February 2004
February 16, 2004
Mexican legislators propose law to prevent possible presidential bid by first lady
The wife of high-profile president Vicente Fox, the first to break Mexico's decade-long single party monopoly, has grown steadily in the public eye through a direct media campaign. Denying accusations of misappropriation of funds through her "Vamos Mexico" charity organization, she may soon grow to be one of Mexico's leading presidential candidates for 2006.
Mexico deputies seek crackdown on child sex tourism
"Mexican deputies are pushing for a clampdown on the child prostitution industry, which is turning some of the country's most popular resorts into sordid haunts for pedophiles and sex tourists (...) Mexico is a paradise. Tourists flock here and nobody asks them what they are coming for..."
Mexico's unsolved murders draw fury
Hundreds protest slaying of 370 women in Juarez
Huge numbers of girls have been kidnapped, mutilated and murdered in Juarez, Mexico. A city of sweatshop factories and a way-town for inmigrants on their way north to the USA, this desert city is also rife with gang violence related to the drug trade. A thoroughly corrupt administration is falling under public scrutiny, being called attention to by a host of international celebrities. Even Willamette University's Vagina Monologues drew special attention tot he plight of the women of Juarez.
Employers Insist on Paying per Hour
Employers have insisted that the minimal monthly salary is removed from the Bulgarian system of payment and replaced with fixed hourly payment rates. Such a change follows closely the American payment system and would be quite new for Bulgaria, where currently most of the monthly earnings are a fixed value. The Minister of Labor and Social Policy argues that such a change will be beneficial, especially for students and housewives, and also that it will significantly reduce unemployment.
Award Named after Radichkov Established
Yordan Radichkov died at the age of 74 on January 21st, 2004. He is one of the most significant Bulgarian authors of the last quarter of the past century. Radichkov▓ style stood out with incredible individuality even during the period of strong socialist influence on prose. His name has gone far beyond the borders of Bulgaria as his books have been translated into more than 30 languages. The award, honoring him is established in Vratsa, the town where Radichkov started his career.
Radichkov▓s Obituary:
Slovenia Stole BG Rakia
Rakia (grape brandy) is the most popular alcohol in Bulgaria with a long-stnading tradition of preparation and consumption. Now Slovenia has managed to patent it first for European Union exports. Such a development is clearly seen as a disgrace by the Bulgarian people as suddenly another country presents a Bulgarian symbol as its own. It is not about the alcohol, it is rather a question of identity and pride.
Ship Sank with 18 Bulgarian Sailors on Board
A ship with 18 Bulgarian soldiers on board sank near the Bosphorus. The vessel was sailing under Cambodian flag, but almost all members of the crew were Bulgarian sailors. The heavy snow storms around the Turkish capital have paralyzed the entire city, forcing authorities to close all sea ports.
Brussels Gives EUR 3.5 B to Bulgaria, Romania Gets 6.5 B
The European Commission will allot to Bulgaria and Romania some 9-10 billion euro in the first three years of their membership. Bulgaria will get a little over one-third of the sum, the rest will go to Romania. Some of the money will be for closing the 3rd and 4th blocks of the nuclear power plant in Kozloduy.
Enel, Mitsui eye Bulgaria power project-minister
Italian Energy Company ENEL and Japanese trading company Mitsui have jointly offered to build a Bulgarian coal-fired plant at its Maritsa East power complex, the energy ministry said on Friday. Three years ago Bulgaria signed a deal for the construction of a 670-megawatt plant at Maritsa East One section with the U.S.-based company AES Corp. But the project has failed to kick off because AES has had difficulties in securing funding. Bulgaria is to decide whether to replace the U.S. company with a new investor, ministry officials have said.
After a great break at home, Ecuador, I’m back with some news from my country. Things haven’t change that much.
Ecuador requests to Colombia more military and police presence in the North border
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Patricio Zuquilanda demanded that Colombia must place a larger presence of military and police control on its border with Ecuador; to immediately regulate the migratory situation in that sector
The New York Times criticized oil policy in Ecuador
An article published in The New York Times on February 10th 2004, criticized the lack of a suitable oil policy in Ecuador
Miss Universe 2004 will take place in Ecuador
Miss Universe will take place this year in Quito in June. According to the Minister of Foreign Trade and President of the Foundation Miss Ecuador 2004, Ivonne Baki, this is a very good opportunity to attract tourism and investment as this event will be televised in more than 150 countries, including China. “It’s the best way to show the country to the world since it will be watched by more than one billion people”.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder resigns from his post as head of the Social Democratic Party. Is this the beginning of the end for him? Some say so, how can you lead a country when you can’t even lead your own party?
Schröder was reelected in 2002 and he is supposed to be our chancellor until 2006.
What’s going on in German schools?
Several recent cases of extreme violence at German schools have provoked officials to call for video surveillance. Experts say this won't help, adding that more trust between teachers and students is needed.
And unfortunately it’s not enough to have our own problems, German soldiers try to take care of people in countries far away, such as Afghanistan. Germany even had the command of the NATO-led peacekeeping force but handed it over to Canada now.
Following up on last week’s article on the dispatch of Japanese troops to Iraq, here is an editorial piece which poses some interesting questions and makes some insightful observations on some of those themes. The author seems to suggest that Japan’s willingness to aid the United States is fuelled by ulterior motives. At a time when most of the world has denounced the war, Japan has proven to be a faithful ally by agreeing to dispatch troops for the first time since World War II. Could politics be playing a role? What do you think?
NO MORE GYUDON!?!!!!! What is gyudon and why is it going away? Gyudon is a bowl of rice topped with pieces of seasoned beef. It’s really good…so why get rid of it?
The political war over abducted Japanese citizens by North Korea during the 1970’s continues to this day. Some progress has been made in that some of the abductees have been recently repatriated. Yet some Japanese are still being kept in North Korea.
Ukraine ratified the Kyoto Protocol
On the fourth of February the Supreme Council of Ukraine ratified the Kyoto Protocol on limiting and lowering emissions of greenhouse gases that affect the atmosphere. According to the protocol, a country takes its own responsibility for limiting the emissions of harmful wastes. 242 deputies voted in support of this decision, exceeding the required 226 votes.
The protocol, which was accepted by many industrially developed countries in 1997, is a national agreement between Europe, Japan and Canada that judicially requires those countries to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Among the countries that have not yet ratified the Kyoto Protocol is the United States and Russia.
A Successful Operation
On the February 5th, Ukrainian servicemen in Iraq succeeded in apprehending several people supplying weapons to terrorist groups. Various arms and artillery were confiscated.
This operation was in coordinated with a subunit of F-15 fighter jets supplied by the U.S. Air Force. More recently, the 9th of February marked the first rotation of Ukrainian serviceman in Iraq. The original 404 servicemen returned to Ukraine replaced by another group of 415 peacemakers. Commander Kikolay Petruk emphasized that their main tasks in Iraq are to do their job well and to return to the Ukraine alive and unharmed.
No Sales Here!
An assistant to the Ukrainian president re-ignited controversy over the possible sale of nuclear technology to the Taliban in 1998 by questioning Secretary of the Ukrainian National Security Council Vladimir Gorbulin. According to the Arabic newspaper Al-Hiyal, terrorist organization Al-Qaeda based in Afghanistan, has been in search of such technology. Al-Hiyal also mentions that Ukrainian scientists had visited Kandahar, Afghanistan in 1998, the same year that Gorbulin assumed the position of Security Council Secretary. Gorbulin denies any allegations that Ukrainian scientists visited Kandahar since 1991. The dismantling of nuclear weapons and programs in Ukraine began on May 31, 1996.
