WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is giving himself a grade of "incomplete" for his presidency even though he says he has a "pretty good track record."
Obama tells CBS' "Sunday Morning" that his grade is incomplete because the economy has yet to fully rebound.
Still, Obama cites accomplishments — preventing a complete collapse of the economy, saving the financial markets and the auto industry, and passing the health care law.
The president says he feels sometimes that his administration isn't getting the credit it deserves, but he says that's because Americans remain scared, angry and frustrated.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Chinese citizens invited to participate in the Summer Davos in Tianjin all expenses paid
Geneva, Switzerland, 13 July 2010 – The World Economic Forum is launching the Summer Davos Debates online at Youku.com to provide the public with the opportunity to present ideas to world leaders at the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2010 in Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, on 13-15 September.
The Forum is inviting two Chinese citizens to participate in what has become known as the “Summer Davos”. It is the first time the Forum is opening its meeting in China to ordinary citizens through video submission on Youku.com, the largest video site in China.
The theme of the 2010 Meeting is “Driving Growth through Sustainability”. The Forum wants to understand how Youku users would meet local, regional and global challenges. Among the key questions on the agenda at the Summer Davos are: How can we manage resources more efficiently? How can we increase energy efficiency? How can we lower carbon emissions? How can we rebuild basic infrastructure?
The Forum is asking Youku users to share examples of sustainability in their community and submit the video on Youku at http://DavosDebates.youku.com, where users also can vote on their favourite submissions by others.
The creators of the two best videos submitted will have the opportunity to take part in the Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin all expenses paid, where they can participate in the event, interact with world leaders and represent the general public in dialogue.
The Davos Debates are designed to foster direct dialogue and discussion with the wider public on key issues affecting the planet. This is the first time that the World Economic Forum has opened its Meeting in China to video submissions from the general public. The videos have become an integral part of the debates at other Forum meetings.
Notes to Editors
• More information about the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2010 at http://www.weforum.org/en/events/AnnualMeetingoftheNewChampions2010
• Join the Summer Davos Debates at http://DavosDebates.youku.com
• Sessions and press conferences will be streamed live on Livestream athttp://livestream.com/worldeconomicforum
• Connect with the Forum on other social networks at http://www.weforum.org/socialmedia
• Key quotes during the meeting on Twitter at http://twitter.com/davos
• Twitter users: Please use the hashtag #WEF for all tweets about the event
• News releases at http://www.weforum.org/newsreleases
The Forum is inviting two Chinese citizens to participate in what has become known as the “Summer Davos”. It is the first time the Forum is opening its meeting in China to ordinary citizens through video submission on Youku.com, the largest video site in China.
The theme of the 2010 Meeting is “Driving Growth through Sustainability”. The Forum wants to understand how Youku users would meet local, regional and global challenges. Among the key questions on the agenda at the Summer Davos are: How can we manage resources more efficiently? How can we increase energy efficiency? How can we lower carbon emissions? How can we rebuild basic infrastructure?
The Forum is asking Youku users to share examples of sustainability in their community and submit the video on Youku at http://DavosDebates.youku.com, where users also can vote on their favourite submissions by others.
The creators of the two best videos submitted will have the opportunity to take part in the Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin all expenses paid, where they can participate in the event, interact with world leaders and represent the general public in dialogue.
The Davos Debates are designed to foster direct dialogue and discussion with the wider public on key issues affecting the planet. This is the first time that the World Economic Forum has opened its Meeting in China to video submissions from the general public. The videos have become an integral part of the debates at other Forum meetings.
Notes to Editors
• More information about the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2010 at http://www.weforum.org/en/events/AnnualMeetingoftheNewChampions2010
• Join the Summer Davos Debates at http://DavosDebates.youku.com
• Sessions and press conferences will be streamed live on Livestream athttp://livestream.com/worldeconomicforum
• Connect with the Forum on other social networks at http://www.weforum.org/socialmedia
• Key quotes during the meeting on Twitter at http://twitter.com/davos
• Twitter users: Please use the hashtag #WEF for all tweets about the event
• News releases at http://www.weforum.org/newsreleases
Friday, July 16, 2010
SA economy, tourism score from World Cup: Govt
The World Cup has pumped an estimated R93 billion into the local economy, government spokesman Themba Maseko said on Wednesday. South Africa's successful hosting of the event would also lead to an increase in foreign direct investment, and see more foreign tourists visiting the country, he told a media briefing in Pretoria. "Initial calculations [show] that R93 billion was pumped into the economy just before and during the World Cup."However, the minister of finance [Pravin Gordhan]... is still doing the final calculations, and we expect that within another month or so we will be able... to verify those figures. So this is an initial estimate at this point in time."
