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Is US ready for a black President?(16,
Dec 2006)
In a country where race is still a powerful force, there is
speculation that Barack Obama, the senator for Illinois since
2005 might run for President in the next elections. The 45 year
old senator graduated from Harvard Law School in 1991 and became
the first African - American president of the Harvard Law
Review. Enjoying mass adulation, he has been profiled by
magazines like Time, Newsweek and Harper's thanks to his best
selling book Audacity of Hope.
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
The question of will he or won't
he stand for president has become the talking point for
Democrats. Though Obama has not commented on the issue, he
thinks that people judge you based on your merits and not by
your race. Whether U.S is prepared to have a black president or
not remains to be seen.
Somalia and Ethiopia brace for war(16,
Dec 2006)
The inevitability of war hangs over Mogadishu, Somalia's capital
city. Unlike the internal anarchy that has affected the country
for the past 15 years, the battle is now with Ethiopia which is
threatening to de stabilize the country.
In the past week, the increasingly militant Islamists in
control of Mogadishu and much of the rest of the country have
begun a food drive and a money drive and have sent doctors and
nurses, along with countless young soldiers to the frontlines.
Analysts are of the opinion that a full scale conflict between
the Islamists and Ethiopia, a country with a strong Christian
identity would be disastrous for Somalia, which is already
suffering from severe flooding and years of neglect.
Blair warns over Iran threat to West Asia(15,
Nov 2006)
British Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed US panel that any solution
in Iraq must be part of a broader West Asia strategy, while
warning that Iran poses a "strategic threat to the region".
- Blair mentioned that the Israel-Palestine conflict was
the top priority in the region, because extremists were
exploiting it to radicalise moderate Muslims.
- The British leader called for a change of strategy and
pressed Iran to support Western efforts to quell the
relentless bloodshed.
Pak test-fired Ghauri V missile(16,
Nov 2006)
Pakistan test-fired its 1,300 km range nuclear-capable
ballistic missile Hatf V which is also known as Ghauri, is
capable of targeting several Indian cities, a day after it
reached an agreement with India on nuclear risk reduction.
- The launch of the medium-range missile was carried out
by troops of the Army Strategic Forces Command, ASFC at the
culmination phase of a training exercise held to test the
operation readiness of a Strategic Missile Group equipped
with Ghauri missile.
- The test came a day after the two countries instigated
the agreement in New Delhi on reducing the risk from
accidents relating to nuclear weapons.
APEC Summit: Bush Arrives In Vietnam
(17, Nov 2006)
US President George W. Bush arrived in Vietnam for the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. APEC's 21
member countries and territories were to meet in Hanoi, Vietnam,
where North Korea's nuclear dispute and world trade were
expected to dominate discussions.
- US-pushed regional free-trade proposal will be the top
agenda item for Bush. Bush is the fourth US president to
visit Vietnam
- All are partners with the United States in talks aimed
at persuading a defiant North Korea to abandon its nuclear
weapons.
- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is about to join the
summit by the week end.
Bangladesh Elections Likely By Jan 25
Bangladesh Parliamentary elections may take place by January
25. The poll schedule is likely to be announced by the end of
November 2006.
- The elections must be conducted during the 90-day tenure
of the caretaker government under President Iajuddin Ahmed
that took office on October 30.
- There are to be no prior consultations with political
parties.
India, Russia Desire Iran Issue Solved Through Talks(18,
November 2006)
India and Russia agreed that the Iranian nuclear issue should be
resolved through negotiations, before the United Nations
Security Council
- In a joint press interaction in Delhi, with the visiting
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, External Affairs
Minister Pranab Mukherjee said Iran had the right to pursue
its nuclear programme for peaceful, civilian use. As a
signatory to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, Tehran
must fulfill its obligations and ensure that its nuclear
programme was for peaceful purposes.
- According to Mr. Lavrov, the Security Council's job must
be to help and not replace the International Atomic Energy
Agency when it came to dealing with Iran.
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AKHAND PRATAP SINGH
