IGIHE

Tag: InternationalNews

  • Arab Summit Opens as Leaders Struggle with Rifts

    Arab Summit Opens as Leaders Struggle with Rifts

    {{Arab leaders struggling with an array of foreign policy disputes opened an annual summit on Tuesday to try to forge a common stand on regional crises such as Syria’s war, and on what many of them see as the menace of Iranian-U.S. rapprochement.}}

    The gathering in Kuwait follows an unprecedented row among members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) alliance of Gulf Arab states over Qatari support for Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, and a verbal spat between Iraq and Saudi Arabia over violence in Iraq’s Anbar province.

    The annual meeting of the 22-member League of Arab States is expected to agree on more humanitarian action in response to Syria’s war, which has entered its fourth year and put a severe strain on neighboring countries hosting refugees.

    However the row among Gulf Arab states is unlikely to take centerstage at Tuesday’s gathering.

    Gulf states tend to keep their disagreements private, making a decision by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain earlier this month to recall their ambassadors from Qatar especially sensitive.

    Kuwait, which kept its ambassador in Doha, has offered to mediate in the dispute and is anxious to see the summit take place without further divisions.

    Shortly before the summit opened Kuwait’s emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, smiling broadly, stood between Saudi Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, holding hands with them in an apparent attempt to convey a mood of reconciliation.

    {reuters}

  • Mexico Telecoms Bill Has Powers to Tame Slim, Televisa

    Mexico Telecoms Bill Has Powers to Tame Slim, Televisa

    Mexico’s government on Monday proposed giving a new regulator wide-reaching powers to police the operations of dominant telecommunications companies and TV broadcasters, right down to their prices and discounts.

    The bill sent to Congress fleshes out a constitutional reform approved last year that seeks to curb the power of phone mogul Carlos Slim and the country’s top broadcaster, Televisa.

    The regulator, the Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT), will have sweeping powers to order companies to sell assets, revoke concessions and share networks and infrastructure, according to the bill sent to the Senate.

    Mexico’s two main opposition parties, however, said in a joint statement later on Monday that the proposal would curtail the power of the IFT and instead empower the executive branch for “political purposes.”

    The statement was signed by the conservative National Action Party and the leftist Democratic Revolution Party, rivals of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party.

    Under the proposal, the IFT will have the power to levy fines of up to 10 percent of revenue in Mexico in the case of a repeat offense. It will also be able to force companies to seek approval annually for interconnection and infrastructure-sharing terms, in line with a draft obtained by Reuters last month.

    Major market players such as billionaire Slim’s phone and Internet giant America Movil, his fixed-line operator Telmex and TV broadcaster Televisa have been declared dominant by the regulator.

    “The most important part of this is more competition,” communications and transport secretary Gerardo Ruiz Esparza told local radio. “What the (bill) says is that for there to be more competition, we need to ensure there is no dominance in the market.”

    The telecoms overhaul, a central plank of a wider raft of economic measures ranging from taxes to energy that Pena Nieto pushed through Congress last year, has raised hope the government is serious about finally breaking the stranglehold of a select few over Latin America’s second-biggest economy.

    Slim, who became one of the world’s richest men after taking control of Mexico’s former state telephone monopoly at the outset of the 1990s, controls around 80 percent of Mexico’s fixed-line business and about 70 percent of the mobile sector.

    Televisa has more than 60 percent of the TV market, and many Mexicans complain it exerts too much political influence.

    Mexico’s radio and television industry group said in a memo to members that some aspects of the bill imply “new and severe” regulatory burdens for the broadcast sector, according to a preliminary review.

    It said some measures translated into over-regulation and could be subjective and editorial independence could be compromised by the imposition of a code of ethics. It also cited unduly harsh fines and legal uncertainty regarding concession extensions.

    {Reuters}

  • India Averts Major Terror Attack

    India Averts Major Terror Attack

    {{Media in India are giving prominent coverage to the arrest of four suspected militants ahead of the general elections.}}

    Senior police officers say they have averted “a spectacular terror strike” by arresting four alleged members of the banned Indian Mujahideen (IM) group.

    Polling for a new Lok Sabha, or lower house of India’s parliament, will be held from 7 April to 12 May. Votes will be counted on 16 May.

    “We have arrested Zia-ur-Rahman alias Waqas, a Pakistani national, Sunday. He, along with his accomplices, was planning a major attack in the country,” a report in the Business Standard quotes SN Srivastava, a top police official in Delhi, as saying.

    India’s intelligence agencies and police blame the IM for several terror attacks in the past few years.

    The police arrested Waqas and three other IM members from the northern state of Rajasthan after an intelligence-sharing operation between different police forces, the Hindustan Times reports.

    Waqas is wanted in connection with bomb blasts in Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad over the past several years. He is reportedly a bomb expert, reports say.

    Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said the arrest of Waqas was a great success, as he was a crucial link to the group, Reuters news agency reports.

    His arrest is the second major setback for the IM as its founder, Yasin Bhatkal, was arrested in Nepal last year, papers say.

    Meanwhile, tourists travelling in groups will now be able to book an entire coach in the Delhi metro to see the city, the Hindustan Times reports.