Maseko said the successful World Cup had brought about an improvement in both South Africa and the continent's global image.
"And we anticipate that this will translate into an increase in the number of tourists."
Changed perceptions about the country would also lead to increased foreign direct investment.
"But again, the economic cluster will do the final projections, and we should be able to give you those figures in another month or so," he said.
Speaking at the briefing, Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Jeff Radebe indicated that the 56 dedicated courts established for the event might continue beyond July 25, the date set for them to stop operating.
"Yes, it looks like we will be moving in this direction," he said, in response to a question on the matter.Radebe also indicated the extra courts could be used to help clear the justice system's big case backlog.
The courts, which operated almost round the clock during the World Cup, heard a total of 205 cases and secured 122 convictions.
Asked about the commercial viability of the new multi-billion-rand stadiums around the country, Radebe said he did not think this was a problem.
"I think the assumption is wrong that they [the stadiums] are not going to be commercially viable," he said.All South Africa's sporting codes and activities would be looked at with a view to using the stadiums, he said.
Maseko said all the host cities had been asked to prepare plans on what would happen with the stadiums after the World Cup, and a media briefing would be held "at a later stage" to spell this out.
Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele singled out the taxi industry for praise, saying it had performed excellently during the World Cup.
"They have really moved themselves from being a problem to being part of the solution," he said. (SAPA)
Maseko said the successful World Cup had brought about an improvement in both South Africa and the continent's global image.
"And we anticipate that this will translate into an increase in the number of tourists."
Changed perceptions about the country would also lead to increased foreign direct investment.
"But again, the economic cluster will do the final projections, and we should be able to give you those figures in another month or so," he said.
Speaking at the briefing, Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Jeff Radebe indicated that the 56 dedicated courts established for the event might continue beyond July 25, the date set for them to stop operating.
"Yes, it looks like we will be moving in this direction," he said, in response to a question on the matter.Radebe also indicated the extra courts could be used to help clear the justice system's big case backlog.
The courts, which operated almost round the clock during the World Cup, heard a total of 205 cases and secured 122 convictions.
Asked about the commercial viability of the new multi-billion-rand stadiums around the country, Radebe said he did not think this was a problem.
"I think the assumption is wrong that they [the stadiums] are not going to be commercially viable," he said.All South Africa's sporting codes and activities would be looked at with a view to using the stadiums, he said.
Maseko said all the host cities had been asked to prepare plans on what would happen with the stadiums after the World Cup, and a media briefing would be held "at a later stage" to spell this out.
Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele singled out the taxi industry for praise, saying it had performed excellently during the World Cup.
"They have really moved themselves from being a problem to being part of the solution," he said. (SAPA)
A look at global economic developments
A look at economic developments and activity in major stock markets around the world Thursday:
___
BEIJING — China's rapid growth is slowing as its huge stimulus winds down and Beijing cools a credit boom, possibly weakening a global recovery.
The world's third-largest economy expanded by 10.3 percent in the second quarter versus a year earlier and down from the first quarter's explosive 11.9 percent growth, the National Bureau of Statistics said.
China's ability to help drive a global recovery might be dented if slower growth cuts its appetite for U.S. and European factory machinery, industrial components from Asian suppliers and iron ore from Australia and Brazil.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index declined 1.9 percent.
Elsewhere, Japan's Nikkei closed down 1.1 percent. Benchmarks across Asia, including South Korea, Hong Kong, India and New Zealand, also closed lower.
___
TOKYO — Japan's central bank raised its economic growth forecast while holding its key interest rate near zero to keep borrowing costs low.
As widely expected, the Bank of Japan's eight-member policy board voted unanimously to leave the overnight call rate target at 0.1 percent. The Bank has not changed the rate since December 2008.
