Turin automobile museum reopens
Turin’s automobile museum has reopened after four year’s refurbishment.
The enlarged building is now home to one of the rarest and most valuable car collections in the world, displaying some 200 vehicles from the earliest experimental days to now.
Gaddafi threat on interference
Government supporters have been out the streets of the Libyan capital in defiant mood, waving pictures in allegiance to Colonel Gaddafi.
Meanwhile his latest pronouncements have been made on state television through a spokesman, a clear warning against military intervention in Libya.
“The Security Council is not authorised according to the UN charter, to intervene in the internal affairs of any country. This is injustice. It’s a clear aggression and it’s uncalculated risk for its consequences in the Mediterranean and Europe. You will regret it if you take a step towards intervening in our internal affairs”
To read : Libya: a timeline of international diplomacy
‘Iranian Berlinale’ comes to a close
As the Berlin Film Festival came to an end, its most enduring image remained an empty chair. It symbolised the absence of jury member Jafar Panahi, one of Iran’s leading directors, imprisoned for making films critical of his government.
Major quake hits Christchurch hard
With at least 65 people killed and upwards of 100 more people trapped in shattered buildings, New Zealand’s second city Christchurch is counting the cost of its second major earthquake in five months.
Night has now fallen and rescuers are racing against time to try and save lives.
“All of our energy tonight is really focused on the need to rescue people. As you will have heard already in the central city we have a significant number of fatalities,” said Mayor Bob Parker.
Unlike last year’s quake which hit the city during the night, this tremor struck at lunchtime, pitching masonry into busy streets and flattening buildings full of workers. Buses were crushed and the water table was forced up, flooding wide areas.
Many roads have been cut isolating some communities, and the military and helicopters have been mobilised to help with the relief effort. A state of emergency has been declared for Christchurch, where ambulances are in short supply and hospitals are struggling to cope with the influx of injured.
International coalition gears up to strike Gaddafi
RAF fighter jets are set to play a frontline role in the international military operation against Colonel Gaddafi’s forces.
Britain will make a key contribution, despite divisions at home over its protracted and controversial campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.
With many strategically-placed platforms, NATO is still defining what its mission will be. The French will be heavily involved. Italy, Libya’s former colonial power, has offered its airbases. But fellow members Turkey and Gemany have spoken against alliance intervention.
While the US has warships in the region, questions remain over its participation in an initial operation against Libyan forces.
To read : Libya: a timeline of international diplomacy how-international-reaction-to-libya-evolved/
On paper, the Gaddafi military machine before the uprising comprised 100,000 troops, backed by heavy artillery, tanks, warplanes and a small navy.
After seemingly endless rounds of diplomacy, the use of force was authorised by the UN Security Council on Thursday. Russia, Germany and China were among 5 of its 15 members to abstain.
Bahrain tears down “bad memory” protest statue
Authorities in Bahrain have torn down a statue in Manama’s Pearl Square, the focal point for anti-government protests in the small Gulf state.
The government said it was an effort to erase “bad memories”.
Last weekend saw clashes as protests began hitting business. An escalation in tension culminated in a security crackdown in midweek.
At least nine people were reported killed, including six police officers.
The US condemned the authorities’ use of force; the UN’s human rights chief, Navi Pillay, called it “shocking and illegal”.
The outside world is watching closely – but some influential figures do not put the repression on a par with that in Libya.
The British Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, said:
“I think it would be wrong to try and draw neat comparisons between the situation in Bahrain – the tensions between the Sunni and the Shia communities there – and the decades of brutal abuse of the human rights and freedoms of people in Libya by an authoritarian regime under Colonel Gaddafi.”
The opposition has condemned as an invasion the arrival of troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to restore order.
Bahrain says more are on their way.
Much is at stake in the region, with the Saudis alarmed at the prospect of a Shi’ite revolution in its neighbouring country.
Italy calls for EU to share migrant burden
Italy is urging other European countries to take a greater share of the immigrants pouring across from North Africa.
The tiny island of Lampedusa is just south of Sicily. It is only 150 kilometres from the Tunisian coast and has borne the brunt of the flood of refugees.
The government says 15 thousand have entered Italy since the start of the year and numbers have surged as the turmoil in North Africa grows.
