Every Wednesday you will find links and top-line summaries to current events around the globe.
Pirates Free Spanish Ship, Seize Chemical Tanker [Reuters]
- The release of the Alakrana, seized along with its 36 crew in the Indian Ocean on October 2nd, came soon after news that pirates had captured another ship, a Virgin Islands-owned chemical tanker heading for Mombasa
- Pirate Nor told Reuters that Spain had agreed a ransom of $3.5 million for the Alakrana, one of at least 13 ships held off the Somali coast along with more than 230 crew as hostages
- There was a pause in hijackings during monsoon rains, but the Somali sea gangs have stepped up attacks in the past two months. Attacks off the Seychelles surged when pirates extended their range to evade navies patrolling off the Horn of Africa
Brown Vows to Continue War Effort in Afghanistan [New York Times[
- As President Obama moves closer to a decision on the United States military’s request for more troops in Afghanistan, the British government has made an unflinching commitment to continue its role as the second largest troop provider in the 43-nation coalition fighting the war
- They also renewed a commitment to increase, by an initial increment of at least 500 soldiers, Britain’s current Afghan deployment of 9,000 troops. That compares with the 68,000 already committed by the United States, and 27,000 from other coalition countries
- Obama has spent several weeks reviewing a request by Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the American and NATO commander in Afghanistan, for a further increase of as many as 40,000 troops
Israeli Settlement Plan Denounced [BBC]
- The US and UN have criticized Israel’s approval of 900 extra housing units at a Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the move would hamper Israeli-Palestinian peace talks
- The planning and construction committee authorised the expansion of Gilo, which is built on land captured in 1967. The land was later annexed to the Jerusalem municipality
- Nearly 500,000 Jews live in more than 100 settlements built on occupied territory in the West Bank and East Jerusalem
Big profit from nature protection [BBC]
- Money invested in protecting nature can bring huge financial returns, according to a major investigation into the costs and benefits of the natural world. It says money ploughed into protecting wetlands, coral reefs and forests can bring a hundredfold return on capital
- The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity study (Teeb) is backed by the UN and countries including the UK. Teeb is the first attempt to evaluate the economic value of “ecosystem services” – things that parts of the natural world do for free, such as purifying drinking water or protecting coasts from storms – on a systematic and global basis
- Although individual economists have made these arguments before, Teeb aims to draw all the evidence together and present it to policymakers, hoping it can persuade governments to invest in nature protection just as the Stern Review made the economic case for tackling climate change
Tamil Rebels Face Doubtful Future [BBC]
- The recent attempts by remnants of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) abroad to revive the movement have not succeeded so far. Now questions are being raised over the future of its international network and millions of dollars worth of assets spread across continents
- The group’s leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran, and his senior aides were killed in the final military assault on their stronghold in north-eastern Sri Lanka in May this year. Although the Tamil Tigers suffered a crushing blow within Sri Lanka their international network has largely remained intact
- Tamil Tiger investments overseas are said to range from grocery shops to real estate. Tamil Tigers are also believed to own commercial centres in many cities including Toronto, London and Paris. The estimates about the LTTE’s assets and investments range from $500m to $1bn
- Gold hits record near $1,150/oz as dollar slips [Reuters]
- ‘Greatest Trade’: How You Can Make $20 Billion [Wall Street Journal]
- GM Says 10,000 Jobs Could Go in European Shake-Up [Reuters]
- Nearly 15,000 Americans admit offshore tax cheating [Reuters]
- $500 Million and Apology From Goldman Sachs [New York Times]
- Australia issues top fire alert [BBC]
- Germany arrests top Rwanda rebels [BBC]
- Mercedes takes over Brawn F1 team [BBC]
China Holds Firm on Major Issues in Obama’s Visit [New York Times]
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