    “The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has decided to allow tour operators, government and private agencies, or any individual on behalf of a group or school to avail the facility,” the paper says.

    Booking a coach may cost anywhere between 30,000-50,000 rupees (£300-500, $490-820), the paper adds.

    In other news, a 24-year-old woman’s breasts were allegedly cut off by another woman and two male accomplices in Bhiwandi on the outskirts of Mumbai, The Deccan Chronicle reports.

    The victim was attacked after she refused to work as a sex worker in a brothel run by the 34-year-old woman, the paper adds.

    Police say the woman has been arrested but the male suspects are still at large, the paper reports.

    agencies

  • Russia Fears Investors Could Shipout $70bn

    Russia Fears Investors Could Shipout $70bn

    {{Russia expects investors to move up to $70bn (£42bn) of assets out of the country in the first three months of this year.}}

    The sign that investors are becoming nervous about Russia comes amid sanctions and tensions over Ukraine.

    Speaking to reporters on Monday, Andrei Klepach, Russia’s deputy economy minister, also warned of stagnant growth and rising inflation.

    He expects growth in the first quarter to be “around zero”.

    The Russian economy grew by just 1.3% last year, but Mr Klepach said it was “too soon” to talk about “a recovery from stagnation”.

    “There won’t be a recession, but there is a problem of stagnation: it’s length and depth,” Mr Klepach said.

    “Unfortunately the investment slump is continuing. I’m not ready to say how long it will continue.”

    The Russian economy ministry forecasts suggest $65-70bn of assets would be taken out of Russia this quarter, but Mr Klepach said the figure was likely to be closer to $70bn.

    That would mark a significant rise on 2013, when capital outflows for the entire year totalled $63bn.

    Mr Klepach said sanctions imposed by the US and EU in the wake of the Ukraine crisis had yet to have a significant impact, but said “worsening of relations is a significantly negative factor for economic growth and correspondingly influences the capital outflow.”

    BBC

  • Obama, China’s Xi Pledge Cooperation

    Obama, China’s Xi Pledge Cooperation

    {{U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged cooperation between their countries and chatted about first lady Michelle Obama’s recent trip to Beijing when they met prior to a nuclear summit on Monday.}}

    In remarks to reporters ahead of their meeting, Obama said he and Xi would discuss the situation in Ukraine, denuclearization of North Korea, and fighting climate change.

    Obama said the bilateral relationship between the two countries was as important as any in the world.

    Through various meetings and forums, Obama said, “We’re also able to work through frictions that exist in our relations around issues like human rights, dealing with maritime issues in the South China Sea and the Pacific region in a way that is constructive and hopefully will lead to resolutions and … solutions for all parties.”

    Xi made a point of thanking Obama for U.S. help in searching for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight which had a large number of Chinese passengers. He said the two countries should address common challenges in a spirit of mutual cooperation.

    “China is firmly committed to … building a new model of major country relations,” he said, according to a translator. “We are committed to our position of no confrontation… mutual respect, and win-win cooperation with regard to the United States.”

    Obama also thanked Xi for hosting his wife and daughters, who are touring China.

    “She also played some table tennis, although I think this was not the high level ping pong diplomacy that we saw in the past,” Obama joked about his wife.

    Xi said he had a message for Obama from the U.S. first lady.

    “She asked me to formally convey to you her best regards,” he said to laughter in the room.

    reuters

  • Malaysia says Missing Plane Crashed in Indian Ocean

    Malaysia says Missing Plane Crashed in Indian Ocean

    {{The Malaysia Airlines plane that disappeared over two weeks ago crashed in the southern Indian Ocean, Prime Minister Najib Razak said on Monday.}}

    New satellite analysis from Britain had shown that Flight MH370, with 239 people on board, was last seen in the middle of the Indian Ocean west of Perth, Australia, he said in a statement.

    “This is a remote location, far from any possible landing sites,” Najib said.

    “It is therefore with deep sadness and regret that I must inform you that, according to this new data, Flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean.”

    Najib added that the families of those on board had been informed of the developments.

    His comments came as an Australian navy ship was close to finding possible debris from the jetliner after a mounting number of sightings of floating objects that are believed to parts of the plane.

    The objects, described as a “grey or green circular object” and an “orange rectangular object”, were spotted on Monday afternoon, said Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, adding that three planes were also en route to the area.

    Flight MH370 vanished from civilian radar screens less than an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur for Beijing on March 8. No confirmed sighting of the plane has been made since and there is no clue what went wrong.

    {reuters}

  • Ukraine Orders Crimea Withdrawal

    Ukraine Orders Crimea Withdrawal

    {{Ukraine’s interim President Olexander Turchynov says he has ordered the withdrawal of armed forces from Crimea.}}

    The decision was taken because of Russian threats to the lives of military staff and their families, the president announced.

    A Ukrainian defence official has told media that every Crimean military base is now under Russian control.

    Earlier this month, Russia annexed Crimea after a referendum which Ukraine and the West considered illegal.

