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Book SynopsisThis book presents and discusses the financial crisis in Europe, as well as the various security issues these nations face because of this global crisis. In addition, the book also publishes chapters in area studies and comparative politics of Europe. Topics discussed herein include the European Union; a European economic recovery plan; the financial crisis; missile defence; The Lisbon Treaty; the U.S.-U.K. relationship from a historical viewpoint; and the role of the international monetary fund.

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Book SynopsisThe Export-Import Bank is the chief U.S. government agency that helps finance American exports of manufactured goods and services with the objective of contributing to the employment of U.S. workers. With an annual budget or around $200 million, the Bank finances less than 1% of U.S. exports a year. Ex-Im Bank provides loan guarantees and insurance to commercial banks to make trade credits available to U.S. exporters. The Bank also offers direct financing to U.S. exporters, primarily to counter subsidised trade credits offered to foreign exporters by their governments. The international financial crisis and global economic downturn have renewed congressional interest in Ex-Im Bank, and federal export promotion activities more broadly, as a means of generating U.S. jobs and contributing to U.S. economic recovery. This book provides an overview of the background and legislative issues of the Export-Import Bank.

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Book SynopsisThe U.S. insular areas of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and three Freely Associated States (the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands), face serious economic and fiscal challenges and rely on federal funding to deliver critical services. These insular areas, some of which are under U.S. sovereignty, and some of which are independent nations, rely on federal funding to support their local governments and deliver critical services. This book provides an overview of current issues and challenges facing U.S. insular areas today.

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Book SynopsisThis book examines the policies aimed at promoting integration, combating terrorism, and countering violent extremism in five European countries with significant Muslim populations and the role of the 27-member European Union (EU) in shaping European laws and policies related to integration and counter-radicalisation.

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Book SynopsisIn this book, the authors have gathered and present topical research in the study of the economic, political and social issues facing South Korea today. Topics discussed include the adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) in South Korea; labor market policy on non-regular employment in South Korea; the elderly population and South Korea''s demographic dilemma; U.S.-South Korea relations and the role, purpose, and results of the Kaesong Industrial Complex (KIC).

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Book SynopsisThis book begins with an introduction to urban studies and urbanisation. It provides an analysis of the patterns of urbanisation which are essential for an understanding of the internal structure and development of towns in Cameroon. Furthermore, the spatial distribution and growth strength of towns in Cameroon is examined followed by discussions on urban hierarchy and the sub-urbanisation process of the country since 1976. The focus turns to the features linked to urbanisation in Cameroon and the growth prospects of selected towns in the country. This book concludes with a discussion on sustainable urbanisation in Cameroon in order to address some of the concerns of the development goals for the millennium

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Book SynopsisRussia has undertaken several largely piecemeal and halting efforts to revamp the armed forces it inherited from the Soviet Union. In 2007, near the end of then-President Vladimir Putin''s second term in office, he appointed Anatoliy Serdyukov as defense minister as part of an effort to combat corruption in the military and carry out reforms. After the August 2008 Russia-Georgia conflict revealed large-scale Russian military operational failures, the leadership became more determined to boost military capabilities. U.S. government and congressional policymakers are following the progress and goals of these reforms as they consider issues related to U.S.-Russia relations and U.S. national security interests. This book provides information about Russia''s military leadership and structure, the arms industry and effort to modernise weaponry, power projection efforts, and the military budget.

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Book SynopsisEmpowerment Zones (EZs), Enterprise Communities (ECs), and Renewal Communities (RCs) are federally designated geographic areas characterised by high levels of poverty and economic distress, where businesses and local governments may be eligible to receive federal grants and tax incentives. Congress remains interested in these programs to revitalise selected areas affected by unemployment and a decline in economic activity, despite increased concern over the size and sustainability of the long-term budget outlook. This book provides a comparative overview of the similarities and differences between the EZ, EC, and RC programs, and reviews congressional policy choices to target and provide federal incentives to economically distressed zones.

