Dec
31

Somalia – Official: Ethiopia will leave Somalia this month (Las Vegas Sun)

Official: Ethiopia will leave Somalia this month (Las Vegas Sun) Tue, Dec 30, 2008 (4:09 a.m.) Ethiopian troops who are propping up Somalia’s government will leave the country soon, as previously announced, despite the turmoil caused by the Somali president’s resignation, an official said Tuesday. Somalia: 17 People Killed in Attacks (AllAfrica.com) At least 17…
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Dec
31

Latin America – US dollar surges to 8-day high versus Chilean peso (Nasdaq)

US dollar surges to 8-day high versus Chilean peso (Nasdaq) (RTTNews) – The US dollar advanced against the Chilean peso during early trading on Tuesday. Texas charities curb Mexico outreach amid violence (AP via Yahoo! News) With the death toll in the Mexican city of Juarez mounting, the increasingly bloody struggle for control of the…
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Dec
31

Turkey – Turkish PM in push for Israel-Hamas truce – Reuters AlertNet

Turkish PM in push for Israel-Hamas truce – Reuters AlertNetANKARA, Dec 31 (Reuters) – Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan flew to Syria on Wednesday as part of a four-country diplomatic push in the region to end hostilities between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas. Erdogan said he planned to meet Syrian Turkish PM condemns ruthless…
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Dec
31

World News – General – ENVIRONMENT-AUSTRALIA: Emissions Reduction Target ‘Weak’

ENVIRONMENT-AUSTRALIA: Emissions Reduction Target ‘Weak’ MELBOURNE, Dec 30 (IPS) – The gap between the Rudd government s rhetoric and practice in addressing climate change, albeit with one eye on the worsening global financial conditions, has led to a palpable feeling of betrayal among Australians. Not forgottenStylish, serious and notorious – those we lost in 2008…
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Dec
31

Russian News Monitor – Russia’s Lavrov, Rice Discuss Gaza Ceasefire-Russian Ministry (Nasdaq)

Russia’s Lavrov, Rice Discuss Gaza Ceasefire-Russian Ministry (Nasdaq) MOSCOW (AFP)–Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his U.S. counterpart Condoleezza Rice both stressed the need for an end to the conflict in Gaza in a phone conversation, Russia’s foreign ministry said Tuesday. U.S., Russia cut trade deal for poultry (UPI) MOSCOW, Dec. 30 (UPI) — Russian…
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Dec
31

Southeast Asia – Suspect dead, four wounded in Philippines bomb blasts: military (AFP via Yahoo! News)

Suspect dead, four wounded in Philippines bomb blasts: military (AFP via Yahoo! News) A suspected bomber was killed and four other people, including two policemen, were wounded in two explosions in the southern Philippines, the military said Wednesday. Cambodia, Thailand To Continue Talks On Border Spat -Minister (Thailandnews.net) (AFP)–Cambodian foreign minister Hor Namhong said Tuesday…
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Dec
31

Southeast Asia – Vietnam jails five for trafficking women to Malaysia (AFP via Yahoo! News)

Vietnam jails five for trafficking women to Malaysia (AFP via Yahoo! News) A court in communist Vietnam has jailed five people for up to 17 years for trafficking women to Malaysia and forcing them to work as prostitutes, a court official and media reports said Tuesday. Indonesian court acquits spy of murdering activist (AP via…
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Dec
31

Lebanon Crisis Monitor – INDICATORS – Lebanon – Updated Dec 30 (Reuters via Yahoo! Singapore News)

INDICATORS – Lebanon – Updated Dec 30 (Reuters via Yahoo! Singapore News) BEIRUT, Dec 30 (Reuters) – Below is a table of the latest Lebanese economic statistics. Gaza protest boat sails into Lebanon (The Post-Standard) BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — A boat carrying international peace activists and medical supplies to the embattled Gaza Strip was turned…
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Dec
31

North Africa – Tunisia: President Ben Ali Focuses on Modernization of ICT Sector

Tunisia: President Ben Ali Focuses on Modernization of ICT Sector President Ben Ali received on Thursday Mr Hadj Gley, Minister of Communication Technologies who briefed him on the implementation of programs and measures with a view to modernizing and promoting the services of communication technologies notably in terms of enhancing the infrastructure pertaining to communications,…
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Dec
30

Central Asian News Update – Miller, Tagyyev fix specifications for Caspian pipeline section (Itar-Tass)

Miller, Tagyyev fix specifications for Caspian pipeline section (Itar-Tass) MOSCOW, December 25 (Itar-Tass) – Alexei Miller, Chairman of the Management Board of the Gazprom holding, and Tachberdy Tagyyev, Vice-Premier of Turkmenistan, during their meeting in Ashgabat, fixed the basic points of technical design specifications for the construction of a Turkmen section of the Caspian gas…
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