Europe calling – Monday

(Moscow, Russia via University of Siegen)

Vladimir Putin will step down as Russian President  after two consecutive terms, just as the Constitution demands!

Only to return as Prime Minister! Any bets on him, not winning the elections? And he is in good company, too.

Banks have suffered brutal hits by the credit crisis. UBS (heads are rolling here), CS (no losses yet, but jobs cuts), Citigroup ( 60% income reduction) all report a serious impact of the financial markets crisis on their 3rd quarter income. How is the Dow Jones handling this news? Still partying on a volcano, the index touched 14’000 points again today, for the first time since July.

Jenna Bush is starting to promote her book Ana’s Story, about a young HIV-positive single mother from Panama, whom she met, when

“Ms Bush volunteered to go to Panama with a friend, Mia Baxter, who is a photographer for Glamour magazine, and began documenting the lives of young people who did not have access to basic education, social services or health care”

She had to go to Panama to find that ?

So you all have a good day and take care!

A ‘complicated’ youth

Jenna Bush, appearing on tonight’s 20/20:

When asked whether she agrees with her father about the Iraq War, Bush said, “You know I’m not here to talk about that, but I’m also not a policymaker. It’s a really complicated, obviously a very complicated subject. Everybody can agree on that.”

“You know there’ve been people — [actor] Matt Damon among them — who have said, ‘Should the Bush daughters be fighting in Iraq?’” Sawyer said.

“Obviously I understand that question and see what, what the point of that question is, for sure,” Bush said. “I think there are many ways to serve your country. And I think … what’s most appropriate for me to do is to teach or to work in UNICEF and represent our country in Latin America. But you know I don’t think it’s a practical question. I think if people really thought about it, they know that we would put many people in danger. But I understand the point of it. I hope that I serve by being a teacher.”

~ Egreggious