Turkey backtracks on criminalizing adultery
IN A MOVE LARGELY PERCEIVED as an appeasement to the European Union (EU), Turkey hurriedly backtracked on penal code reforms that were set to re-criminalize adultery. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made the move in advance of a European Commission report, set for release Oct. 6, on Turkey’s progress in its bid for membership to the EU.

Erdogan had earlier defended the proposed legislation, but following a set of meetings in Brussels quickly changed his mind. Many groups who opposed the law claimed it primarily punished women. Negative publicity on the issue came at a sensitive time for Turkey. Many in Europe are now openly voicing their concerns about Turkey’s admittance to the EU, with influential French Finance Minister Nicolas Sarkozy even suggesting there should be a referendum in France before Turkey could join the EU. If Turkey joins it will be the union’s most populous and only Muslim nation.

Hurricanes wreak havoc
NOT JUST THE TOPIC OF SMALL TALK ANYMORE, the weather has been making headlines. The big news has been the steady stream of hurricanes besieging the Caribbean and southern United States. The most recent storm, Jeanne, caused floods in Haiti reportedly killing at least 1,500 people. Floods triggered a humanitarian crisis as crops were destroyed and aid workers struggled to get food to the hardest hit areas. Jeanne moved on to Florida and was the fourth hurricane to hit the US state this year. Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Ivan all wreaked havoc in the Caribbean on their respective paths to Florida. Ivan destroyed 90 percent of homes in Grenada and disrupted oil production when it moved into the Gulf of Mexico. On the other side of the globe, Asian countries issued almost weekly warnings against typhoons. Japan was hit particularly hard with at least reported 45 deaths.

International hostages
ITALY IS BREATHING A COLLECTIVE SIGH OF RELIEF after the release of two aid workers who were held hostage in Iraq. Simona Pari and Simona Torretta had been working in Baghdad for an Italian non-governmental organization and were abducted from their offices with two other Iraqi men who were also later released. The Italians’ release came a day after Iranian diplomat, Fereidoun Jahani, was let go. Jayani was being held by a group called the Islamic Army in Iraq, the same group said to be also holding two French journalists, Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot, for ransom. While Iraq faces numerable attacks by insurgents by means of car bombs and attacks on civilians, kidnappings have garnered much of the international attention. The conflict in Iraq has claimed the lives of over 1,000 US soldiers, a psychological milestone, and the recent beheadings of two American hostages gives the situation a degree of horror beyond that of the usual combat. Eugene Armstrong and Jack Hensley were taken from their homes in Baghdad along with a third man, Briton Kenneth Bigley. Their abductors are led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian-born al-Qaeda suspect. Bigley’s plight has urged Muslims from his hometown in Liverpool to travel to Baghdad in hopes of helping negotiate his freedom. Over 100 foreign nationals have been abducted since the end of major combat operations in Iraq and at least 27 of those were killed. Many hostages are held for ransoms paid for by the hostage’s employers. The amount of media coverage given to cases of foreign hostages is now causing debate as to whether it is further fueling the kidnappings in Iraq.

Gross narrowly survives confidence vote
CZECH PRIME MINISTER STANISLAV GROSS overcame his first major political challenge and survived a vote of confidence. His victory was bittersweet as the 200-seat Chamber of Deputies awarded it to him by a single vote. Gross has only held the job since July and has already had a rocky start to his tenure. Before the confidence vote, a senior official in his government, Pavel Pribyl, was forced to step down over allegations he was involved in a crackdown on Prague protesters in 1989. Then a governing deputy, Zdenek Koristka, alleged that Civic Democrat opposition members tried to bribe him. These charges were refuted by the opposition and police are now looking into the matter. With political wrangling also in Poland and a government changeover in Hungary, Gross is not alone in his ups and downs. The Czech Republic will hold elections in 2006.

Rynart expands to Romania
DUTCH FIRM RYNART, WHICH SPECIALIZES IN INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT and logistical services, has announced plans to expand into Romania. The company secured a loan of EUR 11 million from the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO) Sept. 16. Rynart has been successful in Hungary and was one of the first Dutch companies to move into the Central European market and see extensive growth. It now has a market share of 60 percent in Hungary, with turnover of EUR 60 million in 2003. The company, which outgrew its parent company in the Netherlands, also operates in Turkey. The move to Romania is the most recent in a drive to gain a larger presence in Eastern Europe. Rynart is also looking to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia and Slovenia.

Piran Bay dispute causes tension
CROATIAN BORDER POLICE RAISED TENSIONS with its neighbors after arresting 12 Slovenians in a disputed area between the two countries. The Slovenians, which included two police officers and a politician, reportedly failed to show their documents to Croatian police. As a result of the incident, Slovenian Prime Minister Anton Rop told local media he could not currently support Croatia’s bid to join the European Union (EU). The announcement drew an angry response from Croatia, who said Rop used the incident to bolster support before an election. The Bay of Piran has been disputed since the breakup of Yugoslavia and Slovenia has insisted it wouldn’t become a concern regarding the country’s EU accession.

