Beyond The Hedges

1/13/11 6:00pm

National

White House and congressional leadership changes

Veteran political manager William Daley, who served as commerce secretary for President Bill Clinton, has replaced Rahm Emanuel as Obama's chief of staff. Emanuel, who served as a senior adviser in the Clinton administration, resigned to run for mayor of Chicago. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs resigned from his position to serve as an outside political adviser. While a string of economic departures has also occurred, Obama's former Chief Campaign Manager David Plouffe has rejoined the president as a senior advisor. Among the shifts in congressional leadership due to a Republican majority in the House of Representatives, John Boehner replaced Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the House, while Eric Cantor became the new House Majority Leader.

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Source: Associated PressArizona shootings

A shooting at a supermarket in Tuscon, Ariz. left six dead and 14 injured Jan. 8. The shooter, identified as 22-year-old Jared Lee Loughner, has been charged with two counts of killing a federal employee and three attempted murder charges. Using a legally purchased 33-round magazine, Loughner targeted U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who is still in critical condition. Chief Federal Judge John Roll, who has served on the bench since 1991, was among the killed. The youngest victim was a 9-year-old girl, while the oldest was a 79-year-old homemaker, neither of whom were politically active.

Source: The New York Times

WikiLeaks founder's court troubles

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange faces an extradition request from Sweden. The extradition request comes after a Dec. 14 court adjourned until Jan. 11 but granted Assange bail in the meantime, a move that British authorities appealed against. Some suspect that Sweden's extradition request is meant to give the U.S. more time to make their own extradition request. However, extradition from both Sweden and Britain to the U.S. for political crimes is currently prevented in individual treaties with both countries. Rumors have surfaced as well that a U.S. grand jury has already been sworn in to try Assange for enabling the leaking of secrets, a charge which would exclude The New York Times from being tried. However, a reason to extradite Assange to the U.S. has yet to be announced.

Source: The Economist

Bush tax cuts extended for two years

On Dec. 17, President Barack Obama signed into law a two-year extension bill of the Bush-era tax cuts. The bill is expected to cut about $858 billion in taxes. The bill reached Obama after a House vote of 277-148, having previously passed in the Senate with a vote of 81-19. Despite opposition from congressional Democrats and organized labor leaders, Obama signed the bill, saying it would help spark the American economy by giving money to families who will spend it, helping businesses grow and increasing demand and hiring. The bill will extend all Bush-era tax rates until 2012, including jobless aid and reducing payroll taxes by two percentage points.

Source: Bloomberg

International

Floods plague Queensland, Australia

Floods that began in December 2010 are still threatening Australia's northern state of Queensland. The floods have killed 14 people so far, and 90 people are missing. Already causing citizens to evacuate or stockpile food for emergency, the floods are now threatening the banking district of Brisbane. The coal industry and infrastructure have been heavily affected by the floods, and the local currency has been in four-week lows. The floods were expected to hit Brisbane, Australia's third largest city, yesterday and could potentially cost one percent of economic growth - approximately $13 billion.

Source: Reuters via The New York Times

South Sudan referendum passed

South Sudan has reached the required 60 percent voter turnout to pass the referendum that will allow them to secede from the North. The voting process is a part of the 2005 deal to end a two-decade civil war that has resulted in the deaths of approximately 1.5 million people. The referendum could potentially produce Africa's 54th nation and divide the continent's largest country. The national anthem and flag have been chosen, but the country's name has yet to be determined. The two regions differ primarily in predominant religions, as most northerners are Muslim, while southerners tend to practice Christianity or traditional religions.

Source: BBC News

Salman Taseer murdered in Pakistan

On Jan. 4, Salman Taseer was murdered by his bodyguard for campaigning against a law sentencing citizens like Christian farm worker Asia Bibi to death for blasphemy against Islam. Taseer was a supporter of the country's 1947 President Muhammad Ali Jinnah's belief that Pakistan should be a religiously tolerant country. His killer, one of Taseer's own bodyguards, said Taseer was murdered for campaigning against the blasphemy law and for supporting religious tolerance in Pakistan. His death has rocked the liberal-minded Pakistan People's Party, of which Taseer was a member. The party has also lost its majority in the Pakistan parliament recently, as the Muttahida Qaumi Movement walked out of their coalition. The risk of divided opposition joining together before the next elections now poses a threat to the PPP. However, parties like the Pakistan Muslim League and the military are hesitant to take power while the country continues to have economic and political issues.

Source: The Economist

Ivory Coast elections spark violence

The 2010 elections in the Ivory Coast elected Alassane Ouattara as the new president, angering current power holder President Laurent Gbagbo. Gbagbo turned to violent means to retain his power after the 52-member African Union decided to shun Gbagbo rather than attempt a power-sharing agreement as countries like Kenya and Zimbabwe have tried. Still backed by the military and the militia organization the Young Patriots, Gbagbo rejected the results of the election. Military forces began violent attacks against Ouattara supporters on Dec. 17, including opening fire on them and raiding homes of U.N. staff under claims of looking for arms. U.N. officials have also heard reports of mass graves and abductions of Ouattara supporters, despite Gbagbo's denial of such rumors. Talk of fighting has raised fear that civil war will be revived in the Ivory Coast. U.N. forces are currently guarding Ouattara in the commercial capital of Abidjan and French forces are ready to respond in the country if attacked by Gbagbo loyalists.

Source: Time

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