Author: joyce

Categories
Cuba

U.S. Ports Preparing for Business with Cuba

U.S. port cities are making preparations for increased travel and trade with Cuba, in anticipation of improving relations with the island nation.

There is speculation that a Democratically led US congress and the election of Barack Obama may ease restrictions on the 47-year-old trade embargo on Cuba.

“We have the right geography, given where we’re located, as well as historic ties,” Councilman Arnie Fielkow told USAToday. “We need to start developing the relationships and getting ready for the time when the U.S. brings down the embargo.”

Continue reading “U.S. Ports Preparing for Business with Cuba”
Categories
Culture & History North Korea

N Korea Threatens War if Satellite Launch is Blocked

North Korea has threatened that interfering with the satellite it plans to launch will lead to war.
The Korean Central News Agency said “ Shooting our satellite for peaceful purposes will precisely mean a war. ” It added: “We will retaliate any act of intercepting our satellite for peaceful purposes with prompt counter-strikes by the most powerful military means.” Sources believe that North Korea is planning to test-fire a long-range missile under the pretense of a satellite launch.

Since the United States and South Korea military exercises began, the North has put its 1.2 person military on full combat alert and cut off communications with the South. It also released a statement last Friday saying that because of the military exercises the safety of commercial flights flying through airspace at its east coast could no longer be assured.

The new U.S. envoy to North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, said any launch by North Korea would be very ill-advised. A South Korea’s defence ministry spokesman said that the threats were just rhetoric although the armed forces was prepared to deal with it should any conflicts arise.The annual military exercise between the two involves about 50,000 U.S. and South Korean troops.

Categories
Culture & History North Korea

S Korea ‘regrets’ DPRK’s military communication cut-off

South Korea said it “regrets” that North Korea cut military communications channel until March 20 over protests that South Korea’s military exercise with the United States. The joint military exercises involve 26,000 U.S. troops and more than 50,000 South Korean troops will participate in the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercise all over South Korea beginning today. A South Korean spokesman called for DPRK to immediately withdraw the measure on the basis of inter-Korean agreements.

Categories
North Korea

U.S. warns North Korea over missile

The commander of U.S. forces, General Walter Sharp , in South Korea said they will have no choice but to launch a military response should North Korea test-fire its long-range missile. Sharp urged North Korea to stop provocations, and behave like a responsible country.The Korean peninsula has felt under threat in recent weeks when the North said it considers itself on the brink of war with the South.

Categories
China Culture & History

China to open 250,000 rural retail shops

China is taking decisive steps to contain social unrest stemming from the slowing economy as many jobless migrants go home to the countryside. Beginning this year until 2010, 250,000 rural retail stores will be set-up to create 775,000 jobs for migrant workers. In recent news, official figures showed that more than 4,000 Chinese toy companies closed last year due to cuts in export demands while an estimated 20 million migrant workers are said to be unemployed.

Categories
Culture & History Russia

Georgia Accuses Russia for Sending Jets

Georgia’s foreign minister charged Russia for sending 27 fighter jets to a former Soviet air base in the breakaway region of Abkhazia.

The Abkhaz defense official denied the accusation but added that Russian jets could be based there in the future. Russia recognized Abkhazia as an independent nation after its war with Georgia last August.

Categories
Cambodia & Laos Culture & History

NGO website barred in Cambodia for report

The website of corruption watchdog, the Global Witness, is now blocked in Cambodia after it released a report criticizing its oil and mining industries last week. The site was blocked by ISP company, AngkorNet, although company representatives could not provide reasons for the liited access.

Categories
Central Asia Culture & History

Collective Security Treaty Organization Increases Military Presence in Central Asia

In recent news, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) – a coalition consisting of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan – ratified an agreement on February 4th to establish a collective security force in the region.

The security force, consisting primarily of Russian paratroopers, would increase from its present size of 3,000 to a force of approximately 10,000 troops and be under a unified command. This military force would be utilized to combat terrorism and extremism, transnational organized crime, drug trafficking, regional emergencies, as well as to counteract “military aggression” in the area.

The establishment of this coalition comes in unison with Russia doling out a lot of funding in the area — including $2 billion to Kyrgyzstan who recently closed down the U.S. base at Manas and $7.7 billion of a US$10 billion “crisis fund” which will provide economic relief to those in Central Asia suffering from the current economic climate.

During the recent summit in Moscow, the CSTO also extended the term of former Russian KGB officer Nikolai Bordyuzha as secretary general of the coalition for an additional three years.

Categories
Russia

Clinton wants better Russia ties

As Moscow flexes its muscles and reasserts its influence in the former Soviet Republics, the most recent indication was when U.S. bases were closed in Kazahkstan in exchange for aid, the new U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she hopes to have a “more constructive” ties with Russia. She wants to include Moscow as a “co-operative partner” on issues like Iran’s nuclear plans. Clinton is scheduled for her first trip in Asia on February 15, reports the BBC.

Categories
China

China Overtakes United States in January Car Sales

Boon or bane? China has overtaken the United States in terms of car sales when the country snapped up 790,000 vehicles last January compared to the United State’s 656,976 vehicles. Is this a real  indication that China’s domestic consumption is strengthening? Just before Luna New Year, China cut car purchase taxes by half. Its auto industry expects the government’s policy stimulus to make the year of the ox a good one for sales growth. To see the chart, click here.