, SADC, Zimbabwe
26 January 2009 by Marc in Asia-Pacific | Permalink
CHINA: In an op/ed in the China Daily today Shen Dingli refuted the claim that China’s high savings rate led to the cause of the U.S. real estate bubble bursting. These claims were made by none other than Ben Bernake.
China has no social security system yet, similar programs are being “mapped out” right now, and it may be years before they do. As a result, Chinese citizens save a larger percentage of their money than American citizens. For a country who’s average per capita GDP is about 5% of the U.S., being able to save at all is impressive. Also accuses American businessmen for trying to pass the buck for overspending.
It is interesting to read a Chinese writer talking positively about the transformation into a consumer culture. But mathematically, China still has a long way to go. Their GDP as a whole is about 1/4 of the U.S. and their per capita is 1/20. Not very much of that money is trickling down to the consumers.
Article from the China Daily: Logic of blaming China for US crisis is bizarre
Tags: Bernake, China, Economy
21 January 2009 by Marc in Asia-Pacific | Permalink
From France 24 English
CHINA: Who knew that China had a thriving, get rich quick, contemporary art market? Aparently the days of windfall art profits are over though, as France 24 reports.
Tags: Art, China, Economy, Video
12 January 2009 by Marc in Middle East | Permalink
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL: In Jerusalem a verbally violent encounter today the Israeli Central Election Committee voted to ban two Arab parties from the upcoming Knesset elections. Those in favor of the ban cited support of terrorism and refusal to recognize Israel as a state. The Arab party leaders responded in kind claiming they had never seen such “racist voting, by such a racist collection of people.
The Arab leaders from the UAL and Balad parties say that they are part of Israel and they recognize its existence, but they will never support Zionism, an ideology which would have them removed from their holy land. The fighting degenerated into mildly humorous, albeit completely inappropriate personal attacks, with one of the ruling party leaders calling the Balad head “unemployed” and a “bum”.
As the tension mounts between Israeli and Palestinian forces in Gaza this conflict is only going to get worse. Most likely the High Court of Justice (great name, huh?) will reverse the ban as it has done with similar ones in the past, but the partisan damage has been done.
Article: Elections C’tee bans UAL, Balad lists
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Tags: Elections, Israel, Jerusalem, Racism
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