*€URO-NEWS-CLIP*

-EU AUTHORITIES- (Point and Click!) TO TOP OF PAGE

THE EUROPEAN UNION ON-LINEThe European Union on-line

European CommissionEuropean Commission

European ParliamentEuropean Parliament

European Central BankEuropean Central Bank

European OmbudsmanEuropean Ombudsman

e-mail to:"euro-ombudsman@europarl.eu.int."e-mail

European Monitoring Centre on Racism and XenophobiaEuropean Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia

---

CZECH REPUBLIC EU-PRESIDENCY:Czech Republic EU-Presidency

---

TO TOP OF PAGETO TOP OF PAGE
"For Freedom, Parliamentary Democracy, Social Justice and the Competitive Market Economy in a European Union of Nation States according to European statute laic law"

PRO-EUROPEAN LINKS

1. EUROPEAN MOVEMENT - CLICK HERE:European Movement

2. BRITAIN IN EUROPE PRESS ROOM - CLICK HERE:Britain in Europe Press Room

3. EUROPEAN FEDERALIST FORUM:
"Federal Constitution for Europe" CLICK HERE:Federal Constitution for Europe"


NEWS UPDATE:

Whereas we shall strive to maintain constant news updates, this may not always be possible. The following links, therefore, are recommmended for those seeking their own instant updates:

apassociated press

BBCbbc

afpafp

interfaxinterfax

euronews-linkseuronews-links



---

"EURO-NEWS-MAGAZINE" CLICK HERE:EURO-NEWS-MAGAZINE
Webpage INDEX:
1. COMMENT - FOOT-AND-MOUTH
2. THE QUESTION OF VACCINATION OF THE HERDS AND FLOCKS
3. THE BURNING OF ANIMAL CARCASSES AND HYGIENE
4. BURIAL OF ANIMAL CARCASSES AS AN ALTERNATIVE
5. ON THE ORIGIN AND CHAIN OF INFECTION
6. "MANAGING FOOT-AND-MOUTH" by Mark Woolhouse & Alex Donaldson
7. "KURSK REPORT"
8. ADDRESS OF GERMAN PRESIDENT JOHANNES RAU TO EU-PARLIAMENT "A PLEA FOR A EU-CONSTITUTION" 4.4.2001
9. DELEGATION OF THE EU COMMISSION IN RUSSIA - LINKS TO TEXTS
10.FOCUS MAGAZINE:TRANSLATED TEXT RE:ENGHOLM, DATED 7.04.2001
11.EU'S INTRUSIVE LEGISLATION TO CONTROL CYBERSPACE By BBC News Online technology correspondent Mark Ward - For more information CLICK HERE:BBC and Cyber Space Law
12.LINK TO PRIME MINISTER, FRENCH REPUBLIC, WEBSITE - ENTIRE EUROPE SPEECH TO PRESS CLUB IN PARIS 28.05.2001 IN FRENCH CLICK HERE:Discours sur l'Europe
13.HUNTING BIN LADEN - INTERVIEW WITH THE FORMER CIA FIELD OFFICER IN AFGHANISTAN: MILTON BEARDEN - CLICK HERE:CIA field officer Afghanistan
14.UK BIN LADEN DOSSIER IN FULL- CLICK HERE:UK bin Laden dossier
15."HAMBURGER ABENDBLATT" THE FOILED ATTEMPT TO ARREST KARADZIC:
16."LE MONDE" INTERVIEW WITH THE GRAND MUFTI OF MARSEILLE, SOHEIB BENCHEIKH (IN FRENCH)-CLICK HERE:Grand Mufti of Marseille
17.JANES REPORT: April 11, 2002 /incorrectly dated 2001 "Strikes target Bin Laden networks in Europe" CLICK HERE:Strikes target Bin Laden networks in Europe
18.INSIDE THE KGB MUSEUM - CLICK HERE:KGB on exhibition
19.CANADIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER BILL GRAHAM TEMPERS CRITICISM OF US OVER OPPOSITION TO NEW INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT:CLICK HERE:
Globe and Mail(FOI CENTER):Bill Graham speech to UN
20.TEXT OF PM TONY BLAIR'S INTELLIGENCE REPORT ON IRAQ CLICK HERE:Intelligence Report on Iraq
21. ABU BAKAR BASHIR - LEADING INDONESIAN CLERIC - ARTICLE:TIDES WORLD PRESS UPDATE:2.05.2002 COMPLETE TEXT CLICK HERE:ABU BAKAR BASHIR
22. WHAT IS THE IBDA/C? - Radical Front of the Pioneers for a Greater Islamic Orient
23. MADRID TRAIN-BOMBING (March 11, 2004)
24. ALEX SALMOND SPEECH IN AVIEMORE, 28.10.2007, REGARDING SCOTLAND'S INDEPENDENCE. WHAT ABOUT SCOTLAND'S EU-RELATIONSHIP? euro-news-clip ASKS THE SNP, THE SNP REPLIES.

---

-LINK TO CNN IN ARABIC - CLICK HERE:CNN Arabic
COURT IN THE HAGUE - CLICK HERE:Bavarian C-Int Report
-GERMAN FEDERAL CRIMINAL OFFICE (BKA):WANNTED LIST OF ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS/Hamburg,Marienstrasse CLICK HERE:wanted terrorists
-FBI MOST WANTED TERRORISTS:CLICK HERE:Biin LadenLaden
-CLICK HERE:Atef:Atef/Reported by FBI as deceased
-CLICK HERE:Atef:Atef
-CLICK HERE:Zwahari:Zwahari
-EU-COMMISSION REGULATION OF 4 July 2001 CCONCERNING PERSONS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE TALEBAN WHOSE FUNDS HAVE BEEN FROZEN - ALSO ALPHABETICAL - CLICK HERE:LEADING TALIBAN CHECKLIST
-ANALYSIS - BIN LADEN'S NUCLEAR THREAT - CLICK HERE:BBC Report on Al Qaeda Nuclear Threat
-GIMF - GLOBAL ISLAMIC MEDIA FRONT - Al QQaida inspired propaganda in English, German and French similar to material first released on the internet around 1995. CLICK HERE:GIMF
(This is not to be construed in any way as endorsement of, or agreement with any of the ideas, or images presented within its website or in its links. WARNING! Unauthorized downloading may be prohibited in your country of access, and could lead to legal prosecution.)

---

"BY THE WAY"


1.If the effects of global warming are considered to be a serious threat to mankind and the natural environment,an event of even greater significance may well be the calculated terrestrial impact of a 2 kilometer diameter asteroid scheduled for February 1st 2019. The last known substantial Western European meteorite impact was in the Chiemgau area of Bavaria south of Munich, Germany, with craters of from 3 meters to 400 meters diameter. This meteorite impacted around 465 BC causing considerable destruction of the Celtic settlement of the area.CLICK HERE: IN GERMANThe Chiemgau Comet

2. The webmaster highly recommends:EUobserver.com - CLICK HERE:EU observer.com
3. "O Flower of Scotland" - text and music - CLICK HERE:O Flower of Scotland


---

POLITICAL CARTOON GALLERY:
euro-news-clip "The Political Cartoon"# 1.CLICK HERE:euro-news-clip "The Political Cartoon"
euro-news-clip "The Political Cartoon"# 2.CLICK HERE:euro-news-clip "The Political Cartoon" Fidel Castro 1959-2008
euro-news-clip "The Political Cartoon"# 3.CLICK HERE:euro-news-clip "The Political Cartoon"
euro-news-clip "The Political Cartoon"# 4.CLICK HERE:euro-news-clip "The Political Cartoon"
euro-news-clip "The Political Cartoon"# 5.CLICK HERE:euro-news-clip "The Political Cartoon
euro-news-clip "The Political Cartoon"# 6.CLICK HERE:euro-news-clip "The Political Cartoon


---

EURO-NEWS-CLIP BULLETIN BOARD:- ANTI-TERRORIST OPERATION "ENDURING FREEDOM" CLICK HERE:Operation Enduring Freedom

PLEASE NOTE: GOOGLE automatic selection programs sometimes refer to persons and subjects which, while appearing on the same page, have no thematic connection, contrary to what might be suggested by the syntax of web-page "subject summaries".


---

EU-DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER AND WEBSITE















FOR EU-DIRECT WEBSITE ACCESS CLICK HERE:TO EU-DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER AND WEBSITE INFO IN YOUR LANGUAGE


---

LINK to "EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PRESS SERVICE"CLICK HERE:European Parliament Press Service


---

LINK to "EUROPEAN BLOGOSPHERE"CLICK HERE:European Blogosphere


---

"EU IS LAICLAW - IUNCTUS EUROPE EST LAIC LEX""EU IS LAICLAW - IUNCTUS EUROPE EST LAIC LEX"

---

"HYDROGEN-POWERED COMBUSTION ENGINE REQUIRED-EXAMPLE: "The Scorpion features a modified 3.5-liter Acura V6 that has hydrogen injected into it. Where does the hydrogen come from? Using a process similar to electrolysis, water is zapped with electricity in order to create a hydrogen gas that is then pumped into the engine.(Attention Detroit, Wolfsburg, Sindelfingen, Munich, Mulhouse, Gothenburg: Required urgently, a road-tested hydrogen-powered combustion engine. The high capacity battery is just not enough)CLICK HERE:Hydrogen combustion engine


---

REQUIRED READING REFERENCE IRISH NO VOTE AND DECLAN GANLEY ENTERPRISES: CLICK HERE:DECLAN GANLEY ACTIVITIES


---

27.04.2009 Edinburgh, Scotland - SWINE FLU OUTBREAK REACHES EUROPE _The first cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Europe. Two British people admitted to hospital in Scotland after returning from a holiday in Mexico have been confirmed as having the virus. In Spain, a man has tested positive for swine flu and 17 other people are under investigation, officials said. EU health ministers are to meet on Thursday to discuss the outbreak, which health officials suspect has killed about 150 people in Mexico. The EU's Health Commissioner, Androulla Vassiliou, has advised against non-essential travel to any affected areas. Besides Mexico, the UK and Spain, there have also been confirmed cases in the US and Canada. Suspected cases are being investigated in Brazil, Israel, Australia and New Zealand. "Personally, I'd try to avoid non-essential travel to the areas which are reported to be in the centre of the cluster," Ms Vassiliou said. The precaution would "minimise the personal risk and to reduce the potential risk to spread the infection to other people", she added. Germany's largest tour operator, TUI, suspended all trips to Mexico City as a precaution, though holidays to other parts of Mexico would continue as normal. CLICK HERE:Swine flu outbreak reaches Europe

The Vatican - BELARUS PESIDENT VISITS VATICAN - Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has been to the Vatican during a visit to Italy seen as another step towards ending his diplomatic isolation. It is Mr Lukashenko's first official visit to Western Europe since 1995. An EU travel ban, imposed in 1999 over human-rights abuses and suppression of opposition activity, has been lifted to allow him to attend a summit in May. The Vatican said the talks with the Pope had been positive and had covered "internal problems" in Belarus. Correspondents say the EU is dropping its previous policy of isolating Belarus and seeking broad engagement with its leadership and the democratic opposition. President Lukashenko met Pope Benedict XVI in the Apostolic Palace. Their conversation lasted almost half an hour, and was conducted in a "positive" atmosphere, a Vatican statement said. CLICK HERE:Belarus president visits Vatican


---

26.04.2009 Reykjavik, Iceland - CENTER LEFT WINS ICELAND'S ELECTIONS - Iceland's interim centre-left government has won a resounding victory in early parliamentary elections. The coalition secured 34 seats in the 63-member parliament - an increase of seven MPs from the previous election. Iceland's center-right government resigned in January amid mass street protests following the country's economic collapse. Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir says her priority will be to start negotiations with the European Union. The Social Democratic Alliance and the Left Green Movement formed a coalition caretaker government in February, under Ms Sigurdardottir. Ms Sigurdardottir said the results of Saturday's poll were "historic". "This is the first time that leftist parties will hold a majority," she said She told supporters the nation was "settling the score with the neoliberalism" and with the conservative Independence Party who "have been in power for much too long". "The people are calling for a change of ethics. That is why they have voted for us," she said. The Independence party, which secured 16 seats, conceded defeat after its worst election results in decades. Its new leader Bjarni Benediktsson said it was clear that his party had lost the trust of voters. "We lost this time but we will win again later," he said. Professor Olafur Hardarson of the University of Iceland said the elections were also historic for other reasons. It resulted on both the highest number of first time MPs, 27 in total, and the highest number of women in parliament since voting began in Iceland in 1874. EU debate. The two coalition parties will now have to reach an agreement on how to move forward with a European Union application. Pro-EU Ms Sigurdardottir said it was her priority to start negotiations with the Union to see what deal the country could reach, which would then be put to the nation in a referendum. However, the Left Green Movement, the other coalition partner, remains eurosceptic. The small North Atlantic nation has a population of only 300,000. It had to take a $10bn (£6.8bn) rescue package, led by the International Monetary Fund, after its banking sector imploded late last year. CLICK HERE:Center left wins Iceland's elections


---

25.04.2009 Ankara, Turkey - TURKEY CRITICIZES OBAMA COMMENTS - Barack Obama's words on the day marking the killing of Armenians by Turks in World War I were "unacceptable", Turkey's foreign ministry has said. Though Mr Obama did not use "genocide", as he did during his election campaign, Ankara said he failed to honour those Turks killed by Armenians at the time. "Everyone's pain must be shared," President Abdullah Gul of Turkey said. President Obama described the deaths of the Armenians as "one of the great atrocities of the 20th Century". He appealed for Turks and Armenians to "address the facts of the past as a part of their efforts to move forward". The two countries agreed this week on a roadmap for normalising relations. CLICK HERE:Turkey criticizes Obama comments

Reykjavik, Iceland - ICELAND HOLDING PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS - Voting is under way in early parliamentary elections in Iceland, one of the countries most dramatically affected by the global economic crisis. The small North Atlantic nation has a population of only 300,000, but it had to take a $10bn (£6.8bn) rescue package, led by the International Monetary Fund, after its banking sector imploded late last year. The center-right government resigned in January after mass street protests and was replaced with an interim coalition. Voting across the country began at 0900 GMT and was due to end at 2200 GMT. Opinion polls suggest that the two parties in the caretaker government, the Social Democratic Alliance and the Left Green Party, will gain most votes. If the center-left parties win as expected, it would be an electoral rebuke to the leading center-right Independence Party, which led the government that resigned in January, but whoever wins will face many challenges, centered around the economy, the BBC's Nicholas Walton says. It needs rebuilding, with financial services no longer at its core. Unemployment and the government's ruined finances also need attention, our correspondent says. There is also the question of whether or not to apply to join the European Union .In the past, Icelanders felt that they There is also the question of whether or not to apply to join the European Union. In the past, Icelanders felt that they were better off outside the EU, but the financial crisis has changed opinions, our correspondent says. Now, many see EU membership or adopting the Euro as Iceland's currency, as part of the solution to the country's problems. CLICK HERE:Iceland holds parliamentary elections


---

24.04.2009 Moscow, Russia - GRU CHIEF DISMISSED - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has dismissed the head of the country's powerful GRU military intelligence service, the Kremlin has said. Mr Medvedev signed a decree on Friday replacing Gen Valentin Korabelnikov with Gen Alexander Shlyakhturov. Officials gave no reason for the move. Gen Korabelnikov had led the Main Directorate of Intelligence since 1997. He reportedly tendered his resignation earlier this year over objections to proposed reforms of the agency. The Main Directorate of Intelligence (GRU) of the General Staff is Russia's largest intelligence agency. It is believed to have six times as many agents in foreign countries as the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), one of the successors to the Soviet KGB. In a statement on Friday, the Kremlin announced that President Medvedev had signed a decree that "released" Gen Korabelnikov from his post and from military service. Unnamed GRU sources told Russian media that one of the reasons why the general's resignation had not been accepted at the time was that many of his deputies had refused to assume his post. The Kremlin said the new GRU chief, Gen Shlyakhturov, had been one of Gen Korabelnikov's deputies. He is reportedly seen by some in the military as a more compliant figure who may not challenge ministers. Although President Medvedev has insisted that the reforms of the military will go ahead, it is not clear when, our correspondent says. The country is in the grip of a severe economic crisis which has already seen millions of people thrown out of work, he adds. In a separate development, three districts in Chechnya have been officially designated zones of counter-terrorist activity only a week after Russia said it had ended its decade-long military campaign against separatist rebels in the southern republic. CLICK HERE:GRU chief dismissed