    The G7 group of industrialised countries is to consider a collective response to the crisis during talks in The Hague.

    G7 leaders are meeting on the sidelines of a long-planned summit on global threats to nuclear security.

    Speaking ahead of the talks, US President Barack Obama said Europe and America were united in their support of the Ukrainian government and its people.

    Alongside Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Mr Obama said the US and Europe were also “united in imposing a cost on Russia for its actions (in Ukraine) so far”.

    Interim President Turchynov announced the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Crimea in a nationally televised statement.

    “The national security and defence council has reached a decision, under instructions from the defence ministry, to conduct a redeployment of military units stationed in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea,” he told the Ukrainian parliament.

    “The cabinet of ministers has instructions to resettle the families of soldiers as well as everyone else who today is forced to leave their homes under the pressure and aggression of the Russian army’s occupying forces.”

  • French Satellite Image Shows Possible Jet Debris

    French Satellite Image Shows Possible Jet Debris

    {{New French satellite images show possible debris from a missing Malaysian airliner deep in the southern Indian Ocean, Malaysia said on Sunday, adding to growing signs that the plane may have gone down in remote seas off Australia.}}

    The latest lead comes as the international search for Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 entered its third week, with still no confirmed trace of the Boeing 777 that vanished with 239 people on board.

    “This morning, Malaysia received new satellite images from the French authorities showing potential objects in the vicinity of the southern corridor,” the Malaysian Transport Ministry said in a statement. “Malaysia immediately relayed these images to the Australian rescue co-ordination center.”

    The statement gave no details as to whether the objects were in the same vicinity as the other possible finds in a vast swathe of some of the most inhospitable sea territory on Earth.

    Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said there was “increasing hope” of a breakthrough in the hunt for the plane on the strength of Chinese and Australian satellite images of possible large debris from the plane in the southern search area.

    Flight MH370 vanished from civilian radar screens early on March 8, less than an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur on a scheduled flight to Beijing.

    An international force resumed its search efforts on Sunday, zeroing in on two areas some 2,500 km (1,500 miles) southwest of Perth in an effort to find the object identified by China and other small debris including a wooden pallet spotted by a search plane on Saturday.

    {reuters}

  • Honda Builds Batbike

    Honda Builds Batbike

    {{Honda has revealed a new motorcycle called the NM4 Vultus. While not the most inspiring name, it does at least look really stealth. Cool stealth. Batbike-level stealth.}}

    It’s not a Batbike, of course, but is instead inspired by ‘Japanimation’ – that’s anime and manga – both genres long interwoven into the fabric of Japanese life and culture. Just last week we found out how Toyota is now plumbing this as inspiration for the new Aygo.

    Reference is made to a ‘stealth bomber silhouette’, and it measures 933mm across the mirrors, while the seat sits at 650mm high. There are full LED headlights too, while everything else comes in black and stainless steel.

    Some concession to colour has been made: the digital dash changes depending on mood, ranging from white, through blue and pink and finally red.

    Underneath there’s a 745cc twin-cylinder engine canted forward, with a low centre of gravity delivering “strong low and mid-range power and torque”.

    It produces 54bhp and 50lb ft, with twin balance shafts and a single 36mm throttle body. Honda reckons it’s efficient, too, offering up 185 miles from a single 11.6-litre tank.

    The engine is mated to a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox, and it’s all mounted on a steel diamond frame that weighs in at just 245kg.

    So then, while no performance figures have been announced, it’ll be fast; that power-to-weight ratio stands at around 225bhp per tonne (the same as an old Honda NSX, if we’re not mistaken).

    “The NM4 Vultus with its future-shock style presents a look that will not have been seen in any cityscape this side of an anime movie,” Honda says. And yes, while we’re not TopBike.com, Richard and James never stop talking about them, and it’s certainly a cool bike, no?

    {agencies}

  • North Korea Steps up Missile Launches

    North Korea Steps up Missile Launches

    {{North Korea has test fired dozens of short-range rockets in the past 24 hours, the South’s military says, in an apparent show of anger with Seoul.}}

    Analysts say the launches are Pyongyang’s way of protesting against joint military drills between the US and South Korea.

    Some 16 rockets were fired into the sea early on Sunday, following the launch of 30 on Saturday.

    Pyongyang claims its rocket tests are routine, self-defence exercises.

    But the North has bitterly criticised the annual war drills by Washington and Seoul, labelling them invasion preparations.

    The isolated state often makes a show of force at the same time as the drills.

    But this year there have been an unusually high number of rockets launched.

    Experts say some 70 missiles have been fired so far this month, including the 46 from this weekend.

    The South Korean military says that the North appears to be firing Frog rockets, which are unguided Soviet-developed devices that Pyongyang has had in its armoury since the 1960s.

    Both South Korea and the US have criticised the North’s missile tests.

    Earlier this month Seoul said that one such experiment took place in the same vicinity as a Chinese passenger plane.

    Also in early March the US asked the UN Security Council to take “appropriate action” against North Korea’s missile launches, which it said “clearly used ballistic missile technology”.

    Under UN resolutions, North Korea is required to abandon its ballistic missiles programmes.