Macedonia - what's in a name

The recent US recognition of the name Macedonia (to replace 'FYROM') has rewarded an ally in the war on terror. But have they all been a bit too keen ?Greece may still be threatening to block any EU bid for neighbours who pinch their best province names but that may not last more from The IWPR...However, suspicions linger that the latest member of 'new' Europe has been over zealous in proving it's loyalty at the expense of some economic migrants re-branded as terrorists more again from The IWPR...

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France - Socialist Yes or maybe No

The French Socialists vote on Wednesday on the EU Constitution, and it's a close race. Many see it as not protecting workers rights and being generally too 'neo-liberal'. A vote to not campaign for a Yes would be a blow for acceptance in any French referendum more from The EU Observer...It looks like being a long road to a final result for the EU on this.

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S.Korea - the men they didn't hang

A politician, Yoo In-Tae, once on death row himself, has tabled a bill to abolish capital punishment. Opposition activists in the 70's were threatened with hanging for political offences but now that experience is driving a new attempt at restricting the death penalty more from The JoongAng Daily...Two previous attempts, in 1999 and 2001, have failed but it's up for a third attempt this week. The proposed, more humane, alternative is life imprisonment (for life that is) more from Arirang TV News...

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China - sunk costs at the Sichuan dam

Although media have been banned from Sichuan province after the recent dam protest some reports have leaked out. The figures on numbers protesting or injured are heresay, but accounts that the building continues after a token dismissal of a scapegoat official and not so token flooding of the area with troops are interesting more from The Chosun Ilbo...The need for the power these projects provide means its no surprise the farmers will lose out but it must be hugely expensive to police a massive area in this way. The Hoover dam was never like this.

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Russia - time to let go of the near abroad

Russia's election monitor says the Ukraine vote was 'transparent, legitimate and free'. Others say only the ink was transparent more from The Moscow Times...Some see the threat of a divisive nationalist and ethnic conflict caused by Russia's, far too blatant, meddling still more from The Moscow Times...

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Spain - who cares about details (like the EU constitution)

Tony Blair said the new constitution was just tidying up the details. The Spainish seem to agree. A recent poll showed 45% were certainly in favour although 90% had little idea what it actually was. more from The EU Observer... Of the 25 members 15 have already ruled out a vote. So far only Lithuania has voted on it (yes) but Spain will vote in February 2005, Portugal in April. Actually finding out what's in the final draft is difficult but the BBC have put together a handy guide more here

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US - losing out South of the border (to China)

The 150 strong Chinese delegation to the APEC meeting in Chile this week has had a warmer reception than the damn Yankees. Analysts see this as a diplomatic triumph for Chinas 'soft power' image. South America is keen to sell it's food and commodities across the Pacific, especially when trade deals with Uncle Sam never seem to be signed. more from The Seattle Times...

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Japan - can it deal with China ?

For a country with a pacifist constitution Japan was quick to launch its gunboats. An'intruder' submarine turned out to be Chinese - is this just sabre rattling ?, more for domestic consumption than a real clash of interests ?. The BBC thinks it is all about oil but both parties have a shared problem that could benefit from a shared solution. more from The BBC... Domestic media are looking for talks, any talks will do. An interesting face saving idea is that both governments are in the wrong so why not discuss it more from The Asahi Shimbun... The Chinese media too are emphasising the potential benefits of better relations - like the bargaining power of an Asian free trade area more from the China Daily...

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China - not holding back the flood

Rural protests have pushed some development issues into the spotlight but now concessions may set a precedent. Local Party officials have been disciplined and work halted on a dam project in Sichuan province that had provoked mass unrest more from The BBC...

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Rural protests have pushed some development issues into the spotlight but now concessions may set a precedent. Local Party officials have been disciplined and work halted on a dam project in Sichuan province that had provoked mass unrest more from The BBC...

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Turkey - different rights, some wrongs ?

Commentators like to look on the bright side of the EU process but critics highlight different topics. The metropolitan press are concerned at being treated as 2nd class Europeans
more from Zaman... but Greek papers feature a different focus on 2nd class Turks more from The Kathimerini...