Paris, France - FRANCE SANCTIONS PEDOPHILIA CASE JUDGE - An investigating judge at the center of one of France's biggest miscarriages of justice has been reprimanded by a panel looking into his conduct. Fabrice Burgaud, 37, headed an inquiry in 2001 that led to 12 innocent people being imprisoned on pedophilia charges, some for several years. Then-President Jacques Chirac called the trial an "unprecedented disaster". Despite the reprimand issued to Mr Burgaud being the lightest possible sanction, his lawyers plan to appeal. They argue that he was made a scapegoat for a series of flaws involving the police and the judicial system. In his first posting as an examining magistrate, Mr Burgaud began an inquiry in 1999 into allegations that children had been abused by their parents and neighbors in the town of Outreau, near Boulogne. Outreau trial: May 2004: Trial starts in St Omer of 17 suspects; Late May 2004: Suspect Myriam Delay clears 13 of the accused, but then re-accuses them: July 2, 2004: 10 convicted and seven acquitted; December 1, 2005: Six acquitted on appeal. Two couples serving up to 20 years in jail. CLICK HERE:France sanctions pedohilia case judge

Madrid, Spain - SPAIN'S UNEMPLOYED SOARS TO 17% - Spain's unemployment rate hit 17.4% at the end of March, figures have shown, with the jobless total now having doubled over the past 12 months. In the past year, two million people have lost their jobs taking the total out of work to just over four million. The Bank of Spain recently predicted the jobless rate would reach 19.4% in 2010, as the recession took hold. "It is a terrible figure," Octavio Granado, secretary of state for social security told state television. He said the first quarter of any year was traditionally bad for employment in Spain. Mr Granado also said that 2009 was expected to be the worst part of the economic downturn. "So we are in the epicenter of the crisis. CLICK HERE:Spain's unemployed soars to 17%


---

23.04.2009 Calais, France - FRANCE TO SHT DOWN CALAIS CAMP - French authorities have said they plan to close a migrant squatter camp outside Calais by the end of this year. Immigration Minister Eric Besson said the camp, known as "the jungle", would be replaced by a temporary centre offering migrants food and shelter. There are estimated to be about 1,000 migrants in makeshift camps in Calais, most hoping to enter Britain illegally. The British government said they had been "locked out" of the UK by the country's tough border controls. In remarks made to businesses during a visit to Calais and broadcast on France radio, Mr Besson said: "I'm telling you in advance that we won't allow this situation to deteriorate, that the jungle will not exist any more." "To maintain and develop the jungle would be an obstacle to economic interests and employment." He added: "The law of the jungle will not rule either here in Calais or anywhere else in France". CLICK HERE:France to shut down Calais camp

Vitkov, Czech Republic - CZECH ROMA ANGER AT ARSON ATTACK - The Roma (Gypsy) minority in the Czech Republic has called for nationwide protests following an arson attack that left a two-year-old girl in hospital. On Saturday a house was set on fire in the eastern Czech village of Vitkov, leaving the girl with 80% burns. Her parents were also injured in the blaze. Roma groups have also offered a reward for information about the attack. Police suspect right-wing extremists. Czech President Vaclav Klaus described the fire as a "heinous crime". Ivan Vesely, deputy head of the government council for Romany community affairs, said the demonstrations would be staged in 10 to 15 towns and cities across the country on May 3, including Prague and Usti nad Labem, where neo-Nazis staged a march last weekend. Both the girl, who is called Natalka, and her parents are said to be in a critical condition in a hospital in the near Vitkov, about 300km (190 miles) east of Prague. The Czech Republic's largely impoverished 300,000-strong Roma population has repeatedly complained of endemic racial discrimination. CLICK HERE:Czech Roma anger at arson attack

Oslo, Norway - ISLAM A POLITICAL TARGET IN NORWAY - With less than six months to go until Norway's general election, increasing tensions over immigration and Islam appear likely to play a significant role in the vote. The leader of the country's main opposition party has warned that it is facing "sneak-Islamization", while some prominent Muslims say they face growing "persecution". The heated debate is a sign that Norway, renowned as one of the most peaceful and tolerant nations in the world, is facing the same issues with its Muslim minority as are now familiar in other parts of Europe. Siv Jensen, the 39-year-old leader of the opposition Progress Party, has objected to moves to introduce special measures in order to accommodate Muslims' religious sensitivities, traditions and rules. "The reality is that a kind of sneak-Islamization of this society is being allowed," she recently told a Progress Party conference. "We are going to have to stop this." CLICK HERE:Islam a political target in Norway

Berlin, Germany - GERMANY'S ECONOMY TO SHRINK BY 6% _ Germany's economy will shrink by 6% this year and continue to contract in 2010 according to a forecast from the country's leading economic think tanks. The estimates, compiled by eight institutes for the German Economy Ministry, also predicts that the rate of unemployment will hit 10% next year. The gloomy forecast chimes with that of the IMF, which shows the German economy contracting by 5.6% this year. This is faster than any other major economy apart from Japan, says the IMF. "The joint forecast of the institutes paints a very dark picture of German economic prospects in the foreseeable future," said Timo Klein at IHS Global Insight. CLICK HERE:Germay's economy to shrink by 6%

Brussels, Belgium - EU CALLS OFF TALKS WITH CROATIA - The European Union has called off the next round of Croatia's EU membership talks, over its continuing border dispute with Slovenia. The talks were set for Friday but have been cancelled until further notice. The row over the Bay of Piran has held up talks on Croatia's accession, which is provisionally set for 2010 or 2011. It also threatened to derail Croatia's membership of Nato, until Slovenia dropped its objections only days before this month's Nato summit. The EU did not give a new date for talks with Croatia to resume, and said doing so would be "subject to positive development" in negotiations between Croatia and Slovenia. CLICK HERE:EU calls off talks with Croatia


---

22.04.2009 London, England - UK 2009 DEBT RECORD BUDGET PRESENTED - Alistair Darling has said the UK will have to borrow a record £175bn as he admitted the economy faces its worst year since the Second World War. The chancellor tore up a key New Labour election pledge by unveiling a new 50p tax rate for earnings over £150,000. He also cut future spending plans in a Budget which added 2p on fuel, 1p on a pint of beer and 7p on cigarettes. The package would steer the UK through to recovery, he said. The Tories said the economy was in an "utter mess". Leader David Cameron said not enough had been done to get spending under control and "Britain simply cannot afford another five years of Labour". Key points: 50% tax rate for earnings over £150,000; Big debt and deficit increases; Economy shrinks at record rate; Public spending squeeze planned; Books not balanced until 2018; 2p on fuel, 1p on a pint (0.473 liter) of beer and 7p on cigarettes; £15bn public sector 'efficiency savings'; Claw back tax relief on top earners' pension; £2bn help for young unemployed ; £1bn to boost housing market ; £2,000 car scrappage scheme. CLICK HERE:UK 2009 debt record budget presenteddebt

London, England - NONE OF 12 TERROR SUSPECTS TO BE CHARGED - All 12 men arrested over a suspected bomb plot in the UK have now been released without charge by police. Eleven, all Pakistani nationals, have been transferred to UK Border Agency custody and face possible deportation. Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Peter Fahy defended the inquiry, saying he was not "embarrassed", but the Muslim Council of Britain said the government should admit it had made a mistake and claimed the way it had dealt with the men was "dishonorable". Prime Minister Gordon Brown's spokesman told reporters: "We are seeking to remove these individuals on grounds of national security. "The government's highest priority is to protect public safety. Where a foreign national poses a threat to the country, we will seek to exclude or deport them where appropriate." However, lawyers for the men point out that they have not been charged and are innocent of any crime. Of the 12 men arrested in raids in Liverpool, Manchester and Clitheroe in Lancashire, 11 were Pakistani nationals, with 10 holding student visas. One was from Britain. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided there was insufficient evidence to press charges, or even to convince magistrates to allow police to hold the men any longer. CLICK HERE:None of 12 terror suspects to be charged

Duesseldorf, Germany - GERMANY'S 9/11 PLOT TRIAL - A group of suspected militant Islamists has gone on trial in Germany charged with a bomb plot likened by prosecutors to the September 11 attacks in the US. Prosecutor Volker Brinkmann said their intended targets included discos and the Ramstein US military base. He told the court in Duesseldorf that the four defendants wanted to destroy American targets and kill as many Americans as possible. The trial, with some 200 witnesses, could last two years. The four bearded defendants, German Muslim converts Fritz Gelowicz and Daniel Schneider, and ethnic Turks Attila Selek and Adem Yilmaz - appeared in court amid stringent security, behind a bullet-proof glass screen. The judge ordered one of them to remove his Muslim skull cap, saying the court regarded it as a provocation. He then defied the order to stand before the court, saying: "There is only one for whom I will stand, Allah." CLICK HERE:Germany's 9/11 plot trial

Bamut, Chechnya - RUSSIANS DIE IN CHECHEN AMBUSH - Gunmen have killed three Russian soldiers in Chechnya, less than a week after the Kremlin announced an end to a decade of military operations there. The Russian interior ministry said the soldiers were in a car towing a water cistern when they were shot. It said the gunmen opened fire from a derelict building in the village of Bamut, near the border with Ingushetia. The Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said last month Chechnya was stable enough to ease security restrictions. Despite the Kremlin's announcements, several thousand Russian security force personnel are staying on in Chechnya to combat the hundreds of Muslim separatist militants thought to remain in the mountains. CLICK HERE:Russians die in Chechen ambush


---

21.04.2009 Calais, France - FRENCH POLICE RAID CALAIS MIGRANTS - French police have detained 190 people in an operation against undocumented migrants near the port of Calais, officials say. More than 300 officers were involved in the operation on Tuesday morning, regional state authorities said. The port has become a magnet for migrants trying to enter the UK illegally across the English Channel. There are estimated to be about 1,000 migrants living in makeshift camps around Calais. Police cordoned off a migrant squatter camp known as "the jungle" and detained 150 people in an early morning raid. Forty other migrants were detained at two other locations along the coast, officials said. Police said they had planned the operation for some time and all the arrests were made peacefully. CLICK HERE:French police raid Calais migrants

Tskhinvali, South Ossetia - SOUTH OSSETIA RELEASES OSCE OBSERVERS - The OSCE has condemned the brief detention of two unarmed observers by separatist forces in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia. The OSCE's chairperson-in-office, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, welcomed their release but described the action as "wholly unacceptable". Earlier, South Ossetia's leader said they were held for "illegally crossing the Georgian-South Ossetian border". The monitors are overseeing a ceasefire agreement between Georgia and Russia. CLICK HERE:South Ossetia releases OSCE observers

Brussels, Belgium - EU COMMISSION URGES FISHING CUTS - The EU has far too many fishing boats, and major cuts are needed to make fishing sustainable, according to the European Commission. The commission's green paper on Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) reform also says fishermen should be given more responsibility for managing stocks. A copy obtained by BBC News prior to publication on Wednesday says 30% of EU fish stocks are beyond safe limits. It says member states "micro-manage" decisions for political reasons. Despite major reforms in 2002, it concludes, the reality for EU fish and fishermen consists of "overfishing, fleet overcapacity, heavy subsidies, low economic resilience and decline in the volume of fish caught". CLICK HERE:EU commission urges fishing cuts


---

20.04.2009 Geneva, Switzerland - WALKOUT DURING IRAN LEADER'S SPEECH - Diplomats have walked out of a UN anti-racism conference during a speech by the Iranian president in which he described Israel as "totally racist". Dozens of delegates got up and left, moments after two protesters wearing coloured wigs disrupted the start of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech. Diplomats who remained applauded as Mr Ahmadinejad continued his address. France said it was a "hate speech" and the US called it "vile". Some countries had boycotted the meeting altogether. The walkout is a public relations disaster for the United Nations, which had hoped the conference would be a shining example of what the UN is supposed to do best, uniting to combat injustice in the world, says the BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Geneva. CLICK HERE:Walkout during Iran leade's speech

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA MAY CANCEL NATO MEETING - Russia has threatened to pull out of a meeting with senior Nato commanders if the alliance goes ahead with planned exercises in Georgia next month. Russia's ambassador to Nato, Dmitry Rogozin, said its president and foreign minister had raised concerns and that the government was awaiting a response. "If there is no reaction, we shall take certain steps," he told Russian TV. Nato says the exercises were planned before last year's conflict between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia. The war led to Nato temporarily cutting high-level contacts with Moscow. Georgia hopes eventually to join Nato, a move strongly opposed by Russia, which says the alliance's eastward expansion is a threat to its security. CLICK HERE:Russia may cancel NATO meeting

Brussels, Belgium - BRUSSELS TO INVESTIGATE SEVEN AIRLINES - The European Commission has started anti-competition investigations into seven transatlantic airlines, including British Airways (BA). Brussels has opened two separate investigations, the first into proposed additional cooperation between BA, American Airlines and Iberia. The second probe is into existing and planned cooperation between Air Canada, Continental, Lufthansa and United. BA said the Commission had stressed it did not have proof of any infringement. However, Commission spokesman Jonathan Todd said the investigations would not have been launched "unless we thought there was good reason to pursue this". The investigations are into transatlantic routes between Europe and North America run by One World alliance members BA, American and Iberia, and Star Alliance carriers Air Canada, Lufthansa and United. Continental is not yet a member of the Star Alliance but in talks to join the group. CLICK HERE:Brussels to investigate seven airlines


---

19.04.2009 Lampedusa, Italy - ITALY TO ACCEPT STRANDED IMMIGRANTS - Italy has agreed to accept 140 migrants rescued off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa, ending a four-day stand-off with Malta. Rome had at first insisted the ship was in a Maltese search and rescue area, and said Valletta should take them in. Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said Italy was taking in the migrants for "humanitarian reasons", and insisted its actions did not set a precedent. The migrants were rescued after their boats got in trouble in rough seas. They were picked up by the MV Pinar on Thursday some 40km (25 miles) off the coast of Lampedusa, but a stand-off developed after Malta said the migrants should be taken to the nearest port, which it said was Lampedusa. CLICK HERE:Italy to accept stranded immigrants


---

18.04.2009 Perpignan, France - FRANCE HOLDS ETA MILITARY CHIEF - A man described as the military leader of the Basque separatist group Eta has been captured in south-western France, Spanish government sources say. Jurdan Martitegi was reportedly detained with two other suspected Eta members near Perpignan in a joint Franco-Spanish security operation. French police would only say that three Eta suspects had been detained. The news comes just over a week since the arrest in Paris of another top Eta suspect, Ekaitz Sirvent Auzmendi. If his arrest is confirmed, Mr Martitegi would be the third suspected Eta military chief to be detained by the French security forces in the past five months. Eta is blamed for the deaths of more than 820 people in its 40-year campaign for an independent Basque nation. The three men arrested on Saturday were armed with three pistols and had a car with false number plates, Spanish media report. French police say they were picked up in Montauriol, in the eastern Pyrenees region which borders Spain. Mr Martitegi is alleged to have assumed the military command of Eta since the arrest in December of Aitzol Irionda, also in south-west France. Mr Irionda himself had allegedly just taken over the military command from Mikel Garikoitz Aspiazu Rubina, also known as Txeroki, after the latter's arrest in France in October. Once regarded as a safe haven for Basque militants, France began arresting Eta suspects after the group called off a 15-month-old ceasefire in June 2007. A suspected woman member of Eta, Itxaso Legorburu Madinabeitia, was arrested in the central French town of Mezieres-en-Brenne on Thursday. Another suspected member with her managed to escape. The two had reportedly been inside a gun shop when they aroused suspicion and police were called. CLICK HERE:France holds Eta military chief


---

17.04.2009 Stockholm Sweden -TIGER BAY TAKES THE RAP - A court in Sweden has jailed four men behind The Pirate Bay (TPB), the world's most high-profile file-sharing website, in a landmark case. Frederik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, Carl Lundstrom and Peter Sunde were found guilty of breaking copyright law and were sentenced to a year in jail. They were also ordered to pay $4.5m (£3m) in damages. Record companies welcomed the verdict but the men are to appeal and Sunde said they would refuse to pay the fine. Speaking at an online press conference, he described the verdict as "bizarre". "It's serious to actually be found guilty and get jail time. It's really serious. And that's a bit weird," Sunde said. "It's so bizarre that we were convicted at all and it's even more bizarre that we were [convicted] as a team. The court said we were organized. I can't get Gottfrid out of bed in the morning. If you're going to convict us, convict us of disorganised crime. "We can't pay and we wouldn't pay. Even if I had the money I would rather burn everything I owned, and I wouldn't even give them the ashes." CLICK HERE:Tiger Bay takes the rap

