Saturday, August 05, 2006
Something bad happened in Iraq, well in perspective it's not so bad, but still...
Iraq
USAID hid information on construction overruns by classifying them as overhead or administrative costs, according to a new report by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction. The finding is based on an assessment of a children's hospital in Basra,which had a budget of only USD 50 million but estimation by contractor Bechtel put the actual price of completing the project to USD98 million. (NYT)
USAID hid information on construction overruns by classifying them as overhead or administrative costs, according to a new report by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction. The finding is based on an assessment of a children's hospital in Basra,which had a budget of only USD 50 million but estimation by contractor Bechtel put the actual price of completing the project to USD98 million. (NYT)
The Word from Europe
European Union
African civil society groups have called on the governments to stop negotiations on the proposed Economic Partnership Agreements(EPAs) with the EU, saying it would undermine development and lead to increased poverty. Addressing a news conference in Nairobi,the 16 civil society organizations from southern and eastern Africa said the new trade deals being pushed by the EU would make thecontinent poor. (Xinhua)
Ukraine
The World Bank has approved a USD 154.5 million line of credit to Ukraine's state bank Ukreximbank so that it can lend to eligibleprivate-sector banks, which would then offer medium-term working capital or long-term investment loans to eligible private exportersto boost their export potential. Continued growth of exports is a priority of the government, said World Bank Country Director PaulBermingham. (Reuters)
African civil society groups have called on the governments to stop negotiations on the proposed Economic Partnership Agreements(EPAs) with the EU, saying it would undermine development and lead to increased poverty. Addressing a news conference in Nairobi,the 16 civil society organizations from southern and eastern Africa said the new trade deals being pushed by the EU would make thecontinent poor. (Xinhua)
Ukraine
The World Bank has approved a USD 154.5 million line of credit to Ukraine's state bank Ukreximbank so that it can lend to eligibleprivate-sector banks, which would then offer medium-term working capital or long-term investment loans to eligible private exportersto boost their export potential. Continued growth of exports is a priority of the government, said World Bank Country Director PaulBermingham. (Reuters)
Japan proposes Free Trade Area
Japan
Japan will officially propose establishing a 16-nation free trade area (FTA) in the Asian and Oceania regions during a ministerialmeeting of the ASEAN nations and its partners, scheduled in Malaysia in late August. Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Ministerhad in April unveiled the idea of launching such FTA talks in 2008; individual talks are already under way. (Asia Pulse)
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Garunteed this will be an anti-China group.
Japan will officially propose establishing a 16-nation free trade area (FTA) in the Asian and Oceania regions during a ministerialmeeting of the ASEAN nations and its partners, scheduled in Malaysia in late August. Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Ministerhad in April unveiled the idea of launching such FTA talks in 2008; individual talks are already under way. (Asia Pulse)
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Garunteed this will be an anti-China group.
Indonesia - now provides health care for children and pregnant women.
Indonesia
In cooperation with the World Bank the government is initiating a cash-based program to send impoverished child laborers to school.The conditional cash transfer program, which is part of the effort to eradicate poverty and the worst forms of child labor, will betried out in six provinces as a pilot project. It will also provide health care for children and pregnant women. (The Jakarta Post)
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In other news the Indonesian Government is also considering installing seats in buses and trains for pregnant women and the elderly.
In cooperation with the World Bank the government is initiating a cash-based program to send impoverished child laborers to school.The conditional cash transfer program, which is part of the effort to eradicate poverty and the worst forms of child labor, will betried out in six provinces as a pilot project. It will also provide health care for children and pregnant women. (The Jakarta Post)
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In other news the Indonesian Government is also considering installing seats in buses and trains for pregnant women and the elderly.
India
The Indian government has announced a ban on children working as domestic servants or in roadside food stalls. The order applies to children under 14 and comes into effect in October. It also bans children from teashops, restaurants, hotels, motels, resorts, spasor other recreational centers. There are an estimated 12.6 million child workers; many work as domestic helps or in small roadside restaurants. (BBC)
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Welcome to the 1880s!
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Welcome to the 1880s!
China does what it wants
China
China will punish health workers who help to abort female fetuses, despite a recent decision not to criminalize the practice.China's legislature scrapped a bill in June that would have introduced fines and prison terms for aborting girls. But an official said that did not mean there was any relaxation in the policy against selective abortion. (BBC)
China will punish health workers who help to abort female fetuses, despite a recent decision not to criminalize the practice.China's legislature scrapped a bill in June that would have introduced fines and prison terms for aborting girls. But an official said that did not mean there was any relaxation in the policy against selective abortion. (BBC)
Afganistan Compact
Afghanistan
The multi-billion dollar "Afghanistan Compact" blueprint for partnership between the government and international community to bolster security, economic development and counter-narcotics efforts has achieved solid progress since its adoption in January, but continued global support is needed to consolidate gains, an expert panel including the UN has said. (UN News service)
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//Activate Development Decoder//
CMD: run.file,"devdecoder"
...reading
...key suspect prhases identified
1. "achieved solid progress"
2. "continued global support is needed to consolidate gains"
3. "expert panel"
...translating
1. no real gains were made but we will make it sound better by saying they improved anyway
2. no real gains were made but we said things improved so we had better cover ourselves. this is an excuse clause.
3. group of people who cloud issues and ideas with complex language so others can't question their ideas or solutions or expense accounts for that matter.
END TRANSMISSION
- TOVARISHCH
The multi-billion dollar "Afghanistan Compact" blueprint for partnership between the government and international community to bolster security, economic development and counter-narcotics efforts has achieved solid progress since its adoption in January, but continued global support is needed to consolidate gains, an expert panel including the UN has said. (UN News service)
***
//Activate Development Decoder//
CMD: run.file,"devdecoder"
...reading
...key suspect prhases identified
1. "achieved solid progress"
2. "continued global support is needed to consolidate gains"
3. "expert panel"
...translating
1. no real gains were made but we will make it sound better by saying they improved anyway
2. no real gains were made but we said things improved so we had better cover ourselves. this is an excuse clause.
3. group of people who cloud issues and ideas with complex language so others can't question their ideas or solutions or expense accounts for that matter.
END TRANSMISSION
- TOVARISHCH
Uruguay - Pays debt early
Uruguay
Economy Minister Danilo Astori has confirmed that Uruguay made an early debt payment of USD 900 million to the IMF. He said thedecision was based on the series of payments that Uruguay was scheduled to make to the IMF in 2007 and was partly funded by therecent placement of a USD 500 million 2022 bond, with the remainder drawn down from foreign reserves. (Dow Jones)
Economy Minister Danilo Astori has confirmed that Uruguay made an early debt payment of USD 900 million to the IMF. He said thedecision was based on the series of payments that Uruguay was scheduled to make to the IMF in 2007 and was partly funded by therecent placement of a USD 500 million 2022 bond, with the remainder drawn down from foreign reserves. (Dow Jones)
Zimbabwe - Inflation, Devaluation
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe's central bank has announced that three zeros will be taken off every banknote to help consumers deal with inflation ofalmost 1,200 percent. Zimbabweans have three weeks to exchange existing banknotes for a new series being issued from Aug.1. The bankalso announced what amounted to a 60 percent devaluation of the currency. (BBC)
Zimbabwe's central bank has announced that three zeros will be taken off every banknote to help consumers deal with inflation ofalmost 1,200 percent. Zimbabweans have three weeks to exchange existing banknotes for a new series being issued from Aug.1. The bankalso announced what amounted to a 60 percent devaluation of the currency. (BBC)
