Here is the Monday, August 25th, 2008 edition of what’s making news and interesting reads from around the world.
Georgia Vows to Rebuild its Army
President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia said Sunday that he planned to rebuild his country’s shattered army, and that even after its decisive defeat in the war with Russia over South Ossetia and Abkahzia. More from the New York Times. In other news from Georgia, Russia is weighing recognizing the independence of both separatist regions in a move that would likely further strain relations with the West. And finally the EU is planning a summit. Current EU president France, which brokered a ceasefire between Russia and Georgia, has called a special summit meeting of EU leaders to discuss the ongoing crisis. The meeting scheduled for September 1 in Brussels will also review the bloc’s ties with Russia following its recent military intervention in pro-Western Georgia. More on this story from Euro News.
Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim in a By-Election
Malaysian voters in a semi-rural constituency tomorrow will decide the political future of oppostion leader Anwar Ibrahim, who was recently accused of sodomy. Anwar, who leads the opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat, announced that he would contest in the by-election shortly after a former 23-year-old aide accused him in June of forced sodomy. More from the Asia Sentinel.
Pakistan’s Terms of Trade Detoriate and Inflation Soars
Amidst political uncertainty, Pakistan’s economy is deteriorating as Pakistan’s exports fall in value and the cost of its imports rise. Caught in this down cycle are millions of poor Pakistanis.
Al-Qaeda on the Rise in Somalia
U.S. counter-terrorism efforts have alienated many Somalis, and a leader of the hard-line Islamic group Shabab says it is ready to unite with Bin Laden’s organization. The story in the Los Angeles Times.
Syria and Russia Strengthen Ties
After the Russian tanks rolled into Georgia, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was the first world leader to visit the Kremlin. Moscow sees a good ally in Assad, a man who realizes that the Russians are back and intends to use this to advance Syria’s interests. More from the Asia Times.
Nigeria Accounts for 10% of Global Maternal Deaths
Nigeria has accounted for 10% of the 5.2 million global maternal deaths, research finding released by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) showed. More from Afrol News.