Category Archives: International

International

Taliban “rescue” 500+ people from Afghan Prison

Confusing reports about a jail break at the Kandahar prison.  Some say it was an attack, others say the prisoners dug their way out.  Kandahar prison had at least 1,000 prisoners.

Qari Yusuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, says they helped more than 500 prisoners escape.  It makes the third time that the Kandahar prison was attacked, and/or prisoners escaped.  Afghan police say 476 prisoners escaped.  The Taliban say they rescued 647 ‘brothers’.

Kandahar is also the location of the second largest U.S./NATO base in Afghanistan.


Business/Economics, International

Japanese farmland useless after Tsunami, adding to food crisis

Studies of the effects of the March 11 tsunami, on the farm land that was flooded, shows there is too much salt in the soil.  Not only is radiation a concern, but now salt.

Immediately after the tsunami Japanese officials were optimistic that the flooded farm land would not have too high a level of salt.  The latest testing of the soil proved otherwise.  78% of the 2,300 hectares (5,683 acres) of farmland, in Miyagi Prefecture, cannot be planted this year.  Farmers will try flushing their fields with fresh water.

Business/Economics, International

Toyota expecting parts supply problem to last for months, cutting production in Thailand

Toyota announced that production at its factories will not return to pre-March 11 levels, until December.  Toyota expects 2011 production levels to be lower than 2009.

Production in Japan will not pick up until July.  Production at all other Toyota plants will remain low until August.  And that’s a best guess: “We don’t know how the production recovery curve will shape up.”-Atsushi Niimi, Toyota Executive Vice President

Toyota officials pointed out that in today’s car factories it only takes one missing part to shut down production.  Especially when it comes to electronic parts.

Toyota is now cutting production at its Thailand factory by 50%, starting April 25.  Honda and Nissan have announced similar cuts at their Thailand factories.

 

 

Business/Economics, International

Iran and Brazil closer together, Iranian trade center to open in Brasilia

Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota announced his country’s new President, Dilma Rousseff, will continue the policies of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in regards to Iran: “Rousseff will stay on the path of her predecessor and mentor Lula da Silva.”

Now Iran will open a trade center in Brazil.  The move is meant to increase trade between the two countries.  According to a 2009 IMF report, Brazil is Iran’s largest trade partner in South America.  Iran also has trade deals with Venezuela, Ecuador, and Cuba.

International, U.S.

Iraqi religious leader issues warning for U.S., if it doesn’t leave as planned

“Americans occupied our country and started corruption in here and ruined whatever was left by Saddam, therefore after 7 years and based on the security agreement (between Iraq and the U.S.), all the U.S. forces should leave Iraq at the end of 2011.  The extended mission of the infidel occupiers in Iraq even for one single day after the mentioned date (as cited in the security agreement) is haram (religiously forbidden).”-Senior Iraqi Shiite Grand Ayatollah Kazzem al-Hosseini al-Haeri

International, U.S.

Iraqis attack U.S. base, again, 2 soldiers killed

Ever since officials from the Obama administration made statements about staying in Iraq passed the 2011 withdrawal date, the Iraqis have been really upset.  Not only protests, but attacking U.S. bases.

According to some reports a U.S. base was attacked on April 23.  Three rockets hit the Echo Army base near the city of Diwaniyah, in southern Iraq. This makes the fourth time the base has been attacked in the past few weeks.   On April 22, two U.S. soldiers were killed, patrolling in southern Iraq.  No details were given by U.S. officials.  So far for April nine U.S. personnel have been killed.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

New York City desperate to sell land to China

New York City’s Economic Development Corporation is hosting a weeklong program, trying to sell property to Chinese companies.

It’s another sign that the economy is not recovering.  Real estate agents can’t sell enough property to U.S. companies, so they’re trying to get the rich Chinese to buy it.

Several Chinese businesses have already opened New York City offices, include the apparel company Li & Wang, and several banks and investment firms.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Chinese bankers say dump U.S. dollar, buy other currencies

Several banking officials in China, have stated that they Chinese government needs to “reduce” and “diversify” their foreign currency holdings.

Tang Shuangning, chairman of China Everbright Group said China must reduce its excessive foreign exchange reserves and further diversify its holdings.

Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of China’s central bank, said that China’s foreign exchange reserves “exceed our reasonable requirement”.

Xia Bin, a member of the monetary policy committee of the central bank, said China should further diversify its foreign exchange holdings.

According to western media reports, most of China’s foreign currency holdings are in U.S. dollars.  This is part of why the value of the U.S. dollar hasn’t dropped as far as it should have.  But if the Chinese government listens to its bankers, then the dollar could crash.

When the Chinese bankers say China must reduce its current foreign currency holdings they’re talking about U.S. dollars.  They’re saying the Chinese government has too many, based on how bad the U.S. economy is.

When the Chinese bankers say they want the Chinese government to diversify foreign currency holdings, they mean they want to get rid of U.S. dollars and buy money from countries that have good economies, like Russia, India, South Africa and several South American countries.