Prague, Czech Republic - BELARUS GETS EU SUMMIT INVITATION - The Czech Republic has invited Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko to an summit next month, despite criticism of his record on human rights. As current holder of the EU presidency, the Czechs will host the "Eastern Partnership" summit in Prague on May 7. The EU has suspended a travel ban it imposed on Mr Lukashenko and other top officials. The EU wants to develop closer energy and trade links with Belarus and five other ex-Soviet states, but Mr Lukashenko previously indicated that he would not attend the summit, even if he were invited, the Czech news agency CTK reported. The Czech EU presidency said the invitation was made by Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg at a meeting with Mr Lukashenko in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, on Friday. "Belarus itself will decide who will represent the country at the summit," the Czech official statement said. Mr Schwarzenberg "pointed out the problems with registration of several non-governmental organisations" in Belarus, the statement went on. His counterpart Sergey Martynov replied that "society cannot be changed overnight". The other countries invited to the partnership summit with the EU are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. CLICK HERE:Belarus gets EU summit invitation

Chisinau, Moldova - MOLDOVA RECOUNT CONFIRMS VOTE - A recount of votes cast in Moldova's election has confirmed an emphatic win by the ruling Party, an election official has said. Electoral Commission secretary Iurie Ciocan said no fraud had been found, despite opposition claims that the election was rigged. Judges ordered a recount after a week of protests against the Communist win, but the main opposition parties boycotted it, saying it was a "trick" to distract attention from fraud. Mr Ciocan said the results were basically the same as in the previous count, with the Communists having 60 seats in the new parliament. Of the center-right opposition parties, the Liberal Party and Liberal Democratic Party would have 15 seats each while the Our Moldova Alliance would have 11, he said. CLICK HERE:Moldova recount confirms vote


---

16.04.2009 Grozny, Chechnya - RUSSIA ENDS CHECHNYA OPERATION - Russia has ended its decade-long "counter-terrorism operation" against separatist rebels in the southern republic of Chechnya, officials say. The move aimed "to create conditions to further normalise the situation", the National Anti-terrorist Committee said. Russian forces have fought two wars in the mainly Muslim republic since 1994. Moscow says Chechnya has stabilised under its pro-Kremlin President, Ramzan Kadyrov, but human rights groups accuse his militias of widespread abuses. "We received the news about cancelling the counter-terrorism operation with great satisfaction," Mr Kadyrov told Russia's Interfax news agency on Thursday. CLICK HERE:Russia ends Chechnya operation

Brussels, Belgium - RUSSIA ANGERED BY NATO EXERCISE PLANS - Russia has asked Nato to cancel or postpone military exercizes that it plans to hold in Georgia next month. Moscow's envoy to Nato, Dmitry Rogozin, described the exercises, expected to involve 1,300 troops from 19 countries, as "absurd and a provocation". Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the exercises would not help develop stability in the Caucasus. Nato says the exercises were planned before last year's conflict between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia. Georgia hopes eventually to join Nato, a move strongly opposed by Russia, which says the alliance's eastward expansion is a threat to its security. Nato said the exercises, to be held some 20km (12 miles) east of Georgia's capital Tbilisi from May 6 to June 1, would be non-aggressive and based on a fictitious UN-mandated, Nato-led crisis response operation. "There should really be no element of surprise for anyone," Nato spokesman Robert Pszczel said. "There is no heavy armour involved at all, it's just people," but Russia's ambassador to the military alliance dismissed the claim. CLICK HERE:Russia angered by Nato exercise plans

London, England - TORY MP WILL NOT BE CHARGED - Tory MP Damian Green, who was arrested as part of an inquiry over Home Office leaks, will not face charges. There was "insufficient evidence" to bring a court case against the shadow immigration minister, the Crown Prosecution Service said. Mr Green, arrested last November, said he was "very pleased" at the decision, calling the government "authoritarian", but Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said it would have been "irresponsible" for the police not to have taken action. She announced the police inspectorate would conduct a review of the "operational aspects" of the inquiry but the Home Office said it was too early to say what its scope would be. Sources have indicated that the Home Office is far from satisfied over the decision not to charge Mr Green, but Northern Ireland Secretary Sean Woodward said: "What matters now is to move on." Mr Green, MP for Ashford, and Home Office worker Christopher Galley, who passed on the information, have always denied any wrongdoing over the leaks, forwarded to the press, which related to immigration and crime. Mr Galley will not face prosecution either, the CPS said. CLICK HERE:Tory MP will not be charged

London, England - PLAN TO BOOST ELECTRIC CAR SALES - Would-be auto-owners will be offered subsidies of up to £5,000 to encourage them to buy electric or plug-in hybrid cars under plans announced by the UK government. It is part of the UK government's £250m plan to promote low carbon transport over the next five years, but ministers do not expect eligible cars to hit the showrooms until 2011. The car industry as a whole welcomed the plan, but George Osborne, the UK shadow finance minister, dismissed the initiative as a "fantasy announcement." Critics said the government needed to invest more in places to recharge the vehicles and in public transport. The strategy includes plans to provide £20m for charging points and other necessary infrastructure. At present they are very limited. CLICK HERE:Plan to boost electric car sales
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT(COMMENT: Can you imagine charging your mini electric vehicle on the side of the road? You go away and return to find someone else has pulled the plug, or your charging cable has been vandalized again! Charging in a secure garage is one thing, but not on the street. The main fuel of the future hybrid has to be liquid hydrogen.)


---

15.04.2009 Channel Ports, France - PORT BLOCKADES TEMPORARILY LIFTED - French fishermen have temporarily lifted their blockade of three French ports, allowing thousands of ferry passengers across the English Channel. The dispute had left UK-bound ferries stranded overnight, as the French Red Cross and French Army handed out food and blankets to people awaiting travel. Stranded passengers in Calais include coach-loads of children who have spent their Easter break on the Continent. The blockade, which is over EU fishing quotas, is due to resume on Thursday. Threats of legal action have come from both ferry and rail firms against the protesters fighting EU fishing quotas. The blockades began on Tuesday afternoon, preventing ships from entering or leaving Calais, Boulogne and Dunkirk. CLICK HERE:Port blockades temporarily lifted

Moscow, Russia - MEDVEDEV SPEAKS TO CRITICAL PRESS - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has given an interview to one of the last media outlets in the country which is frequently critical of the government. The interview in Novaya Gazeta is being dissected by analysts for signs that Mr Medvedev may pursue a different course from his predecessor, Vladimir Putin. Mr Medvedev said democracy need not be compromized for the sake of prosperity. "Stability and a prosperous life cannot be set off against a set of political rights and freedoms," he said. Later, he told civil society groups that rules on NGOs were "not ideal". "It is clear that your work is not easy," he told a meeting of the Presidential Council on Human Rights. "There are numerous instances when the activities of non-governmental organizations are restricted without sufficient grounds." Mr Medvedev said "the protection of rights should be practised by the state itself" and trust built up between it and civil society groups. The interview is his first with a Russian newspaper since being sworn in as president in May 2008. Novaya Gazeta has paid a high price for editorial independence. Four of its reporters have been killed or died in suspicious circumstances. A Kremlin spokeswoman said Mr Medvedev had given the interview to Novaya Gazeta to "lend moral support" to its journalists, after the attacks on their colleagues. Mr Medvedev had been affected by "the horrific crimes" against the newspaper in recent years, she added. Amongst those killed in recent years was the investigative journalist, Anna Politkovskaya, who had exposed gross abuses committed by the Russian army in Chechnya and been highly critical of Mr Putin when he was president. Journalists, human rights workers and lawyers have continued to die or come under attack since Mr Medvedev became president almost a year ago, and there is little sign those responsible will ever be held to account. CLICK HERE:Medvedev speaks to critical press

Paris, France - FRANCE SAYS ADIEU TO OLD DEPARTMENTAL VEHICLE REGISTRATION PLATES - For decades French drivers have proudly displayed their regional loyalties, but the old system is now being replaced by a UK-style number plate-for-life. The new plate will stay with the car, regardless of whether the owner sells it or moves to another region. The two-digit number of the French department, or region, is reduced to a small strip on the right-hand side. The French news agency AFP describes it as "adieu to '111 AAA 75' and welcome 'AA - 111 - AA'." The new system, which will also apply to trucks, is aimed at combating registration fraud and making stolen vehicles easier to trace. Some 130,000 stolen cars were sold in France in 2008, French media report. A group of French politicians waged a campaign against the change, defending the 59-year-old registration system under the slogan "never without my department". In a concession to them French Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie decided that the departmental number would still appear on the new number plates, though reduced in size, along with the departmental emblem, but now drivers can decide which department they want displayed on the car's plate. So a Corsican living in Paris can for example choose the Corsican number and emblem, which is a black Moorish head sporting a white headband, but the Europe 1 news website says thousands of residents of Loire-Atlantique department consider themselves part of Brittany. They object to the fact that new Loire-Atlantique registrations will bear the emblem of Pays de la Loire. So there is now a movement to put stickers showing the Breton flag and corresponding number 44 on the new plates. Under the new system, the dealer will issue the new car registration, instead of the local authority, eliminating the stocks of old blank grey registration cards, which were a security risk. CLICK HERE:France says adieu to old departmental vehicle registration plates


---

14.04.2009 Ternopil, Ukraine - ARRESTS OVER RADIOACTIVE SALE -Three men have been held in Ukraine for allegedly trying to sell radioactive material that could be used to make a "dirty bomb", security officials say. The politician and two businessmen were held on April 9 in the Ternopil region. The SBU security service said they were trying to sell what they thought was 3.672kg (8.2lb) of plutonium-239 for $10m (£6.7m). However, authorities now say the material was not plutonium-239 and are working to determine what it is. The material was likely to be americium, a radioactive metal element with a variety of industrial uses, the Associated Press news agency said, citing unidentified security experts. The SBU said that the material "could have been used for terrorist purposes for the creation of a dirty bomb". A dirty bomb uses conventional explosives to disperse radioactive material, causing a health hazard. The container had been made at a Russian plant during the Soviet era and could have entered Ukraine from a neighbouring state, the SBU said, without giving further details. The men have been charged with illegally handling radioactive material, AFP news agency said. In recent years several countries have expressed concern that corruption and poor safety standards could put unsecured radioactive material from the former Soviet Union in the hands of criminals or armed groups. CLICK HERE:Arrests over radioactive sale

Channel Ports, France - FRENCH FISHER BOATS BLOCK CHANNEL PORTS - French fishing boats have mounted a blockade of three Channel ports, interrupting ferry and freight traffic in a dispute over fishing quotas. At Calais, Boulogne and Dunkirk fishing fleets are preventing ships entering or leaving the harbor. Stranded passengers say they have been given no indication of when the blockade might be lifted. British police have warned of serious delays and have started parking lorries on the M20 motorway. ...French fishing unions say they are protesting at ever tougher EU-imposed quotas, and are demanding that the French government take a stand on their behalf or offer more financial assistance. They have not said how long their protest will last. The EU says limiting the size of fishing catches is the best way to stop stocks being wiped out through over-fishing. CLICK HERE:French fisher boats block Channel Ports

London, England - SMEARED TORIES WANT No.10 REFORM - David Cameron has demanded a reform of Downing Street's "culture" after a government adviser sent e-mails about slurs against leading Conservatives. The Tory leader said Labour had "been in power too long" and Gordon Brown had to end "this sort of nonsense". Adviser Damian McBride resigned after unfounded claims about Mr Cameron and other senior figures were revealed. The government has defended its response to the e-mails scandal, saying the prime minister had "taken action". Mr McBride stood down on Saturday, after it was revealed that he had sent e-mails in January to former government spin doctor Derek Draper, containing allegations about Mr Cameron, shadow chancellor George Osborne and Tory MP Nadine Dorries among others. CLICK HERE:Smeared Tories want No 10 reform

Ankara, Turkey - DOZENS OF TURKISH KURDS ARRESTED - Around 50 people have been arrested in Turkey in an operation targeting alleged Kurdish separatists. Senior members of the main legal Kurdish party, the Democratic Society Party (DTP), were among those arrested. The DTP branded the move a government attempt to weaken it following gains made in recent local elections. Arrests took place in 12 different provinces, said the governor's office in the eastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir, where most were detained. The governor's office said the operation was aimed at the illegal Kurdistan Workers' Party, the PKK. The AFP news agency reported that the suspects arrested included three DTP deputy chairmen, two lawyers representing jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan and the chief editor of a Diyarbakir-based private TV channel. "This operation is a clear indication of the government's intolerance to the election results," said DTP chairman Ahmet Turk, referring to polls last month in which the DTP gained ground on the ruling AKP. CLICK HERE:dozens of Turkish Kurds arrested


---

13.04.2009 Kamien Pomorski, Poland - FIRE IN POLISH HOSTEL KILLS 21 - At least 21 people have been killed in a fire at a hostel for homeless people in north-western officials say. Another 20 were injured in the blaze in the town of Kamien Pomorski, 60km (37 miles) east of the border with Germany, which began in the middle of night. Many of the injuries were sustained as residents jumped from upper floors of the three-storey building. At least 77 people were registered at the hostel, waiting for the local authority to provide them with housing. Emergency teams are now sifting through the wreckage of the building. The cause of the blaze is not yet known. Prime Minister Donald Tusk broke off his Easter holiday to fly to Kamien Pomorski to inspect the damage and visit the survivors in hospital, whom he said would receive new housing and aid. CLICK HERE:Fire in Polish hostel kills 21

Tbilisi, Georgia - GEORGIA PROTESTS ENTER FIFTH DAY - Thousands of opposition supporters in Georgia have begun a fifth day of protests, calling on President Mikhail Saakashvili to step down. The demonstrators gathered outside the parliament in Tbilisi, before marching on to the presidential palace, where they plan to hold an ongoing protest. Correspondents say turnout is falling and the opposition seems increasingly unsure of how to continue its campaign. Mr Saakashvili says Russian oligarchs are financing the Georgian opposition. The opposition accuses him of mishandling last year's conflict with Russia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia, and of being increasingly autocratic. After a brief pause on Sunday, more than 20,000 opposition supporters returned to the Georgian parliament building for a fifth day, chanting "Misha, Go!". CLICK HERE:Georgia protests enter fifth day

Ankara, Turkey - ARRESTS IN TURKEY COUP PLOT INVESTIGATION - Turkish police have detained at least 12 people, including a university head, in connection with an alleged plot to overthrow the government, reports say. Police also searched the headquarters of a television station and offices of groups that promote secularism, the state-run Anatolia news agency said. The arrests are said to be part of the long-running inquiry into the shadowy ultra-nationalist Ergenekon network. Its members are accused of plotting attacks to provoke a military coup. Dozens of people, including retired military officers, politicians, academics and journalists, have been arrested since 2007.Mehmet Haberal, the president of Ankara's Baskent University, and Fatih Hilmioglu, the former head of Inonu University in Malatya, were among those detained on Monday, Anatolia reported. CLICK HERE:Arrests in Turkey coup plot investigation

London, England - PM BROWN SENDS LETTERS REGARDIN E-MAIL SMEARS - Gordon Brown has written personal letters to those mentioned in controversial e-mails sent by his ex-adviser Damian McBride. Mr McBride quit his post at Number 10 after his unfounded claims about Tory leader David Cameron and shadow chancellor George Osborne became known. Mr Brown wants the advisers' code of conduct changed to prevent any repeat. Mr Cameron has received the letter but it did not contain the direct apology he had demanded, Tory sources said. Prior to getting it, a spokeswoman for the Tory leader said it was "recognition that he [Gordon Brown] has finally recognized the gravity of what's been happening in Downing Street". The prime minister said the e-mails sent were a "matter of great regret". CLICK HERE:PM Brown sends letters regarding e-mail smears

Nottingham, England - POLICE HOLDING 114 IN POWER STATION PROTEST - More than 100 people have been arrested in Nottingham over a suspected plan to target a power station. Police said 114 men and women were arrested in Sneinton Dale on suspicion of conspiracy to commit aggravated trespass and criminal damage. Officers said they believed those arrested were planning to protest at nearby Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station. Police said equipment including bolt-cutters was found and they feared a threat to the safety of the site. A police spokesman said it was thought there was a "serious threat" to the coal-fired power station, which is eight miles south-west of Nottingham. More than 200 police officers from Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire and British Transport Police were involved in the arrests at the Iona School. CLICK HERE:Police holding 114 in power station protest


---

11.04.2009 Paris, France - TOP ETA SUSPECT CAUGHT WITH GUN - One of the Spanish militant group Eta's top leaders has been arrested in Paris carrying a Magnum revolver and false ID, French and Spanish media report. Ekaitz Sirvent Auzmendi was detained at Montparnasse station in Paris after getting off a high-speed train from Bordeaux, French police said. Wanted by Spain since 2002, he is said to be one of Eta's top five leaders. Eta is blamed for the deaths of more than 820 people in its 40-year campaign for an independent Basque nation. Spanish police were present during the arrest in Paris, the French news agency AFP reports. A laptop computer and a large quantity of computer equipment including USB keys and hard discs were also seized and Mr Auzmendi was found carrying false French and Spanish identity papers, the Spanish interior ministry told the Spanish news agency Efe. He is believed to be Eta's top forger, it added. CLICK HERE:Top Eta suspect caught with gun

