International

Mr Manning admitted defeat live on television, saying he took full responsibility for the result. He called the election last month, as his administration came under pressure over allegations of waste spending and corruption.

Over the past three years, the 14 Caribbean countries that signed the Petrocaribe agreement have received between 120,000 and 140,000 barrels of oil per day from Venezuela on preferential terms. One BBC report noted that Petrocaribe assistance to Caribbean nations (other than Trinidad and Barbados) is vital as it has saved the region from experiencing an economic crisis.

The economic future of Bolivia, the world's poorest nation, is apparently looking brighter because of the revenue potential of a silverish-white elemental metal called lithium. If you use a digital camera, cell phone, laptop computer, and innumerable other electronic devices , chances are, your gizmos are powered by lithium-ion batteries. 

On June 8, 1967, two squadrons of Israeli warplanes bombed, napalmed and machine-gunned the US intelligence-gathering ship, USS Liberty, in international waters, killing 34 US sailors and wounding another 172.  The assault took place on a sunny afternoon, with the US flag and identifying markers clearly visible.  The Israelis targeted the antennae to prevent the crew from broadcasting for help and shot up the lifeboats to ensure no survivors.  There were, however, survivors who rigged up an antenna and radioed their distress, a call for help that reached Washington D.C.  In an unprecedented act of betrayal, President Johnson, in close liaison with powerful American Jewish Zionist political backers, covered up the mass murder on the high seas by issuing orders first to recall Mediterranean-based warplanes from rushing to assist their besieged comrades, then threatening to court-martial the survivors who might expose the deliberate nature of the Israeli assault and finally by repeating the Israeli line that the attack was a matter of mistaken identity, a lie which numerous military leaders later rejected.

The United States remains on the path to close down the notorious prison camp of  Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Obama administration is still moving within its power to proceed with these plans even though, due to several snags, the January deadline has been exceeded.

An estimated 2.5 million hectares of land have been appropriated by foreign acquisition in countries like Ethiopia -in what may be the greatest change of ownership since the colonial era, and this while millions of its citizens are in need of food aid. Land is increasingly claimed by and leased out to transnational entities, government businesses, multinational corporations, and international organizations. 

The Hague has rejected Argentina’s claims of contamination resulting from a Uruguayan paper mill shared by both countries, ending a three-year dispute between the South American neighbors. The International Court of Justice ruled recently that there was “no conclusive” evidence that Uruguay neglected obligations to protect the environment or that the factory caused harm to the Uruguay River. 

Water, the life-giving combination of oxygen and hydrogen that comprises 80 per cent of the human body, was celebrated and discussed, inspiring action around the world during World Water Day (WWD), officially designated as March 22 by the United Nations Environmental Program for the group UN-Water. The observances were held in conjunction with a host of other international organizations such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations International Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF), the UN sponsored World Health Organization (WHO), The International Water Association, and The World Water Council. 

El-Hajj Omar Ibn Said was a Muslim scholar who was captured in his native Senegal and enslaved. Although he wrote 14 manuscripts, all in Arabic, he is best known for his 1931 autobiographical essay, the narrative of which describes events in his life, including his abduction from his homeland and his acceptance of other “God-fearing people.”

U.S.Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was greeted by a standing honor guard of Uruguay upon landing there on the first stop of her diplomatic tour of Latin America. Ms. Clinton attended the inauguration of Uruguayan President-elect Jose’ Mujica, who served as a senator before his election. Mrs. Clinton’s tour then preceeded to earthquake striken Chile’, where she met with outgoing President Michelle Bachelet, and also with the President-elect Sebastian Pinera.

Porfirio Lobo was sworn in as president of Honduras on the Wednesday that would have been deposed former President Manuel Zelaya’s final day in office. Riding in a convoy that included Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez and newly elected Honduran President Lobo, Mr. Zelaya was escorted from the Brazilian embassy where he sought politcal asylum and was ‘confined’for four months after returning to his homeland to seek reinstatement.

On March 25, during the blessed Feast of Annunciation, Christians and their Muslim brothers in Lebanon will commemorate the auspicious character of the Honorable Mary mother of Jesus, the Messiah (peace be upon them both).

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, recently concluded a four day visit to Jordan, Israel and Palestine with personal prayers for “peace and for justice for all the people of the region,” including those who felt so little hope for the future. “God’s faithfulness is sure and will never fail,” said the Archbishop.

On February 13 during a video conference with the 7th US Islamic World Forum in Doha, Qatar, US President Obama annouced his choice for Deputy Associate Council. President Obama said, “I’m proud to announce today that I am appointing my Special Envoy to the OIC—Rashad Hussain.