1. Is Brazil’s fiscal policy too lax?
2. In light of recent violence, should the Jamaican government refuse to extradite Christopher Coke to the United States?
3. Will German’s short-term ban on naked short-selling hurt the euro zone’s bond markets?
4. Can Saad Hariri do more to prevent arms smuggling in Lebanon?
5. Will recent hostilities on the Korean peninsula provide political cover to Yukio Hatoyama over the U.S. airbase on Okinawa?
6. Should NATO be integrated into the EU?
7. Do recent spending cuts by the new British government do enough to safeguard the nation’s triple-A credit rating?
8. Is Hamas wise to boycott elections in the West Bank?
9. Was Ethiopia’s recent election fair?
10. What impact will South Korea’s decision to half inter-Korean trade have on the North Korean economy?
Category: International Extemp Page 48 of 59
South Africa’s World Cup: Who Profits Most from the Economist
Australian price on carbon is inevitable, concedes Hockey from the Sydney Morning Herald
Old ills could dash a new southern Sudan’s hopes from the Los Angeles Times
Namadi Sambo confirmed as Nigeria vice-president from the BBC
Deposed PM Says Government Still Exists from Garowe Online
White South Africans use Facebook in campaign to return to Holland from the Christian Science Monitor
Gay Couple Convicted in Malawi from the New York Times
1. In light of the EU’s recent deals to protect the euro zone, has the organization become a “transfer union”?
2. Can Benigno Aquino revitalize the Filipino economy?
3. How will the departure of Wan Yanhai impact China’s fight against AIDS?
4. Are Maoist protesters in Nepal negotiating from a position of strength or weakness?
5. Will the Greek bailout lead to the downfall of Merkel’s government?
6. Are Tymoshenko’s concerns about Russian influence in the Crimea valid?
7. How should the international community respond to violence against homosexuals in Africa?
8. Will the latest EU-Central American free trade deal be implemented?
9. Is it a mistake for Israel to reject Qatar’s bid for a restoration of diplomatic relations?
10. How should China respond to South Korea’s findings that North Korea sank a South Korean warship in March?
Russia Seeks Energy Cooperation With Ukraine from the Wall Street Journal
EU Finance Ministers Take On Hedge Funds from Der Spiegel
Russia defends Medvedev-Hamas talks from Al Jazeera
Beijing changes tune on nuclear Kim from the Asia Times
David Cameron led Conservatives to Power by Moving to the Center from the Christian Science Monitor
EU, Central American states reach trade deal from Reuters
Thai Strife Threatens Investment from the Wall Street Journal
Ex-Tamil Tiger fighters held in limbo from the BBC
WHO demands immediate end to Gaza blockade from the Agence France Presse
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Each day, Extemp Central will be presenting R&D’s for CFL’s nine topic areas. It is hoped that extempers can use these as a guide to beef up their files/research for the tournament.
Brazil & Iran Call for New Economic Order from the Latin American Herald Tribune
Gay killings increase in Mexico from the Latin American Post
Haitian Earthquake Survivors Need Social and Economic Rights from Upside Down World
Venezuela Stocks Down 43% in Official Rate US Dollar Terms for the Year from the Latin American Herald Tribune
EU farmers led by France promise to lobby against concessions for Mercosur from MercoPress
Mexico manhunt for missing politician Diego Fernandez de Cevallos from the Christian Science Monitor
Argentina and the World from the Buenos Aires Herald
Venezuela Imposing ‘Draconian Clampdown’ on Markets from the Latin American Post
1. Who will be the next British prime minister?
2. Is Honduras’s Truth Commission legitimate?
3. Why are Bolivia’s unions turning against Evo Morales?
4. How can China convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear program?
5. Is Pakistan doing enough to root out terrorism within its borders?
6. Will new corrupt allegations lead to the collapse of Berlusconi’s government?
7. Should the Liberal Democrats align themselves with Labour or the Conservatives?
8. Does Syria or Iran pose a bigger immediate threat to Israel?
9. Did Nigeria handle the Yar’Adua fiasco effectively?
10. Will the violence in Greece prevent other European nations from tackling their fiscal problems?
1. Will Merkel’s decision to prop up Greece severely damage her political standing in Germany?
2. Does the formation of a governing coalition of Shia parties in Iraq undermine attempts to reconcile with the nation’s Sunni minority?
3. Will Spain’s decision to speed up banking reform prevent a Greek-style meltdown?
4. How much will Yukio Hatoyama’s flip flop on getting the U.S. out of Okinawa cost him politically?
5. Will the interim Kyrgyzstan government force the U.S. military out of the country?
6. Is South Africa prepared to host the World Cup?
7. Why has Iran agreed to make Brazil the mediator for a deal on providing it with nuclear fuel?
8. Should China do more to push North Korea towards economic reforms?
9. How can Israel be convinced to scrap its atomic weapons?
10. If the Conservatives get a disappointing election result is David Cameron gone?
1. What impact will Russia and Norway’s agreement on their Arctic maritime border have on oil and natural gas exploration in the region?
