Current Events for the Week of 12 September 2011

Current Events for Monday, 12 September 2011

Millions of Americans pause to remember the tenth anniversary of 9/11, U.S. Presidents George W. Bush (R.) and Barack Obama (D.) attend ceremonies at Ground Zero
Global stocks hit hard by Greek worries and Group of Seven (G7) inaction
Group of Seven (G7) ministers’ lack of concrete measures leaves euro (€), other growth-linked currencies under pressure
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou insists Greece can solve economic crisis, to stay in Eurozone
Budding rivalry between Republican presidential hopefuls Texas Governor Rick Perry, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney to be spotlighted in Florida debate, second in a week
The Financial Times: JPMorgan Chase & Co. chief executive officer (CEO) Jamie Dimon suggests U.S. should pull-out of Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) because the regulations are “un-American”
Former French government lawyer Robert Bourgi claims former French President Jacques Chirac, former Prime Minister Dominque de Villepin received $20 million in cash from African leaders
Monsoon flooding in South Asia displace hundreds of thousands, submerge entire villages
Chinese imports hit record high in August, indicating strong domestic demand despite global economic slowdown fears
U.S. Postal Service (USPS) finances under scrutiny, as losses mount
Fired Yahoo! CEO Carol Bartz resigns from board of directors, takes parting shots at board
Executive Board of the European Central Bank (ECB) member Jürgen Stark resigns in opposition to bond-buying program, shocks markets and German Chancellor Angela Merkel
Tropical Storm Nate weakens to tropical depression, coffee and sugar plantations in Veracruz, Mexico breathe sigh of relief
Violent protesters storm Israeli embassy in Cairo
Swedish Security Service (Säkerhetspolisen, SÄPO) arrest four in-connection with terror plot
Suicide bomber attacks North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) base in central Afghanistan, kills four Afghan civilians and wounds 77 U.S. soldiers
Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr orders his followers to cease attacks on U.S. soldiers so U.S. withdraw can continue “on-schedule”
U.S. Federal Election Commission (FEC): U.S. Democratic National Committee (DNC) fundraising slumped in August to $5.5 million
Niger confirms ousted Libyan leader Muamar al-Gaddafi’s son Saadi Gaddafi has arrived in-country
International Monetary Fund (IMF) recognizes National Transitional Council (NTC) as legitimate Libyan government
U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) denies report by South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo a military aircraft was forced-down in July by North Korean global positioning system (GPS) jamming
Nearly 200 dead after Tanzanian ferry sinks off coast
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s new government already suffers political blow after just eight days in office when Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yoshio Hachiro resigns over questionable statements
U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC): Tropical Storm Maria expected near U.S. Virgin Islands by Sunday night
Magnitude 6.4 earthquake hits-off Vancouver Island, no damage reported
Siena Research Institute poll shows 13 September special election in New York’s 9^th District may have Republican contender Bob Turner upset Democrat David Weprin
Second poll by Public Policy Polling confirms tight race in New York’s 9^th District
Reuters poll: U.S. housing market no longer sinking, but only barely limping along
Guatemalans head to presidential ballot box
League of Arab States Secretariat Nabil al-Araby: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has agreed to steps aimed at ending months of violence in Syria
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams indicates his party will put-forth presidential candidate for Irish Presidency
Plaid Cymru announces it will seek full independence for Wales from U.K.
Anti-Gaddafi forces claim they are closing-in on Bani Walid
Former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson “will not leave Cuba” until he can see jailed U.S. contractor Alan Gross
Former Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf claims he is planning to risk arrest, return to Pakistan to bid for leadership role
Hundreds of millions of Microsoft Inc. users were unable to access some online services over the weekend due to what the company is calling a “major service failure”
Dedication for the new Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial in Washington, D.C. set for 16 October
Texas Governor Perry again refuses to comment on his connection with former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore’s (D.) 1988 presidential campaign
U.S. congressional Republican leaders ask U.S. President Obama to send his American Jobs Act to the Congress in parts, not as one large bill
Gallup poll shows 46% of Americans believe the country is winning the war on terror, same number as one month after 9/11 attacks
U.S. expected to veto any U.N. movement on possible Palestinian state recognition

