Month: February 2011 Page 4 of 5

Here is your R&D for February 8th:

Obama says businesses must hire, invest to grow economy from the Washington Post
President Obama addressed one of his harshest detractors, the Chamber of Commerce, yesterday and urged them to hire workers and invest in the economy.  President Obama also emphasized how companies need to share profits with their workers.

Palestinians to hold local elections July 9 from the Associated Press
The Palestinian Authority announced today that local elections will take place in the West Bank and Gaza Strip on July 9th.  However, Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, rejected the announcement.

‘New’ Eta political wing rejects violence from the Guardian
The ETA, a Basque terrorist group, has launched a new political party and has announced that it does not approve of the use of violence against the Spanish state.  The ETA hopes that the Spanish government will legalize the party and that it can stand for local elections in May.

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Here is your R&D for February 7th:

The Other Egyptian Nobelist in the Political Fray from Time
Mohamed El-Baradei isn’t the only Nobel Prize winner that Egyptian political observers should be watching.  1999 Chemisty Nobel Prize winner Ahmed Zewail, who is a professor at the California Institute of Technology, has also played a role in some of the latest political developments in Egypt.  As an interesting sidenote, Zewail is the father of Nabeel Zewail, who is currently second in the Extemp Central National Points Race.

Is Barbour’s Southern Handicap Overstated? from RealClearPolitics
Mississipi Governor Haley Barbour is considering a run for the presidency in 2012.  Observers believe that his southern roots would hurt him in the GOP primary and general election, but is that really the case?

Laid-back David Cameron should tighten his grip from the UK Telegraph
As Britain experiences stagflation and a reduced international reputation, British Prime Minister David Cameron is taking criticism for a lax and slow management style.

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Here is your R&D for February 4th:

Jordan: Heightened Instability, But Not Yet a Major Crisis from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Jordan is experiencing protests that mirror those happening in Egypt.  However, King Abdullah was quick to fire his government and that appears to have taken some momentum out of the protests for the time being.

Military Insider Selected as Myanmar’s President from the New York Times
Thein Sein, an army bureaucrat and former prime minister, was elected as Myanmar’s new president today.  The election was done by Myanmar’s new parliament, meeting for the first time under a new constitution.  However, it is expected that General Than Shwe will still be controlling the government’s actions.

Factbox: Groups challenging Yemen’s government from Reuters
In this factbox article, Reuters breaks down the groups that are challenging the Yemeni government.  This is a good background article that extempers can utilize in any speech about unrest in Yemen.

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Here is your R&D for February 3rd:

Night of violence in Egypt leaves six dead from the Financial Times
The tense situation in Egypt has finally erupted into violence as pro and anti-Mubarak forces collided last night.  Six Egyptians were killed and more than 800 were injured.

Senate repeals part of health care law from Politico
Yesterday, the Senate voted 81-17 to repeal the healthcare reform law’s 1099 reporting requirement, which had been criticized by business groups.  However, the Senate voted along party lines, 47-51, against repealing the entire law.

Central Asia: Decay and Decline from the International Crisis Group
Despite a good deal of international aid being directed towards Cental Asia in recent years, corruption has eaten away most of it and that has created political instability in the area.  The International Crisis Group provides a detailed .pdf report on the consequences of continued neglect by governments in the region.

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Here is your R&D for February 2nd:

‘Al-Qaida on brink of using nuclear bomb’ from the Vancouver Sun
In a shocking report released by WikiLeaks, NATO security chiefs argue that al-Qaeda is on the verge of using radioactive “dirty bombs” in its attacks.  NATO believes that some of these weapons could be used in Afghanistan against NATO forces.

Tea Party Gets Early Start on G.O.P. Targets for 2012 from the New York Times
The Tea Party movement is already targeting GOP candidates that it wants to oust in party primary races in 2012.  Among those on the chopping block are Richard Lugar of Indiana, Olympia Snowe of Maine, and Orrin Hatch of Utah.  Some of the moves don’t necessarily reflect ideology as much as a desire for new blood in Washington.

Israel Is Top Foreign Destination for 2012 Republicans from RealClearPolitics
Perspective Republican presidential candidates are making Israel a top destination as they lay the groundwork for 2012.  Among those who have made the trip include Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, and Haley Barbour.

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