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Book SynopsisVoting is fundamental to our democracy, yet many U.S. citizens who are eligible to vote do not take advantage of their constitutional right to vote in federal elections. For instance, about 62 percent of eligible citizens voted in the November 2008 general election and about 42 percent voted in the November 2010 general election. Policy-makers, legislators, researchers, and advocacy organizations have explored ways to make voting more convenient with the goal of increasing voter turnout. Various bills have been introduced in Congress since 1995 to increase voter convenience by changing the day of presidential and congressional elections from Tuesday to the weekend. This book focuses on issues related to implementing weekend elections and The Help America Vote Act.

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Book SynopsisThe Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) was created by the Dodd-Frank Act(DFA) in 2010 as part of a comprehensive reform of banking and securities market regulators. The council is charged with monitoring systemic risk in the financial system and coordinating several federal financial regulators. The FSOC is expected to facilitate communication among existing financial regulators intending to identify sources of financial instability that cross agency regulatory jurisdiction, or that reside in gaps in the financial regulatory framework. This book describes the mission, membership, and scope of the FSOC with its focus on establishing a framework for mitigating systemic risk.

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Book SynopsisPrecious metals are a class of metals deemed rare or highly valued, such as gold, silver, palladium, and platinum. Such metals can be bought and sold in the form of bullion bars, ingots, or coins. Due to the size and weight of the goods, investment firms typically transfer the title of the metal instead of the metal itself, which often remains in storage under the care of the firm or its affiliates. Like all commodities, the price of precious metals fluctuates. Still, the metals are perceived to be the safest form of investment, as they can be less volatile than the stock market. This book discusses the perils of the precious metals market. This also includes investing in bullion and bullion coins and collectible coins.

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Book SynopsisThis book discusses the equity versus efficiency approach emphasising the importance of incentives that would predict a positive relationship between inequality and economic growth. This view was challenged in the 1990s by the incomplete markets and political outcomes theories, because of increasing empirical evidence of an inverse relationship between income inequality and economic growth.

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Book SynopsisIn this book, the authors explore educational, geographical and cultural issues in Argentina. Topics include the present state of knowledge and research on the Loess of Cordoba, Central Plains; the place of Argentina within the global rugby setting; native cultural diversity in the Argentine Gran Chaco region; archaeology of the Highlands of Argentina; and critical problems for fresh water supply to summer resorts on the Eastern coast of the Buenos Aires province.

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Book SynopsisIn the early 1990s, Georgia and its breakaway South Ossetia region had agreed to a Russian-mediated ceasefire that provided for Russian "peacekeepers" to be stationed in the region. Moscow extended citizenship and passports to most ethnic Ossetians. Simmering long-time tensions escalated on the evening of August 7, 2008, when South Ossetia and Georgia accused each other of launching intense artillery barrages against each other. Georgia claims that South Ossetian forces did not respond to a ceasefire appeal but intensified their shelling, "forcing" Georgia to send in troops. This book provides a post-conflict assessment of the Russian-Georgian conflict of August 2008, with a focus on the implications for U.S. interests and the organisational change in the Russian airborne forces.

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Book SynopsisThe U.S. economy reigned supreme in the 20th century, becoming the largest most productive, and most competitive in the world; amazing new technologies were invented and commercialised; the workforce became the most educated in the world; and incomes soared while a large middle class emerged and thrived. As the 21st century approached, however, alarms began to sound about the U.S. economy''s ability to remain in this pre-eminent position. Incomes stagnated and job growth slowed. Other countries became better educated and our manufacturing sector lost ground to foreign competitors. Observers have expressed concern that the scientific and technological building blocks critical to our economic leadership have been eroding at a time when many other nations are actively laying strong foundations in these same areas. This book provides an overview of the restoration of American innovation which is the key driver of competitiveness, wage and job growth, and long-term economic growth.

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Book SynopsisShadow banking refers to bank-like financial activities that are conducted outside the traditional commercial banking system, many of which are unregulated or lightly regulated. Many of the activities performed within the shadow banking system take funds from savers and investors and ultimately provide them to borrowers. Within this broad definition are investment banks, finance companies, money market funds, hedge funds, special purpose entities, and other vehicles that aggregate and hold financial assets. These entities are critical players in the markets for securitised products, structured products, commercial paper, asset-backed commercial paper, repurchase agreements, and derivatives. The activities of these firms financed substantial economic activity, albeit indirectly. This book examines the nature and scope of the shadowing banking system and its role in the financial crisis.