Current Events for Tuesday, 13 September 2011

Libyan NTC Chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil gives first public speech in Tripoli, says Libya will be ruled as a democracy based on “moderate Islam;” pro-Gaddafi troops attack main gate at Ras Lanuf oil refinery
German Chancellor Angela Merkel warns Europe over possible Greek default
U.S. President Obama: Eurozone leader “must act”
U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner heads to Europe as debt fears mount
Governor Perry comes-under heavy fire from fellow presidential candidates in Florida debate
Al-Qaeda releases online video praising “Arab Spring,” showing Osama bin Laden’s “successor” Egyptian cleric Ayman al-Zawahiri
Russian Federation rejects calls by Western nations to sanction Syria, President Assad’s forces kill 22
U.S. applies pharmaceutical patent pressures to Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)
U.S. President Obama sends American Jobs Act to U.S. Congress
Bank of America Corp. to shed 30,000 jobs, cut $5 billion in annual expenses, but investors underwhelmed
French Finance Minister François Baroin claims French banks not in-crisis after Société Générale S.A. announces it will cut costs, sell assets to free-up some 4€ billion in fresh capital
U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Yukiya Amano becoming “increasingly concerned” about possibile Iranian activity towards nuclear weapons
Microchip maker Broadcom Corp. to buy NetLogic Microsystems Inc. for about $3.7 billion
Furnace explosion at Marcoule nuclear waste treatment site in southern France kills one, French Autorité de sûreté nucléaire (ASN, Nuclear Safety Authority) declares no radiation leak
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi: austerity plan likely to pass parliament
Torrential rains cripple Karachi, shut-down schools, stock exchange
Nairobi oil pipeline fire kills dozens
U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC) under growing pressure to reinvestigate alleged human rights violations during Sri Lankan civil war
Group of 22 Shi’a pilgrims found shot dead in Iraqi Anbar province
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan orders military to take “all necessary actions” to stop unrest in Jos
Internet security firm GlobalSign resumes issuing website authentication certificates
Darfuri Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebel leader Khalil Ibrahim leaves Libyan exile, returns to Sudan
Human Rights Watch (HRW): Afghan security forces, local militas have committed human rights violations
Guatemalan presidential election set for November run-off after front-runner Otto Pérez Molina falls well short of outright win
U.S. lawmakers mark 9/11 on Capitol steps
Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty (R.) officially endorses Governor Romney, followers don’t follow
Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld cancels The New York Times interview blaming Paul Krugman’s 9/11 blog post

