Daily International News 11.19.10

Daily International News
November 19, 2010

Northeast Asia
Koreas
Satellite images support North Korea reactor claim [Reuters]
U.N. General Assembly committee adopts resolution on N. Korea’s human rights violations [Yonhap]
South Korea dumps Sunshine Policy with North, opts to go solo [IBT]
Korea wants ‘limited’ talks on U.S. FTA changes [Joongang]
China
Liu Xiaobo’s Nobel peace prize may not be given out at December ceremony [Guardian]
Former China nuclear head jailed for life over bribes [BBC]
Hong Kong diagnoses first human bird flu case in 7 years [CNN]
China policy tightening weighs on world markets [AP]
Bernanke raps China on surplus [FT]
Japan
Japan faces tough decision on easing weapon export ban [Mainichi]

Southeast Asia/Pacific
Burma Aids clinic eviction after Suu Kyi visit [BBC]
Protesters sew lips shut at Australia asylum camp [BBC]
Thai “red shirts” return to Bangkok’s streets [Reuters]
Thailand police find 2,000 foetuses in temple [BBC]
Explosion shakes New Zealand coal mine; 27 missing [AP]

South/Central Asia
NATO to turn Afghan security control over by 2014 [AP]
U.S. deploying heavily armored battle tanks for first time in Afghan war [WaPo]
Tajik-Afghan US supply route security challenge [BBC]
Turkmenistan pledges gas for EU’s Nabucco pipeline [BBC]

Middle East
Worm Was Perfect for Sabotaging Centrifuges [NYT]
Body of Indonesian maid found in Saudi dumpster [AP]

Africa
Nigerian militants threaten new raids to seize more hostages [CNN]
Calm returns to Guinea after days of unrest [CNN]
Coup Attempt Seems to Founder in Madagascar [NYT]
Congolese warlord on trial in The Hague [Reuters]

Europe
Obama Arrives for NATO Meeting [NYT]
IMF/EU teams continuing talks with Government [Irish Times]
Germany says Namibia package was security test dummy [BBC]
Parties in Cyrpus dispute agree more UN talks [FT]

Americas
Costa Rica takes Nicaragua dispute to world court [AP]
Fidel Castro appears to support Cuban economic reforms [Miami Herald]
Lawmakers block Mexico’s crucial drug war reforms [Reuters]
Violent cholera protests spread to Haiti’s capital [AP]

Domestic
Ghailani Verdict Reignites Debate Over the Proper Court for Terrorism Trials [NYT]
American Foreign Policy After the Mid-Term Elections [Project Syndicate]
Foreign-policy setbacks deepen Obama’s election wounds [WaPo]
Reid, Pelosi Plan Votes on Extending Bush-Era Income Tax Cuts [Bloomberg]
Senate Dems claim enough votes to repeal ‘Don’t ask’ policy [The Hill]
U.S. Screening All Airline Cargo Not Feasible, Napolitano Says [Bloomberg]
Palin’s Marketing Push Flourishes Amid Presidential Flirtation [Bloomberg]
Senate confirms Jack Lew as OMB director [WaPo]

Daily International News 12.14.09

Daily International News
December 14, 2009

Copenhagen
Talks Stall as Poorer Nations Threaten to Walk Out [NYT]

“Jairam Ramesh, the chief negotiator for India, said that the Group of 77 developing countries had staged the temporary walkout because their representatives had grown frustrated with how conference leaders had been conducting negotiations.”

DPRK
U.S. envoy says no timetable yet for North Korea talks [Reuters]
“The U.S. envoy for North Korea said on Monday no timetable had been set for talks on nuclear disarmament with the isolated state to resume.”

Delegation of American Businessmen Here [KCNA]
“A delegation of U.S. businessmen headed by General Charles Boyd, president and CEO of the “BENS” (Business Executives for National Security), arrived here by air on Monday.”

Thailand to Hold Crew That Was Transporting Weapons [NYT]
“Five crew members of an aircraft carrying weapons from North Korea were denied bail here Monday and ordered held for at least 12 days while the police investigate the origin and destination of the mysterious shipment of arms.”

S. Korean nuke envoy to visit Russia this week [Yonhap]
“Wi Sung-lac, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, will visit Russia from Dec. 16 till Dec. 19,” ministry spokesman Moon Tae-young said.”

China
Chinese, Turkmen, Kazakh, Uzbek presidents unveil gas pipeline [China Daily]
“With their hands on wheel of valves, President Hu and Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Uzbek President Islam Karimov turned on the flow of natural gas together in the gas plant on the right bank of the AmuDarya River.”

Burma
U.N. Says Opium Trade Is Expanding in Myanmar [NYT]
“The United Nations warned on Monday that drug control measures were “unraveling” in Myanmar with opium farming in the country expanding for the third consecutive year.”

AfPak
Pakistan Bars Deportation of Detained Americans [NYT]
“Five Muslim American men arrested in Pakistan last week cannot be deported to the United States until their case is reviewed, a Pakistani judge here ruled Monday.”

16 Afghan Police Killed In Taliban Attacks [Quqnoos]
“At least 16 Afghan policemen have been killed in two attacks on checkpoints in Afghanistan’s north and south.”

Middle East
Detained Americans to Be Tried in Iran: Minister [ABC]
“Three U.S. citizens detained in Iran and charged with espionage will stand trial, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Monday.”

Abu Dhabi rescues Dubai with $10-billion bailout [LAT]
“Abu Dhabi rescued debt-ridden Dubai today with a $10-billion bailout package that lifted world financial markets but left unclear how the glittering emirate by the sea would recover from nervous investors and a troubled real estate market.”

Taiwan probes reports of nuclear-linked sales to Iran [Reuters]
“The Economic Ministry’s Import and Export Administration pledged the investigation due in part to a report in the London Daily Telegraph that said Iran had set up a nuclear-equipment smuggling network using Taiwan companies.”

From 12/13 Washington ‘rejects Iran uranium swap offer’ [Press TV]

From 12/12 Iran offers to swap 400 kilos of LEU on Kish for atomic fuel [AFP] “We are ready to continue dialogue with the permanent-five-plus-one,” Mottaki said.”

Europe
Silvio Berlusconi recovering after Milan statue attack [Guardian]
“The Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, will stay in hospital for at least one more day after being hit in the face when a statuette of Milan cathedral was thrown at him during a political rally yesterday.”

EU Calls for Tax on Global Financial Transactions [Der Spiegel]
“European Union leaders are calling for a new tax on global financial transactions as protection against a future financial crisis. But the idea has little chance against US opposition.”

Americas
Piñera Wins Plurality in Chile Vote, Will Face Frei in Runoff [Latin American Herald Tribune]
“Rightist candidate Sebastian Piñera won a plurality in the Chilean presidential election on Sunday, and now will face off in a runoff with former President Eduardo Frei.”

Domestic
Obama to take bankers to task over lending, reforms [Reuters]
“Obama, who has complained about “fat cat bankers” taking big bonuses, will use the meeting to press the firms to expand their lending to small businesses and to stop trying to thwart legislation to overhaul the financial regulatory system.”