Category: International Extemp Page 44 of 56

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of September 28th-October 4, 2010

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On September 28, 2010

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

1.  How will the resignation of Fatmir Sejdiu impact talks between Kosovo and Serbia?
2.  Will David Miliband make the Labor Party unelectable?
3.  Based on recent National Assembly election results, should Hugo Chavez be scared about 2012?
4.  Is Rene Peval exercising too much power over Haiti’s upcoming presidential election?
5.  Should Thailand extend its current state of emergency beyond October 4th?
6.  Would a monetary union be a boon for East African states?
7.  How can African states enhance their levels of food security?
8.  Will Greece’s austerity measures endure?
9.  Is Russia’s grain export ban justified?
10.  Will the stalemate produced by Australia’s parliamentary election wreck plans to reform the nation’s pension system?

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HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of September 21st-27th, 2010

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On September 22, 2010

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

1.  Should South Africa nationalize its mining industry?
2.  Is Nick Clegg doing a poor job representing the Liberal Democrats in Britain’s governing coalition?
3.  Why are Europe’s left leaning parties in disarray?
4.  Is it in Japan’s best interest to defuse its diplomatic crisis with China?
5.  Should the Sweden’s Green Party join the Alliance coalition?
6.  Is a binational state the only way to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
7.  How can the AU make its mission in Somalia more effective?
8.  Will Kim Jong-Un scrap North Korea’s nuclear program?
9.  Was Afghanistan’s parliamentary election a failure?
10.  Would a global tax on financial transactions improve efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals?

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HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of September 14th-20th, 2010

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On September 14, 2010

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

1.  Does Nepal need to reform its military?
2.  Should the search for alternative fuels be a global effort?
3.  How will Europe’s changing demographic picture impact politics across the continent?
4.  Should Santos accept the FARC’s offer of peace talks?
5.  Will North Korea’s military allow Kim Jong-Un to take power from his father?
6.  Should Britain make cuts to its defense budget?
7.  Is the window for a Palestinian state closing?
8.  Are global economists exaggerating China’s manipulation of the yuan?
9.  How can the EU make growth across Europe more even?
10.  Is EU membership still a priority for the Turkish government?

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Topic Brief: French Pension Reform

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On September 10, 2010

In International Extemp, Topic Brief

by Logan Scisco

In the United States, the Democratic Party is attempting to paint the Republican Party as mean spirited and warning voters that if the Republicans take control of Congress this November they will privatize Social Security. This tactic is meant to rally elderly voters, who vote more than any other group, to the polls on Election Day. Social Security is referred to as the third rail in American politics because it is such a deadly issue for politicians to confront. However, all experts agree that without changes in its structure, Social Security and America’s dreams of a government pension in old age are likely to go the way of the dodo.

Like the United States, government pensions were seen by European nations and their citizenry as sacred trusts whereby the government would provide for elderly citizens in their old age. Politicians who dared question the sustainability and cost of these pension programs were seen as anti-elderly and insensitive. However, rising budget deficits and crushing national debt burdens have finally forced European nations to deal with their aging populations. Some, like Great Britain, are confronting the problem voluntarily while others like Greece have been forced to reform their generous pension systems.

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HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of September 7th-13th, 2010

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On September 8, 2010

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

1.  Should Tony Blair apologize for taking Britain into Iraq?
2.  Is the euro area too large?
3.  How will Brazil’s move to expand government control of offshore resources impact foreign investment in its energy sector?
4.  Should the international community be concerned about alleged Chinese involvement in Nepal’s upcoming elections?
5.  Is the Spanish government wise to give the ETA the cold shoulder after its recent ceasefire announcement?
6.  Will the German governments push to extend the lives of its nuclear power plants serve as a model for other EU nations?
7.  Should Palestinians be forced to recognize Israel as a Jewish state as part of any peace deal?
8.  Will Australia’s minority government survive a full term?
9.  Would a new Putin presidency be good or bad for Russia’s future?
10.  Should Iran be able to choose the inspectors who monitor its nuclear facilities?

