LETTER N° 47

From 18 to 24 November

18

South Ossetia

(Georgia)

Presidential election. Results :

According to unofficial preliminary results, Moscow-based businessman Eduard Kokoev won over 40 percent of the vote followed by local Communist Party First Secretary Stanislav Kochiev with 25 percent. The two men will participate in a runoff vote that must be held within two weeks. Incumbent President Lyudvig Chibirov was in third place with less than 20 percent.

18

Bulgaria

Presidential election runoff. Results :

Bulgaria's Socialist Party leader Georgi Parvanov who wins 53.3% to Stoyanov's 46.7%. Turnout is 54.5%.

Profile : Born on June 28, 1957 in the village of Kovachevtsi, Sofia district. Married, has two children. Graduated in History from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski". Ph.D. in History. Senior research associate 2nd rank. Member of the Board of Directors of "Duma Press" since Jan. 1996. Member of the All-people Committee for Protection of National Interests. In June 1990, MP candidate of the All-people Committee for Protection of National Interests. Member of BSP (Bulgarian Socialist Party ). Director of the Center for Historical and Political Studies in the Supreme Council of BSP. Chief of the National Minority Problem and Ethnic Relations Committee in the Supreme Council of BSP 1994-96. Chief of the pre-election headquarters of Ivan Marazov - candidate for Bulgarian president from the "Together for Bulgaria" coalition in the Oct. 1996 presidential elections. Member of the Executive Bureau of the Supreme Council of BSP since 1991. Deputy chair of the Supreme Council of BSP 1994-96. Chair of the Supreme Council of BSP since Dec. 1996. MP (elected in Kardjali) in the 37th National Assembly (Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Left). Chairman of PG of the Democratic Left since January 1997.

18

Barbados

Barbados' main opposition Democratic Labor Party elected a senator as its new leader to replace the party president who resigned over the party's defeat in a recent by-election.

Sen. Clyde Mascoll was elected the party's leader. He replaced David Thompson, who had led the party since 1994 but announced his resignation after the party lost a September by-election for a Parliament seat in one of its traditional strongholds. Mascoll, a 41-year-old economist, had 310 votes to 260 votes for his competitor, Branford Taitt, a former president of the party who held Cabinet positions in previous Democratic Labor Party administrations.

Profile : Clyde Mascoll was educated at Eagle Hall Primary School,Combermere School,The University of the West Indies and Queen's University in Canada.He has been employed by The Central Bank Of Barbados as a senior economist,an economic advisor in the Ministry of Finance,a research fellow at the Institute of Social and Economic Research.

19

United States

Former Vice President Al Gore has been named vice chairman of investment firm Metropolitan West Financial Inc. to help it expand its international reach and develop investment strategies in the biotechnology and high-tech sectors.

Profile : Born March 31, 1948 in Washington, D.C. Career: After several years as a reporter in Nashville, Gore was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1976. In 1984, he was elected to the U.S. Senate. Since 1993, Gore has served as vice president to 2001. Family: Wife Tipper; children Karenna and son-in-law Drew, Kristin, Sarah, Albert III and grandson Wyatt

19

United States

Former New Jersey Senator Harrison 'Pete' Williams Dies

Williams served in the Senate from 1959 to 1982 and was known as New Jersey's "senator for life," because of his popularity. Williams was instrumental in passage of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, which protects worker pensions, as well as the Coal Mine and Health Safety Act. The former senator helped pass legislation that created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and he had a role in passage of the Urban Mass Transit Act on 1964, the first federal law to provide mass transportation assistance to states and cities. He was the first chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Aging. His political career came to an end after he was involved in the Abscam sting in 1978 when agents posed as Arab sheiks or their representatives and offered bribes to members of Congress. Williams was charged in 1980 and later convicted on nine counts of bribery and conspiracy for promising to use his office to further a business venture in which he had a hidden interest. He was the first senator jailed in 80 years, receiving a sentence of three years. The former senator later sought a pardon from President Clinton, but was turned down. Williams is survived by his second wife, Jeanette, and four children from a previous marriage.

20

Denmark

General election. Results :

The Right Liberals win 56 of 179 seats (31.3% of the vote), the Social Democrats 52 (29.1%), the Danish People's Party 22, the Conservatives 16, the Socialist People's Party 12, the Left Liberals 9, the Christian People's Party 4, and the Unity List 4. Turnout is 87%.

Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen resigns the next day, and is expected to be succeeded by Liberal leader Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

20

Malaysia

Salahuddin

 


Zainal

The sultan of Selangor and yang di-pertuan agong of Malaysia, Tuanku Salehuddin Abdul Aziz Shah ibni al-Marhum Hisamuddin Alam Shah, dies.

