Europe
UK Parliament’s first steps for upper House reform
The House of Commons voted last night to enable a Lords reform bill to move on to the next stage of its parliamentary passage. The Bill proposes a reform to the lower house by democratizing its Members. It recently omitted the possibility of a referendum on the issue. The vote passed despite a total of 91 Conservative MPs rebelling against the plans. It is the biggest rebellion of the current Liberal Democratic – Conservative coalition Government. The Liberal Democrats, who first manifested a proposed reform in 1909 (as the then Liberal Party), have expressed disappointment at so many Conservative Backbenchers not backing the bill.
Austerity measures increased in Spain
The Prime Minister of Spain, Mariano Rajoy, has released plans to make further cuts to the public budget. The plans include a sales tax rise as part of austerity measures, which will contract the public budget by 65 billion Euros, 6.5% of GDP. There is also a VAT rise due. Other countries welcome the cuts in the single currency after last month’s fiscal injection into Spain’s financial sector. They have given Spain another year, extended to 2014, to hit its budget targets. Domestically however, the cuts have fueled protests by miners in Madrid.
Africa
Peacekeepers redeployed to Congo
The United Nations (UN) has redeployed peacekeepers to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The peacekeepers are due in the city of Goma, to protect civilians from mutineers. Despite the decision by the UN, the M23 Mutineers have stated that they intend to begin talks with the government and have no intention of taking Goma. The fighting has caused an estimated 200,000 people to flee their homes in the past three months to Uganda and Rwanda.
Warlord receives sentence for recruiting child soldiers
The Congolese warlord, Lubanga, has been sentenced at The Hague to 14 years in prison for the use of child soldiers in 2002/2003. In effect, this amounts to an additional 8 years extension to his current sentence for war crimes. Lubanga was the first person, after being sentenced in March, to be prosecuted in The Hague the international criminal court.
Asia
Japan and China
Japanese officials have called on China’s ambassador to protest against Chinese patrol boats, which were reportedly seen close to disputed islands in the East China Sea. The islands are claimed by Japan, China and Taiwan but are controlled by the Japanese government. The tensions now follow a diplomatic row between Japan and China in 2010. China has officially said that the boats were carrying out a “fishery protection mission”.
North America
San Francisco officials boycott Apple Macs
San Francisco local government officials are to boycott the use of Apple Macs. Officials have said that the decision is because Apple pulled out of the EPEAT environmental scheme. The green scheme identifies electronic devises that pose the least risk to the environment. The decision has gained a lot of attention due to the fact that Apple’s head-quarters are 43 miles from the city.
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