It described the world's second biggest economy as showing "further signs of a moderate recovery."
___
LONDON — In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares closed down 0.8 percent, Germany's DAX fell 1 percent and the CAC-40 in France ended 1.4 percent lower.
___
BERLIN — Germany cut its 2010 budget deficit forecast on Thursday and said it hopes to comply with an EU-mandated limit a year earlier than expected, while Slovakia's new government became the last to approve a rescue fund for debt-troubled eurozone countries.
___
MADRID — Spain raised nearly euro3 billion ($3.85 billion) in 15-year bonds Thursday, easing market tension over its ability to find financing amid a heavy debt load and frail economy.
___
SHANGHAI — State-owned Agricultural Bank of China has weak stock market debut, gaining just 1 percent amid profitability concerns after an initial public offering that raised up to $22.1 billion.
___
SINGAPORE — Singapore, fresh from announcing record economic growth, says it must bring in more workers from abroad to help keep inflation low, apparently backsliding on a commitment to stem an influx of foreigners.
___
ATHENS, Greece — Greece's private Piraeus Bank offered to buy stakes in two state-controlled banks for euro701 million ($890.5 million), officials said.
Meanwhile, flights in Greece were grounded for at least four hours by a strike and tax collectors, customs officials and government workers also walked out in the latest protest against the government's austerity measures and pension reforms.
___
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — OPEC expects demand for oil to creep modestly higher next year, driven by a gradually improving world economy and a growing thirst for energy in developing countries such as China.
The 12-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries forecast that demand for crude will grow by 1.2 percent, or just over a million barrels per day, next year.
___
BEIJING — China's rapid growth is slowing as its huge stimulus winds down and Beijing cools a credit boom, possibly weakening a global recovery.
The world's third-largest economy expanded by 10.3 percent in the second quarter versus a year earlier and down from the first quarter's explosive 11.9 percent growth, the National Bureau of Statistics said.
China's ability to help drive a global recovery might be dented if slower growth cuts its appetite for U.S. and European factory machinery, industrial components from Asian suppliers and iron ore from Australia and Brazil.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index declined 1.9 percent.
Elsewhere, Japan's Nikkei closed down 1.1 percent. Benchmarks across Asia, including South Korea, Hong Kong, India and New Zealand, also closed lower.
___
TOKYO — Japan's central bank raised its economic growth forecast while holding its key interest rate near zero to keep borrowing costs low.
As widely expected, the Bank of Japan's eight-member policy board voted unanimously to leave the overnight call rate target at 0.1 percent. The Bank has not changed the rate since December 2008.
It described the world's second biggest economy as showing "further signs of a moderate recovery."
___
LONDON — In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares closed down 0.8 percent, Germany's DAX fell 1 percent and the CAC-40 in France ended 1.4 percent lower.
___
BERLIN — Germany cut its 2010 budget deficit forecast on Thursday and said it hopes to comply with an EU-mandated limit a year earlier than expected, while Slovakia's new government became the last to approve a rescue fund for debt-troubled eurozone countries.
___
MADRID — Spain raised nearly euro3 billion ($3.85 billion) in 15-year bonds Thursday, easing market tension over its ability to find financing amid a heavy debt load and frail economy.
___
SHANGHAI — State-owned Agricultural Bank of China has weak stock market debut, gaining just 1 percent amid profitability concerns after an initial public offering that raised up to $22.1 billion.
___
SINGAPORE — Singapore, fresh from announcing record economic growth, says it must bring in more workers from abroad to help keep inflation low, apparently backsliding on a commitment to stem an influx of foreigners.
___
ATHENS, Greece — Greece's private Piraeus Bank offered to buy stakes in two state-controlled banks for euro701 million ($890.5 million), officials said.
Meanwhile, flights in Greece were grounded for at least four hours by a strike and tax collectors, customs officials and government workers also walked out in the latest protest against the government's austerity measures and pension reforms.
___
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — OPEC expects demand for oil to creep modestly higher next year, driven by a gradually improving world economy and a growing thirst for energy in developing countries such as China.
The 12-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries forecast that demand for crude will grow by 1.2 percent, or just over a million barrels per day, next year.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)