[RED DEMOCRATICA] CFR.org Daily News Brief, April 19, 2010

 

April 19, 2010 View this newsletter as a web page on CFR's website. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - Europe Criticized on Ash Cloud Response - Iraq Commission Orders Baghdad Recount - China Tightens Speculative Investing - Kenyan Producers Suffer from Ash Cloud Top of the Agenda: Europe Criticized on Ash Cloud Response European governments are facing criticism (NYT) for their response to unprecedented air traffic disruptions caused by the ash of an erupting Icelandic volcano. The chaos caused by the ash cloud and the financial cost of cancelled flights is estimated at $2 billion and climbing. The director of the International Air Transport Association Giovanni Bisignani criticized the lengthy and uncoordinated decision-making process for closing air space. He said the crisis is costing airlines at least $200 million per day in lost revenues and the European economy has lost billions in business. The British government--which announced that its country's airspace would be closed until Tuesday--said it was deploying the Royal Navy to bring people home. French, German, and Dutch airspace remained closed, while airports in Rome, Athens, and Madrid opened. Several European airlines, which complained that European governments were overreacting to the event, were considering emergency layoffs. Bisignani said he hopes the chaos will result in a unified European air traffic control system. EU leaders prepared to meet (WSJ) Monday in an emergency session to discuss appropriate measures to mitigate the chaos. Analysis: A Der Spiegel editorial says the ash cloud could have been much worse, since past volcanoes have been suspected of causing the mini ice ages of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. In the Washington Post, Anne Applebaum says the volcanic eruption could go on for months or years, changing the economics and politics of Europe. MIDDLE EAST: Iraqi Commission Orders Baghdad Recount Iraq's electoral commission ordered a recount (al-Jazeera) of ballots cast in Baghdad from the March 7 general election, after incumbent Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's bloc, which came in second in the election, pushed for a recount in five provinces. Israel: Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said he was concerned about a deep rift (Reuters) with the United States over settlement policy and urged Israel to make a better effort in pushing for peace with the Palestinians. PACIFIC RIM: China Tightens Speculative Investing China's State Council took steps to further tighten speculative property investments (WSJ), including allowing banks to stop issuing mortgages to home buyers who already own two or more properties. Japan: Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said his country is "struggling" to resolve a dispute (FT) over moving the Futenma U.S. marine base on Okinawa before a self-imposed May deadline. Read CFR's Asia Unbound blog, featuring timely analysis from CFR's Asia experts. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: India Raises Poverty Estimate India raised its estimate (WSJ) of the country's official poverty rate to 37.2 percent of the population, as the government prepares legislation to give impoverished Indians access to state-subsidized food grains. Kyrgyzstan: Unrest continued in Kyrgyzstan as rioters clashed with police (al-Jazeera) outside capital Bishkek, while supporters of ousted president Kurmanbek Bakiyev protested against the interim government in the city of Jalal'abad. In this podcast, CFR's Evan Feigenbaum says the fundamental challenge facing Kyrgyzstan's interim government "is to restore and sustain order but then set the country back on a path to democracy." AFRICA: Kenyan Producers Suffer from Ash Cloud Thousands of Kenyan workers have been laid off temporarily (BBC) because of grounded flights in Europe, which is depressing Kenya's horticulture exports. Sudan: Sudan's state media reported that Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir scored overwhelming victories (Reuters) in a sample of results from last week's national elections, while both EU and Carter Center observers say the elections did not meet international standards. AMERICAS: China to Lend Venezuela $20 Billion China will lend $20 billion to Venezuela, a sign of the growing importance of oil (WSJ) in China's energy mix. Mexico: Mexico's drug wars are forcing fearful families from the Mexican town of El Porvenir to seek political asylum (NYT) in the United States and other Mexicans to use special border-crossing visas to flee the country. EUROPE: Turkish Cypriots Elect Hardliner Turkish Cypriots elected a hardliner president (DeutscheWelle) Sunday, which could impact efforts to reunite the Turkish and Greek sides of the island and affect Turkey's bid to join the European Union.

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