London, England - NO 10 OFFICIAL RESIGNS AFTER E-MAILS - One of Gordon Brown's senior officials has resigned after sending e-mails which discussed smearing senior Tories. Damian McBride, the prime minister's former political press officer, had apologized after the messages found their way to a Westminster blogger. In them, Mr McBride (it was claimed, allegedly) made obscene and unfounded claims about David Cameron's and George Osborne's personal lives. He called the suggestions "a few ideas I've been working on for Red Rag", a reference to a Labour website. ...Paul Staines, writer of the Guido Fawkes blog, described the messages sent by Mr McBride as "obscene". A Number 10 spokesman said the messages were "juvenile and inappropriate". The spokesman for (?No 10) added that nobody in Downing Street knew of the e-mails and that it was Mr Brown's view that there was "no place in politics for the dissemination or publication of material of this kind". CLICK HERE:No 10 official resigns after e-mails

Tbilisi, Georgia - MORE PROTESTS IN GEORGIAN CAPITAL - Anti-government protests are continuing for a third day in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. Roads in front of key buildings were blocked by groups of demonstrators who had camped out overnight. They accuse President Mikhail Saakashvili of leading the country into a disastrous war with Russia, and want him to step down, but there are signs that public support for the opposition-led campaign is dwindling, a BBC correspondent says. Some 60,000 people turned out on Thursday for the first day of demonstrations - but far fewer were visible on Friday. Organizers say they will not end their action until the president. CLICK HERE:More protests in Georgian capital


---

10.04.2009 Bucharest, Romania - GEORGIANS PLAN MASS DISOBEDIENCE - MOLDOVAN LEADER WANTS ELECTION RECOUNT - Georgia's opposition has announced a "national disobedience campaign", warning it will block major roads. About 20,000 opponents of President Mikhail Saakashvili have gathered outside Georgia's parliament. One of their leaders, Kakha Kukava, said that "as of 6pm today (1400 GMT) the protesters will block main streets throughout Tbilisi", the capital. Earlier, Mr Saakashvili rejected their call for him to quit, but said he was ready for a dialogue with them. Opposition parties say his main error was to lead the country into war with Russia last year and plunge Georgians into what they call a crisis, but he hit back on Friday, vowing to stay in office until his term ends in 2013. CLICK HERE:Georgians plan mass disobedience

Chisinau, Moldova - MOLDOVAN LEADER WANTS ELECTION RECONT - Moldova's president has called for a full recount of disputed elections, bowing to a key demand of protesters who stormed the parliament on Tuesday. President Vladimir Voronin asked the constitutional court to order a full recount of last Sunday's election, won by the ruling Communist Party. Opposition leaders said the election result was fraudulent. Officials in Moldova and Russia accused Romania of fomenting the riots, but witnesses said they were spontaneous. "I am convinced that a complete recount of votes will become a major argument for maintaining political stability, peace and mutual trust in Moldova," Mr Voronin said in an official statement, quoted by the AFP news agency. CLICK HERE:Moldovan leader wants election recount

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA TO BUY ISRAELI DRONES - Russia has signed a deal to buy Israeli unmanned spy planes to help the country improve its own drones, reports say. The news comes after reports that Moscow was unhappy with the performance of similar Russian aircraft during the conflict last year with Georgia. An industry source in Israel said Russian generals had been impressed with the Israeli drones used by Georgia in the conflict. Reports say the Israeli planes will cost a total of $50m (£35m). Russia's deputy defense minister, Vladimir Popovkin, was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying the military had signed a contract to buy an unspecified number of pilotless drones. "I was in Israel and even operated one," RIA-Novosti quoted him as saying. CLICK HERE:Russia to buy Israeli drones

London, England - BNP A THREAT TO BRITISH LABOUR PARTY IN EU - The British National Party could pose a major threat to Labour in the upcoming European elections, Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman has said. The BNP "are a bigger threat than they have been before", she told the Independent newspaper in an interview. She also outlined Labour's efforts to counter the BNP ahead of elections for the European Parliament in June. Labour is "focused on the BNP in this election in a way it hasn't been previously," she added. Labour is using the slogan "fairness not fear" in areas where there is heavy BNP activity, instead of its national banner "winning the fight for Britain's future".CLICK HERE:BNP a threat to British Labour Party in EU


---

9.04.2009 Tbilisi,Georgia - GEORGIANS RALLY AGAINST PRESIDENT - Thousands of Georgians have gathered outside parliament saying they will not disperse until the president resigns. Protesters, numbering up to 60,000, blamed President Mikhail Saakashvili for defeat against Russia in August's war and said he had stifled democracy. The opposition alleged that dozens of members were arrested before the rally, a claim denied by the government. President Saakashvili urged Georgians to show unity and "work day and night... to finally liberate Georgia". He was speaking at a ceremony in the capital, Tbilisi, to commemorate the day, 20 years ago, when 20 people died as Soviet Red Army troops crushed a popular protest in the same place. CLICK HERE:Georgians rally against president

Manchester / Liverpool, England - UK PM CHALLENGES PAKISTAN ON TERRORISM - Gordon Brown has said Pakistan needs to do more to root out terrorism after police thwarted a suspected al-Qaeda bomb plot in north-west England. He spoke after police were forced to bring forward arrests of 12 suspects, 11 of them Pakistanis, after a security blunder by Britain's anti-terror chief. Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick resigned after he was photographed with clearly visible secret documents. Mr Brown said police had to move early to foil "a very big terrorist plot". The prime minister said he would speak to Pakistan's president to raise concerns about what he termed "increasing" terror links between Pakistan and the UK. CLICK HERE:UK PM challenges Pakistan on terrorism
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT(COMMENT: According to reports by usually reliable on-site corespondents, 80% of the population of the Northern Pakistan tribal areas have a family member who has, or has claim to, dual Pakistani and UK nationality.)

City of London, England - G20 POLICE OFFICER SUSPENDED - The officer captured on video apparently pushing a man during the G20 protests in London has been suspended, police have said. Ian Tomlinson, 47, died from a heart attack minutes after the incident on April 1, near the Bank of England. The Metropolitan Police suspended the officer after the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) called for that action to be taken. The IPCC has launched a criminal investigation into the death. Additional footage from Channel 4 News appeared to show him being hit with a baton. A statement from the IPCC said: "The IPCC called for the officer to be suspended. The MPS has now informed us that the officer has been suspended with immediate effect. "Although decisions about suspension are a matter for the Chief Officer of the police, when there is an IPCC investigation, the police are obliged to consult with us over the suspension of officers. "In this case, we have expressed the view that the officer in question should be suspended from duty, in the public interest." CLICK HERE:G20 police officer suspended

Brussels, Belgium - EU TARGETS YOUNG VOTERS ON MTV - A new survey suggests 53% of Europeans are not interested in the elections. The latest Eurobarometer opinion poll, conducted by the European Commission, concluded that "interest in the elections is not increasing". It surveyed 27,218 Europeans in mid-January to mid-February. In the UK, 30% of respondents said they would definitely not vote - far more than in other EU member states. The next largest "definitely not" group was in Poland - 19%. The EU average in that category was 15%. About 1,000 people are polled in each member state in the standard Eurobarometer surveys, conducted twice-yearly. In the first European elections, in 1979, voter turnout was 63%, but it has declined steadily. In 2004 it was 45.7%. The European Commission is spending 1.9m euros (£1.7m; $2.5m) on the election ads broadcast by MTV Networks, which include Music Television (MTV), VH1, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central. MTV channels are broadcasting three TV spots showing young people hanging loudspeakers in London, Paris and Rome. MTV is also inviting young people to take part in a "roaring sound wave" across Europe on 30 April, when they will all shout "Can you hear me Europe?" "Young people are the future of the European Union. We need their ideas and their active involvement. They need to know that their voice counts," said Commission Vice-President Margot Wallstrom. CLICK HERE:EU targets young voters on MTV


---

8.04.2009 Chisnau, Moldova - ROMANIA BLAMED OVER MOLDOVA RIOTS - Moldova's president has accused neighboring Romania of stoking the protests that erupted into violence in the capital Chisinau on Tuesday. Romania has rejected the accusation as a "provocation". Thousands of young protesters thronged Chisinau, fighting police and ransacking parliament, in protest at the results of Sunday's election. Official results gave the ruling Communists about 50% of the vote in the Romanian- speaking ex-Soviet republic. International observers said the vote appeared to have been fair, though one told the BBC she had her doubts. "Some of my colleagues went in and later said they smashed everything and put the president's chair and portrait on fire," Alina Martiniuc a resident of Chisinau said. Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin, a Communist, was quoted by Russian agency Interfax saying: "We know that certain political forces in Romania are behind this unrest. The Romanian flags fixed on the government buildings in Chisinau attest to this." He ordered that Romania's ambassador be expelled, recalled the Moldovan envoy from Bucharest, and said Romanians would in future need visas to cross into Moldova. Earlier the president described the violence as "a coup d'etat". CLICK HERE:Romania blamed over Moldova riots

Manchester / Liverpool, England - ANTI-TERRORIST RAIDS FOLLOW FILES BLUNDER - Twelve men have been arrested in the north west of England after Britain's most senior counter-terrorism police officer sparked a security alert. Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick said he "deeply regretted" revealing a secret document to photographers when he arrived for a briefing at No 10. The document, clearly marked "secret", carried an outline briefing on an ongoing counter-terrorism operation. The 12 suspects were later arrested at locations across north-west England. It is understood the raids at eight addresses took place sooner than planned due to the documents being revealed. Opposition MPs were swift to criticize Mr Quick, with the Liberal Democrats describing him as "accident prone" and the Conservatives condemning his "extraordinary and very alarming" lapse of judgement. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith made no comment about Mr Quick's mistake. Instead, she praised police for their professionalism. "The decision to take such action was an operational matter for the police and the security service but the Prime Minister and I were kept fully appraised of developments," she added. "Word spread that one of the men might have had a bomb and some people started to panic" student Daniel Taylor said. ...Some hours after the Downing Street incident, two men outside the main library at Liverpool John Moores University were arrested by armed officers from the North West Counter-Terrorism Unit. Other students said they heard police shouting at the two suspects, then saw them lying face down on the floor. Witnesses said they were advised over the library loudspeaker to stay away from the windows for their own safety. Journalism student Daniel Taylor said: "I saw a man on the floor. Police were shouting at him and one of the officers had what looked like a machine gun pointed right into his head." Police wearing blue plastic gloves were searching the man, along with a second man nearby, and both appeared to be "ordinary students", Mr Taylor said. Ten of those arrested are Pakistan-born nationals on student visas and one is a UK-born British national. Their ages are not entirely known but range between a teenager who is in his mid-to-late teens and a 41-year-old man. Greater Manchester Police said several hundred officers were involved in the operation, including armed officers during some of the arrests. Four addresses in the Cheetham Hill area of Manchester, including an internet cafe, are being searched. Three premises are being searched in Merseyside, plus a guest house in Clitheroe, Lancashire. Witnesses said two men were taken from the cafe after police arrived. Mesu Raza, who lives in a flat above the Cheetham Hill cafe, said: "I saw police arrest two people and put them in a police van. They had handcuffs on, they were Asian men, and the police were armed. HERE:Anti-terrorist raids follow files blunder


---

7.04.2009 Chisinau, Moldova - MOLDOVAN STUDENTS RAID PARLIAMENT - Demonstrators in Moldova have attacked the country's parliament in protest at the victory of the governing Communist Party in Sunday's general election. Witnesses say crowds poured into the building, smashing windows and setting light to furniture. Police said a woman died from carbon monoxide poisoning after inhaling fumes in a blaze, state television reported. President Vladimir Voronin urged an end to "destabilization", but opposition leaders have backed the protests. They say the election result was fraudulent. EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana has urged all sides in the former Soviet state to refrain from violence, and Russia also voiced its concern. Communist Party leader Mr Voronin, who will step down as president this month after two terms in office, told ministers there was "no evidence of any irregularities during the election". "Appealing against the election's outcome is merely a pretext," he said during a televized cabinet meeting. CLICK HERE:Moldovan students raid parliament

Ankara, Turkey - OBAMA PLEDGES NEW US ENGAGEMENT - US President Barack Obama has ended his European tour by saying he is committed to opening a "new chapter in American engagement" with the Muslim world. In an address to students in Istanbul, he said Americans and Muslims could no longer "afford to talk past one another and focus only on our differences". Mr Obama earlier met religious leaders and visited the famous Blue Mosque. On Monday, the president told the Turkish parliament that the US was "not and will never be at war with Islam".CLICK HERE:Obama pledges new US engagement

Dubln, Republic Ireland - DUBLIN UNVEILS EMERGENCY BUDGET - The Irish Republic has unveiled its second budget in six months to deal with its rapidly contracting economy. The emergency budget includes a large rise in taxes and a cut in spending, to deal with Ireland's budget deficit. Finance Minister Brian Lenihan also said an independent agency would take over banks' bad assets to try and restore lending. His forecast for 2009 was also revised down sharply. He expects it to contract by 8% this year, down from 3% in 2008. Dublin is having to deal with a deepening recession while being forced to correct the worst deficit in Europe. CLICK HERE:Dublin unveils emergency budget

Moscow, Russia - PUTIN ALLEGEDLY EARNS MORE THAN MEDVEDEV - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin earns 11% more than President Dmitry Medvedev, statements released as part of an anti-corruption drive show. Mr Putin earned 4.6m roubles ($137,000; £93,000) in 2008. His assets included a large plot of land and a share in a garage "equivalent to a car space". Mr Medvedev meanwhile took home 4.14m roubles and co-owns a Moscow apartment of almost 400 sq m (4,300 sq ft). Senior officials have been forced to disclose their income since December, but the new legislation does not force Russian bureaucrats to disclose the income of any grown-up children or relatives. No agency has been tasked with establishing whether the declarations are true. Russia is among the countries which have not signed the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's convention against bribery and is frequently criticised by anti-corruption watchdogs. Critics of Mr Putin have accused him of being one of Russia's richest men, but declarations of his wealth published on the prime minister's website on Monday suggest he is of more modest means. The income from his principal employment during 2008 totalled 4.6m roubles, while his military pension amounted to 100,600 roubles. The declaration also showed he owned an apartment of 77 sq m in St Petersburg, a garage, two classic cars and a trailer. Though he earns less, Mr Medvedev has a much larger apartment, a 368 sq m residence in Moscow, which he owns jointly with his wife, Svetlana. They also have bank deposits totalling just less than 3m roubles and 4,700 sq m of land. Mrs Medvedev also owns a Volkswagen Golf and two parking places. CLICK HERE:Putin allegedly earns more than Medvedev


---

6.04.2009 L'Aquila, Italy - SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS OF ITALY'S EARTHQUAKE - A desperate search for survivors is on in and around the Italian city of L'Aquila after a quake killed at least 150 people, according to Italian media. Some 5,000 rescuers are picking through rubble in the walled medieval city and nearby towns and villages, some of them said to have been virtually destroyed. Tents are being put up in tennis courts and on football pitches to house some of the 30,000-40,000 homeless. The number of people injured has been put at 1,500. Italy's PM Silvio Berlusconi declared a state of emergency in the region. CLICK HERE:Search for survivors of Italy's earthquake

Ankara, Turkey - BARACK OBAMA REACHES OUT TO THE MUSLIM WORLD - Barack Obama has declared that the US "is not at war with Islam", in a major speech during his first visit as president to a mainly Muslim country. Addressing the Turkish parliament, Mr Obama called for a greater partnership with the Muslim world and said the US would soon launch outreach programs. "America's relationship with the Muslim world cannot and will not be based on opposition to al-Qaeda," he said. Mr Obama also said Washington supported Turkey's efforts to join the EU. Earlier, at a news conference with his Turkish counterpart, Abdullah Gul, he urged Turkey to help bridge the gap between the Muslim and Western worlds. CLICK HERE:Barack Obama reaches out the the Muslim world

