The world still holds its breath (although its all over bar the shouting) with regard to the US Presidential election perhaps articulated best by my fave online daily cartoon strip UserFriendly.
However despite all the furore in the States, plenty of news is happening on November 3rd:
Sheikh Zayed bi Sultan al-Hahyan has died
Dignitaries are gathering in the United Arab Emirates for the funeral of its president, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, who died on Tuesday aged 86.
UAE citizens speak of a profound sense of loss over the death of Zayed, their only ruler since independence in 1971."Farewell our father, our sheikh and sage of the Arab world," Khaleej newspaper said in a banner headline.
I know little about the UAE, but his loss is obviously keenly felt - my condolences.
In theSudan, more abuses in a dreadful conflict:
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has called on the Sudanese government to stop its troops forcing refugees out of camps in the western Darfur region.
In Economic matters both the EU,
In Lisbon in 2000, the EU agreed on a plan to turn Europe into the world's most powerful and competitive economy.It was recently called a failure by a top Brussels official and has since been complicated by the EU's expansion.
and perhaps more convincingly China,
As China gets richer and stronger, the world is coming to share its belief that it merits recognition and respect as a great power. Through a combination of economic dynamism, skilful diplomacy and understated threat, it is already regaining much of its old imperial supremacy across Asia.Filling the void left by the former Soviet Union, it has also emerged as the likeliest challenger to the United States as a global superpower.
- seek to assert economic dominance over and perhaps more properly instead of, the US. An interesting statement from former Chinese foreign minister & vice-premier, Qian Qichen from monday:
The former vice-premier accused the US administration of trying to "rule over the whole world".He added that the "philosophy of the 'Bush Doctrine' is in essence force".
In an article printed in the state-run China Daily newspaper, Mr Qian also said the US-led Iraq war had sparked an increase in terrorist attacks.
Whereas the regieme has now 'properly' changed in Afghanistan as Karzai is declared president despite some irregularities with voting (no different to the US then):
The Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission said the decision to have only foreigners on the panel raised "a number of concerns" since many of the problems with the elections were blamed on international staff and organisations.
And elsewhere it appears Slavery, in its numerous forms, is stil an issue:
and on a more positive note:
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So lots going on in the world. Most of it impacted by the US election but perhaps not as much as the US would like to think.
Not sure what prompted this post per se but it seemed, like US news, too much focus has been given to the US. Despite the election's importance, the world as a whole will need to look elsewhere for answers, whatever the ultimate result turns out to be.
Posted by Paul Goodison at November 3, 2004 03:01 PM | TrackBack