Current Events for Wednesday, 14 September 2011

President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso: Commission will soon present options for Eurozone bonds, warns it will not solve current economic crisis
Chinese Foreign Ministry urges U.S. to fight protectionism
Civilians flee pro-Gaddafi town of Bani Walid ahead of expected onslaught
Republican candidate Bob Turner stuns pollsters, Democrats and wins NY-9 special election
Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) downgrades Société Générale S.A., Crédit Agricole S.A., cites their exposure to Greek debt
Taliban orchestrate coordinated attacks across Kabul, target U.S. embassy, fight ends after 20 hours
U.S. Coast Guard and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) report on last year’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill expected today
U.S. Department of Interior preempts BOEM report by pushing for stricter offshore oil drilling regulations
More than 80 Thais killed in flashfloods, landslides
Audio tapes of interviews between American historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. and former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy released
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao reaffirms Chinese committment to fight inflation, urges international cooperation
Intel Corp. pens development partnership deal with Google Inc. for Android devices
Two Taiwanese fighter jets crash in apparent training exercise
Gasoline sales down, diesel sales up 10.9%
U.S. Federal Reserve Board seen as planning to announce additional downward pressure on longer-term interest rates next week, no “shock treatment” likely
Cisco Systems Inc. slashes long-term forecasts
U.S. Central Intelligence Agency inspector-general “reviewing” agency’s ties with New York City Police Department (NYPD), questions if it amounts to domestic spying
U.S. Department of Justice investigating whether eBay Inc. employees illegally took confidential information from rivals in preparing own service
U.S. Republican presidential hopefuls step-up attacks on U.S. President Obama’s “American Jobs Act”
U.S. CIA Director David Petraeus, U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper: U.S. to face long-term threat from al-Qaeda, affiliates
U.S. Treasury Secretary Geithner urges larger European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), more rapid collective action
Senior JPMorgan Chase & Co. executives: quarter three trading revenue down 30%, investment banking fees likely to fall 50%
U.S. Census Bureau annual report: Americans living in poverty rose to record 46 million, 15.1% of population, in 2010
Best Buy Co. Inc. misses profit estimates, shares tumble
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: American hikers Shane Bauer and Josh Fatta, jailed on espionage charges, to be released “soon”
Microsoft Inc. unveils Windows 8, to be debuted next year
The Samsung Group files patent lawsuits in France against Apple Inc.
Facebook announces changes to its friends list, seen by many as response to popularity of Google Plus
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), Centre for Constitutional Rights (CCR) file suit at International Criminal Court in The Hague against The Vatican for its involvement in human rights violations related to priest abuse
U.N. reports risk of Yemeni civil war
Punjab province dengue epidemic testing Pakistani health ministry abilities
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika announces end to state control of television
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: U.N. recognition of Palestinian state “obligation” of international community, Israel “barrier to peace”
Germany, Italy exchange criticisms over Nazi reparations
Officials from more than 100 nations meet in Beirut to discuss eradication of the use of cluster bombs
U.S. Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues: American researchers who exposed hundreds of Guatemalans to sexually transmitted diseases in the 1940s committed “unconscionable basic violations of ethics”
Ohio redistricting helps at-risk Republicans
U.S. House of Representatives (House) approves by voice vote stop-gap funding measure for U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), keeps some infrastructure plans going
U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R., VA) now critical of “all-or-nothing” American Jobs Act
North Carolina legislature approves bill to put constitutional prohibition of same-sex marriage before voters in statewide referendum

Current Events for Thursday, 15 September 2011

U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta warns Pakistan U.S. will “do everything we can“ to defend U.S. forces in Afghanistan from planned Haqqani attacks
Swiss bank UBS AG: rogue trader caused more than $2 billion in losses
Iranian daily Sharq: Iraqi President Jalal Talabani playing “key role” in securing U.S. hikers’ release from Iranian captivity
General Motors Co., Chrysler Group LLC extend labor contracts with United Auto Workers (UAW) after talks slow
Billionaire Russian investor George Soros warns European insolvency could cause second global Great Depression
Microsoft Inc. Wall Street investors meeting yields no fruit
U.S. President Obama hardens political tone over American Jobs Act
Pennsylvania Republicans “considering” change to Electoral College vote division
Cuba blames Governor Richardson for his recent trip’s failure
World Bank President Robert Zoellick: world economy in “danger zone;” Europe, Japan, U.S. must make hard decisions to avoid dragging-down the world
Reuters/Ipsos poll: U.S. President Obama receives slight bump from jobs speech, approval rating ticks-up to 47%
Reuters poll of economists: 31% believe U.S. may enter double-dip recession
BBC: Group of Sri Lankan Buddhist monks helped raze Muslim shrine in Anuradhapura
Chinese court sentences four Uighurs convicted of involvement in last year’s Xinjiang province’s violent anti-government protests to death
Senior NATO leaders expected in Libyan for talks with NTC
British ministers planning to scrap sell-by dates on packaged foods
British oil firm Rockhopper Exploration (RKH.L) finds oil off Falkland Islands, plans exploration
Haitian police clash with anti-U.N. protesters
U.S. House Republicans attack White House over possible impropriety with $535 million federal loan to now-bankrupt solar company Solyndra Corp.
Top U.S., international envoys launch fresh round of diplomacy to try and head-off Palestinian statehood vote in U.N.
At least two bombs hit Aden buildings, at least one killed
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company awarded some $920 million in damages after court finds against South Korean firm Kolon Industries for stolen trade secrets
Italian Chamber of Deputies (deputati) approves tough austerity measures, protests erupt outside building
Libyan NTC Chairman Mustafa Abdul Jibril requests international assistance, weapons to help weed Gaddafi loyalists out of cities
U.K. suing ECB over change in banking rules
Sudan names Darfuri politician Adam Youssef as vice-president
BitTorrent hit by hackers
Separate bomb attacks, shooting at Iraqi police checkpoint kills at least 17, wounds dozens
U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) inks deal with Alliant Techsystems over Liberty rocket
KPMG report: China losing low-cost manufacturing edge to nations like Bangladesh, Indonesia
U.S. moves forward with planned NATO missile defense system, angering Russian Federation
U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) Sergeant Dakota Meyer approved to receive Medal of Honor, will become first living Marine to receive honor in some four decades
Twelve-member deficit panel “super committee” to meet behind closed doors today
U.S. President Obama: lack of American jobs amounts to “national emergency”
Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg evacuated from plane at Dulles International Airport
Transatlantic Trends poll: U.S. President Obama’s “international approval rating” still high at 75%
U.S. Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) announces relaxation to pat-down rules for children
Associated Press (AP) survey: majority of Americans support same-sex marriage ban, believe power should rest with the states

