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Get other General Politics hereThis book is a concise overview of the recent history of US-Central American relations. Part of the Contemporary Inter-American Relations series edited by Jorge Dominguez and Rafael Fernandez de Castro it focuses on the relations between the US and this region since the end of the Cold War. The volume considers economic relations between the two regions presenting pertinent information on the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). It also looks at political issues such as military cooperation security issues the drug trade and organized crime democracy in the region and migration. Finally it concludes with an assessment of the direction US-Central American relations are taking at present moving beyond the black-and-white challenges of Soviet domination in the region to address post-9/11 security concerns. The United States and Central America will be of interest to students and scholars of foreign policy Latin American politics and politics andinternational relations i… Comments (0)

Get other General Politics hereWith contributions by leading authorities on the security and political economy of East Asia this volume examines the implications of the profound strategic and economic transformations in the region since the demise of the Soviet Union ended Cold War polarization and the emergence of new East Asian economic powers transformed regional economic relations. By studying the implications of these strategic and economic transformations for the interests of the great powers and key local powers and for the maintenance of regional stability the contributors ponder how the changing relations among these states might evolve into a new regional order characterized by extensive stability and cooperation. By so doing they consider potential sources Comments (0)

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AFP – French police detained around 200 undocumented migrants, many of them Afghans, on Tuesday in a major operation in the Channel port of Calais, regional state authorities said.

Thousands of migrants pass through Calais and its squatter camps every year trying to cross the Channel from France illegally to seek new lives in Britain.

Police cordoned off a major camp in Calais itself and seized some 150 people, while picking up a further 33 in motorway rest stops outside the city and 11 in the close toby town of Saint Omer, a state spokeswoman said.

It’s an attempt to dismantle people trafficking networks.

About 300 French officers were involved in Tuesday’s sweep, she said, which came two days before Immigration Minister Eric Besson was due to visit Calais for talks on the situation following complaints from local lawmakers.

&raquo Police arrest 150 migrants in Calais
A volunteer working at a care station for the migrants complained that the area had been under siege for more than a week before the raid. It’s an operation to destabilise the networks and try to find the smugglers, she said, adding that a security cordon had been thrown up around a migrant camp.

We’re trapped.

Many of those arrested identified themselves as Afghans, the official said. Democracy is doing its job, Jean-Claude Lenoir remarked, in a bitter reference to the political pressure brought to bear on the police.

Besson last visited Calais on January 27 and promised that he would come up with a permanent solution to the problems posed by the migrants by May 1. They have been taken into custody in the cities of Calais, Boulogne and Lille on the orders of the Boulogne state prosecutor.

Then interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy, who has since become president, closed the centre following pressure from London, which said it encouraged migrants to make the illegal and dangerous trip across the Channel.

Until November 2002, many of the arrivals from Asia, the Middle East and Africa crossing France en route for what they believe would be an easier life in Britain were housed at an organised camp in Sangatte, close to Calais.

Since then, however, travellers have continued to arrive in the region hoping to sneak on board trucks and trains using the ferries and tunnel to southern England, or to pay traffickers to arrange the crossing.

Since then, however, travellers have continued to arrive in the region hoping to sneak on board trucks and trains using the ferries and tunnel to southern England, or to pay traffickers to arrange the crossing.

France – human trafficking – immigration – police

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Auckland Mayoral chains attract the celebrity vote

