W O R L D

Campaign for White House heads towards its peak
Presidential races in the United States are a long-drawn but absorbing affair. While the election to the office of the President of India just ended with Pranab Mukherjee being sworn into the highest constitutional office today, the campaign for the White House is heading towards its peak.

THE HEAT IS ON: US President Barack Obama at a campaign event in Portland; and (right) Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Reno. — Reuters/AP/PTI

Zardari Case
Pak SC extends deadline for PM
The Pakistan Supreme Court has given Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf time till August 8 to write to the Swiss authorities on the reopening of graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, a day after dismissing the Premier’s reply.

Suu Kyi makes first speech in Parliament
Naypyitaw, July 25
Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi used her first speech in Parliament today to call for laws protecting the rights of the country's ethnic minorities. The Nobel Peace Prize winner and democracy crusader won her first seat in Myanmar's Parliament in a historic April byelection that was seen as a key step in the country's transformation from military rule to fledgling democracy.


Aung San Suu Kyi speaks during a regular session in Parliament. — AFP

Kim Jong-un is married, confirms North Korea
Seoul, July 25
North Korea said its new leader Kim Jong-un is married, announcing it for the first time in a brief and routine state TV report today evening that ends weeks of speculation about a beautiful woman who accompanied him to recent public events.
MYSTERY SOLVED: The mystery woman (above) often seen with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was on Wednesday identified by state television as his “wife, comrade Ri Sol-Ju”. — AFP

Obama names Indian-American to national arts council
Washington, July 25
President Barack Obama has nominated Ranee Ramaswamy, an Indian-American master teacher and performer of Bharatanatyam since 1978, as a member of the prestigious National Council on the Arts.
                                                                    Ranee Ramaswamy

The Clown Congress Clowns gather for a group picture during the inauguration of the fourth annual Latin American Clown Congress in Guatemala City. Clowns from Central America and South America and the Caribbean have gathered for three days to exchange ideas and attend workshops. — AP/PTI

Campaign for White House heads towards its peak
US voter’s concern No. 1: Economy and who will handle it better
KV Prasad in Washington DC

Presidential races in the United States are a long-drawn but absorbing affair. While the election to the office of the President of India just ended with Pranab Mukherjee being sworn into the highest constitutional office today, the campaign for the White House is heading towards its peak.

With less than four months before the United States votes for its next President, the race between incumbent Barack Obama and his presumptive Republican Challenger Mitt Romney remains close. It is impossible to be in this city, known as the hotbed of politics the world over, and not be drawn into the vortex.

Latest survey results across different pollsters show that economy continues to be the number one concern of the voter and the perception of which of these two are in a better position to handle it dominating the discourse.

If the latest Gallup and Rasmussen polls gave the challenger a slight edge in overall ratings out this week, the NBC gap is wider with President Obama losing out both on his overall performance rating in the job by 5 percentile points and at 2 per cent disapproval of the way he handled the issue.

And of course, President Obama has better ratings for his grip on foreign affairs, but then this election does not seem to be the one fought on American leadership in the world. It is all about economy and no wonder sometime back Joe Biden’s campaign car bumper sticker read: “Osama Bin Laden is dead, GM (General Motors) is alive”.

The emphasis, of course, was that the current tenure of President Obama saw the elimination of Al-Qaida chief Osama Bin Laden, who the Americans had been chasing a decade since 9/11, as a major success to keep the country safe. The reference to GM was to underscore the work done by the Obama administration to lift the economy, with the automobile major — seen as one of the symbols of American entrepreneurship — seen struggling four years ago.

Between now and November, when Americans elect their next President, poll ratings that are out every week allow campaign managers on either side to judge the public mood, the way the race is headed and take steps to correct the course.

For that, a key ingredient is the amount of funds either candidate is able to raise. It is here that former Massachusetts Governor Romney has an advantage, as mandatory periodic reports that candidates and challengers file with the Federal Election Commission show. If Obama is also driving funds from his famous grassroots supporters that are as low as $3, the Republican challengers are raking in big money from large donations.