2. Will the ECFA make Taiwan overly dependent upon China?
3. How should the international community handle the Chernobyl nuclear site?
4. Should the Arab League accept the Obama administration’s proposal for indirect Middle East peace negotiations?
5. How critical is Yemen to the war on terrorism?
6. Will Belarus extradite Bakiyev?
7. If Iran acquires a nuclear weapon, will the United Nations become another League of Nations?
8. Will Jaroslaw Kaczynski replace his late brother as Polish president?
9. If Labour comes in third in the popular vote, should Gordon Brown remain prime minister?
10. Can King Bhumibol solve Thailand’s political crisis?
1. Does Jacob Zuma need to be firm with Julius Malema?
2. Will the Liberal Democrats be the kingmakers of the upcoming British elections?
3. Are efforts taken to dismantle Al Qaeda in Iraq succeeding?
4. Does Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas need to step down?
5. What does the SPLM gain from the latest Sudanese elections?
6. Is the arrest of Victoire Ingabire a sign of a clampdown on political opposition in Rwanda?
7. Should Israel inaugurate a new series of “land for peace” deals?
8. What signal does Ukraine’s extension of a lease on Russia’s naval base in the country send to the West?
9. Is France’s ban against the niqab unconstitutional?
10. How should Pope Benedict XVI deal with the latest church abuse scandal?
1. Why is violence among labor unions rising in Venezuela?
2. Will Pakistan’s move to curb presidential powers bring more stability to the nation’s political system?
3. How will the tragic death of Lech Kaczynski and other members of the Polish political elite impact the nation’s relations with Russia?
4. Should Kurmanbek Bakiyev flee Krygyzstan?
5. How much does the military matter in Turkish politics today?
6. Was it a mistake for FIFA to give South Africa the World Cup?
7. How can the Conservative Party stop the bleeding and win next month’s parliamentary elections in Britain?
8. Why is the far right gaining ground in Hungary?
9. Did Netanyahu make the right decision in choosing not to attend President Obama’s nuclear summit?
10. How would China react if America adopted a tougher approach to its currency practices?
1. Will the upcoming British election result in a hung Parliament?
2. How badly does the West need Hamid Karzai?
3. Are electoral boycotts a counterproductive strategy for opposition parties across the globe?
4. Would nuclear power be better than other alternative energy sources for Africa?
5. How can India successfully defeat the Naxalites?
6. Is a military coup the answer to Thailand’s deteriorating political situation?
7. What impact will the murder of Eugene Terreblanche have on South African politics?
8. Will ASEAN criticism of Myanmar’s election laws result in significant changes ahead of the nation’s elections this year?
9. How much of a blow to NATO is Ukraine’s decision to scrap plans to join the organization?
10. Has Israel lost Turkey?
1. What does the low turnout for the recent regional elections in Italy say about the state of politics in the country?
2. Would it be in Colombia’s best interest to exchange captured FARC rebels for hostages?
3. How can Nicolas Sarkozy turn around his dismal approval ratings?
4. Are Arab hardliners being strengthened by the current spat between the United States and Israel?
5. Will Greece’s economic difficulties permanently prevent Britain from joining the euro zone?
6. How should Russia respond to the recent Moscow subway attacks?
7. Is it wise for Burma’s opposition to boycott the country’s upcoming elections?
8. Will China’s hostility to internal criticism be a roadblock in its path to becoming a global economic superpower?
9. How can China improve the safety of its mines?
10. If Turkey is willing to support sanctions against Iran, should the EU offer it immediate membership?
1. How will Google’s decision to leave China impact the Chinese economy?
2. Does Israel need the United States?
3. Is more nonmilitary aid the best way to combat Mexico’s drug cartels?
4. Should Sudan’s elections be postponed?
5. Why is France backing down from its carbon tax plan?
6. Should the UN have a stronger role in the regulation of ocean fish?
7. Is North Korea heading towards another famine?
8. Should the U.S. recognize Pakistan as a nuclear power?
9. How can Myanmar’s junta make their upcoming election appear legitimate?
10. Is it wise for Turkey to cancel talks on a new loan from the IMF?
1. Is Sarath Fonseka being unfairly prosecuted?
2. Should Abhisit Vejajiva call for new elections in Thailand?
3. What do the first round of regional elections in France say about Sarkozy’s odds of winning a second term?
4. Will calls by four Egyptian opposition parties for constitutional reforms bear fruit in the near future?
5. What is behind Argentina’s coin shortage?
6. How can African governments combat “quiet” corruption?
7. Should anything be read into reports that North Korea has sent workers to South Africa to help with World Cup construction?
8. How should Pope Benedict XVI deal with the latest abuse accusations against the Catholic Church in Germany?
9. Did Saakashvili orchestrate a fake news report of a Russian invasion to discredit his political opponents?
10. How will the killing of three people linked to the U.S. consulate in Mexico impact Mexico’s drug war?
1. Will the latest attempt at securing peace between the Israelis and Palestinians prove unsuccessful?
2. Can Juan Manuel Santos fill Alvaro Uribe’s shoes?
3. How can Hezbollah be disarmed?
4. Has the international community already forgotten about Haiti?
5. Is the religious violence in Nigeria beyond the scope of government control?
6. Did Jacob Zuma’s declaration of his financial interests go far enough?
7. Why are European governments weak when it comes to Libya?
8. How can the international community stop gendercide?
9. Will the resignation of Carmen Fernandez improve future Chilean efforts at disaster relief?
10. Considering the last decade of work, what grade do UN peacekeeping operations deserve?