Grenoble, France - ETA BOMB FACTORY REVEALED IN FRANCE - French police have seized hundreds of kilos of bomb-making ingredients in a garage in the south-eastern city of Grenoble, officials have said. Police suspect the cache of at least 300kg (660lb) of ammonium nitrate and other explosive substances may belong to the Basque separatist group, Eta. The chemicals were found by chance on Sunday by the owner of the garage. Eta is blamed for the deaths of more than 820 people in its 40-year campaign for an independent Basque nation. Last week, a court in Paris sentenced a Spanish woman to 14 years in prison after finding her guilty of running a cell based in France that identified targets for the group. The owner of the garage in Grenoble said he had decided to break open its lock at the weekend because he had not received any rent in three months. "I found some bags, I opened one of them which contained white powder and straight away I informed the police," he told the AFP news agency. He said he had advertised the garage on the internet and that he had met the tenant only once, when he signed the lease in December. Police said they believe the tenant gave a false name. In 2007, a similar cache of potentially explosive substances were discovered in an Eta base in the southern French town of Cahors. CLICK HERE:Eta bomb factory revealed in France

Brussels, Belgium - NET PROVIDERS BEGIN SAVING EMAIL AND NET CALL ADDRESSES - Details of user e-mails and net phone calls will be stored by internet service providers (ISPs) from Monday under an EU directive. The plans were drawn up in the wake of the London bombings in 2005. ISPs and telecoms firms have resisted the proposals while some countries in the EU are contesting the directive. Jim Killock, executive director of the Open Rights Group, said it was a "crazy directive" with potentially dangerous repercussions for citizens. All ISPs in the European Union will have to store the records for a year. An EU directive which requires telecoms firms to hold on to telephone records for 12 months is already in force. The data stored does not include the content of e-mails or a recording of a net phone call, but is used to determine connections between individuals. Authorities can get access to the stored records with a warrant. Governments across the EU have now started to implement the directive into their own national legislation. CLICK HERE:Net providers begin saving e-mail and net call addresses


---

5.04.2009 Prague, Czech Republic - OBAMA PROMOTES NUCLEAR-FREE WORLD - Barack Obama has outlined his vision of a world free of nuclear weapons in a major speech in Europe. The US president called for a global summit on nuclear security and the forging of new partnerships to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. He said he hoped to negotiate a new treaty to end the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons. North Korea's "provocative" rocket launch earlier in the day underscored the need for action, he said. Although his nuclear goals might not be realised in his lifetime, he said he would strive to achieve them. Mr Obama said that as long as Iran continued to pose a potential nuclear threat, the US would continue to work on a controversial missile defence shield, parts of which would be stationed in Poland and the Czech Republic. He was speaking ahead of a meeting with EU leaders in the Czech capital, Prague, hours after North Korea launched a rocket despite international warnings. Mr Obama condemned the launch: "Now is the time for a strong international response," he said. "North Korea must know that the path to security and respect will never come through threats and illegal weapons." Speaking to a 20,000-strong crowd in front of Prague's historic castle, Mr Obama said the US had a moral responsibility to act in ridding the world of nuclear weapons. CLICK HERE:Obama promotes nulear-free world

Skopje, Macedonia - MACEDONIA VOTES FOR NEW PRESIDENT - The people of the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia are voting in the final round of a presidential election. The run-off pits frontrunner Gjorgje Ivanov from the governing party VMRO-DPMNE against Ljubomir Frckoski from the main opposition party, the SDSM. President Branko Crvenkovski is not seeking a second term. Some 1.8m people are eligible to vote in the election. The vote is considered to be important in helping to move the country towards European Union and Nato membership. Both organizations have said progress towards membership will depend on Sunday's election meeting international standards. A parliamentary vote last year was marred by violence, with one person being shot dead and several others wounded in an ethnic Albanian area. CLICK HERE:Macedonia votes for new president

Dubai, UAE - LEADING CHECHEN ALLEGEDLY BEHIND GULF MURDER - The authorities in Dubai have accused a senior Chechen official of being behind the apparent killing of a rival of the restive Russian republic's president. Police said Sulim Yamadayev was assassinated, but there is confusion over whether he actually died. Two suspects were arrested, one of whom implicated Chechen Deputy PM Adam Delimkhanov, say police. Mr Yamadayev was once close to Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov but fell out with him last year and fled Russia. "The deputy prime minister of Chechnya is wanted by the justice system of the UAE [United Arab Emirates] and six people are suspected of involvement in the murder," Dubai police said in a statement. "The crime ... is 100 percent of Chechen making and it's an operation of settling accounts." They said Mr Yamadayev, who had been in Dubai on a Russian passport issued in the name of Sulaiman Madov, died instantly in the shooting in a car park outside his apartment on March.28. CLICK HERE:Leading Chechen allegedly behind Gulf murder


---

4.04.2009 Kehl, Germany - DANISH PM RASMUSSEN NEW NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL - Nato has agreed to boost troop numbers to cover the Afghan presidential election in August, outgoing alliance chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has said. US President Barack Obama said his alliance partners would deploy about 5,000 troops and trainers "to advance [Washington's] new strategy". The Nato 60th anniversary summit in Strasbourg picked Danish PM Anders Fogh Rasmussen as new secretary-general. Anti-Nato protesters fought police and set buildings alight in the city. They set a hotel and a customs house on fire and three columns of smoke could be seen rising over the Europe Bridge area of the French city, across from the small town of Kehl in Germany, where part of the summit was held. At least 25 people were arrested, adding to dozens detained in the run-up to the gathering. Between 10,000 and 30,000 demonstrators were involved in the anti-Nato protests, according to French news agency AFP. CLICK HERE:Danish PM Rasmussen new NATO secreatry-general

London, England - A senior British judge has accused the European Court of Human Rights of going beyond its jurisdiction and trying to create a "federal law of Europe". Lord Hoffmann, the second most senior Law Lord, said the Strasbourg court had imposed "uniform rules" on states. The judge said rulings that had gone against domestic decisions were "teaching grandmothers to suck eggs". He said he supported the European Convention on Human Rights but not the institution that applies the law. In a lecture to fellow judges, published this week, Lord Hoffmann said the European Court in Strasbourg had been unable to resist the temptation to "aggrandize its jurisdiction" by laying down a "federal law of Europe". The court should not be allowed to intervene in the detail of domestic law, he said. Lord Hoffmann, who is due to retire, added that this had led to the court being "overwhelmed" by a growing backlog of 100,000 cases. The court's president, Jean-Paul Costa, said earlier this year there was a risk of "saturation" unless measures were agreed to reduce the caseload. The European Court of Human Rights aims to apply and to protect the civil and political rights of the continent's citizens. The court, set up in 1959 in the French city of Strasbourg, considers cases brought by individuals, organizations and states against the countries bound by the European Convention on Human Rights, which are all European nations except Belarus. In 1989 Lord Hoffmann had a decision of his overturned, after he controversially ordered freelance journalist Bill Goodwin to reveal the sources of an unpublished article for The Engineer magazine. Over a period of seven years the case went all the way to the European Court for Human Rights, where it was eventually thrown out. South African-born Lord Hoffmann also attracted controversy for his role in the extradition proceedings against General Augusto Pinochet. The judge had contributed to a decision that the former Chilean leader could be arrested and extradited for crimes against humanity, without emphasizing his links to human rights group Amnesty International. He was serving as an unpaid director of the charity, and his wife Gillian was a long-serving administrative assistant at Amnesty's London office. The case led to an unprecedented setting aside of the original House of Lords judgement. CLICK HERE:Senior UK judge criticizes European Court of Human Rights
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT(COMMENT: For a start, it would do much for English law, if it would cease being an organization in which gentiles and agnostics are largely excluded. For centuries there were historical reasons for this, but they no longer apply. The introduction of Sharia principles into English divorce and family law has certainly not resulted in increasing respect for the law. The greatest source of criticism of English law lies in the derisively lenient sentences handed down to those convicted of murder and other crimes of violence against the person.)


---

3.04.2009 Strasbourg, France - OBAMA UNDERLINES AL-QAEDA THREAT - President Barack Obama has urged better use of Nato resources in Afghanistan, saying al-Qaeda is a greater threat to Europe than to the US. Speaking before a Nato summit co-hosted by France and Germany, he said the US wanted to see a stronger Europe. However, Nato's secretary general said members would be reluctant to send more troops if Afghanistan adopted a new law seen as violating the rights of women. A massive French-German security operation is in place for the summit. The two-day summit marks the 60th anniversary of Nato. After talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday, Mr Obama said they had discussed Afghanistan. "It's not just a matter of more resources, but more effectively using the resources we have," Mr Obama said. He thanked France for leadership regarding Afghanistan. "France recognises that having al-Qaeda operate safe havens that can be used to launch attacks is a threat not just to the United States but to Europe. "In fact it is probably more likely that al-Qaeda would be able to launch a serious terrorist attack in Europe than in the United States because of proximity. "This is not an American mission, this is a Nato mission, this is an international mission." Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown offered a temporary increase in British troops serving in Afghanistan. The UK currently has 8,300 soldiers in the country, the second-largest international contingent troops outside the US. CLICK HERE:Obama u nderlines Al-Qaeda threat

Kiev, Ukraine - UKRAINE OPPOSITION STAGES PROTEST - Thousands of people have turned out in the centre of the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, to demonstrate against their country's pro-Western government. The protest, attended by up to 20,000 people, was led by former PM and opposition head Viktor Yanukovych. Ukraine has been hit hard by the global economic crisis. But the government has been paralysed, unable to pass measures to deal with its effects. Earlier this week, Ukraine's parliament voted to hold presidential polls early. It agreed to schedule elections on October 25, ahead of the previously expected date of January 2010, the end of President Viktor Yushchenko's term. Mr Yushchenko said on Friday he was prepared to consider holding joint presidential and parliamentary polls in October. CLICK HERE:Ukraine opposition stages protest


---

2.04.2009 London, England - G20 leaders seal $1 TRILLION DEAL - Leaders of the world's largest economies have reached an agreement to tackle the global financial crisis with measures worth $1.1 trillion (£681bn). To help countries with troubled economies, the resources available to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will be tripled to $750bn. There will also be sanctions against secretive tax havens and tougher global financial regulation, and the G20 has committed about $250bn to boost global trade. President Barack Obama said the summit could mark a "turning point" in the pursuit of economic recovery and made progress in reforming a "failed regulatory system". New funding pledges: $500bn for the IMF to lend to struggling economies; $250bn to boost world trade; $250bn for a new IMF "overdraft facility" countries can draw on; $100bn that international development banks can lend to poorest countries; IMF will raise $6bn from selling gold reserves to increase lending for the poorest countries. CLICK HERE:G 20 leaders seal $1 trillion deal

Srasbourg, France - PROTESTER CLASHES AT NATO SUMMIT VENUE - Police have clashed with hundreds of anti-Nato protesters in Strasbourg, firing tear gas to stop a crowd getting to the city center, reports say. Masked protesters smashed bus shelters and set fire to garbage containers. AFP reported around 100 arrests. Security has been high in Strasbourg and across the German border in preparation for the summit. Some 25,000 police are on duty to control the tens of thousands of protesters expected to attend. Groups of youths, many wearing hoods or scarves, walked through a suburb of the city carrying banners saying: "Stop repression in London and Strasbourg". Bus stops and vehicles were vandalized, shop windows smashed and a barricade put up on one street. One protester rammed a pole through the front window of a police vehicle. A passenger in the car appeared to be holding a handgun as it quickly reversed. In a separate incident, AFP reported that a German photographer had been taken to hospital after being injured in the abdomen by a rubber bullet. An eyewitness who asked not to be named told the BBC that riot vans and water cannon had seen heading towards the protesters' official camp in Ganzau, south of the city. Leaders of Nato member states are due in the city on Friday for the alliance's 60th-anniversary summit. France last month announced it would be fully re-integrated into Nato. For decades it has stood at a distance from the alliance, taking part in military operations but not in its central planning and decision-making. CLICK HERE:Protester clashes at NATO summit venue

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA MAY OFFER US AFGHAN ACCESS - Russia has agreed to discuss the transit of American military supplies to Afghanistan across its territory. The foreign ministry in Moscow said Russia was ready to co-operate if asked by the US. Last month, Russia began allowing the movement of non-lethal supplies to US and Nato forces in Afghanistan. The new offer of discussions comes a day after Russia and the US agreed to resume negotiations on reducing their nuclear arsenals. Washington has been seeking alternative supply routes into Afghanistan since militants in Pakistan stepped up attacks on shipments moving by road. Kyrgyzstan has also decided to close the Manas US air base on its territory, further limiting the US's options. Following a decision to let several Nato countries transport supplies via Russia, foreign ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said: "Russia has expressed its readiness more than once to co-operate on these issues, including with the United States," AFP news agency reported. CLICK HERE:Russia may offer US Afghan access

Athens, Greece - GREEK STRIKERS IN ANGRY PROTESTS - Tens of thousands of people have joined protests in Greece's major cities during a strike against the government's economic policies. The country's two biggest unions led marchers through the centre of Athens, chanting slogans against spending cuts. The strike disrupted flights and led to banks and schools being closed. Trying to tackle a big public finance deficit the government has frozen state wages and raised taxes, but protesters are angry at a big bail-out for banks. The conservative government of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis announced a 28bn euro (£26bn) bank support package in January, but has said it cannot afford to give substantial relief to the poor. Public sector wages have been frozen and high-earners face increased tax bills. CLICK HERE:Greek strikers in anry protests

Berlin, Germany - TRADE-INS HELP GERMAN AUTO SALES - German auto sales soared 40% in March compared with the same time a year ago, with a spate of buying encouraged by a trade-in plan to scrap old cars. The VDA automobile federation said sales in March hit 401,000 vehicles. In Germany, drivers get 2,500 euros (£2,220; $3,170) for trading in a car more than nine years old. The scheme will be phased out by the end of 2009. The figures come a day after the US auto industry's monthly sales were 45% down on this time last year. CLICK HERE:Trade-ins help German auto sales


---

1.04.2009 London, England - FRANCE DEMANDS TOUGHER G20 RULES - France and Germany have called for tougher regulation for the world's financial system at the G20 summit. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has threatened to walk out of the meeting, said that new financial regulation was a "non-negotiable goal". In London's financial district, police and protesters have clashed and 26 people have been arrested. Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle have met the Queen at Buckingham Palace. The G20 leaders have begun arriving at a state dinner at Downing Street, where they will start to hammer out a final agreement CLICK HERE:France demands tougher G20 rules
Peterhead, Scotland - EIGHT DEAD IN HELICOPTER CRASH - At least eight people have died after a helicopter with 16 people on board crashed into the North Sea. A major search was launched after the Bond Super Puma came down about 15 miles off Peterhead on the Aberdeenshire coast, at about 1400 BST. Police later said eight bodies had been recovered and the eight others were still missing. The crashed helicopter was returning from BP's Miller field, 168 miles north east of Aberdeen. RAF spokesman Michael Mulford said three helicopters and a Nimrod had been sent to the scene. CLICK HERE:Eight killed in helicopter crash

London, England - US AND RUSSIA RESUME NUCLEAR TALKS - Russia and the US are to reopen negotiations about reducing their nuclear warheads, presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama have said. The discussions will be the first such talks for more than a decade. Mr Obama said earlier there were very real differences between Washington and Moscow, but that there was also a broad set of common interests. The announcement came on the fringes of the G20 summit of world leaders which is convening in London. Mr Medvedev has invited his American counterpart to visit Moscow in July, an invitation Mr Obama has accepted. Russia and the US have also agreed to discuss "mutual international co-operation", the two presidents said. After their meeting, Mr Medvedev said he viewed prospects for future bilateral relations "with optimism". CLICK HERE:US and Russia resume nuclear talks

Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain - SPANISH POLITICAL RIVALS SECURE BASQUE DEAL - The northern region of Spain is to have its first non-nationalist government in three decades. Spain's governing Socialist Party (PSE) has signed a deal to form a regional administration with the opposition Popular Party (PP). They have pledged to support Basque culture and increase funds to tackle the militant separatist group, Eta. The Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) lost office after failing to win an absolute majority in last month's elections. This enabled the PSE, which came second, and the Conservative PP to lay aside their disagreements and form an informal coalition. The deal will mean that, for the first time since the 1970s, the Basque Country will be run by a government which fully supports it remaining part of Spain.CLICK HERE:Spanish political rivals secure Basque deal

London, England - ENGLISH JUSTICE? - TWO CONVICTS TO BE FREED AFTER INNOCENT MAN MURDERED -A man and a woman have been jailed over the death of an innocent shopper in a queue-jumping row in south London. Antonette Richardson was jailed for 18 months and ex-boyfriend Tony Virasami received four years for manslaughter. Southwark Crown Court heard she called him to a Sainsbury's store in Merton where he hit Kevin Tripp, a bystander who had nothing to do with the dispute. Judge Geoffrey Rivlin QC said the sentences reflected the "shock and concern felt by the public at large". Outside court Mr Tripp's partner Josie James said: "It's not long enough. They took Kevin's life." Father-of-one Mr Tripp, 57, from Colliers Wood, south-west London, died when the "almighty blow" caused him to fall and fracture his skull, causing bleeding on the brain. CLICK HERE:English justice? - Two convicts to be freed afer innocent man murdered