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HotTopics: International Extemp Questons for the Week of August 31st-September 6th, 2010

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On August 31, 2010

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

1.  How will the UN’s report on Congolese violence impact Rwanda’s international image?
2.  Will José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero run in 2012?
3.  Would Ichiro Izawa becoming prime minister doom the DPJ in the eyes of Japanese voters?
4.  How can India become slum free?
5.  Is Venezuela or the FARC a bigger security threat to Colombia?
6.  Do China’s curbs on metal exports violate WTO rules?
7.  How can the Philippines repair the image of its police forces?
8.  Do European nations need stricter immigration policies?
9.  Would a failure at the upcoming Middle East peace talks cause a third intifada?
10.  Will public sector strikes doom Jacob Zuma’s re-election hopes?

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HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of August 24th-30th, 2010

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On August 25, 2010

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

1.  How can the international community best combat the sale of conflict minerals from the Congo?
2.  Should China scrap its one child policy?
3.  Is Myanmar’s privatization program a sign that the country is turning the corner?
4.  Will French workers stymie Sarkozy’s pensions reform plans?
5.  Should Wyclef Jean be able to run for the presidency of Haiti?
6.  Who is the biggest winner of the “comprehensive strategic partnership” between South Africa and China?
7.  Will the September Middle East peace summit be a success?
8.  Should Germany raise taxes to balance its budget?
9.  Who will lead the next Australian government?
10.  How can the developed world help developing nations with mine safety?

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HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of August 17th-23rd, 2010

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On August 17, 2010

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

1.  Will the ANC’s media bill significantly damage the free press in South Africa?
2.  Is Nigeria’s 2011 presidential race destabalize the country?
3.  Should Pakstian’s government accept flood aid directly from India?
4.  How will improved Russian ties with NATO impact NATO’s eastward expansion plans?
5.  Should France repay Haiti’s independence debt?
6.  How will improved relations with Taiwan impact China’s military deployments?
7.  Does Iran’s fuel crisis show that international sanctions are working?
8.  Should Australa become a republic?
9.  How will North Korea respond to the latest U.S.-South Korean war games exercise?
10.  What would happen in Afghanistan if the U.S. immediately withdrew all of its combat forces?

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HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of August 10th-16th, 2010

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On August 11, 2010

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

1.  Will Alvaro Uribe’s departure smoothe relations between Colombia and Venezuela?
2.  Who should be the British Labor Party’s next leader?
3.  Will South Africa’s government workers win their recent labor dispute?
4.  Does a recent landslide show that China needs to adopt more aggressive environmental protection policies?
5.  Would compensation to South Korea for World War II abuses imperil the DPJ?
6.  Is Lebanon or Iran a bigger short term threat to Israeli security?
7.  How can the Greek government create a stronger consensus for austerity measures?
8.  Should Mexico consider legalizing drugs?
9.  Why was Paul Kagame’s victory in the Rwandan presidential election so lopsided? 
10.  How will recent wildfires impact Vladimir Putin’s political standing?

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of August 3rd-9th, 2010

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On August 2, 2010

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

1.  Will Dmitry Medvedev run against Vladimir Putin in 2012?
2.  How can India quell violence in Kashmir?
3.  Will Cuba’s decision to allow for more private employment rejuvenate its economy?
4.  Would a sales tax increase hurt the Japanese economy?
5.  Why are oil prices at a three month high?
6.  Will new sanctions against North Korea force it to change its belligerent behavior?
7.  Would a reduction of trade barriers help the African economy?
8.  Are privately funded armed forces a better method to fight Somali piracy?
9.  Will recent floods weaken the Pakistani government?
10.  Is it in Israel’s best interest to cooperate with the UN’s Gaza flotilla probe?

NFL International Extemp Topic Area Analysis, Part 4

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On June 8, 2010

In International Extemp, Topic Area Analysis

As was done for the Catholic Forensic League (CFL) national tournament, Extemp Central provides you with this topic area analysis for the International Extemp portion of next week’s NFL national tournament in Kansas City, Missouri.

In the first of our four-part series, we explore three of the thirteen topic areas at the 2010 NFL National Tournament in International Extemp.

Topic Area #10:   The Middle East
Topic Area #11:  Russia and Former USSR Satellite States
Topic Area #12:  US Foreign Policy:  The Foreign Perspective
Topic Area #13:  The World Economy

Keep reading to explore these areas in further depth.