Profile : H.M. Sultan Salahuddin 'Abdu'l Aziz Shah Alhaj ibni al-Marhum Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah Alhaj, King of Malaysia, GCVO (23.2.1972). b. at Istana Bandar Temasha, Kuala Langat, 8th March 1926, educ. Pengkalan Batu Malay Sch., Klang, Malay Coll., Kuala Kangsar, and Federation Mil. Coll., Port Dickson. Served in State Secretariat, Survey dept. and as Inspector of Schools, Education Dept. Cmsnd. Royal Malay Regt., prom. Hon. Capt. 1952, prom. Major 1960. Inspector Auxiliary Police 1949-1953, OC Kampong Home guard, Ipoh 1949-1953, Cdt. BRCS Ipoh and Telok Anson 1951-1953, Chairm. BRCS 1953-1954. Granted the title of Tengku Laksamana, 1st August 1946. Appointed Heir Apparent with the title Raja Muda, 13th May 1957. Presdt. Council of Regency 1952 and 1953. Installed as Regent of Selangor when his father became Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, 16th May 1960. Proclaimed on the death of his father, 2nd September 1960. Installed 3rd September 1960. Crowned at Alam Shah Palace, Klang, 28th June 1961. Elected as King of Malaysia with the title of Yang di Pertuan Agong and style of Majesty. Crowned at the Istana Negara, Kuala Lumpur, 26th April 1999.

The sultan of Terengganu, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin ibni al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud, becomes acting head of state.

Profile : Colonel H.R.H. Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin ibni al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud al-Muktafi al-Muktafi Billah Shah, Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan Besar of the State of Trengganu. b. at Kuala Trengganu, 22nd January 1962, educ. Appointed as Heir Apparent with the title of Yang di-Pertuan Muda 1979, Succeeded on the death of his father, 14th May 1988. Became Deputy Supreme Head of State with the title of Timbalan Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 26th April 1999. Colonel-in-Chief Royal Armoured Corps. m. at Kuala Trengganu, Chik Puan Sri Rozita Adil Bakeri (Permaisuri Nur Zahirah).

21

Finland

Minister of Agriculture to leave government.

The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Kalevi Hemilä, will step down from his post. He will begin to head the Finnish Food and Drink Industries' Federation in February. Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen assured that the balance of the cabinet parties will not be changed, meaning that the new Agriculture Minister will also be politically non-allied. Hemilä has been the Finnish Agriculture Minister ever since April 1995. No other Agriculture Minister has held the post for as long as Hemilä.

21

Malaysia

New political secretary to Home Minister

Ramzi Ab Rahman, the vice-chairman of the Pasir Mas Umno division, has been appointed as a political secretary to Home Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Ramzi replaces Othman Desa, who will now become political secretary II in the Deputy Prime Minister's office. Ramzi, who is married with seven children, was previously senior private secretary to the Home Minister.

22

Macedonia

Foreign Minister Ilinka Mitreva and Defense Minister Vlado Buckovski resign.

Three ministers resigned, jolting a broad-based coalition government that was created to back Macedonia's fragile peace process. The resignations followed a decision Tuesday by a key Macedonian party - the Social Democrats - to leave the government, saying the threat of ethnic war no longer exists. The party's three top officials - the Foreign Minister Ilinka Mitreva and Defense Minister Vlado Buckovski and Macedonia's deputy prime minister - all left to protest what they called Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski's hard-line policies toward ethnic Albanians.

22

Falkland Islands

(UK)

Legislative assembly election. Results :

Voters in the Falkland Islands have spoken, and as a result, there is a new eight member Legislative Council. After verification, the counting began. Voting turn-out was moderately high in Stanley with 823 voting for councillors, bringing the percentage up to 68.7% and 820 people voted for the referendum which is 68.4%. In Camp. The turn-out was even higher with 250 people voting for Legislative Councillors bringing the percentage up to 82.2% and 248 people voted in the referendum which is 81.6% of the voters.

The elected members to Legislative Council for the Stanley constituency are : Michael Summers, John Birmingham, Jan Cheek, Stephen Luxton, and Richard Cockwell and for Camp constituency are : Norma Edwards, 179 Votes Roger Edwards, 168 Votes Philip Miller, 92 Votes, Ian Hansen, 89 Votes Richard Stevens, 86 Votes Christopher May, 38 Votes Robin Goodwin, 22 Votes

22

Isle of Man

(UK)

Legislative Council. Results :

Constituencys - Ayre : Elected - Edgar Quine (APG) ; Castletown : Returned- Tony Brown (UNOPPOSED) ; Douglas East : Elected - Phil Braidwood (Ind.) and Brenda Cannell (APG) ; Dougla North : Returned - Bill Henderson (UNOPPOSED), John Houghton (UNOPPOSED) ; Douglas South : Elected - David Cretney (Labour) and Adrian Duggan (Ind.) ; Douglas West : Elected - Alex Downie (Ind.) and John Shimmin (Ind.) ; Garff : Elected - Steve Rodan (Ind.) ; Glenfaba : Elected - David Anderson (Ind.) ; Malew & Santon : Returned - Donald Gelling (UNOPPOSED) ; Michael : Elected - David Cannan (Ind.) ; Middle : Elected - Martyn Quayle (Ind.) ; Onchan : Elected - Peter Karran (Labour), Adrian Earnshaw (Ind.) and Richard Corkill (Ind.) ; Peel : Elected - Hazel Hannan (Ind.) ; Ramsey : Elected - Allan Bell (Ind.) and Leonard Singer (APG) ; Rushen : Elected - John Rimington (Ind.), Quinton Gill (Ind.), and Pam Crowe (Ind.).

