| Getting Tough, Real, and Smart on Trade
Though not a fan of timetables lately, the Bush administration managed to sign a free trade agreement with South Korea sometime around the 11th hour this past Sunday night, barely meeting a deadline for sending proposed trade deals for congressional consideration under fast-track rules. The president faces an even bigger deadline at the end of June when his current trade negotiating authority expires. With the perceived closing of the negotiating window, Congress has ample leverage to ensure that any new trade deals distribute both the benefits and the inevitable costs of trade more equitably at home and abroad. Leaders on Capitol Hill have seized this opportunity to take U.S. trade policy in a more progressive direction while re-establishing a bipartisan consensus on this thorny issue. Finding common ground on trade is critical to continued domestic and global economic growth.
Economic policies means to create jobs, raising income, reduce ...
ISLAMABAD, Apr 6 (APP):Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance, Economic Affairs and Revenues Dr.Salman Shah said the ultimate objectives of the government’s socio-economic policy are creation of jobs, raising incomes of people and reduce poverty. "Pakistan is committed to and has succeeded in maintaining macroeconomic stability through adoption of a comprehensive and vide ranging reform agenda in major sectors like trade, taxation, tariff, banking, the regulation of capital markets, and privatization", he said while addressing the participants of the Second meeting of Finance Ministers of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) member countries in Antalya (Turkey) on Friday, says a message received here. Dr.Shah said that Pakistan is a nation of 160 Million people, of whom 100 Million are under the age of 25.
Michigan : Michigan Council for Labor & Economic Growth Vulnerable ...
March 7, 2007 -- Employers in southeast Michigan left their real-world identities behind and tried to make ends meet as low wage workers today at the Council for Labor & Economic Growth (CLEG) Vulnerable Worker Forum held at the CVS Learning Center on the campus of Wayne County Community College. A modified poverty simulation was used to jumpstart employer awareness of the struggles that most vulnerable workers - hourly and entry level staff face and whose difficulties with poverty often impact their employment success.The CLEG Low Wage Worker Advancement Committee, in partnership with the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce and CVS Pharmacy hosted the event. Featured was an employer-led roundtable discussion of key action steps employers large and small can take to connect low income employees to support services to decrease turnover, provide opportunities for advancement, and improve long-term workforce stability.
NZ's water pollution record slammed in international report
The OECD Environmental Performance Review of New Zealand said better protection of surface and ground waters was needed because pollution was affecting rivers, streams and lakes. Irrigation was also taking a toll. It said regulations on water quality or economic measures would avoid problems. Environment Minister David Benson-Pope said last month that the Government was very clear that water was a public resource which the Government and local authorities continued to manage on behalf of all New Zealanders. The Government had no intention of privatising water, or establishing water markets for trading water rights. The report said climate protection policy needed to be strengthened. It criticised the dropping on carbon tax plans in 2005 -- a decision Labour made because of political opposition.
Alcatel-Lucent Launches IP Transformation Centre in Singapore
Alcatel-Lucent is planning on setting up a new Internet Protocol Transformation Centre (IPTC) in Singapore, to bolster its network of IPTCs worldwide. The first centre of its scale in Asia-Pacific, the Alcatel-Lucent IPTC will develop, integrate and test IP networking solutions.Supported by the Economic Development Board of Singapore, the Asia IPTC is expected to host about 50 technologies and employ approximately 80 professionals, representing an investment of up to 20 million Euros over three years. The new centre will be co-located with the regions first IPTV Competency Centre, launched by Alcatel-Lucent in February 2006.The Asia-Pacific IPTC complements the existing IPTCs and Network Integration Centres located in Antwerp, Belgium; Lisle, Illinois and Plano, Texas. These centres, which share knowledge, resources and best practices, help service providers execute their IP Transformation projects.Shortening the IP transformation period and ensuring seamless customer network migration are the prime objectives of our global IP Transformation Centres and Network Integration Centres, said John Meyer, President of Alcatel-Lucents Services activities."Last year, Alcatel opened its first IPTV and Triple-Play Centre of Competence for the region.
Dollar Slides on China Sanctions
U.S. 10-year Treasury bond prices closed slightly lower on a high-range day today. Consumer spending and a positive business activity report helped to boost confidence in the U.S. economy. Bonds have been trading in a fairly tight range for about a month, and despite the whipsawing, prices closed within normal range today. Housing reports continue to be a major focus for traders, who see the housing sector as a broad economic indicator of U.S. economic health. The dollar fell against the euro and the yen today, after U.S. imposed trade sanctions on China. The protectionist measure caused to the dollar to fall against the major currencies. The yen has been the key focus for currency traders lately, as the ramifications of the yen carry trade are felt during global selloffs, when traders buy back the yen to cover riskier positions.
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