Locals complain bitterly of being abandoned by Rome.
One women told reporters that locals are not angry with the refugees as it is not their fault, but they are angry with the government who do nothing.
That anger has spilled over into protest, as inhabitants fathered on the dock to prevent the unloading of a ship carrying equipment to build a tent city to house the refugees.
It is now estimated migrants outnumber the Italian inhabitants of Lampedusa.
Uganda’s President wins disputed poll
Uganda’s long-time President Yoweri Museveni has won a fourth term in office, extending his 25 years in charge.
Official results show Museveni secured victory by a huge margin, just over 68 percent, compared to his rival Kizza Besigye who could only muster around a quarter of the total vote.
The opposition, however, called the election a sham and claim massive sums of money had been used to buy votes and bribe polling agents. Besigye has threatened to call street protests.
Although the vote passed peacefully, EU observers said an unnecessary military presence on voting day had created an uneasy, intimidatory feeling.
Berlusconi sent for trial on sex charges
An Italian judge has sent the prime minister Silvio Berlusconi for trial on charges of abuse of power and having sex with a minor.
The date for the case has been set for 6th April.
The judge, Cristina Di Censo, followed the advice of prosecutors, who accuse Berlusconi of paying for sex with an underage Moroccan dancer.
They also say the prime minister put pressure on police to release the young woman after she had been arrested, suspected of theft.
Berlusconi has denied any wrongdoing, saying the investigations against him are politically motivated.
Ruby, the woman at the centre of the scandal, has appeared in a commercial for a book, wearing a bikini.
She also denies accusations that Berlusconi paid for sex with her.
Pressure on the prime minister has been mounting. On Sunday thousands of women demonstrated in Milan, calling for his resignation.
Japan looks to limit economic fallout
Japan’s economy has suffered a series of aftershocks since the massive earthquake and tsunami struck the country.
The Nikkei, however, clawed back some recent losses on Tuesday buoyed by signs that the nuclear crisis at Fukishima was easing.
Much uncertainty remains, but some believe the disaster could make Japan more productive in the long-term while also having a positive effect in the wider Asia region.
Senior economist at JP Morgan Securities Japan, Masamichi Adachi said: “In the short term, probably some negative impact could be inevitable, but in the medium to longer term as you mentioned some companies probably feel it is better to locate their factories outside of Japan, so that’s probably positive for the emerging Asian countries.”
He went on to say, “I think and I hope Japanese companies will strengthen their productivity and that will probably boost the economic expansion here.’‘
165 billion euros is one figure being touted for the cost of reconstruction. Such a massive rebuild is also likely to spur growth.
In the short term, however, radiation concerns from the Fukishima power plant remain the major worry. No more so than for Tokyo’s vegetable wholesalers who returned to work on Tuesday after a long weekend. They are facing supply halts to spinach and other green leaf vegetables from four prefectures in and around the Fukishima complex after the government ordered a ban on shipments.
Bahrain’s king vows to probe protester deaths
One mourner was shot dead by Bahrain’s security forces as he attended the funeral of a fellow anti-government protester on Tuesday.
The shooting happened on Tuesday morning, a day after demonstrations were held against the country’s monarchy.
The King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa, said an investigation would be carried out into the two deaths.
Bahrain has been ruled by a Sunni Muslim minority since the 18th century.
Shias make up 70 percent of the country’s 530,000 people.
They complain of systematic discrimination and want greater political freedom.
Bahrain’s main Shia opposition bloc, Wifaq, has started a boycott of parliament in protest at the killings.
Demonstrators on Monday held what they called a ‘Day of Rage’ inspired by the recent popular upheaval in Egypt and Tunisia.
Staying power of Yemen’s Saleh
Ali Abdallah Saleh has been in power in Yemen for 32 years, but how much longer can he hang on? A military man, the Yemeni President is increasingly isolated in the face of growing protests. He has made a series of concessions to the opposition while pursuing a violent crackdown on demonstrators.
He famously observed that ruling Yemen was “like dancing on the heads of snakes”, and despite having promised to step down in 2013, he has threatened to wage civil war in the country rather than leave power any sooner.