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Greece - tragic figures

The post-Olympic economic hangover has already prompted plenty of gloomy coverage. Now the Euro entry seems to have been based on dodgy figures more from The Kathimerini... and various kinds of fraud and inefficiency are routinely agonized over more here...

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Spain - tilting at the US

Spain's new socialist government has made positive noises about common interests with the US. However, no-one is convinced. The fact is there are few ties that bind more from the IHT...

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US - It's not the economy stupid

Exit polls rated moral issues the main concern for voters. Did that swing it for Bush ?. It was only one concern among many though, as it was only top issue for 22% of voters. In a close race it may tilt the balance so the Democrats will soon be forced to talk up 'liberal' moral issues more from The Christian Science Monitor...

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US - Arnie is big in Japan

The Pacific is no barrier to trade - or so California's rice farmers hope as The Governator starts a sales trip to Japan. Only Mexico accounts for more exports than Japan and now its economy is on the up, increasing imports of computers, electronics and food. China and the EU are on the list for the Arnie export drive next year more from the LA Times...

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Japan - oversea's aid for Asia

The amount spent on aid has shrunk but should it also be more focused on Asia ?. Total spend has fallen by 30% since 1997 but it's still seen as a waste. Some commentators are now suggesting focusing on aid for Asia and for 'human development' as opposed to roads and bridges. Nurses and care workers don't grow on trees. more from the Yomiuri Shimbun...

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Japan - sanctions are a possibility against N.Korea

The strange, but possibly true, 'abduction issue' may make some progress at last. Or not. Foreign Ministry officials are cautiously hoping for some results from a high level delegation to N.Korea to find some sort of explaination for the fate of ten missing Japanese citizens. Removing humanitaran aid is the stick , the re-election of Bush is another stick and removing the nuclear option through the Six Nations forum is yet another stick still. They may be right to be cautious more from Asahi Shimbun...

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China - less than silent protest

If rural unrest is becoming more common it's also harder to keep quite as new technology allows reports to leak out. Thousands of protests occur each year but domestic sources are quoted as saying there has been a 15% rise this year, with hundreds of thousands of people involved more from Reuters AlertNet...

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China - rural unrest

Ethnic conflict and violent protest are not part of the 'peaceful rise' plan. China's rural residents may be losing patience and are increasingly unwilling to be left out as the country modernises. Local media aren't in the habit of reporting it, but violent protests against local corruption and ethnic clashes with disadvantaged non-Han Chinese may be starting to boil over, more from Reuters AlertNet... Domestic news stories concentrate on more positive stories of social change and growth in China, such as a recent claim that up 80 million Chinese could now be labeled Middle Class without the stigma this attracted in the past, more from The China Daily...

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Turkmenistan - President pens 'spiritual guide' for Turkmen

President Saparmurat Niyazov’s cult of personality continues to worry observors. One, of many, examples are the arrests of those clerics unhappy with the promotion of his book of spiritual guidance outside Mosques, more from EurasiaNet. With politics dominated by one man a smooth transition to a more stable political system seems unlikely, more from Reuters AlertNet...

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China - US trade, 4 more years.

Maybe to balance previous rather scathing articles (see yesterday) the China Daily carries a leader today talking up the benefits of trade from four more years of the Bush men, more from the China Daily.. It's a similar line to the South Korean, and other, Asian business press - exports are all and everyone has a long spoon handy.

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China - undiplomatic comments

A senior Chinese official has been revealed as a Guardian reader more from the BBC ... This story is all over the web but I can't find the original article. Try the China Daily

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S.Korea - language learning is not tongue tied

Wondering who S.Korea's biggest trading partner is ? - now the US is a mere 2nd. Not Japan, not the EU, but China >more from The Chosun Ilbo.... Many see the straws in the wind and learn accordingly, from a variety of motives >more from The Los Angeles Times....

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S.Korea - money men hope for a Bush win

Tea-sipping Koreans mull over the implications of the US election for their economy. The business pages main worry is trade terms. Kerry is feared to be too 'protectionist' and may force the issue of some of the trade barriers that protect Korea's domestic market. Bush is seen as doing less for global stability but more for globalisation. The US is S.Korea's 2nd biggest trading partner and the biggest foreign investor>more from The Korean Herald...

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