Stimulus, bailout…Let us print $!

Well, the stimulus finally passed in the Senate. Before it is signed by President Obama, the administration together with both the House and the Senate have to put the final touches. That means we don’t know yet what will the final product contain. Read the rest of this entry »

Let us avoid protectionism

The Obama administration has already begun to ruffle some feathers abroad. Let us hope this does not turn into another à la Bush attitude. It seems that the new Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said that China should let loose restrictions on its currency. Read the rest of this entry »

From Davos without love…

With the global economical turmoil the annual gathering in Davos, Switzerland to last from the 28 January until the 1 February has become less glamorous and more intense. There have been probably not winners but some losers among the poorest nations in the world as those who have still more than enough are nevertheless feeling a little the pinch and contributing less. Read the rest of this entry »

Bush: “Goodbye from the world’s biggest polluter”

Another G8 summit has just finished. The issues discussed ranged from rising food and energy prices to aid for Africa and the political crisis in Zimbabwe. Of course global warming was one of the main problems in everybody’s mind. But after all the meetings and talks, is the planet going to be any better? Hard to say but certainly not in the near future. Read the rest of this entry »

The world empathizes with China

When I wrote the article about the world tragedies on May 18th I omitted what has turned out to be another huge catastrophe which I don’t want to ignore as we all can still do something to help with contributions and physical aid: the powerful earthquake that struck China on the 12th of May. Read the rest of this entry »

The men in blue and the Olympic Torch

We saw them in London, we saw them in Paris. Most probably we will see them in San Francisco. Who are these men? Officially they are flame attendants employed by Bocog (Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee) which has organized the global relay whose role is to make sure the flame never goes out. In reality they are well trained Chinese security guards sent to ensure the Olympic flame is always on even at night and during the flights, when the torch is kept in specially-made closed lanterns. What it could have been a relatively easy job for them has been complicated by the ongoing tense situation between China and the Tibetans which has escalate with the intense protests from pro-Tibet and human-rights demonstrators intent in disrupting the global procession of the Olympic flame. Read the rest of this entry »

Sarkozy to possibly boycott the Olympic Games?

With his official visit to the United Kingdom that begins on March 26, the French President Nicolas Sarkozy will try to improve his ratings which dipped again last weekend. after his ruling centre-right party was battered in recent local elections in the French municipalities. But prior to this trip he had to do something about the impression of indifference towards the decisions of the government of Beijing of his administration. While several European heads of governments had declare their positions against the Chinese repression in Tibet, the silence of Sarkozy was strange to say the least, specially for somebody like him who loves to express his opinions about everything. Finally, this past Monday the 24, the Elysée found its voice about Tibet. Sarkozy sent a message to his Chinese homologue Hu Jintao letting him know about “his profound emotion after the recent tragic events” adding that he was transmitting his wish for the quick renewal of the dialog engaged for several years between the Chinese authorities and the representatives of the Dalai Lama.

The message was express in a typical French diplomatic way, at which they excel, wishing that “all the Tibetans feel able to live fully their cultural and spiritual identities in the midst of the Popular Republic of China.” It was a message clearly lacking a condemnation of the Chinese politics in Tibet.

One day later, Sarkozy being Sarkozy must have thought of the possible backlash it could happen were the conflict to escalate and asked whether he supported a boycott of the Olympic games in Beijing the next August 8, he said he could “not close the door to any possibility” and added that he had told Chinese President Hu Jintao of “ his concern, asking for restraint, dialogue and the end of violence in Tibet.”