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST ATTACKED - A Russian human rights advocate and government critic has been badly beaten up in the capital, Moscow. Lev Ponomaryov, leader of the For Human Rights group, was attacked outside his home and was briefly hospitalised. "They hit me from behind. I fell on the ground. Two or three people began beating me," he told Russian TV. Human rights activists say the attack illustrated the dangerous atmosphere in Russia, where those who speak out are at risk of being beaten or killed. Ludmila Alexeyeva of the Moscow Helsinki Group (MHG), another human rights group, said Mr Ponomaryov had an active role in the newly established Solidarity opposition movement. After the attack on Tuesday night, Mr Ponomaryov told RenTV: "They were kicking me, trying to hit my head and chest. I covered myself, as they teach you to do in films, and screamed, very loudly." CLICK HERE:Russian rights activist attacked

London, England - POLICE CLASH WITH G20 PROTESTERS - Protesters stormed a London office of the Royal Bank of Scotland as thousands of people descended on the City ahead of the G20 summit of world leaders. Demonstrators launched missiles and forced their way into the bank after clashes with police in the capital. A branch of HSBC also had windows broken. Twenty- two people were arrested and some police and protesters injured. Climate change activists have pitched tents in the street, while anti-war campaigners are holding a rally. CLICK HERE:Police clash with G20 protesters

St Petersburg, Russia - LENIN'S REAR BOMBED - One of Russia's most famous statues of Vladimir Lenin has been bombed, leaving the Bolshevik revolutionary with a gaping hole in his rear. The bronze statue, in the city of St Petersburg, was badly damaged before dawn on Wednesday, when the blast blew a hole in Lenin's coat. No-one was hurt in the attack, the motive for which was unknown. The statue, outside the Finland Station, marks the Bolshevik leader's return from exile in April 1917. "Today at 0430 [0030 GMT] there was an explosion at the Lenin monument at the Finland Station in the city center," a spokesman for the Saint Petersburg branch of the Russian emergency situations ministry told the AFP news agency. "As a result of the explosion a crater of 80-100cm [31-39in] appeared on the monument," he added. Lenin gave a speech at the railway station after his return from exile.CLICK HERE:Lenin's rear bombed


---

31.03.2009 Lampedusa, Italy - HUNDREDS OF MIGRANTS FEARED DROWNEDD - More than 200 African migrants are feared dead after their boat sank off the coast of Libya, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) says. The boat carrying around 250 people is reported to have capsized 50km (30 miles) north of the Libyan coast in stormy seas and high winds. Libyan officials say 21 people are confirmed dead and 23 rescued. A second boat with around 350 migrants was rescued, an official from the IOM told the Associated Press news agency. The IOM's Laurence Hart said the rescued boat and all of its passengers were now safely back in the Libyan capital, Tripoli. CLICK HERE:Hundreds of migrants feared drowned

Paris, France - POSSIBLE FRENCH DISCONNECTION AT G20 - France will walk away from this week's G20 summit if its demands for stricter financial regulation are not met, the finance minister has told the BBC. Christine Lagarde told Hardtalk that President Nicolas Sarkozy would not sign any agreement if he felt "the deliverables are not there". Strengthening financial regulation will be one of the key issues at the G20. France wants a stronger global financial regulator than the US and the UK would like. If France were to leave the summit, it would be a blow to both UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and US President Barack Obama. Both men have spoken of their high hopes for the meeting to stimulate international recovery. "Leaders meeting in London must supply the oxygen of confidence to today's global economy and give people in all of our countries renewed hope for the future," Mr Brown said. President Obama is due to arrive in London for the summit later. It will be his first visit to Europe since he became president.CLICK HERE:Possible French disconnection at G20

Berlin, Germany - GERMANY BANS NEO-NAZI YOUTH GROUP - The German interior ministry has banned a far-right group for allegedly organizing activities promoting racist and Nazi ideology among young children. The Homeland-Faithful German Youth (HDJ) taught children as young as six that foreigners and Jews were a threat to the "German nation", officials said. Police have also raided the offices and houses of the group's leaders in four states in connection with the ban. The HDJ said it was a "youth group for environment, community and homeland", but at its special holiday camps, children were taught elements of "racial ideology", including the "purity of blood" and "the continuation of the German race", with the aim of forming a neo-Nazi elite, the interior ministry said. "With today's ban we're putting an end to the nauseating activities of the HDJ," Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said. CLICK HERE:

Brussels, Belgium - EU PRESSES FOR WEB-USERS' PRIVACY - The European Union has told internet companies to make better efforts to protect i nformation they are given by consumers, or face tougher regulation. Consumer Affairs Commissioner Meglena Kuneva told leading e-commerce and internet search firms that standards of privacy are "not satisfactory". "Basic consumer rights in terms of transparency, control and risk are being violated," she said. Internet firms say they have recently taken action to protect users' data. The technology used by internet companies to profile customers is becoming so sophisticated that more confidential personal information is being recorded than consumer watchdogs believe is necessary. CLICK HERE:EU presses for web-users' privacy


---

30.03.2009 Plymouth, England - FAKE GUNS UNCOVERED IN PROTESTOR'S HOME - An imitation Kalashnikov rifle and fireworks have been seized by police investigating alleged terrorism in connection with the G20 summit. Three men aged 25, 19 and 16 and two women of 20, from the Plymouth area in Devon, were held after the 25 year old was seen allegedly spraying graffiti. A number of imitation weapons were seized in searches of several premises. Further items were seized from an address in the city center on Monday evening. Assistant Chief Constable Paul Netherton said the weapons were "not major" and "probably not even lethal". The arrests were an "isolated incident" and local people were not at risk. The arrested people have not been linked to any religious group. ACC Netherton said the weapons included imitation handguns and a Kalashnikov, as well as fireworks. No ammunition for the guns was found. Detectives are investigating the possibility those arrested were planning to mount protests in London against the G20 summit of world leaders. All five people are being held under the Terrorism Act. The arrests were made after the 25-year-old man was arrested in Plymouth on the evening of 27 March for allegedly spraying graffiti on a wall. ACC Netherton said: "He was arrested and then the officer went back to this man's house and carried out a search. "When he was searching the house he came across imitation firearms and also some devices which had basically been made from fireworks. "And also he found some politically sensitive material and things like that." He said the operation has no connection to failed suicide bomber Nicky Reilly, 22, who was jailed for 18 years earlier this year. The Muslim convert, who lived with his mother in Plymouth, attempted a nail bomb attack on a restaurant in Exeter. CLICK HERE:Fake guns uncovered in protestor's home

Strasbourg, France - SLOVENIA CLEARS CROATIA's NATO ENTRY -Slovenia has at the last minute cleared the way for its neighbor Croatia to join Nato later this week. Croatia's accession had been threatened by a Slovene nationalist group, angry over a continuing border dispute. The group had hoped to force a referendum on whether Slovenia should block Croatia's entry - but failed to gather enough signatures. Croatia, along with Albania, is now set to join the alliance at a summit in Strasbourg later this week. The Slovene problem has been resolved, a senior Nato diplomat announced with obvious relief. Nato will mark its 60th birthday at the Strasbourg summit with a symbolic expansion into a region which which only a decade ago was at war, but tensions between Croatia and Slovenia remain. CLICK HERE:CSlovenia clears Croatia's NATO entry

Ankara, Turkey - TURKISH PM WINS LOCAL ELECTIONS WITH MAJORITY BUT REDUCED PERCENTAGE - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party has won local elections by a wide majority - but nevertheless suffered a significant fall in support. The Justice and Development Party (AKP) won about 39% of the vote, according to unconfirmed results - down from the 47% general election landslide of 2007. "This is a message from the people and we will take the necessary lessons," said a sombre Mr Erdogan. At least five people were reportedly killed in election-related violence. The deaths came in the predominantly Kurdish east of the country, as supporters of rival candidates for a non-party position of village chief fought armed battles. CLICK HERE:Turkish PM wins local elections with majority but reduced percentage

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - PROMINENT CHECHEN KILLED IN DUBAI - The Russian authorities have confirmed a prominent opponent of the pro-Kremlin Chechen President, Ramzan Kadyrov, was shot dead in Dubai on Saturday. Diplomats said Sulim Yamadayev's body had been identified by his relatives. Mr Yamadayev fell out with Mr Kadyrov last year and was sacked as commander of an elite security forces battalion. Saturday's killing is the fourth of a prominent Chechen since September, when Mr Yamadayev's brother Ruslan was shot dead while driving in central Moscow. The Chechen leader has denied any involvement in the killings. CLICK HERE:Prominent Chechen killed in Dubai


---

29.03.2009 Toronto, Canada - MAJOR CYBER SPY NETWORK UNCOVERED - An electronic spy network, based mainly in China, has infiltrated computers from government offices around the world, Canadian researchers say. They said the network had infiltrated 1,295 computers in 103 countries. They included computers belonging to foreign ministries and embassies and those linked with the Dalai Lama - Tibet's spiritual leader. There is no conclusive evidence China's government was behind it, researchers say. Beijing also denied involvement. The report, Tracking GhostNet: Investigating a Cyber Espionage Network, comes after a 10-month investigation by the Information Warfare Monitor (IWM), which comprises researchers from Ottawa-based think tank SecDev Group and the University of Toronto's Munk Centre for International Studies. They were acting on a request from the Tibetan spiritual leader's office to check whether the computers of his Tibetan exile network had been infiltrated. Researchers found that ministries of foreign affairs of Iran, Bangladesh, Latvia, Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei, Barbados and Bhutan appear to had been targeted. Hacked systems were also discovered in the embassies of India, South Korea, Indonesia, Romania, Cyprus, Malta, Thailand, Taiwan, Portugal, Germany and Pakistan. Analysts say the attacks are in effect industrial espionage, with hackers showing an interest in the activities of lawmakers and major companies. The researchers said hackers were apparently able to take control of computers belonging to several foreign ministries and embassies across the world using malicious software, or malware. "We uncovered real-time evidence of malware that had penetrated Tibetan computer systems, extracting sensitive documents from the private office of the Dalai Lama," investigator Greg Walton was quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying. They say they believe the system, which they called GhostNet, was focused on governments in Asia. By installing malware on compromised computers, hackers were able to take control of them to send and receive classified data. In this case, the software also gave hackers the ability to use audio and video recording devices to monitor the rooms the computers were in. But investigators said they did not know whether or not this element had been used. According to the New York Times, the spying operation is the largest to have been uncovered in terms of the number of countries affected. In an abstract for a second report released on Sunday by two Cambridge University researchers, entitled The Snooping Dragon: Social Malware Surveillance of the Tibetan Movement, investigators said while such attacks were not new, these particularly stood out for their ability to collect "actionable intelligence for use by the police and security services of a repressive state, with potentially fatal consequences for those exposed". CLICK HERE:Major cyber spy network uncovered

London, England - TORY EUROSCEPTIC DONOR EXPELLED - The Conservative party says it has expelled a multi-millionaire donor who gave £100,000 to UKIP. Spread-betting tycoon Stuart Wheeler had said he was giving the money to UKIP in protest at the Tories' reluctance to talk about the EU. Mr Wheeler, an outspoken eurosceptic, gave £5m to the Conservatives in 2001. He said that he would vote UKIP in European elections in June but that he intended to remain a member of the Conservative party. Stuart Wheeler said he found out he had been expelled by the Conservatives only after hearing the news on the BBC, BBC political correspondent Reeta Chakrabarti said. Mr Wheeler said the party was entitled to expel him, but stressed he was not a spokesman and should be allowed to express his views. CLICK HERE:Tory eurosceptic donor expelled

London, England - HUSBAND OF UK HOME SECRETARY APOLOGIZES FOR PORNO CLAIM - The Home Secretary's husband has said sorry for embarrassing his wife after two adult films were viewed at their home, then claimed for on expenses. Richard Timney, who is also Jacqui Smith's parliamentary aide, said he understood why people might be angry. Ms Smith said she "mistakenly" claimed for a TV package when billing for a web connection and would repay the cash. Downing Street said she had done the "right thing" by quickly rectifying the "inadvertent mistake". BBC political correspondent Reeta Chakrabarti said there were rumours "whizzing round Labour's circles" that there may be a Tory mole in the House of Commons fees office, following several leaks. This is the office which processes MPs' allowances claims. The Home Secretary is already under investigation by the parliamentary commissioner for standards over her use of the second homes allowance.CLICK HERE:Husband of UK Home Secretary apologizes for porno claim


---

28.03.2009 London, England - G20 DEMONSTRATORS MARCH IN ENGLAND - Tens of thousands of people have marched through London demanding action on poverty, climate change and jobs, ahead of next week's G20 summit. The Put People First alliance of 150 charities and unions walked from Embankment to Hyde Park for a rally. Speakers called on G20 leaders to pursue a new kind of global justice. Police estimate 35,000 marchers took part in the event. Its organisers say people wanted the chance to air their views peacefully. Protesters described a "carnival-like atmosphere" with brass bands, piercing whistles and stereos blasting music as the slow-paced procession weaved through the streets. Police said one man was arrested during the march for being drunk and disorderly. CLICK HERE:G20 demonstrators march in London

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA HINTS AT CHECHEN CHANGES - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says life in Chechnya is returning to normal and it might be time to end the security restrictions imposed there. The restrictions have been in force for the past 10 years. They include curfews, road blocks and occasional searches by the security forces for suspected Islamist fighters. "The situation in Chechnya has normalised to a large degree," Mr Medvedev said in a broadcast on state televsision. "We must create new possibilities for investment and employment." He was speaking after talks with the head of the Russian Security Service, Alexander Bortnikov, but while both men spoke in favour of loosening restrictions in Chehcnya, Mr Medvedev also warned that the fight against what he called terrorism would not stop or slow down - an apparent reference to the southern republics of Ingushetia and Dagestan where violence is continuing. CLICK HERE:hints at Chechen changes

Manzanares el Real, Spain - BULLFIGHT REFERENDUM - The residents of a small town in central Spain are taking part in a referendum this weekend to decide whether their annual bullfighting festival should be cancelled, the BBC's Steve Kingstone reports. Like many small towns in Spain, Manzanares el Real considers the annual bull fight to be part of its DNA, but the price of 120,000 euros (£112,000, $160,000) meant the cost of staging the festival this year would eat up a quarter of the municipal budget for culture, sport and social services. In a letter sent to 6,000 homes, the town's mayor said that if the event went ahead it would be at the expense of basic services like street cleaning. Residents have now voted by post on whether to keep, scrap or scale down the event. The votes will be counted over the weekend by a public notary. The mayor has stressed that the referendum is purely a response to the economic crisis and not an objection to bull fighting on ethical grounds. CLICK HERE:Bullfight referendum


---

27.03.2009 Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA'S ARCTIC MILITARY PLAN - Russia has announced plans to set up a military force to protect its interests in the Arctic. In a document published on its national security council's website, Moscow says it expects the Arctic to become its main resource base by 2020. While the strategy is thought to have been approved in September, it has only now been made public. Moscow's ambitions are likely to cause concern among other countries with claims to the Arctic. The document foresees the Arctic becoming Russia's main source of oil and gas within the next decade. In order to protect its assets, Moscow says one of its main goals will be the establishment of troops "capable of ensuring military security" in the region. With climate change opening up the possibility of making drilling viable in previously inaccessible areas, the Arctic has gained in strategic importance for Russia, says the BBC's James Rodgers in Moscow. However, Russia's arctic ambitions have already put those with competing claims on the defensive. In 2007, a Russian expedition planted a Russian flag on the seabed beneath the North Pole. Russia, Canada, Denmark, Norway and the United States, all of whom have an Arctic coastline, dispute the sovereignty over parts of the region. With an estimated 90 billion untapped barrels of oil, Russia's strategy is likely to be scrutinised carefully by its neighbours in the far north.CLICK HERE:Russsia's arctic military plan