Oil prices soar, observers nervous
SAUDI ARABIA HAS SAID IT WILL RAISE OIL PRODUCTION to counter high prices on the markets. Production capacity will be increased by 1.5 million to 11 million barrels daily, the Associated Press reported. The planned increase comes after oil prices rose above USD 50 a barrel, breaking what many are calling an important psychological barrier. Prices later came down, but are expected to rise again with some speculation foreseeing the possibility of USD 60 per barrel, possibly by the end of the year. The final push causing the rise in prices came from reports in Nigeria that rebels were planning a violent conflict against the Nigerian government. Nigeria is the fifth-largest exporter of oil and produces a particular type of sweet crude oil which is in short supply. Nigeria is only one of the many factors contributing to the rise in prices, however. Hurricane Ivan disrupted American production in the Gulf of Mexico by damaging facilities, there have been acts of sabotage and fighting in both Iraq and Saudi Arabia and there is ongoing uncertainty surrounding Russian oil giant Yukos and its supply. Demand has also increased with the boom in the Chinese economy and there has been higher demand in the United States and India. Higher prices produced a slight rise in shares for oil companies on the stock market.

Concern over nuclear threat
Indicators revealed that North Korea and Iran have made efforts to further their nuclear capabilities. While North Korea admitted it created arms from 8,000 nuclear fuel rods, Iran maintained its nuclear ambitions were for peaceful use. Both situations are worrying the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). North Korea’s announcement came as rumors circled the country regarding the resumption of missile tests. The secretive government blamed the United States’ hostile attitude as reasons for their actions. North Korea also cited recent disclosure by the South Korean government that it was involved in its own secret nuclear experiments. Scientists, apparently working outside the government’s eye, experimented with uranium in 2000. The country also admitted to enriching a small amount of plutonium in the 1980s. South Korea plans to fully cooperate with the IAEA; but Iran is not as forthcoming. The Middle-Eastern country has allegedly not disclosed all of its activities concerning the enrichment of uranium for what it says are energy purposes. The international community has responded to the situation with concern. The United States has consistently been vocal in its opposition to any nuclear activity in the region. And now France, Germany and Great Britain want proof Iran is not lying about its nuclear ambitions - and they want that proof by November, when the IAEA holds its next assembly. IAEA Chief Mohamed El-Baradei has not guaranteed such a deadline.

Germany’s radical revival
GERMANY FACED AN UNWELCOME REVIVAL WHEN EXTREMIST parties made a showing in state elections. The far-right National Democratic Party (NDP) won 9 percent of the vote in Saxony and the German People’s Union (DVU) won 6 percent in Brandenburg. The Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS), a party of mainly former communist members, captured 28 percent of the vote. Dissatisfaction with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder’s Social Democrats was seen as the culprit of such protest votes. Schroeder’s recent moves to cut back welf are programs angered many in the east currently struggling with a high unemployment. Many in Germany, especially in the tourism sector, are worried how the vote will play in the eyes of the international community

Indonesia sweeps in new leader
INDONESIANS TOOK PART IN THEIR FIRST DEMOCRATIC TURNOVER of power when they elected Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as president. Outgoing president, Megawati Sukarnoputri, apologized to voters for her shortcomings. However, Megawati’s coalition still holds the majority of seats in Indonesia’s Parliament. This means Yudhoyono and his Democrat Party might have some difficulties in realizing election promises. He has pledged to improve the economy, tackle corruption and tighten security. Security is of special concern after a recent terrorist attack on the Australian Embassy in Jakarta — Indonesia’s third terrorist attack in two years. Critics say Yudhoyono will have to get some immediate results to keep his momentum of support amongst voters.

Alitalia sees new signs of life
ALITALIA’S TROUBLES ARE BEGINNING TO CLEAR UP. Italy’s national airline has reached a deal with unions to prevent it from going bankrupt, for now. Chief Executive Giancarlo Cimoli still has to turn a profit amidst higher oil prices and declining numbers of passengers. The recent deal will allow Alitalia to reach for a lifeline in the form of a USD 488-million-loan approved by the Italian government and European Union. Without the loan, Alitalia had said it would have gone bankrupt. The Italian government will also have to reduce its stake in Alitalia’s shares. The company will also cut 3,700 jobs, about one-sixth of its staff. This is down from an original proposed cut of one-fifth of jobs. Union members took cuts in wages and benefits so lay-offs would be lessened. The final deal will see Alitalia separate into two divisions: AZ Fly for airlines and AZ Service for its ground operations.