The history of Yemen is marked by divisions. The 1962 coup in which Saleh took part resulted in a civil war which lasted until 1970. During the same period, a rebellion was sparked against the British who controlled the strategically important port of Aden. The UK relinquished the territory in 1967 and subsequently a republic was established in the south of the country, with strong leanings towards Soviet Russia.
Saleh was named President of the north of Yemen in 1978 and president of the whole reunited country in 1990. He put down an insurrection in the south of the country in 1994. He managed to get tribal and religious leaders on board by offering them seats in the government and distributing subsidies.
In 1999, he won a landslide victory in the first ever presidential elections, with 77% of the vote, and repeated the same feat in 2006, to win a term which in theory will run until 2013.
He perhaps did not see the domino effect of the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions coming. The population of Yemen, 23 million, suffers 35 percent unemployment, rising to 50 percent among young people. Their oil has all but run out, the country is short of water and other resources, and the people have had enough of President Ali Abdallah Saleh.
Sweetened offer wins Genzyme for Sanofi
French drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis has agreed to buy US biotech group Genzyme with a improved cash offer the equivalent of almost 14.9 billion euros.
It will also make additional payments based on the success of Genzyme’s drugs.
The acquisition comes nine months after it was first proposed and the deal should increase Sanofi’s earnings through Genzyme’s treatments for rare diseases.
The value of the extra payments will depend on Genzyme’s experimental multiple sclerosis drug Lemtrada and production of two other medicines.
It is the second-biggest deal in biotech history and will help Sanofi offset declining revenue from drugs that have lost, or are going to lose, patent protection, which means competitors can make cheaper so-called ‘generic’ versions.
Shares in Sanofi rose as investors welcomed the boost to earnings.
Chinese consumers more pessimistic
Consumer confidence in China dropped in the final three months of last year hurt by expectations for rising prices.
China’s National Bureau of Statistics released the data based on surveys. It was the second consecutive quarterly decline.
Concerns about quickening inflation, especially surging property prices, and rising interest rates all had a negative effect on consumer confidence, the survey showed.
Of those consumers polled, 84 percent thought food prices would climb further over the next 12 months, up from 78 percent in the third quarter.
About 67 percent of those questioned believed property prices were on the ascent, up from 62 percent in the previous quarter.
China’s inflation is running close to two-year highs, and many analysts believe it could accelerate in coming months as global food prices soar.
Egyptian constitution suspended
Egypt’s ruling military council has suspended the constitution. On state television a spokesman said a committee will be formed to draft a new constitution for the country. The council will stay in power for 6 months, or until elections are held.
The same cabinet appointed by ousted President Hosni Mubarak will oversee the transition. Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq says the main priority is to restore security, and the economy.
“Our internal economic position is solid and cohesive”, he said. “We have enough reserves in the coming period and our situation is comforting, very comforting.”
But he also warned that if instability continues, there may be some obstacles.
The stock market has remained closed since the beginning of the uprising, and the Finance Minister says latest forecasts indicate Egypt’s economic growth slowing to between 3.5 and 4 per cent in the coming financial year.
That’s still higher than most western countries but lower than the 6 per cent that had been forecast before the revolution.
Syria “dignity” demonstrations end in bloodshed
Grainy images from the internet have shown protests that are the biggest threat yet to the authority of Syria’s President, Bashar al-Assad.
Reports from Deraa, near the border with Jordan, say at least four people were killed and hundreds more injured in a crackdown by security forces.
Demonstrations were also held in Damascus and in other towns, answering a call made on a social network site for a so-called “Day of Dignity.” The demand is for more freedom and democracy.
Syria’s ruling elite has indicated a belief that it is immune from uprisings sweeping the Arab world, citing economic liberalisation and a hardline against Israel. Latest events may prove it wrong.
Portugal warns of debt crisis critical moment
With the amount of interest that Portugal is having to offer to get investors to buy its bonds rising to unsustainable levels, Lisbon is appealing for urgent and effective support from the European Union – but not a bailout.
At conference in Lisbon Prime Minister Jose Socrates said the sovereign debt crisis is the EU’s biggest challenge.
Finance Minister Fernando Teixeira dos Santos said Europe must take swift tough action to protect peripheral economies against attacks from the investment markets. If not, he said, Portugal’s efforts to cut its budget deficit and implement painful reforms would count for nothing.
