World News Desk – July 4, 2008
Posted/Updated: 2008-07-04 12:26:56
INTERNATIONALThe World in Review
A snapshot of events around the world | Updated each Friday
1. Canada:
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Canada rejected Zimbabwe’s internationally discredited presidential election, condemning President Robert Mugabe’s government as “illegitimate and illegal” and imposing sanctions against the African nation.
The CBC reported that in an unprecedented move, ten uniformed soldiers of the Armed Forces marched in Toronto’s annual “Gay Pride” parade. One of the soldiers, a lieutenant, said that “their presence sends a message that the Canadian military is inclusive and an equal-opportunity employer.” (See related article)
Canwest News Service: “A ‘perfect storm’ has struck the Canadian market for new stock issues, driving activity in the second quarter to record lows and promising to deliver the worst year of the decade, PricewaterhouseCoopers said” (John Morrissy, Canada.com).
2. United States:
Northern California continued to burn as more than 1,400 wildfires engulfed half a million acres of countryside, and have put more than 8,000 homes at risk. In the Big Sur region, authorities urged residents to evacuate their homes and businesses. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger called in the National Guard to assist in firefighting efforts. To date, only one person has died: a 63-year-old volunteer firefighter.
The White House reported that Iraq reached 15 of its 18 benchmarks, with only two benchmarks—enacting laws establishing a strong militia disarmament program and ensuring equal distribution of energy resources—graded as “unsatisfactory” or “unmet.”
3. Colombia: Disguised as rebels, Colombian commandos tricked FARC guerillas into handing over 15 hostages, including Íngrid Betancourt, a Colombian-French politician who had been held captive for nearly six and a half years.
4. United Kingdom:
A Health Protection Agency study revealed that sexually transmitted infections—including herpes, syphilis, gonorrhea, genital warts—doubled from 1996 to 2003 in people over age 45, partly due to Internet dating and erectile dysfunction drugs.
Lord Phillips, the Lord Chief Justice and the nation’s top judge, supported the Archbishop of Canterbury’s controversial remark that aspects of Sharia law, such as financial and marital disputes, should be adopted in Britain among Muslims. (See related article)
5. Egypt: At the African Union summit, African leaders increased pressure for Robert Mugabe to share power in Zimbabwe. (See news brief)
6. Israel:
The Israeli cabinet approved a German-mediated deal between Hezbollah and Israel: Hezbollah would exchange two captured Israeli soldiers; Israel would hand over five Lebanese soldiers, along with the corpses of Hezbollah militia.
Meeting in Jerusalem, a group of conservative Anglican bishops and leaders agreed to create their own council of archbishops and statement of doctrine, in reaction to the church ordaining homosexuals to the clergy. (See news brief)
In an act of terrorism, a Palestinian heavy-equipment operator swerved a bulldozer onto the wrong side of the road in Jerusalem, killing three people and injuring 57, before he was shot dead.
7. Saudi Arabia: King Abdullah said that oil consumer countries “have to adapt to the prices and the mechanisms of the market,” adding that Saudi Arabia—the world’s number one oil exporter—has “nothing to do with the current sharp increase in crude prices” (Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Siyassah).
8. Zimbabwe: Robert Mugabe was sworn into his sixth presidential term in office, despite criticism from the international community. (See related news brief)
9. Somalia: Escalating violence between Islamist insurgents and government forces and their Ethiopian allies has caused more than 20,000 people this year to cross the Gulf of Aden to take refuge in Yemen—twice the number who fled during the same period in 2007. (See related article)
10. China:
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited China, urging Beijing to loosen Internet access restrictions and to back UN action on Zimbabwe. She also praised China for its recovery efforts after the May 12 earthquake. In addition, the Christian Post reported, Secretary Rice “praised the self-sacrifice and relief efforts of Christian charitable organizations in China…while surveying disaster struck areas throughout Sichuan province as part of a greater goodwill tour with Chinese officials.” (See related news brief)
Regular weekend charter flights were resumed between mainland China and Taiwan for the first time in 59 years.
11. North Korea: In a rare event, a U.S. cargo ship delivered 38,000 tons of food, as part of a deal signed by Washington, the United Nations, North Korea and other parties. The deal permits the World Food Programme and other international aid workers greater access to the hunger-stricken country.
12. South Korea: A rally protesting against U.S. beef imports turned violent, as police and demonstrators clashed.
13. Japan: Protestors demonstrated in advance of the G8 Summit, to be held July 7-9 in Hokkaido, Japan.
14. Australia:
“Australian stocks…tracked Wall Street deep into official bear-market territory, slumping to their lowest level for almost two years as panicked investors dumped mining shares” (Lisa Macnamara, The Australian).
The nation was left in shock by a grisly triple murder: A 69-year-old grandfather killed his wife and two grandchildren, a seven-year-old boy and five-year-old girl, with an axe.
The Herald revealed that the government quietly introduced laws to prevent protestors from “causing annoyance” to participants in Sydney’s upcoming Catholic-based “World Youth Day,” which Pope Benedict XVI plans to attend. Protestors—including organizations representing victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests—are now required to clear placards, banners and T-shirts with the police, else risk being charged.
