Update: Chicago: Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced the "12th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates" on April 23-25, 2012 to be held in Chicago

"All former Nobel Peace Laureates will be invited to attend. It will be co-chaired by former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and Walter Veltroni, the former mayor of Rome. Emanuel will serve as an honorary co-chair.

This event "has been held in Paris, it's been held in Berlin, it's been held in Rome," Emanuel said. "And they picked, in my view the most American city in America, Chicago." Chicago was chosen "due to its rich heritage and international profile," organizers said Thursday. President Barack Obama is among the Nobel Peace Prize winners who hail from the Windy City.

The Nobel meeting will come a month before Chicago is in the international spotlight for the simultaneous G-8/NATO summits, which also are expected to attract throngs of protesters."

'via Blog this'Nobel Peace Prize laureates to hold summit here - chicagotribune.com:

Philippines: Unfazed by Asean Foreign Ministers to refer its proposed creation of Zone of Peace, Freedom, Friendship, and Cooperation

"While on the other hand, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton yesterday said the US will help boost the external defense capabilities of the Philippines but will not take a position in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) dispute. Clinton, in a joint press conference with Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario after her meeting with President Aquino in Malacañang, said the territorial dispute should be resolved peacefully. She added US does not take the position on any territorial claim because any nation with a claim has a right to assert it. But they do not have a right to pursue it through intimidation or coercion," she said. She further noted the claimant countries to the West Philippine Sea should follow the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and other international law. Clinton said the US welcomes China’s rise to power but it wants to make sure that there is a balanced growth in the region and that no country should dominate."

'via Blog this'Clinton to Pinoys: We’re in your corner | MALAYA Business Insight News Online:

Iraq: Kurdish Leaders Mediating between Turkey & Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Separatists to Bring their Conflict to End

Iraq's President Jalal Talabani and Iraqi Kurdistan regional president Massud Barzani "are leading mediation efforts between the Turkish government and the PKK, to end the battles in the border area between Iran, Turkey and Kurdistan," said a spokesman for Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. "The Turkish government expressed its desire to end the fighting during Massud Barzani's last visit to Turkey," said spokesman Azad Jundiany. Barzani criticised Turkish military operations against the PKK during an early-November visit to Turkey, saying a political solution was needed. "Honestly, I disapprove of all these operations ... I don't think that one can achieve the result with the military option", Barzani told Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper.
"The fighting should happen in parliament," he told the Anatolia news agency."

'via Blog this'Iraqi Kurd leaders head Turkey-PKK mediation - Yahoo! News: "

Burma: "Thein Sein committed to reforms. He's prime minister under the long-ruling military junta and is considered a moderate", Suu Kyi

"Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi said Monday that Myanmar's government has taken positive steps toward reform in the year since she was released from house arrest but more needs to be done, including freeing hundreds more political prisoners. The Nobel peace laureate, speaking to more than 100 journalists on the anniversary of her release, cited her meetings with minister Aung Kyi and President Thein Sein as progress. "Looking back at the past year, I think I can say that it has been eventful, energizing and to a certain extent encouraging," said Suu Kyi, who was detained most of the past two decades by Myanmar's former military government.

The international community's hopes were not high after the country carefully orchestrated the Nov. 7, 2010, election. As expected, the polls brought to power a proxy party for the military, which ran the country since a 1962 coup. But that perception has changed in recent months, as the new government eased censorship, legalized labor unions, suspended an unpopular, China-backed dam project and began talks with Suu Kyi's pro-democracy movement."

'via Blog this'Suu Kyi: Myanmar Has Made Progress, More Is Needed - ABC News:

New Delhi: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met Union Defence Minister A.K. Antony

"During his meeting with Mr. Antony, Mr. Abdullah presented his case for removal of the AFSPA from at least four districts, two each in Kashmir and Jammu, official sources said. While Mr. Antony conveyed the reservations of the Army over such a move, Mr. Abdullah emphasised the need to translate the promises made by the National Conference-Congress alliance on the ground and reward the people of the State for maintaining a peaceful year, the sources said. The Chief Minister is scheduled to meet the Prime Minister, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, and Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Monday to present the case of the State government."

'via Blog this'The Hindu : News / National : Omar meets Antony, Army Chief:

Update: Philippines: Growth and Equity in Mindanao (GEM) eased trading activities in some conflict-affected areas in Mindanao

"With its latest completed boat landing project in Zamboanga Sibugay, local traders experience comfortable deals and transportation of their products, Nikki Meru, GEM media liaison officer said in a statement. Meru said the depressed town showed increased economic movement because of the project that was built through a partnership between the Municipal Government and the US Agency for International Development (USAid), through GEM, now hosts over 100 cargo, fishing and passenger boats daily."

'via Blog this'Growth and Equity in Mindanao eased trades in Mindanao-conflicted areas | Sun.Star: USAid has constructed more than 1,300 such projects in Mindanao's conflict-affected areas, 89 of these are located in Zamboanga Sibugay. The GEM Program is funded by the USAid and is implemented under the oversight of the Mindanao Development Authority. (PR)

Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on November 14, 2011.

Update: Yemen: UN pushes peace plan - U.N. envoy Jamal Benomar met Saleh Sunday to push for a transfer of power

10 militants killed in Yemen; UN pushes peace plan - Boston.com: "Months of violence have forced more than 100,000 residents of Zinjibar to flee to neighboring provinces, where some have sought refuge in schools.In the Arhab region, north of the capital Sanaa, Yemeni forces shelled positions held by armed anti-government tribesmen, killing two, another security official said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters. Months of international diplomacy has failed to resolve the crisis. Saleh has refused numerous times to follow through on a U.S.-backed proposal crafted by Yemen's powerful Gulf Arab neighbors, under which he would transfer power to his vice president in exchange for immunity from prosecution. In Sanaa, U.N. envoy Jamal Benomar met Saleh Sunday to push for a transfer of power. The U.N. said Benomar's weeklong visit to Yemen was intended to encourage the Gulf-backed proposal, which the Security Council has endorsed."

'via Blog this'