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NFL International Extemp Topic Area Analysis, Part 3

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On June 8, 2010

In International Extemp, Topic Area Analysis

As was done for the Catholic Forensic League (CFL) national tournament, Extemp Central provides you with this topic area analysis for the International Extemp portion of next week’s NFL national tournament in Kansas City, Missouri.

In the first of our four-part series, we explore three of the thirteen topic areas at the 2010 NFL National Tournament in International Extemp.

Topic Area #7:  India, Pakistan, and Southeast Asia
Topic Area #8:  The International Community:  The Transition from 2000 to 2010
Topic Area #9:  International Organizations & Global Challenges

Keep reading to explore these areas in further depth.

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NFL International Extemp Topic Area Analysis, Part 2

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On June 8, 2010

In International Extemp, Topic Area Analysis

As was done for the Catholic Forensic League (CFL) national tournament, Extemp Central provides you with this topic area analysis for the International Extemp portion of next week’s NFL national tournament in Kansas City, Missouri.

In the first of our four-part series, we explore three of the thirteen topic areas at the 2010 NFL National Tournament in International Extemp.

Topic Area #4:  China, Taiwan, Japan, and the Koreas
Topic Area #5:  Energy and the Environment
Topic Area #6:  Europe

Keep reading to explore these areas in further depth.

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NFL International Extemp Topic Area Analysis, Part 1

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On June 8, 2010

In International Extemp, Topic Area Analysis

As was done for the Catholic Forensic League (CFL) national tournament, Extemp Central provides you with this topic area analysis for the International Extemp portion of next week’s NFL national tournament in Kansas City, Missouri.

In the first of our four-part series, we explore three of the thirteen topic areas at the 2010 NFL National Tournament in International Extemp.

Topic Area #1:  Africa
Topic Area #2:  Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean
Topic Area #3:  Central and South America

Keep reading to explore these areas in further depth.

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NFL International Extemp Topic Area Analysis, A Guide

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On June 8, 2010

In International Extemp, Topic Area Analysis

by Logan Scisco

As was done for the Catholic Forensic League (CFL) national tournament, Extemp Central provides you with this topic area analysis for the International extemp portion of next week’s NFL national tournament in Kansas City, Missouri.

This is the third time that Extemp Central has broken down the topic areas in International extemp for NFL.  Last year, IX runner-up Omar Qureshi broke down the IX topic areas and extempers would be wise to consult this topic area analysis as well as Omar’s thoughts, which can be found in last year’s NFL edition of The Ex Files.

If you are in the International extemp field for NFL you will be facing some of the toughest competition in the nation.  Although anyone who makes the NFL national tournament is a talented speaker and has earned their way into the field, International extemp tends to have a better field than United States extemp.  In looking at the National Points Race, most of the top ten are in International extemp at this year’s tournament so if you have chosen to do International extemp you will be in the midst of very elite competition and will be competing against extempers who have proven themselves at previous national circuit events during the year.

As with the CFL topic area analysis, this topic area analysis is meant to provide some insight into the thirteen topic areas that International extempers will encounter at the national tournament.  According to some reports, a new batch of question writers will be putting together this year’s topics, which will hopefully eliminate the ridiculous questions seen in last year’s final round such as “Yes we can.  Or can we?”  Since I am putting together the USX and IX topic area analysis this year and because thirteen topic areas cover a lot of ground, this year’s topic area analysis will have a brief paragraph summary explaining each topic area and then there will be bulleted points detailing issues that extempers might confront in each topic area.  Keep in mind, this topic brief is not sanctioned by the National Forensic League and I am not on any panels to write questions for the tournament.  My analysis of these topic areas is through my years of experience competing at the tournament and judging rounds and merely predicts what you will encounter in the prep room in Kansas City.  Unlike previous years this topic brief will not contain practice questions.  This is because of the timing of the release of this topic area analysis and other constraints upon the writer.  Instead, this week there will be thirteen questions for USX and IX, one for each topic area.  Extempers can also look back at previous week’s questions on the site to help prepare them for the tournament.  I apologize for any inconvenience that might cause.

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