Current Events for Friday, 16 September 2011

U.S. Senate votes 62-37 to approve $6.3 billion in new disaster aid, setting-up political showdown with Republican-controlled U.S. House
“Rogue” UBS AG banker arrested in London
U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee votes to boost budgets of U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
U.S. Treasury Secretary Geithner urges Eurozone leaders to leverage EFSF to aid sovereign debt crisis
British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Nicolas Sarközy hailed by Libyan NTC
Research In Motion Limited (RIM) reports steep drop in quarterly profit on limp BlackBerry sales and offers investors little hope for any turnaround soon, stocks plunge
Medical experts drawn into political fray over U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann (R., MN) after her allegations human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine can cause mental retardation
U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) nets thousands of tax evaders in offshore crackdown
Fifteen Democratic congressmen ask U.S. President Obama to step-in, approve AT&T Inc., T-Mobile USA , Inc. merger
U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Michael Bromwich: BP plc, Macondo well contractors could see fines imposed as early as next week
U.S. President Obama backs-off demand, plan for Social Security reform in American Jobs Act after pressure from political base
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing-Director Christine Lagarde: nations must take “bold action” to tackle global economic crisis
New American economic data casts pallor over recovery; jobless claims up, factory activity dips
The Wall Street Journal: U.S. SEC widens mortgage probe
The New York Times: Groupon initial public offering (IPO) back on-track, set for sometime in October
Pakistani Foreign Ministry: U.S. threats against Haqqani network “hurts ties”
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani cancels U.N. visit due to severe flooding in Sindh province
Some Greek financiers preparing for the return of the drachma (GRD)
U.S. White House adds Belize, El Salvador to list of states considered major producers, transit routes for illegal drugs
Syrian dissidents form new united front against President Bashar al-Assad
Shares in Netflix, Inc. fall 19% as it announces flight of users
Yemeni security forces fire on anti-government protesters in Taiz, several wounded
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to repeal harsh security laws allowing the government to detain individuals indefinitely without trial
Two die in fire on cruise ship off coast of Norway
Chinese Premier Wen calls for more democratic reforms
U.S. CIA: Pakistani al-Qaeda leader Abu Hafs al-Shahri killed in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, “drone”) attack
Palestinian Authority to demand state recognition in U.N. 23 September
Todd Palin attacks “lies” in Joe McGinniss’ biography The Rogue: The Search for Sarah Palin
Anti-Taliban tribesmen among 20 killed in attack on funeral
U.S. House Speaker John Boehner (R., OH) presents his own thoughts on American unemployment, highlights faulty tax code
U.S. House votes 238-186 to ban U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) from forcing companies to relocate or not relocate
Democratic strategist James Carville: U.S. President Obama should “panic,” fire “most” White House staffers
U.S. House Speaker Boehner wastes no time swearing-in Mark Amodei, Bob Turner
Gallup poll: “unemployment” has overtaken “the economy” as Americans’ primary concern
Bloomberg National Poll: 45% of Americans blame congressional Republicans for current problems, 39% U.S. President Obama