Rome, Italy - BERLUSCONI STRENGTHENS COALTION - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is preparing to create a powerful new center-right party called People of Freedom. The three-day founding congress of the bloc will formally fuse Mr Berlusconi's Forza Italia with the "post-Fascist" National Alliance of Gianfranco Fini. The coalition will unite two of the three main Italian groups on the right. Mr Fini used to be politically close to the ideology of Italy's wartime Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, but since the end of the 1990s the National Alliance has shifted towards the mainstream of Italian politics and Mr Fini has distanced himself from Mussolini's policies. He dissolved the National Alliance, created in 1995, at a congress on March 22. He is currently Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house. In elections last April Mr Berlusconi, a media tycoon and Italy's richest man, won a third term as prime minister. The People of Freedom (Il Popolo della Liberta) coalition is expected to make the Italians a stronger force in the European Parliament's largest party grouping, the conservative EPP-ED, after the June European elections. CLICK HERE:Berlusconi strengthens coalition


---

26.03.2009 Strasbourg, France - EU WARNS SPAIN OVER LAND DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES - The European Parliament has voted in favor of a report criticizing Spanish property laws. The report says Spanish legislation allowing developers to acquire private land below market rates breaches the European Convention on Human Rights. MEPs were acting on complaints from Britons and other homeowners who feared their homes might be bulldozed. MEPs say they hope the vote will increase pressure on the Spanish government to change its laws. The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to freeze hundreds of millions of euros in Spain's EU funding if the Spanish government does not tackle what the parliament condemned as "extensive urbanization" practices. In a full vote in Strasbourg on Thursday, 349 MEPs voted in favor, 114 abstained and 110 cast their vote against the report by the Danish Green Party MEP Margrete Auken. MEPs from the Spanish conservative PP party were among those who voted against the report while those from the governing Socialist Party abstained. The report was drafted after more than 100 petitions by thousands of expatriates living in Spain complaining of breaches of their land-ownership rights were sent to the EU's petitions committee. One of the main campaigners behind the case, Canadian expat Charles Svoboda, says local and regional governments often rubber-stamp planning applications submitted by developers. CLICK HERE:EU warns Spain over land development practices

London, England - POLICE TO INVESTIGATE TORTURE CLAIMS - Police are to investigate whether an MI5 officer was complicit in the torture of ex-Guantanamo detainee Binyam Mohamed. The Attorney General, Baroness Scotland QC, said the probe would be "the appropriate course of action". Mr Mohamed, 30, a UK resident, said MI5 had prolonged his detention and torture while he was being held in Morocco. The MI5 agent who questioned him has denied threatening or putting any pressure on Mr Mohamed. Ethiopian-born Mr Mohamed says he was tortured while in US custody in Pakistan, Morocco and Afghanistan, with the complicity of MI5. He says that in Morocco in 2002, he was mistreated by local officers who asked him questions supplied by British intelligence.CLICK HERE:Police to investigate torture claims

Dublin, Ireland - RECORD DECLINE IN IRISH ECONOMY - Irish Republic's economy has suffered its largest contraction in recent decades. The economy shrank by 7.5% in the last three months of 2008 compared with the same period a year earlier, the official statistics office said. The construction industry, which has faced a housing market slump, suffered a 24% fall in output, the biggest fall on record. In the whole of 2008 the economy shrank by 2.3%, the first decline since 1983. Once known as the Celtic Tiger due to the strong growth it enjoyed, Ireland has experienced a sharp downturn, becoming the first eurozone country to fall into recession in 2008. CLICK HERE:Record decline in Irish economy


---

25.03.2009 Strasbourg, France - CZECH PM ATTACKS OBAMA SPENDING - The Czech prime minister has condemned US President Barack Obama's economic recovery plans as "a way to hell". Mirek Topolanek was speaking in the European Parliament, in his capacity as current holder of the EU presidency. Hours before his remarks, President Obama appealed for all countries to bear the burden of spending to stimulate the world economy. Mr Topolanek said the biggest success of last week's EU summit was its refusal to copy the US example. His intervention comes 10 days before the G20 summit meeting in London and coincides with a visit to New York by UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who has called for a "worldwide fiscal and monetary stimulus".CLICK HERE:Czech PM attacks Obama spending

Strasbourg, France - CZECH GOVERNMENT COLLAPSE NO THREAT TO EU - The Czech PM says the collapse of his government will have "no impact" on the country's presidency of the EU. Mirek Topolanek's centre-right coalition lost a no-confidence motion in parliament on Tuesday by one vote. The government is half-way through its six-month term in the rotating presidency of the EU. Attempts to form a new coalition are likely to precede any elections, but the Czechs will remain at the helm of EU affairs until June regardless. Mr Topolanek was on European duty on Wednesday, addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, where he blamed the Czech opposition Social Democrats for undermining the Czech role in Europe. CLICK HERE:Czech government collapse to threat to EU

Strasbourg, France -EURO MP'S MOVE TO BLOCK LE PEN - Leading Euro MPs are pushing for a rule change to stop the veteran French far-right leader, Jean-Marie Le Pen, from presiding over the European Parliament. The head of the conservative EPP, the largest bloc, has backed the initiative of the Socialists and Greens to block Mr Le Pen, AFP news agency reports. As the oldest MEP, Mr Le Pen, 80, could chair the new parliament's inaugural session on July 14 under the rules. Mr Le Pen has again called the Nazi gas chambers "a detail of history". The Nazis murdered at least six million Jews in death camps in World War II. Hundreds of thousands of others were also killed there, including Roma gypsies and disabled people. "I merely said that the gas chambers were a detail of the history of the world war, which is an obvious fact," Mr Le Pen, leader of the National Front (FN), told the European Parliament on Wednesday. His r emark drew boos and whistles from MEPs. He was fined 1.2m francs ($290,000) for the same claim in 1987.CLICK HERE:Euro MP's move to block Le Pen

Strasbourg, France - EU ACTS AGAINST CHILD SE ABUSE - The European Commission - the EU's executive arm, has set out plans for tightening EU law to protect children from sexual predators. The proposals, yet to be adopted by the 27 member states, would make online grooming and the viewing of child pornography criminal offenses. Sex tourists from EU states who abused children outside the EU would face prosecution on their return home. The commission is also calling for new EU rules to curb people-trafficking. The commission says that in 2008 more than 1,000 commercial and about 500 non-commercial websites depicting child sex abuse were found, 71% of them in the US. Most of the non-commercial ones were peer-to-peer. If adopted, the new proposals will mean free legal services for victims of abuse. Authorities in the EU could bring people traffickers to justice even if they committed their crimes outside the EU, the commission said. CLICK HERE:EU acts against child sex abuse


---

24.03.2009 Prague, Czech Republic - CZECH CENTER_RIGHT MINORITY FSAILS CONFIDENCE VOTEThe Czech Republic's center-right minority government has lost a vote of confidence in parliament midway through the country's six-month EU presidency. The result came after a group of four rebel MPs voted with the opposition Social Democrats and Communists against Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek. Together they garnered 101 votes in the 200-seat chamber, the minimum required. Mr Topolanek said he would step down, but correspondents say it is unclear how long he will remain in the post. Social Democrat leader Jiri Paroubek said ahead of the vote that the government could "complete the Czech EU presidency or its substantial part". However, Mr Topolanek has ruled out the idea of a caretaker government until June, when the EU presidency passes to Sweden. According to the constitution, Czech President Vaclav Klaus must decide who to choose to form a new administration. If three attempts to do so fail, early elections will be called. CLICK HERE:Czech center right minority fails confidence vote

Strasbourg, France - BROWN'S EU MANIFESTO - Gordon Brown has said Europe is "uniquely placed" to provide world leadership in the economic downturn because of its history of co-operation. He told the European Parliament that the UK was not "in Europe's slipstream but firmly in its mainstream" The EU had to promote a "principled economy", involving the implementation of "tough regulatory standards". Mr Brown was speaking at the beginning of a tour which will also take in the US, Brazil and Chile. The speech comes ahead of the G20 meeting, in London, on 2 April, which brings together leaders from industrial and emerging market countries. Mr Brown called for a "truly global society", with greater "fairness for all". He told MEPs in Strasbourg: "Today there's no old Europe and no new Europe... We have one Europe and it's our home Europe. "I stand here today proud to be British and proud to be European: representing a country that does not see itself as an island adrift from Europe but as a country at the centre of Europe, not in Europe's slipstream but firmly in its mainstream." CLICK HERE:Brown's EU manifesto

Sochi, Russia - PUTIN SCORNS EU-UKRAINE GAS DEAL - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has dismissed an EU-Ukraine gas deal as "unprofessional", saying Russia, the main supplier, had not been consulted. "If Russia's interests are ignored, then we shall also be forced to start reconsidering the principles of our relations with partners," he warned. On Monday, Ukraine signed a deal paving the way for $3.4bn (£2.4bn) of Western investment in its gas infrastructure. Ukraine's president pledged to stamp out corruption in the gas industry. The agreement comes after a price dispute between Ukraine and Russia in January led to a shutdown of gas supplies to much of Europe for weeks, causing severe shortages for millions. Russia says it is postponing talks with Ukraine because of Monday's gas deal in Brussels. President Dmitry Medvedev said the talks, due next week, would take place only once Russia had clarified a number of issues. Speaking in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi on Monday, Mr Putin said the deal was "at the very least ill-considered and unprofessional because discussing such issues without the main supplier is simply not serious". CLICK HERE:Putin scorns EU-Ukraine gas deal

Sochi, Russia - LUGOVOI DROPS OUT OF SOCHI MAYORAL RACE - Andrei Lugovoi, the prime suspect in the murder of Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko, has dropped plans to run for mayor in the Russian city of Sochi. Mr Lugovoi said he and his party, the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, had decided he should remain an MP in the Russian parliament instead. British police want to question him about Litvinenko's death by radioactive poisoning in London in November 2006. Moscow has said Russia's constitution bars any extradition. It has asserted that Mr Lugovoi was framed by the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), also known as MI6. Senior British officials told the BBC last year that they believed the murder was carried out with the backing of the Russian state. On Monday, Boris Nemtsov, a prominent Kremlin critic also running for mayor of Sochi, said that assailants had squirted ammonia in his face. Mr Nemtsov apparently suffered no lasting harm from the alleged attack. CLICK HERE:Lugovoi drops out of Sochi mayoral race

Berlin, Germany - GERMAN NPD LEADER ON TRIAL - leader of Germany's far-right National Democratic Party (NPD) has gone on trial in Berlin charged with racial incitement and defamation. Udo Voigt and two other key members are accused of questioning the presence of non-white players in Germany's national soccer team ahead of the 2006 World Cup. The NPD distributed leaflets suggesting Patrick Owomoyela, whose father is Nigerian, should not be selected. The accused entered no plea. They could face three years in jail if convicted. When prosecutors charged Mr Voigt, NPD spokesman Klaus Beier and Frank Schwerdt, head of its legal department, last March, the party dismissed the allegations as "absurd" and "political". The party holds no seats in the German national parliament, but is represented in two eastern state legislatures. The pamphlets printed and distributed by the NPD ahead of the World Cup showed a picture of the German soccer team's traditional white shirt imprinted with the Number 25, worn at the time by Owomoyela.CLICK HERE:German NPD leader on trial


---

23.03.2009 Brussels, Belgium - EU URGES ACTION TO CURB DEFICITS - The European Commission is expected to set deadlines on Tuesday for France, Greece, Ireland, Spain and the UK to rein in their swelling budget deficits. Under EU rules, countries are expected to keep their budget shortfalls below 3% of gross domestic product (GDP). Greece will be given until 2010 to meet the target, France and Spain until 2012 and Ireland and the UK until 2013, a Brussels official told BBC News. A shorter time-frame indicates it should be easier to meet the target. If a country fails to meet the deadline, despite having taken the recommended actions to rein in the deficit, the commission - the EU's executive arm - sets a new deadline, the official said. Being outside the eurozone, the UK "is not strictly speaking bound by the rules, but the UK endeavors to respect them", said the official, who requested anonymity. Deficit forecasts 2009: Ireland: 11%; UK: 8.8%; Spain: 6.2%; France: 5.4%; Greece: 3.7% Source: European Commission, Jan 09 (% of GDP). The rules are part of the EU's Stability and Growth Pact. CLICK HERE:EU urges action to curb deficits

Paris, France - FRANCE TO CONSIDER ETHNIC CENSUS - France is for the first time launching a commission to investigate ways of measuring the country's ethnic make-up. The commission is being set up by President Nicolas Sarkozy's adviser on tackling discrimination, Yazid Sabeg. Mr Sabeg said it was "essential to measure how effective are official policies combating discrimination", but opponents say his idea breaches the French principle of equality for all. Classifying people by race or religious beliefs is currently illegal in France. Mr Sabeg, a businessman of Algerian descent, argued that the country's egalitarian principle might be fine in theory, but in fact had done nothing to stop the growth of racial discrimination. "It's no longer possible to say that here we say we're just one community and therefore there's no racism or discrimination. This isn't working any more," he told France Inter radio on Monday. CLICK HERE:France to consider ethnic census

Sochi, Russia - KREMLIN CRITIC ATTACKED WITH AMMONIA - A prominent Kremlin critic who is running for mayor of Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi has said assailants squirted ammonia in his face on Monday. Boris Nemtsov said he was attacked by three men outside his campaign HQ. He apparently suffered no lasting harm. Mr Nemtsov said he believed pro-Kremlin activists had carried out the attack in response to his criticism of plans to hold the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. He said it was physically not ready for the burden placed on it by the Games. The Kremlin has not yet commented on Mr Nemtsov's claim that pro-Kremlin activists were involved. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited Sochi later on Monday to host a meeting discussing preparations for the Olympics, during which he warned that work was being "mired in bureaucratic problems". "The authorities that are in charge of the process are in constant talks with each other and normal work has not yet started," he said. CLICK HERE:Kremlin critic attacked with ammonia

Kiev, Ukraine - EU MOVES TO SECURE UKRAINIAN GAS - Ukraine has signed a deal with the EU in Brussels paving the way for $3.4bn (£2.4bn) of Western investment to upgrade Ukraine's gas pipelines. The agreement comes after a price dispute between Ukraine and Russia in January led to a shutdown of gas supplies to much of Europe for weeks. Ukraine has now promised to root out corruption from its gas sector and ensure reliable supplies. Despite their rivalry, Ukraine's president and PM were both in Brussels. They took part in an international conference with the European Commission, the World Bank and other key lenders. The EU gets 80% of its gas supplies from Russia via a network of more than 13,000km (8,060 miles) of Ukrainian pipelines, some of which are 40 years old. CLICK HERE:EU moves to secure Ukrainian gas

London, England - CAMERON - BROWN'S CONCENSUS CLAIM RIDICULOUS - Gordon Brown's claims to be reaching a consensus in Europe on dealing with the recession are "completely ridiculous", Tory leader David Cameron has said. As Mr Brown gave a Commons statement on last week's EU summit, Mr Cameron said no-one was copying his VAT cut. The PM hit back, saying the Tories were the only party in Europe to advocate cutting public spending. Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said the £12.5bn VAT cut should be dropped and the money spent on green measures. In his statement Mr Brown said, by working together, the EU could "put its financial sector on a sound footing, get credit flowing into the real economy" and protect its citizens from the impact of the economic crisis. He said there was a "determination to do what's necessary to restore jobs and growth" in Europe and said proposals had been made, ahead of next month's G20 summit, to "reshape the global financial and trading system". CLICK HERE:Cameron - Brown's concensus claim ridiculous


---

22.03.2009 Brussels, Belgium - US BACKS DANISH PM AS NATO HEAD - The US is prepared to back Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen to be the next secretary general of Nato, US and alliance sources say. The current secretary general, Dutch diplomat Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, steps down at the end of July. Mr Rasmussen, Denmark's premier since 2001, is already reported to have the backing of France, Germany and the UK. Mr Rasmussen is a strong supporter of Nato's mission in Afghanistan, sending a contingent of 750 Danish troops. However, he has not confirmed his candidacy and the appointment needs the unanimous backing of all 26 Nato member states. Turkey is said to have misgivings about Mr Rasmussen over his refusal to apologize for the publication of cartoons in a Danish newspaper in 2005, one of which depicted the Prophet Muhammad with a bomb in his turban. The cartoons sparked a worldwide controversy. Traditionally the post of secretary general is usually held by a European while the Nato's military commander is American. Other contenders for the position include Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, former British Defense Secretary Des Browne, former Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy and Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay. CLICK HERE:US backs Danish PM as NATO head

London, England - THOUSANDS RECEIVING ANTI-TERROR TRAINING - Thousands of UK workers are being trained to help respond to a future terror attack as part of an updated counter-terror strategy, ministers say. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said shop and hotel workers would be among 60,000 people able to deal with an incident. The updated approach, aimed at tackling immediate terrorist threats and the causes of extremism, would be the most comprehensive in the world, she added, but the Tories said not enough action was being taken against extremists. The Home Office's new counter-terrorism document, which is to be published on Tuesday, will go into more detail than ever before in the interests of public accountability. It will reflect intelligence opinion that the biggest threat to the UK comes from al-Qaeda-linked groups and will also take into account recent attacks on hotels in the Indian city of Mumbai. Ms Smith told BBC One's Politics Show: "What we're completely clear about is that if we are going to address the threat from terrorism, we need to do that alongside the 60,000 people that we're now training up to respond to a terrorist threat, in everywhere from our shopping centres to our hotels. CLICK HERE:Thousands receiving anti-terror training