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Book SynopsisFor the majority of employees in the US and elsewhere, their job is by far their most important property; with jobs providing not only a principal source of wealth, but also being a key source of social status and individual psychological well-being. While the US political system provides extensive protection to capital, it paradoxically offers only very limited protection to labour. This lack of protection is evidenced, above all, by the fact that the protection afforded to US workers against unfair, capricious or unnecessary dismissals is amongst the weakest of all industrialised nations. The primary agenda of this book is to map out the institutional choices, which have prevented the comprehensive, European-style, regulation of dismissal in the United States; and to explore how these choices have been supported, modified and maintained against attempts by US workers to secure greater job security. This book examines the issue dismissals and job security in a roughly historical order.

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Book SynopsisWhat started as a debt crisis in Greece in late 2009 has evolved into a broader economic crisis in the Eurozone that threatens economic stability in Europe and beyond. Many analysts consider the Eurozone crisis to be the biggest threat to the global economy, and some Members of Congress have expressed concern about the possible effects on the U.S. economic recovery. Analysts and investors are concerned that some Eurozone governments could default on their debt in a disorderly fashion; vulnerabilities in the European banking sector could trigger broad financial turmoil; the Eurozone could enter a protracted economic recession; and one or more countries could leave the Eurozone. The crisis has tested the solidarity of European Union (EU) member states and strained the capacity of EU leadership and institutional structures. This book provides a brief analysis of the Eurozone crisis and issues of particular congressional interest.

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Book SynopsisIn the Autumn of 2011, the Obama Administration issued a series of announcements indicating that the United States would be expanding and intensifying its already significant role in the Asia-Pacific, particularly in the southern part of the region. The fundamental goal underpinning the shift is to devote more effort to influencing the development of the Asia-Pacific''s norms and rules, particularly as China emerges as an ever-more influential regional power. Given that one purpose of the "pivot" or "rebalancing" toward the Asia-Pacific is to deepen U.S. credibility in the region at a time of fiscal constraint, Congress''s oversight and appropriations roles, as well as its approval authority over free trade agreements, will help determine to what extent the Administration''s plans are implemented and how various trade-offs are managed. This book examines U.S. and Asia-Pacific countries relations with a focus on Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Guam, Singapore and Taiwan.

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Book SynopsisThe preparation of a national energy policy in which priorities and preferences are identified should be one of the main responsibilities of national authorities in charge of the energy sector. It is important that every country''s energy mix involves a range of national preferences and priorities reflected in national policies and strategies to be applied in order to satisfy the foresee increase in the electricity demand. These policies and strategies should represent a compromise between expected energy shortages, environmental quality, energy security, energy cost, public attitudes, safety and security, available skills, as well as production and service capabilities. Relevant national authorities must take all of these elements into account when formulating an energy policy and strategy.

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Book SynopsisThe concept of sustainable development refers to doing what is necessary to try and guarantee that future generations will also be able to satisfy their needs. Taking this idea as a reference, the different areas of public administration, the business world and society as a whole are trying to spread the idea of respect for our natural resources as widely as possible. This book analyses the importance of sustainable development in optimising our future, discussing and proposing new paradigms, procedures and techniques addressed on the one hand to improving lifestyles, well-being or quality of life, and sustainable business practices, among other things, and on the other to preserving natural resources and ecosystems.

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Book SynopsisThe U.S. Geological Survey''s (USGS) Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) system, operational since mid 2007, rapidly estimates the most affected locations and the population exposure at different levels of shaking intensities. The PAGER system has significantly improved the way aid agencies determine the scale response needed in the aftermath of an earthquake. Some engineering and seismological expertise is often required to digest PAGER''s exposure estimate and turn it into estimated fatalities and economic losses. This has been the focus of PAGER''s most recent developments. This book discusses the estimated economic consequences of large earthquakes along with an appendix of earthquake data.

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