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Judge Says Detroit's Bankruptcy Can Proceed -- Federal bankruptcy judge Steven Rhodes has ruled that Detroit's bankruptcy can go ahead. "This once proud and prosperous city can't pay its debts. It's insolvent. It's eligible for bankruptcy," Judge Rhodes said from the bench. "At the same time, it also has an opportunity for a fresh start." The city's emergency manager Kevyn D. Orr now has to move with care in how he sheds the city's $18 billion in debt. [4 December]
Earth Needs to Coordinate Space Exploration -- The Space Age began close to 60 years ago, and almost immediately, it became a Space Race pitting the USSR and the USA against one another in a test of engineering and boldness. Prestige and the validity of political and economic systems were on the line. Today, India and China are among the newcomers to space exploration largely driven by the very same motives. A space program says a nation has arrived. However, it would be better for everyone if there were greater coordination among the space faring powers as earthlings would get greater scientific bang for the buck. [3 December]
Ukraine on Edge over EU Relations -- As many as half a million Ukrainians staged a demonstration yesterday demanding the resignation of the government. At issue was the decision of President Viktor Yanukovich not to sign a deal on closer ties with the European Union. The protest was the largest in Ukraine since the Orange Revolution of 2004, and the demonstrators want the president and his government to resign. Once again, Ukraine is divided between those who look toward Brussels and those who look toward Moscow. The potential for violence is acute. [2 December]
Karzai Resists Continued NATO Presence in Afghanistan -- Afghanistan's President, Hamid Karzai, has developed qualms about the deal negotiated with the Americans that would keep NATO troops in his country after the 2014 withdrawal deadline. Quite why the NATO nations would even sit down with him to discuss staying is mind-boggling. Al Qaeda is no longer much of an issue in Afghanistan, the Taliban can only be dealt with via its Pakistani paymasters, and therefore, who governs Afghanistan is a matter of supreme indifference to NATO. The west should take advantage of his hesitation to pull out in full and on time next year. [26 November]
Iran Nuke Deal is Small Beer -- Over the week-end, the Iranians and the P5+1 (US, UK, France, Germany, Russia and China) came to an agreement on ways to reduce the tensions over Iran's nuclear program for the next six months. If one listens to the governments in the Middle East and the yahoos in Congress, one would think the world now sits on the edge of nuclear annihilation. In fact, the deal is on a par with the US Ping Pong team visiting Mao's China back in the 1970s. It's not a huge change, but it does represent relations moving away from confrontation. [25 November]
Copyright 2013 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.
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