The Portuguese want action at an EU summit in three weeks time to convince investors of European resolve.
If that does not happen they fear the markets may launch another sell-off of euro zone sovereign debt hitting Portugal hard and forcing it to take a bailout, as Greece and Ireland already have.
Portugal’s pleas may fall on deaf ears, there are growing doubts about Germany’s willingness to support expanding or reconfiguring the bloc’s rescue fund enough to calm investors and reduce the pressure.
Ricardo Espirito Santo Salgado, who heads Portugal’s second largest listed bank, BES, criticised European indecision over how to combat the debt crisis.
He said lack of clarity over decisions to be taken at coming European meetings were behind the recent jump in the euro zone periphery’s bond yields, including Portugal’s.
“After a correction in sovereign spreads and credit at the start of the year, especially on expectations of a reform of financial stabilisation and budget coordination mechanisms, the uncertainty over the decisions by the European Council in March has contributed to a new rise in risk premiums,” he said.
Portugal’s borrowing costs have risen sharply over the last year and are now hovering near Euro-lifetime highs. The benchmark 10-year bond was at almost 7.6 percent on Monday.
Further concern over produce contamination
Levels of radioactive iodine twice the safe level for babies have been detected in tap water in Japan.
The government is advising residents to use bottled water to make up baby milk feeds until further notice. The news prompted a rush on sales of mineral water and many shops have run out.
The government in Tokyo has banned the transport of produce from the vicinity of the Fukushima nuclear plant. At least 11 different types of vegetable have been found to be contaminated.
Read our news file
The US has banned the import of food produce from the Fukusima area. Hong Kong has done the same, the first Asian economy to do so. France has urged the EU to monitor Japanese food imports.
Scientists say the short-term risk is very limited, but questions are being asked about the cumulative, long-term effect.
Still a long way from business as usual in Japan
With more than one week having passed since Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami the country’s carmakers and technology firms have been struggling to resume production.
In addition, a lack of parts from their factories is causing concerns about the supply chain to plants worldwide. Renault, General Motors and Samsung have already had to reduce production due to potential parts shortages.
Even those companies not been directly effected by the disaster are having trouble with logistics and shipping. Apple’s iPad tablet computer is assembled in China, but uses memory chips, batteries and screens that are made in Japan by hard-hit firms like Toshiba.
Meanwhile there was a much-needed boost to Japan’s battered businesses from billionaire investor Warren Buffett.
Speaking during a visit to a South Korean factory run by a company that is owned by one of his funds, Buffet said he would not be selling Japanese shares right now.
He told reporters: “Frequently something out of the blue like this, an extraordinary event, really creates a buying opportunity. I’ve seen that happen in the United States, I’ve seen that happen around the world, and I don’t think Japan will be an exception.”
He added: “It will take some time to rebuild. But it will not change the economic future of Japan.”
US warns of civil war as Gaddafi digs in
For the moment the west is only talking about a possible military response to the Libyan crisis.
NATO, whose forces have been taking part in a pre-planned exercise in southern Spain, says that any intervention would have to be authorised by the UN.
Read our news file
The US is moving ships closer to Libya, and is weighing up the pros and cons of imposing a no-fly zone.
The UN General Assembly is meeting in New York. For now the emphasis is on words against Gaddafi.
“He has lost his legitimacy when he declared war on his people. This is again a totally unacceptable situation, I hope, I sincerely hope and urge him to listen to their people’s call,” said the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Monday.
So far the Libyan leader has not given much sign that he is paying heed.
There has been more condemnation of his defiance to suggestions he should go, and his dismissal of protests against him.
“They love me, all my people with me, they love me all. They will die to protect me, my people,” said Muammar Gaddafi to suggestions that the people were against him, in an interview with western journalists.
There have been reports that GaddafiÂ’s forces have been attempting to regain control of rebel areas in western Libya.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has warned that the country could descend into a drawn-out civil war. “The stakes are high,” she said.
A top US military commander said Libyan air defences would have to be destroyed before a no-fly zone could be implemented.
The message seems to be: there are no easy options.
The rebels may be buoyant after recent successes. But GaddafiÂ’s departure may not be as imminent as some had hoped.
His son Saif al-Islam said on Tuesday: “we live here, we die here”.
