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World View

To keep you up to date for the week ahead, a quick overview of some of the larger stories on the world stage, both political and economic.

We'll take a look at the protests and clashes arising out of government-imposed "emergencies" in Pakistan and Georgia.

You'll see a recent interview with James Grant, of Grant's Interest Rate Observer, on Bloomberg TV.

Also, a view of the dollar and the state of national currencies in an era of global inflation.

So let's get started with our first set of stories, which deal with the ongoing political confusion and turmoil in both Pakistan and Georgia. Here's the latest on both.

1. "Tycoon vows to topple Georgia's 'despot'".

GEORGIA’S richest man is to run for president to remove “the fascist regime” of Mikhail Saakashvili, leader of the tiny former Soviet republic.

Badri Patarkatsishvili, the billionaire businessman who helped to finance the “rose revolution” that swept Saakashvili to power four years ago, made his declaration after special forces stormed the studios of his television station for criticising the president.

“My election slogan will be ‘Georgia without Saakashvili is Georgia without terror’, he said.

Read on for more at the link above.

2. "US envoy in Georgia to push for end to emergency rule". More on the current government declared "emergency" in Georgia.

It seems the US is in town to tell Georgia how to run its affairs, but meanwhile I'm seeing quotes of praise from our administration on the manner in which Pakistan is running its own little government crackdown amid "emergency" rule.

Of course, President Musharraf has promised to hold elections, right after he stamps out "militancy" and the opposing media and judiciary. Plus, military courts to try people accused of sedition, treason, and inciting "public mischief". It's all very "democratic".

3. James Grant talks with Bloomberg about banking, credit, and the dollar.

4. We could say a lot of things about Ron Paul's recent exchange with Ben Bernanke on the dollar and the inflation which emanates from the Federal Reserve system.

I think I'll turn that job over to Peter Schiff, who fleshes out these ideas in a recent exchange with Financial Sense Newshour host Jim Puplava.

In this interview, Peter and Jim get into a rare argument over the likely direction that US and European inflation will take. But if you listen carefully, it really seems that they're not arguing at all, and are in fact making some very similar points on the US and global economies, fiat currencies, and global inflation.

Check it out, take it all in, and share your thoughts.

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