Month: March 2011 Page 4 of 5

Here is your R&D for March 8th:

Jacques Chirac corruption trial delayed from the Guardian
Jacques Chirac, who will be the first French leader put on trial since Marshal Philippe Petain, has been delayed until June.  Chirac stands accused of corruption and centers on Chirac’s tenure as mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.

No Aid for Pyongyang from the National Interest
With North Korea begging for aid from the international community, the National Interest urges the United States to avoid providing it because it will merely strengthen the North Korean government.

Gas prices soar past $3.50 per gallon: Are Middle Eastern uprisings to blame? from the Christian Science Monitor
How much is unrest in the Middle East to blame for the recent uptick in national gas prices?  That’s what this Christian Science Monitor articles seeks to find out.

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Here is your R&D for March 7th:

Gadhafi could wage protracted civil war from the Washington Times
Military analysts who are examining the situation on the ground believe the Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi will be able to draw out the battle with rebel groups because the rebels are too weak to overthrow him.  The fight has already become a proxy war as Syria is reportedly sending aid to Gaddafi and the U.S. is trying to get Saudi Arabia to send arms to rebel groups.

The 2011 oil shock from the Economist
In this article, the Economist analyzes that the price shock in oil markets is a bigger threat to the global economy than investors believe, but that the upside is that recent events might steer countries towards more sustainable energy policies.

Number of healthcare reform law waivers climbs above 1,000 from the Hill
The number of waivers granted for the Affordable Care Act has topped 1,000 according to the Department of Health and Human Services.  The waivers provide a one-year exemption to firms who cannot meet the annual coverage limits this year.

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Here is your R&D for March 4th:

Gallup Finds U.S. Unemployment Hitting 10.3% in February from Gallup
According to Gallup’s unemployment measurement, which differs from the official statistics released by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, unemployment in the U.S. went from 9.8% at the end of January to 10.3% at the end of February.  Gallup also finds that underemployment surged to 19.9% at the end of last month.

Chavez Libya talks offer rejected from Al Jazeera
Although Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez offered to mediate between the Libyan government and rebel forces, his proposal has been rejected by rebels and the United States and France.  Chavez is close with Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi and has opposed Western military action against the Libyan government.

Why worry about China’s nuclear warheads? from the Japan Times
This interesting article from the Japan Times discusses Chinese nuclear policy, which may be valuable to extempers if they draw a question on China’s military strategy.  Similarly, with tensions between India and Pakistan continuing, a START accord may be needed among these three Asian powers to retain stability in the region.

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Here is your R&D for March 3rd:

Heads of U.S., Mexico to Meet as Tensions Rise from the Wall Street Journal
Mexican President Felipe Calderon is making a trip to Washington to meet with President Obama.  The two men are expected to discuss ways to help Mexico fight its drug war, which is reportedly spreading into the Southwestern part of the United States.

Kabuki comes home from the Economist
Like the United States, Japan is facing its own budget battle as Prime Minister Naoto Kan is facing opposition from the LDP to borrow funds needed to pay for the country’s $1 trillion budget this year.  The fight could lead to new elections or Mr. Kan’s exit as prime minister by the end of the summer.

Anti-gay church’s right to protest at military funerals is upheld from CNN
Yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 (Justice Samuel Alito dissenting) that Westboro Baptist Church protesters had a constitutional right to spread a broad-based message on public matters.  Westboro has received attention for protesting at soldiers funerals and claiming that God is punishing the U.S. for homosexuality.

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Here is your R&D for March 2nd:

Protests grow in Ohio as vote on union rights nears from the Washington Post
Wisconsin isn’t the only state with union issues, as Ohio is seeking to curtail the bargaining power of public employees.  Thousands of union supporters protested the move at the Ohio Statehouse yesterday.

Murder of Christian lawmaker: Can Pakistan check Islamic extremism from the Christian Science Monitor
The murder of Shahbza Bhatti, Pakistan’s minority affairs minister who was Christian, is the second major government official to be assassinated after publicly opposing the country’s blasphemy laws.  The international community is growing concerned that the Pakistani government isn’t doing enough to protect minorities.

German-Irish brinkmanship raises EMU stakes from the UK Telegraph
Is EU headed for another debt crisis?  Experts say that it could happen if German voters continue to oppose bailouts for member states and if Eurosceptics continue to make gains across the continent.

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