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The Week Ahead: April 4 – April 10 2011

Posted on April 4th 2011 by


While the top of the news agenda will remain to be dominated by the unrest in the Middle East and North Africa, there are also some other stories coming up in the week ahead.

The IMF host a conference on monetary policy, Iceland holds a referendum and a delayed election in Nigeria.

Nigeria was meant to hold it’s parliamentary election this weekend but that was delayed two-days because of a problem with supplying poll stations with materials, now it has been pushed back even further. They are now set to take place on Saturday April 9th. The lead up to the election has already been marred by violence and the elections will be followed closely after the 2007 elections which at the time were described by observers as the worst they had ever seen.

Iceland is due to hold a referendum this Saturday on a proposed repayment plan for the people who lost their savings following the collapse of the Icesave bank in 2008. A previous proposal was voted down by the Icelandic people in 2009. The new proposal sets the repayment plan between 2016 and 2046 at a 3.3% interest.

The IMF is hosting a conference in Washington this Thursday were leading economists present their findings and responses to weaknesses exposed the financial crisis in the regulatory and monetary policies of states. The title of the conference is “Macro-Financial Stability in the New Normal”.

Also in the news this week:

Peru is heading to the polls this Sunday for presidential and parliamentary elections.

Watch these stories unfold on Livestation.

The Week Ahead: March 28 – April 3 2011

Posted on March 28th 2011 by


These are some of the stories coming up in the week ahead.

An international conference on Libya, taxation debated, and Silvio Berlusconi faces corruption charges.

This Tuesday the UK hosts a conference on a ministerial level about Libya and the implementation of Security Council resolutions 1970 and 1973. The conference was announced by British Foreign Secretary William Hague, and he has said that he excepts the conference to transfer command of the entire operation in Libya to NATO.

The 2011 Brussels Tax Forum starts this Monday. The forum gathers policymakers and experts from around the world to discuss taxation practices. The topic of this year’s forum is taxation  of the financial sector, and whether increased taxation could prevent risk behaviour.

A corruption trial against against Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi begins today. The trial is the first of four and the charges concern one of Mr Berlusconi’s media companies. Mr Berlusconi has denied being guilty of the charges.

Also in the news this week:

Nigerians head to the polls this Saturday for National Assembly elections.

Another round of the climate talks will start this Sunday in Bangkok, Thailand. The summit will last until April 8.

Watch these stories unfold on Livestation.

The Week Ahead: March 21 – March 27 2011

Posted on March 21st 2011 by


It looks like the situation in Libya and Japan will remain at the top of the news agenda, but here are some other stories to look out for in the week ahead.

The UN takes a look at its mission in Afghanistan, the OECD host a conference in Paris and African ministers meet in Ethiopia.

The UN Security Council will this Tuesday review the UN Mission in Afghanistan. The mission which was set up in 2002  under a resolution which is renewed annually. The current resolution expires on March 23 of 2011 and the mandate is expected to be extended for another year. It does open up the possibility for the Security Council to amend the structure and focus of the mission to better suit current conditions on the ground.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is hosting a two day conference in Paris starting on March 24 aimed at identifying novel approaches to raise and sustain economic growth.

The ministers of the UN Economic Commission for Africa and the African Union will be meeting in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia this Thursday for a summit lasting til March 29. The Commission is a subsidiary body of the UN Economic and Social Council, and this year’s conference is focusing on the state’s role in governing development.

Watch these stories and more unfold on Livestation.

The Week Ahead: March 14 – March 20 2011

Posted on March 14th 2011 by


Here are some of the stories coming up in the week ahead.

G8 foreign ministers meet, Egypt votes on a new constitution, and worries of a nuclear meltdown in Japan.

After last week’s devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan, the number of unaccounted people is over ten thousand. The crisis however has in the last days also been focusing on the risk of a meltdown at one of Japans nuclear reactors. Both the devastation left by the tsunami which currently plagues the Japanese people and the nuclear crisis will be followed closely this week.

Following the overthrow of Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak earlier this year, the people of Egypt are now set to vote on proposed amendments to the country’s constitution on March 19. The amendments proposed are much a reaction to the former rule, creating fixed presidency terms and restricting the use of emergency law.

The foreign ministers of the G8 will be meeting in Paris this Monday. Dominating the agenda will be the uprising in Libya as well as the crisis in Japan, and the nations’ responses to the crises. Such as coordinating aid plans for Japan and the frequently discussed no-fly zone over Libya.

Also this week.

The European Banking Authority will be publishing details of it’s stress test of banks within the EU this week. Outlining the scenarios which will be used to test the banks ability to handle shocks in the future.

Watch these stories unfold on Livestation.

The Week Ahead: March 7 – March 13 2011

Posted on March 7th 2011 by


Here are some of the stories destined for this week’s headlines

Day of rage in Saudi Arabia, Jacques Chirac on corruption charges and EU leaders meet to discuss Libya.

A Day of Rage is planned in Saudi Arabia this Friday, following the uprisings in the Gulf and northern Africa. The interior ministry of Saudi Arabia decided this weekend to ban protests and has troops ready to stop attempts to disrupt public order.

This Monday sees the start of a trial against former French president Jacques Chirac on charges of corruption. He is accused creating false job contracts and misusing public funds while he served as Mayor of Paris. He has denied being guilty of the charges.

EU leaders are meeting in Brussels this Friday for an extraordinary meeting on Libya and how the EU will respond to the unrest in the Middle East and northern Africa.

Also coming up this week.

US President Barack Obama will be meeting with Australian prime minister Julia Gillard, to discuss Afghanistan, G20 matters and the Asia-Pacific region.

This Tuesday is the International Women’s Day which this year marks its 100th anniversary.

Watch these stories unfold on Livestation.