Author: Ernie

Categories
China

China Claims No.3 GDP Spot

China’s National Bureau of Statistics yesterday revised its 2007 economic growth estimate from 11.9 percent to 13 percent. The new numbers raised China’s GDP to 25.7 trillion yuan ($3.5 trillion at 2007 exchange rates), edging past Germany’s 2.4 trillion Euros ($3.3 trillion) for the same period. Merrill Lynch economist Ting Lu agrees with the numbers:

“Today’s numbers definitely raise the weight of China in the world economy. I think it will take only three to four years for China to overtake Japan as the second-largest economy. “

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Russia

Russia Blames America for the EU’s Gas Crisis

Russian gas company Gazprom claimed that the Ukraine was blocking gas supply to the EU, hours after they had resumed. Gazprom stated that the US was ultimately responsible for the Ukraine’s blockage. According to Gazprom deputy chairman, Alexander Medvedev,

“It looks like … they are dancing to the music which is being orchestrated not in Kiev but outside the country.”

Medvedev later explained that he was referring to the Ukraine’s strategic partnership deal with the US.

Categories
Culture & History Vietnam

New York Philharmonic to Perform in Vietnam

For the first time in its 156-year history, the New York Philharmonic will perform in Vietnam, according to the orchestra’s executive director Zarin Metha.

“This is a country that we felt as Americans that we owed a visit to,” said Metha. “We had a big war with them. The country was coming back, and we felt it was a good thing to reach out to the people there.”

The NY Philharmonic made headlines last February for its Pyongyang performance.

Categories
Cuba

Chavez Hints at Fidel Castro’s Demise

On his weekly radio show “Alo Presidente,” Hugo Chavez speculated that Castro would never appear in public again, and implied that he didn’t expect Castro to live much longer.

“He escorted me to the aeroplane door. We hugged. How was I to know, my God, it would be the last time!”