Starting Points

Sep 11, 2012

Cairo Journal: For Egyptians, No Relief From Cairo’s Infamous Traffic

Cairo Journal: For Egyptians, No Relief From Cairo’s Infamous Traffic: Street vendors, erratic drivers, nonchalant traffic police: all contribute to a chaos in Cairo that is estimated to cost as much as $8 billion in lost productivity, delays and fuel waste.

Nation Rich in Land Draws Workers From One Rich in People

Nation Rich in Land Draws Workers From One Rich in People: The influx of Chinese farm labor in Russia reflects the growing trade and economic ties between the two countries, one rich in land and resources, the other in people.

Senate Control Is Up in the Air as Races Shift

Senate Control Is Up in the Air as Races Shift: Both parties have seen new opportunities and new challenges, but Democrats appear to be in less danger of losing the Senate, while Republicans have a more difficult path to gaining the majority.

Suspected Leftist Suicide Bomber Kills One in Istanbul

Suspected Leftist Suicide Bomber Kills One in Istanbul: A suicide bomber thought to be from a leftist militant group threw a grenade into a police station in Istanbul on Tuesday then blew himself up, killing a police officer and wounding at least seven other people.

U.N. Details Flows of Syrian Refugees

U.N. Details Flows of Syrian Refugees: in “an extraordinary acceleration,” the U.N. refugee agency said Tuesday, the number of people fleeing Syria jumped from 18,500 in June to 35,000 in July to 102,000 in August.

United States and Israel Engage in Public Spat Over Iran Policy

United States and Israel Engage in Public Spat Over Iran Policy: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel criticized the Obama administration on Tuesday over recent statements that the United States would not set deadlines for Iran to halt its uranium enrichment activities.

Car Bomb Kills 12 in Yemen, But Targeted Minister Escapes Harm

Car Bomb Kills 12 in Yemen, But Targeted Minister Escapes Harm: A blast alongside a convoy of vehicles used by Yemen’s defense minister came one day after a top operative for Al Qaeda in the country was killed.

Bits Blog: GoDaddy Says Its Troubles Were Not Hacker-Related

Bits Blog: GoDaddy Says Its Troubles Were Not Hacker-Related: GoDaddy, the Web services company, said that its extensive technical problems on Monday were a result of internal issues, not an attack by a supporter of Anonymous, the loose confederation of rogue hackers.

Egyptians Angry at Film Scale U.S. Embassy Walls

Egyptians Angry at Film Scale U.S. Embassy Walls: Some protesters pulled down the American flag over what they said was a film being produced in the United States that was insulting to the Prophet Muhammad, witnesses said.

In cradle of rebellion, hope that Colombia’s war might end - The Washington Post

Ethiopians gather beneath Washington Monument to celebrate their new year

Ethiopians gather beneath Washington Monument to celebrate their new year:
They arrived by foot and taxi, Metro and minivan, tens of thousands of Ethiopian Americans gathering beneath the Washington Monument, some waving their country’s flag, others dressed in the traditional gauzy-white clothing of their homeland. Tourists wandered by and wondered what was happening. World Cup? Political demonstration?
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In Yemen, tribal militias in a fierce battle with al-Qaeda wing

In Yemen, tribal militias in a fierce battle with al-Qaeda wing:
Jaar, Yemen — Abdul Latif al-Sayid knows a lot about the al-Qaeda militants lurking in this tense southern town. He knows their tribes, knows their tactics. He knows because he used to be one of them. That’s why they are trying to kill him.
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Chicago teachers strike reverberates nationwide, in presidential race

Chicago teachers strike reverberates nationwide, in presidential race:
Teachers in Chicago went on strike for the first time in 25 years on Monday in a bitter dispute with Mayor Rahm Emanuel that is reverberating across the country as the issues at the core of the conflict — teacher evaluations tied to student test scores, a longer school day and other education policy changes — are being hotly debated from Hawaii to Maine.
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U.S. Officials Back East Timor Membership in Asean - Southeast Asia Real Time - WSJ

China Sends Ships to Disputed Islands

China Sends Ships to Disputed Islands: Chinese state media said that two government surveillance vessels had reached waters near the disputed Senkaku islands, a day after Japan announced it planned to purchase some of the islands from private owners.

Lion Air Places Order for More Boeing Planes

Lion Air Places Order for More Boeing Planes: Indonesian budget carrier Lion Air has ordered 10 more Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner passenger jets to boost its long-haul flight capability, crucial to its ambition to emerge as an aggressive player in the Asian-Pacific air-travel market.

Floods in Northern Thailand Renew Fears

Floods in Northern Thailand Renew Fears: Concerns about Thailand's anti-flood defenses are growing after parts of a city in the country's north were inundated by up to a meter of floodwater, nearly a year after some of the worst flooding in the country's history.

Missing Xi Complicates Meeting Preparations

Missing Xi Complicates Meeting Preparations: Vice President Xi Jinping's absence from public life could delay preparations for China's leadership change this fall, say party insiders, analysts and diplomats.

In Iraqi Kurdistan, Satisfaction With Infrastructure Crumbles

In Iraqi Kurdistan, Satisfaction With Infrastructure Crumbles: Residents of Iraqi Kurdistan report less satisfaction with key infrastructure and perceive more corruption in 2012 than they did in previous years, while attitudes in the rest of Iraq have improved.

U.S. Consumer Spending Climbs Close to a Four-Year High

U.S. Consumer Spending Climbs Close to a Four-Year High: Americans' self-reported daily spending rose to an average of $77 in August, up from $73 in July, and the best August spending level recorded since 2008. It is also the highest average monthly spending since December 2008.

Many Key Indicators Better Than When Obama Took Office

Many Key Indicators Better Than When Obama Took Office: A review of key economic and political indicators Gallup tracks finds most have improved since Barack Obama took office, although many were quite low in February 2009 and have shown ups and downs since.

U.S. Economic Confidence Surged 11 Points Last Week

U.S. Economic Confidence Surged 11 Points Last Week: Gallup's U.S. Economic Confidence Index surged to -18 last week, up from -29 the week prior. Democrats and independents, whose economic confidence spiked after the start of the Democratic National Convention, drove this surge.

With Senate at stake, GOP waits on Akin’s next move, McCaskill goes on offense:
MARYVILLE, Mo. — Three weeks after Republican Rep. Todd Akin upended the national political landscape by claiming that pregnancies rarely result from “legitimate rape,” the race for Senate in this increasingly conservative state — and in many ways the battle for control of Congress’s upper chamber — has settled into a waiting game.
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