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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 31-May-2011
31-May-11 World View -- Germans cave in on Greece bailout

Web Log - May, 2011

31-May-11 World View -- Germans cave in on Greece bailout

Pakistan to launch a major military offensive in North Waziristan

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com.

Pakistan to launch a major military offensive in North Waziristan

The Pakistan army, working in conjunction with the U.S. military, will lanuch a military offensive against al-Qaeda and Taliban safe havens in Afghan border regions. Humanitarian agencies have been quietly told to prepare for up to 365,000 displaced people (refugees) as a result. Dawn/Reuters

At secret meeting Germans cave in to demands for another Greece bailout

In a move that's typical of our times, the German government is shifting positions and will now consider simply providing more money to Greece on June 29 to make its next loan payments. The Germans had previously objected to this approach, since Greece would simply be borrowing more money to pay off existing loans, and had been demanding that Greece default on its debt in some way, preferably by simply extending the time period when payments on its debt would be due. The hope in all of this is that Europe will experience the fabled "V-shaped recovery" that will wipe out existing debt through growth. But the European Central Bank (ECB) has been bitterly opposed to any Greek default, and the Germans are now apparently giving in. However, the fight isn't over yet, since the parliaments of Germany, the Netherlands and Finland will have to approve this new bailout. Wall Street Journal (Access)

One of the demands to be imposed on Greece in exchange for the new bailout will be rapid privatization of some government assets, including Hellenic Postbank, the post office. Employees of Hellenic Postbank walked off the job on Monday, to protest privatization. Other companies subject to privatization joined the protests, which were peaceful. Kathimerini

Immigration a growing problem in Greece

An outbreak of crime and violence in Athens, Greece, is being blamed on xenophobia stemming from a large influx of immigrants. Greece is the first point of entry for many immigrants, and there are more than 40,000 asylum applications pending in Greece. Racist violence has increasing followed the fatal knifing of a 44-year-old Greek man on May 10, resulting in a "vicious cycle of hatred and barbarism." Kathimerini

Clashes between Mongols and police in China's Inner Mongolia

China's government has had to deal with clashes between Han Chinese and several ethnic minorities in the past few years -- the Tibetans in Tibet, and the Muslim Uighurs in Xinjian province. Now a new problem has arisen, with large anti-government demonstrations by Mongols in several towns in Inner Mongolia. Two people have been killed in clashes with police. AP

The Beijing government says that a comparison to the Tibet and Uighur riots is "improper." The Mongol riots were triggered by a traffic accident, and while there have been anti-government protests, there have not been clashes between ethnic groups, as there were in Tibet and Xinjiang. Global Times

Climate change experts shocked by rise in carbon emissions

The International Energy Agency (IEA) announced that a record 30.6 gigatons of carbon dioxide was released in the atmosphere in 2010, a rise of 1.6 gigatons from the previous year. The new figures were a shock to climate change experts, who had believed that the poor world economy would like the burning of fossil fuels that cause most of the emissions. Experts called for more government controls, enforceable international agreements, and the spending of vast sums of money to control future emissions. Telegraph

Generation gap splits Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt

Last Friday's demonstrations in Cairo, Egypt, have caused a further split in Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. The purpose of the demonstrations were to seek a "second revolution," because of activist impatience with the speed of governmental change. The Muslim Brotherhood had opposed the demonstrations, but the Muslim Brotherhood Youth took part in the demonstrations anyway. Now, the leadership is retaliating by suspending the membership of the Muslim Brotherhood Youth in the Revolution Youth Coalition. The Youth Coalition is deciding its next step. Al-Ahram

Over 100 Libyan army members defect from Gaddafi

Eight high-ranking Libyan army officers appeared in Rome on Monday saying they were part of a group of as many as 120 military officials and soldiers who had defected from Muammar Gaddafi's side in recent days in Libya. Reuters

Drought grips stretches of central and eastern China

Parched irrigation canal in central China's Hubei province (Reuters)

Parched irrigation canal in central China's Hubei province (Reuters)

Harvests of fish and rice in central and eastern China are in danger because of an extended drought, affecting 34 million people across five provinces. The drought also threatens to cut into power production. Reuters

China's schools will try to curb the 'mistress epidemic'

Young girls in China's southern Guangdong province will be taught how to avoid becoming a mistress. Many school and college girls become mistresses because they can make so much money doing so. A mistress from a less renowned school costs a man $3,000 per year, and up to $26,000 for students from the best campuses. Time

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 31-May-11 News -- Yemen's president hangs on to power as clashes spread to other towns thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (31-May-2011) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 31-May-2011 31-May-11 World View -- Germans cave in on Greece bailout

Pakistan to launch a major military offensive in North Waziristan

At secret meeting Germans cave in to demands for another Greece bailout

Immigration a growing problem in Greece

Clashes between Mongols and police in China's Inner Mongolia

Climate change experts shocked by rise in carbon emissions

Generation gap splits Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt

Over 100 Libyan army members defect from Gaddafi

Drought grips stretches of central and eastern China

China's schools will try to curb the 'mistress epidemic'

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 31-May-2011
31-May-11 World View -- Germans cave in on Greece bailout