Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Daily Verdict: November 4th, 2008

US Election day
The election day is finally here and the American voters will finally pass their own verdict. Whether Obama or McCain wins, this election cycle will be recognized as a historic one. Both candidates are in the home states and went to the voting booth fairly early on in the day, encouraging their supporters to come out in large numbers. Polls begin to close at 6pm ET with the last polls in California closing at 11pm ET. No result or projection is expected until after polls close in California as it will play a major role with its 55 electoral votes. Good job to both candidates for running an amazing race.

UN Secretary General calls for surge
Reuters reports that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has asked the Security Council to approve a troop surge in Congo in order to prevent a full-scale war as the president of the country formally rejected requests to negotiate with rebel leaders. After recent troop advances by the rebels, UN forces in Congo have remained very stretched, unable to deal with the heightened violence. Regardless of the dire situation in the country, it does not appear as the Security Council will discuss Ban’s proposal anytime soon.

SADC to hold summit in S. Africa on Zimbabwe deadlock
It appears that the SADC has decided to hold yet another summit in South Africa in order to break the deadlocked Zimbabwe power-sharing negotiations. The measly quarrel over 15 or so seats in the cabinet is becoming increasingly ludicrous as the country as well as its people are becoming desperate for a ruling government. The latest estimates of inflation have it at around 2.79 quintillion percent. I don’t even know how to write that number in digits, nevermind imagine its economic effects when considered as inflation.
Floods ravage Vietnam, China
Sever floods have hit Vietnam and China yesterday as flood levels reached fatal levels with over 120 people killed in both countries. Reuters reports that flooding in northern and central Vietnam has killed 86 people and 34 have died in southwestern China from flood and mudslides. Crop damage is also estimated to be really high even though no estimates have been released to indicate real damage.