These funds are crucial in US elections, as they are spent on buying prime time space on media through which campaign teams typically try to tear down the opponent and drive up approval ratings each week.

Gearing up for November

• The race between incumbent Barack Obama and his presumptive Republican 
  Challenger Mitt Romney remains close
• Between now and November, when Americans elect their next President, poll ratings that are out every week allow campaign managers on either side to judge the public mood, the way the race is headed and take steps to correct the course
• For that, a key ingredient is the amount of funds either candidate is able to raise. It is here that Romney has an advantage

Zardari Case
Pak SC extends deadline for PM
Afzal Khan in Islamabad

The Pakistan Supreme Court has given Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf time till August 8 to write to the Swiss authorities on the reopening of graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, a day after dismissing the Premier’s reply. The federation had submitted a reply on behalf of the SC on Tuesday, which stated that Ashraf could not write a letter to the Swiss authorities.

Apparently exercising considerable restraint, a five-member bench of the court led by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa also gave the federation the option to file a review petition against its July 12 verdict in which it had ordered Prime Minister Ashraf to indicate by July 25 whether he would write to the Swiss authorities to reopen the cases.

Suu Kyi makes first speech in Parliament

Naypyitaw, July 25
Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi used her first speech in Parliament today to call for laws protecting the rights of the country's ethnic minorities.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner and democracy crusader won her first seat in Myanmar's Parliament in a historic April byelection that was seen as a key step in the country's transformation from military rule to fledgling democracy.

Suu Kyi stood from her seat toward the back of Myanmar's Parliament to call for an end to discrimination against ethnic minorities as part of the "emergence of a genuine democratic country."

"Based on the spirit of equality, mutual respect and understanding," she said, "I would like to urge all lawmakers to enact necessary laws or amend laws to protect the rights of ethnic nationalities."

Suu Kyi's comments came in support of a motion by a ruling-party lawmaker from the ethnic Shan state on upholding ethnic minority rights. She referred to soaring poverty rates noting that protecting minority rights required more than just maintaining ethnic languages and cultures. — AP

Kim Jong-un is married, confirms North Korea

Seoul, July 25
North Korea said its new leader Kim Jong-un is married, announcing it for the first time in a brief and routine state TV report today evening that ends weeks of speculation about a beautiful woman who accompanied him to recent public events.

Kim toured an amusement park with his "wife, comrade Ri Sol-Ju" yesterday, while a crowd cheered for the leader, the speaker said without giving any more details about Ri, including how long they had been married.

Seven months after inheriting the country from his father, Kim Jong II, the 20-something leader has been shown in the media several times with the young woman, including at a concert where Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters appeared and at tours of various North Korean sites.

While the woman hadn't been identified until now, media and analysts in the South were quick to guess that she was his wife. — AP

Obama names Indian-American to national arts council

Washington, July 25
President Barack Obama has nominated Ranee Ramaswamy, an Indian-American master teacher and performer of Bharatanatyam since 1978, as a member of the prestigious National Council on the Arts.

Founder and co-artistic director of the Ragamala Dance Company, Ramaswamy has been a disciple of Alarmel Valli, one of India's greatest living masters since 1984.

Announcing her nomination along with half a dozen other key administration posts, Obama said in a statement: "These dedicated and accomplished individuals will be valued additions to my administration as we tackle the important challenges facing America. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead."

Ramaswamy's work has been commissioned by the Walker Art Centre, American Composers Forum, and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and has been supported by the National Dance Project and the Joyce Foundation.

Her tours have been highlighted by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the American Dance Festival, and the National Centre for Performing Arts in Mumbai.

Ramaswamy has worked with celebrated artists such as poet Robert Bly, jazz musician Howard Levy, legendary composer/violinist L. Subramaniam, the Cudamani ensemble (Bali) and Wadaiko Ensemble Tokara (Nagano).

She is the recipient of the 2011 McKnight Distinguished Artist Award and was named "2011 Artist of the Year" by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. — IANS