By ESTHER HARWARD – Sunday, 15 February 2009

Mayoral possibility Blair Strang. .
"I think a super-city is the answer.
Holmes, who left Newstalk ZB in December, told the Sunday Star-Times yesterday that he would consider running for mayor."
The celebrity appointments may not end with the top job: Auckland City Council mayor John Banks last week told the Star-Times he wants to run the new super-city, but would also like to pull together a ticket of top performers from the worlds of business, sports and the media. I think it presents amazing opportunities for the region -yes, it might cause me to do some real thinking. Banks says he hasn't actually approached Holmes about the idea, but pointed out that the broadcaster is at a loose end in the Hawke's Bay.
Banks was cagey about whom he might invite to join his super-city super-team, but praises Holmes.
"Councillor? Why stop there?" he said.
When the Star-Times called Holmes yesterday he said he had been thinking about "a whole lot of things", including campaigning for a super-city seat.
Auckland is tipped to become a city of 1. He had "tremendous admiration" for Banks, but it was too early to say whether he'd join a Banks ticket. It is expected that seven territorial councils – Rodney District, North Shore City, Auckland City, Manukau City, Waitakere City, Papakura District and Franklin District – and the Auckland Regional Council will be dissolved, with most councils merging into a single authority and the rest joining existing councils to the far south and north.3 million people after the Royal Commission releases the results of its inquiry into the region's governance on March 31.
Tabron and Brash last week told the Star-Times that while they hadn't considered seeking office to run the new city, they wouldn't rule it out.
Other high-profile Aucklanders who might fit the bill – whether or not they fancy the idea of joining forces with Banks -include All Blacks Michael Jones, Andy Dalton and Wilson Whineray; restaurateur Judith Tabron; former National leader Don Brash and businessmen such as Stephen Tindall, Alasdair Thompson and Peter Huljich. "I think there has to be, with all due respect to the incumbent, a youthful approach, a 30-something approach.
Strang, who used to play hunky ambulance driver Rangi on Shortland Street, thought his friend Tim Shadbolt was joking when the Invercargill mayor mentioned his name last year as a potential super-city leader, but now he's taking it seriously. He won't name names until he has talked to them."
If Strang does launch a campaign – which would be mid-year, when he finishes filming a drama for Maori Television – he would gather a team of advisers: Shadbolt, solicitor colleagues, and a couple of actors.
Auckland University of Technology sociology lecturer Charles Crothers said big-name candidates with no political experience might do well at the polls, but would struggle with the job. What he wants for Auckland is a big arts centre on the CBD waterfront, better public transport, and more arts and sports opportunities to distract young people from crime..
"The voters really go for names, irrespective of any political track record that people have. They'll certainly need to be creative and come up with a vision of Auckland. They'll certainly need to be creative and come up with a vision of Auckland.
"You could say at least they'll have a clear, clean vision without being encumbered too much, but that's being a bit hopeful."
Crothers said that if the ward boundaries were realigned with national electorate boundaries, as some commentators expect, it would create even more pressure for Auckland politics to follow party politics.
"Once you've got supporters for the national elections, all the things that party machines do they might do for the local elections. I can see there would be a temptation to exploit electorates for that purpose."
More conventional contenders to lead the new Auckland super-city include Auckland Regional Council boss Mike Lee, Manukau mayor Len Brown, Waitakere mayor Bob Harvey and businessman Alex Swney. Former Labour MP Judith Tizard is also rumoured to be interested now that she has no electorate or list seat.
While the real battle is many months off, North Shore mayor Andrew Williams – who has criticised the super-city option from the outset, but won't rule out running for mayor -last week had a few jabs at his prospective rivals. Tizard was a "political has-been", said Williams. "She was not overly fantastic in her results as a minister for Auckland issues."
Williams said Banks had a "my way or no way" approach which went down like a cup of cold sick on the North Shore.
"You just learn nothing from that gentleman; he doesn't even want to have dialogue."
He said Aucklanders should also watch out for an unholy alliance between Local Government Minister Rodney Hide and Banks. "John Banks has been a very staunch supporter of Act."
Banks last week said he would raise $500,000 for his own campaign, including $100,000 from his own pocket. If he wins, he wants executive powers to hire and fire department managers, not just the chief executive.
SUPER-CITY TIMELINE March 31: The Royal Commission on Auckland Governance presents a four-volume report on its recommendations for Auckland's new council structure to the governor-general, who passes it to the government. April: Ministers are expected to have closed-door discussions for one to two weeks before releasing the report and their response. May-July: A draft law change goes to a select committee, which has up to six months to examine it and seek public feedback. October 2010: Auckland's first election under the new council if, as widely expected, the super-city is approved. This would merge up to eight councils into a single authority governing 1.3 million people.

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Wgtn eyes lucrative World Cup pool games

Saturday, 01 November 2008

Wellington has its eyes on hosting British and Irish rugby teams for 2011 Rugby World Cup pool games to cash in on their lucrative fan base.
Afterits successful bid to host two quarterfinals, Wellington submitted yesterday its proposal to host up to five pool games and several teams.
"They normally bring a lot of fans with them," Wellington City Council events manager John Dawson said.
It is hoped one of those games will involve the All Blacks, while teams that have a high level of support – England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales – are second on the list.
Mr Dawson would not say how much the bid would cost.
The bid was a joint effort between the region's nine local authorities, the Wellington Regional Stadium Trust, Wellington and Wairarapa rugby unions and local tourism agencies.
Though matches would be played at Westpac Stadium, it was hoped teams would be hosted and train at other venues throughout the region, including Wairarapa. The games are expected to add about $21 million to the Wellington regional economy.
Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast said it had been demonstrated in the past that the region was able to host successful major international events. .
"We have a number of exciting plans for Rugby World Cup 2011."