Dilemma X

Egypt’s presidential election: Facts about the historic post-Mubarak vote By Leila Fadel The Washington Post Why is the Egyptian presidential election important? This is Egypt’s first competitive presidential election in modern history. For the first time, Egyptians will get to choose who leads, and people have a choice of 13 candidates. The result will also […]

Tokyo Sky Tree opens as world’s tallest tower at 2080 feet (634 meters) tall   Associated Press   TOKYO — The world’s tallest tower and Tokyo’s biggest new landmark, the Tokyo Sky Tree, has opened to the public. Nearly 8,000 visitors were expected to take high-speed elevators up to the observation decks of the 634-meter […]

Saudi Arabia bans using Gregorian dates The use of the English language to answer calls or communicate, mainly in companies and hotels, has also been banned Gulf News Dubai: Saudi Arabia has banned all government and private agencies from using the Gregorian calendar in official dealings. The use of the English language to answer calls […]

Australian warship visit to China, a show of closer ties The HMAS Ballarat arriving in Shanghai’s historic Bund. Photo: Sanghee Liu Philip Wen, Shanghai The Sydney Morning Herald   It is a rare sight to behold – an Australian warship sailing gracefully through Shanghai’s historic Bund with a Chinese flag fluttering proudly on its mast. Yet it […]

Under fire, South Africa’s former president repudiates apartheid By Samuel Burke, CNN (CNN) — Under fire for his comments on apartheid, former South African President F.W. de Klerk clarified his position again Wednesday, saying that he repudiates the system of racial segregation as unacceptable. De Klerk called apartheid “morally unjustifiable” and “that it could not […]

China Daily to publish African edition as Beijing strengthens voice abroad State-owned English-language newspaper that claims an independent editorial policy ‘to introduce China to the world’ David Smith The Guardian China’s biggest English-language newspaper is to publish a weekly African edition with bureaux in at least two countries on the continent. The African operation of […]

Greece to hold new elections The announcement comes as the Greek debt crisis threatens the stability of the European Union’s single currency. The political instability has raised the possibility that Greece will fail to make debt payments as early as next month, potentially forcing the country out of the euro, the currency used by 17 […]

London 2012 Olympics: organizers hoping torch relay will ignite slow-burning enthusiasm back home The ancient Greeks knew a thing or two about legacy. Athletes first gathered to compete at the stadium in Olympia, which will on Thursday stage the lighting of the London 2012 torch, almost 2,800 years ago.     By Paul Kelso The […]

Haiti hopes gold ore find will spur mining boom     Martha Mendoza Associated Press   Haiti’s capital is blighted with earthquake rubble. Its countryside is shorn of trees, chopped down for fuel. And yet, Haiti’s land may hold the key to relieving centuries of poverty, disaster and disease: There is gold hidden in its […]

Was British prime minister Margaret Thatcher correct about the euro, European Central Bank and a European Union?    Dilemma X     Margaret Thatcher’s statement of  October 30, 1990 to the House of Commons on the European Council meeting at Rome held on October 27/28, 1990. Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from  May 4, 1979 […]