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“America smashed the record for billion-dollar weather disasters this year with a deadly dozen, and counting. With an almost biblical onslaught of twisters, floods, snow, drought, heat and wildfire, the U.S. in 2011 has seen more weather catastrophes that caused at least $1 billion in damage than it did in all of the 1980s, even after the dollar figures from...
Last Tuesday, Herman Van Rompuy sent a confidential report to all EU leaders asking them to “respond vigorously by immediate action” to financial issues in Europe. It directed them to take decisive actions to save Europe.
Last Friday, EU leaders met in Brussels to discuss an intergovernmental treaty that will enforce stricter financial laws among EU members. Four nations initially rejected the treaty but with “a strong diplomatic push… the Czech Republic, Hungary and Sweden entered the fold later.” Britain was the only one of the 27 EU nations to reject the treaty.
As of last Monday, the whooping cough (pertussis) outbreak in three Illinois counties included more than 500 diagnosed cases. Public health officials say the actual number of cases is much higher, but that the 500 represent solely “medically diagnosed” cases. In McHenry County alone there were 172 cases on Monday—up from just nine cases during the entirety of...
In another groundbreaking announcement this week, the White House highlighted its “wide-ranging effort to use U.S. foreign aid to promote rights for gays and lesbians abroad, including combating attempts by foreign governments to criminalize homosexuality.” Aid typically used to support and establish democratic governments, fight oppressive dictatorial regimes...
Last week, Iranian protesters in Tehran stormed the British Embassy. According to the Geneva Convention, host nations are responsible for the safety and protection of foreign diplomats on their soil, yet virtually no protection or intervention was provided by Iranian security forces. In response, the British Foreign Secretary announced the immediate closure of...
“Mexico is being battered by its worst drought in seven decades, which has devastated farm life and is expected to continue into next year. The lack of rainfall has affected almost 70 percent of the country,” with the northern states experiencing the most severe drought. “The government has cut its forecast for corn production [the staple crop] two times in...
With the ongoing debt crisis in Europe, the specter of an EU break-up looms ominously over the continent. Many nations now see the negative repercussions of such a breakup and are calling for action to prevent it. This week Poland’s Foreign Affairs Minister made a sobering appeal from Berlin: “I will probably be the first Polish foreign minister in history to...
Plunging European real estate values have China eyeing future infrastructure purchases. Despite European nations being loath to sell their infrastructure to China (e.g., railroads, power companies, and factories), Chinese investors are circling and waiting for prices to “hit bottom.” China’s Minister of Commerce made the following statement this week: “Next...
For years, scientists have warned about the growing strength and drug resistance of bacteria. In Europe, nations are reporting drug resistance of up to 50% with some bacterial infections. This means that antibiotics used to treat certain bacterial infections are failing half of the time. Experts cite overprescribing and misuse as major reasons that...