ECN 10/29/07

US hands over Karbala to Iraqis
US forces have handed control of the mainly Shia province of Karbala in central Iraq to local authorities in a tightly-guarded ceremony.
Karbala is the eighth of 18 provinces to be transferred to local control since the US-led invasion in 2003.

China touts crackdown on tainted goods
By DAVID BARBOZA
The arrests of 774 people in a nationwide sweep to root out unsafe food, drug and agricultural products was hailed on a government Web site as a big step forward in ensuring safety.


Capitalism does have a effect on China and the more they integrate themselves into the world economy the more effect it will have. Time will tell if it is a go thing or not.

Merkel Flounders in the Wake of SPD Turn to the Left
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has failed to live up to her promise of being a reformer. Instead of acting like an iron lady she is barely putting up a fight as her coalition partner the SPD turns to the left and demands a reversal of key welfare reforms.

News concerning national leaders are always something to watch. In Germany there leader is struggling while in Argentina there version of Billary comes into the lime light.

Kirchner claims Argentine victory
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (CNN) -- Argentine first lady Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner declared victory Sunday night as election returns showed her leading all rivals in her bid to succeed her husband and become the country's first female president.