22

Australia

Simon Crean elected new leader of Australian Labor party.

Profile : Simon was born in Melbourne and educated at Melbourne High School and Monash University where he obtained degrees in economics and law. In 1985, he was elected President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) having been ACTU Junior Vice-President (1981-83) and ACTU Senior Vice-President (1983-85). He was a member of the governing body of the International Labor Organisation, the Economic Planning and Advisory Council, the Board of Qantas, the Board of the AIDC and the Transport Industry Advisory Council. Following his election to Federal Parliament in 1990, Simon was appointed Minister for Science and Technology. He was also Minister Assisting the Treasurer with responsibility for the Prices Surveillance Authority, the Foreign Investment Review Board and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. From June 1991 until December 1993, Simon was Minister for Primary Industries and Energy. He was then appointed Minister for Employment, Education and Training. From March 1996, he was Shadow Minister for Industry and Regional Development and Manager of Opposition Business and in October 1998, he was elected Deputy Opposition Leader and appointed Shadow Treasurer. Following the 2001 federal election, Simon was elected unopposed as Leader of the Opposition on 22 November 2001.

22

Egypt

Cabinet reshuffle

The cabinet changes. In a bid to streamline the path towards increased exports, the Ministry of Economy portfolio was eliminated, partly replaced by a new portfolio called the Ministry of Foreign Trade. Youssef Boutros Ghali remains the Minister. Meanwhile, at the Foreign Ministry, a new Minister of State for Foreign Affairs was named - career diplomat Fayza Abul Naga got the job, becoming the first female in such a high-ranking role. Abul-Naga and Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher will both be leading Egypt's diplomatic corps.

22

Australia

Newly reelected Australian Prime Minister John Howard named his new cabinet as the Liberal-National Coalition began its third term in office.

Treasurer Peter Costello, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs Minister Philip Ruddock all retained their posts. National Party Leader John Anderson remained deputy prime minister and Transport and Regional services minister. Howard also appointed three new cabinet ministers. Brendan Nelson will head the Education, Science and Training Ministry, Senator Kay Patterson has been appointed minister for Health and Aging and Ian Macfarlane is new Industry, Tourism and Resources minister. The shuffle also saw three ministers return to the back bench. Former Sport and Tourism Minister Jackie Kelly, who is expecting a baby in March, has opted to step aside for personal reasons, but will take up the position of parliamentary secretary to the prime minister. Veteran's Affairs Minister Bruce Scott is no longer part of cabinet due to the loss of two National Party seats in the election and the subsequent reduction in the proportion of National Party cabinet positions.

22-24

Ibero-American summit

XI Ibero-American summit - Lima - (Children, terrorism on agenda)

The leaders of Portugal, Spain and Latin America meet in Peru for their annual conference. Security and anti-terrorism issues dominate the agenda - a commonplace occurrence since Sep 11. They also have the task of measuring the year's progress on the Panama Declaration, an ambitious program unveiled at the 2000 summit in Panama to relieve the plight of children in the region. The declaration targets child poverty, and children in both the labor force and combat. It includes a pledge from members to make early education accessible to all children and primary school attendance free and mandatory by 2015.

The Ibero-American group is committed to respecting the principles of non-intervention and sovereignty of member countries, which undercuts its ability to lean hard on offenders. It has had little success at reducing the number of children fighting in Latin America's insurgencies. Colombia is reported to have some 6000 children under arms in guerrilla and paramilitary forces.

THIS WEEK'S STORY

November 21, 1783

The first recorded manned flight in a hot air balloon takes place in Paris.

Built from paper and silk by the Montgolfier brothers, this balloon was piloted on a 22 minute flight by Jean François Pilâtre de Rozier and the Marquis François-Laurent d'Arlandes. From the center of Paris they ascended 500 feet above the roof tops before eventually landing about 6 miles away in the vineyards. Local farmers were very suspicious of this fiery dragon descending from the sky. The pilots offered champagne to placate them and to celebrate the flight, a tradition carried on by balloonists to this day.

The story began in 1783. Two brothers, Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier, used a sphere made of paper and heated air as the source of lift. The Montgolfier's brothers were directors of the family owned paper factory and scientists as well. The first Montgolfiers hot air balloon was flown free from Annonay on June 5, 1783.Later in September 19, 1783 the Montgolfier's balloon with duck, rooster and sheep in a basket attached to the envelope launched in front of King Louis XVI. from Versailles.

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