Skopje, Macedonia - MACEDONIA VOTES UNDER TIGHT SECURITY - Macedonians have voted in presidential and local polls seen as critical to the country's EU and Nato membership bids, amid stringent security. Thousands of extra police were deployed and the electoral commission said voting went well during the day. There were no reports of the kind of violence between rival ethnic Albanian parties that marred last June's parliamentary election. "So far, so good," was US Ambassador Philip Reeker's assessment of the day. A dispute with Greece over its name has also threatened its EU and Nato bids. According to opinion polls, Gjorgje Ivanov, of Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's governing conservative VMRO-DPMNE party, has about a 10-point lead over Ljubomir Frckoski, who is backed by the Social Democratic SDSM. Five other candidates are also running for the largely ceremonial presidency, including former Interior Minister Ljube Boskoski, who was acquitted by the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague last year.CLICK HERE:Macedonia votes under tight security


---

21.03.2009 Budapest, Hungary - HUNGARIAN PM RESIGNS - Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany says he will stand down, as his government's popularity plummets amid the global financial crisis. The Socialist leader, in power since 2004, told his party congress that he considered himself a hindrance to further economic and social reforms. He is to officially notify parliament of his decision on Monday. Badly hit by the global credit crisis, Hungary received a $25.1bn (£17bn) IMF-led loan last October. "I hear that I am the obstacle to the co-operation required for changes, for a stable governing majority and the responsible behaviour of the opposition," he was quoted as saying on Saturday by Reuters news agency. "I hope it is this way, that it is only me that is the obstacle, because if so, then I am eliminating this obstacle now. "I propose that we form a new government under a new prime minister." Mr Gyurcsany did not name any possible successor. CLICK HERE:Hungarian PM resigns

Winnenden, Germany - GERMANY MOURNS SHOOTING VICTIMS - Tens of thousands of people gathered in the small German town of Winnenden for a memorial service for the 15 victims of a shooting. Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Horst Koehler attended the service alongside relatives of the victims. Tim Kretschmer, 17, killed 12 people at his former school and three others elsewhere on 11 March before taking his own life as police closed in. The victims' families have appealed for tighter gun control laws. About 900 people packed a church in the south-western German town for the service. Thousands more watched a live broadcast on giant screens set up in a local stadium. The memorial was also carried live on national television. "Such acts lead us to the limit of comprehension," Mr Koehler said with tears welling in his eyes. CLICK HERE:Germany mourns shooting victims


---

20.03.2009 Brussels, Belgium - NEW ARGUMENT OVER RENAULT JOBS AS SUMMIT ASSEMBLES - A new row over French protectionism has broken out, as EU leaders hold a summit in Brussels on the economic crisis. It followed the news that carmaker Renault was moving some production from Slovenia to create 400 jobs in France. The European Commission said it would seek urgent clarification. It comes only weeks after the EU agreed France could give state aid to its carmakers. The row may overshadow an EU pledge to double to 50bn euros an emergency fund for non-eurozone members in trouble. In addition, EU leaders said they would provide up to 75bn euros ($102bn; £71bn) in loans in an effort to boost the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) capital to $500bn (£344bn), but the bloc resisted US calls to spend even more to revive national economies. The two-day meeting took place as the world's biggest economies prepare for the G20 summit in London on April 2. CLICK HERE:New agument over Renault jobs as summit assembles

Brussels, Belgium - EUROZONE INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT DROPS - Eurozone industrial output plunged by 3.5% in January compared with the previous month, the decline since records began in 1990. Compared with January 2008, the official Eurostat figures showed that industrial production across the 16 nations that share the euro fell 17.3%. The drop came as factories cut output in light of a drop in demand for eurozone goods around the world. Output from the 27 countries of the EU fell by 2.9% and 16.3% for the year. Analysts were taken aback at the scale of the drop. CLICK HERE:Eurozone industrial output drops


---

19.03.2009 Strasbourg, France - TORIES' EUROPEAN MOVED CONDEMNED - The European Parliament's president has condemned the Conservatives' decision to leave the centre-right EPP group. Hans-Gert Poettering, a German member of the EPP, called Tory leader David Cameron's decision "a serious mistake". "The big parties should belong to a European family of parties," he said, adding that the Tories' withdrawal was "not in the interests of the UK". The European People's Party-European Democrats group (EPP) is the biggest bloc, with 278 MEPs. The second largest is the Party of European Socialists (PES), with 216 MEPs. The Conservatives informed the EPP earlier this month that they intend to leave it in May. They plan to form an alternative bloc after the European elections on June 4. The Conservatives disagree with what they see as a federalist EPP agenda. The bloc was opposed to the UK having a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, something the Conservatives campaigned for - and it wants closer economic integration in Europe, as well as common immigration, defence and foreign policies. European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso has expressed "regret" over the Tory move. Speaking in Brussels, Mr Poettering said he was, however, glad about Prime Minister Gordon Brown's visit to the European Parliament next Tuesday. He said it was "an expression that the UK feels the EU is important". CLICK HERE:Tories European move condemned


---


St Poelten, Austria - FRITZL SENTENCED TO LIFE - Austrian Josef Fritzl, who kept his daughter in a cellar and fathered her seven children, has been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. Fritzl, 73, was found guilty of all charges against him, including rape, incest, murder and enslavement. He showed no obvious emotion at the verdict, telling the court that he accepted it and would not appeal. The court ordered that Fritzl should serve his life sentence in a secure psychiatric facility. The judge said he could speak to his lawyer but he shook his head. Then he was led out of court with an impassive face. Fritzl's lawyer, Rudolf Mayer, said outside the court after the verdict: "I would say that the verdict was a logical consequence of a confession. "Of course if you have 3,000 cases of rape and 24 years of being kept in a cellar, it is evident that there can only be a punishment or verdict like this one." The life sentence was handed down for the murder by neglect of one of the children, who died soon after birth. The jury unanimously accepted prosecutors' arguments that the child could have survived if it had received medical care denied by Fritzl. The defendant first denied murder and enslavement but changed his plea to guilty after seeing testimony from his daughter. The verdict is final and irreversible, as neither the defence nor the prosecution is contesting it. CLICK HERE:Fritzl sentenced to life

Paris, France - FRENCH UNIONS CLAIM 3 M ON STREETS - French unions have claimed that up to three million people have taken part in street protests amid a national strike against France's economic policies. Police gave an estimate of 1.2 million people at rallies nationwide. Schools have been closed and public transport disrupted, with demonstrations held in about 200 towns. Unions are demanding more is spent to protect workers in the recession. Unemployment has reached two million and is expected to rise further. Union members marched towards the Place de la Nation in Paris behind a banner that read: "United against the crisis, defend employment, spending power and public services." CLICK HERE:French unions claim 3 m on streets

London, England - UK BUDGET DEFICIT WIDENS FURTHER - The UK's deficit widened to £8.99bn in February, a record level for the month, official data has shown. This was eight times the figure seen a year earlier, as tax receipts fell 10% causing the government to borrow more. As unemployment has risen and firms have seen profits fall this has hit the money government collects in taxes. The cumulative deficit for the fiscal year is £75.2bn, increasing the chance that government borrowing for the year will exceed its own £77bn forecast. The total government debt is equivalent to 49% of gross domestic product. Philip Shaw, an economist at Investec, said the deficit was slightly wider than expectations. CLICK HERE:UK budget deficit widens further

London, England - INDIAN OUTSOURCING UK CREDIT CARD SCAM UNCOVERED - A criminal gang selling UK credit card details stolen from Indian call centers has been exposed by an undercover BBC News investigation. Reporters posing as fraudsters bought UK names, addresses and valid credit card details from a Delhi-based man. The seller denied any wrongdoing and Symantec corporation, from whom three victims bought a product via a call centre, called the incident "isolated". Card fraud totalled £609m during 2008, according to payments group Apacs. Symantec said it requires rigorous security measures of any third-party call center agents and it believed the breach had been limited to a single agent. CLICK HERE:Indian outsurcing UK credit card scam uncovered


---

18.03.2009 Prague, Czech Republic - CZECH REPUBLIC HALTS US MISSILE TREATIES - The Czech government has withdrawn treaties committing the country to the US' missile defense shield from parliament, fearing they faced defeat. The scheme is very controversial and the center-right government has only a slim majority in parliament, which was due to vote on the treaties on Tuesday. Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek insisted the withdrawal was temporary, but doubts hang over the whole project, with US President Barack Obama refusing to commit to it. The Czech government has invested much political capital in the project, which would rely on a radar station based on Czech soil. The opposition is against Czech participation in the scheme. With one MP sick, and another recovering from a car accident, the government beat a tactical retreat, says the BBC's correspondent in Prague. "This does not mean we are giving up on the ratification process," Mr Topolanek said. "We can return this material to the lower house at any time." The treaties have already passed the Senate, but must also pass the lower house to take effect. Mr Topolanek is likely to discuss the matter with Mr Obama when he visits Prague next month. Mr Obama has said his support for the missile shield, conceived under his predecessor George W Bush, depends on its affordability and proof that the technology works. He has also said there would be no need for the shield if Iran was prevented from obtaining nuclear arms. Some analysts have read this as an offer to Russia - which deeply opposes the project - to drop the shield plans if Moscow takes a harder line with Iran. CLICK HERE:Czech Republic halts US missile treaties

Brussels, Belgium - EU AGRO-BUREAUCRATS TO RECEIVE FARMING EXPERIENCE - EU agriculture staff are to swap suits and laptops for overalls and shovels under a plan to improve policy-making. Under the programme, officials will be sent into the fields in a bid to get "rural workers and the bureaucrats speaking the same language". Farmers have often criticised the EU for swamping them with red tape. The EU's Agriculture Commissioner, Mariann Fischer-Boel, is expected to announce that all her staff will be sent on the obligatory "farm stays". She will unveil the "Harvest Experience" program later on Wednesday. It is part of the European Commission's plans to simplify and reduce the bureaucratic expense of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The CAP costs about 43bn euros (£40bn) annually, or more than 40% of the entire EU budget. The training program, including the farm stay, will be introduced from 2010. CLICK HERE:EU agro-bureaucrats to receive farming experience

Paris, France - FRANCE CHASTIZES POPE OVER CONDOMS - The French foreign ministry has voiced "sharp concern" following the Pope's rejection of condom use to fight Aids. Benedict XVI, who is on a tour of Africa, said handing out condoms only increased the problem of HIV/Aids. The Roman Catholic Church says marital fidelity and sexual abstinence are the best way to prevent the spread of HIV, but France, echoing the reaction of some aid agencies, said it "voices extremely sharp concern over the consequences of [the Pope's comments]". "While it is not up to us to pass judgment on Church doctrine, we consider that such comments are a threat to public health policies and the duty to protect human life," foreign ministry spokesman Eric Chevallier said. CLICK HERE:France chastizes Pope over condoms

London, England - UK UNEMPLOYMENT SURPASSES TWO MILLION - UK unemployment has risen above two million for the first time since 1997, official figures have shown. During the three months to January, the number of people unemployed totalled 2.03 million, up by 165,000, said the Office for National Statistics (ONS). For February, the number of people getting jobseeker's allowance added a record 138,400 to reach 1.39 million. There are now 10 jobseekers for every vacancy advertised in UK jobcentres, the TUC claimed earlier this week. The ONS added that the unemployment rate jumped to 6.5% between November and January. CLICK HERE:UK unemployment surpasses two million


---

17.03.2009 Paris, France - SARKOZY SURVIVES VOTE OVER NATO - The French parliament has backed President Nicolas Sarkozy's decision to take France fully back into Nato, rejecting a no-confidence motion. Opposition critics and some among Mr Sarkozy's UMP party say the move will weaken French independence from the US, but France's national assembly voted by 329 votes to 238 in favor of Mr Sarkozy's government. The policy reverses a 1966 decision by the late President Charles de Gaulle to pull out of Nato's military command. France is already among the top five contributors to Nato operations and currently has some 3,000 troops in Afghanistan, where it has suffered significant losses. The outcome of the vote was never in doubt, the BBC's Alasdair Sandford reports from Paris. The fact that this was a vote of confidence in the government ensured that dissenting voices within its ranks came on board in the end, our correspondent adds. CLICK HERE:Sarkozy zurvives vote over NATO

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA ANNOUNCES REARMAMENT PLAN - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said Moscow will begin a comprehensive military rearmament from 2011. Mr Medvedev said the primary task would be to "increase the combat readiness of [Russia's] forces, first of all our strategic nuclear forces". Explaining the move, he cited concerns over Nato expansion near Russia's borders and regional conflicts. Last year, the Kremlin set out plans to increase spending on Russia's armed forces over the next two years. Russia will spend nearly $140bn (£94.5bn) on buying arms up until 2011. Higher oil revenues in recent years have allowed the Kremlin to increase the military budget, analysts say. But prices have averaged $40 a barrel in 2009 compared with $100 last year. CLICK HERE:Russia announces rearmament plan


---

16.03.2009 London. England - BARROSO REGRETS TORY EPP MOVE - European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso has said he "regrets" the Conservatives' decision to leave the European Parliament's EPP group. Speaking after talks with Gordon Brown in Downing Street, Mr Barroso said he had spoken to David Cameron about the plan "on a number of occasions". He said groupings like the centre-right EPP helped shape the EU's agenda. The Tories hope to set up a new group, which party leader Mr Cameron said was a "profoundly" necessary change. The Conservatives informed the European People's Party (EPP) last week that they intend to leave it in May. The alternative bloc would be established after the European elections on June 4. To qualify as a grouping and get access to EU funding, the Conservatives would have to be joined by MEPs from at least six other countries - it is thought they will try to attract allies from the Czech Republic and Poland among others. CLICK HERE:Barroso regrets Tory EPP move

Belgrad, Serbia - SERBIA SEEKS IMF EMERGENCY LOAN - Serbia has begun talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to agree an emergency loan worth up to 2bn euros (£1.8bn). The money will be used primarily to strengthen the country's hard currency reserves and stabilise the local currency, the Serbian dinar. "We need financial help to cover this year's budget deficit," said trade minister Slobodan Milosavljevic. The talks are expected to last for up to 10 days, said Serbian officials. They added that the IMF was likely to insist on big cuts in Serbian public spending as a condition of the loan. The IMF already approved loans of 520m euros to Serbia earlier this year. The worsening global economic downturn means the country now needs more aid. CLICK HERE:SErbia seeks IMF emergency loan

St Poelten, Austria - FRITZL HEARS DAUGHTER'S TESTIMONY - Josef Fritzl is being questioned over taped testimony from his daughter at his trial in Austria for crimes against the children he kept in a cellar. The court began viewing 11 hours of video on the opening day of the trial, with the rest of the material to be shown in segments during the week. Austria is holding one of its most harrowing trials behind closed doors. Mr Fritzl, 73, pleads guilty to incest and "partially" guilty to rape but not guilty to murder or enslavement. Addressing media at the end of the first day of proceedings in the town of St Poelten, the court spokesman said the trial would resume at 0900 CET on Tuesday (0800 GMT). CLICK HERE:Fritzl hears daughter's testimony


---

15.03.2009 Horsham, England - G20 SUMMIT CRITICAL FOR ECONOMY - The upcoming G20 meeting is critical if the world wishes to avoid the economic turbulence seen in the 1930s, the UK government has warned. Cabinet minister Douglas Alexander said the summit in London of the G20 group of rich and emerging nations next month "was an important moment". G20 finance ministers pledged to make a sustained effort to beat the recession after they met on Saturday, but the talks took place amid differences on the best way forward. The finance ministers also promised to continue with economic stimulus packages and low interest rates, and to increase IMF funding. CLICK HERE:G20 summit critical for economy


---

14.03.2009 Horsham, England - G20 MAKES PLEDGE TO RESTORE GROWTH - . Finance ministers from the G20 group of rich and emerging nations have pledged to make a "sustained effort" to pull the world economy out of recession. "We are committed to deliver the scale of sustained effort necessary to restore growth," they said in a joint statement after their talks in the UK. UK Chancellor Alistair Darling said they agreed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) should be given more money. The talks were held amid reports of rifts over the best way forward. BBC economics editor Stephanie Flanders said that the outline agreements represented "cheap talk", and differences remain. The outline agreements will now provide the basis for more concrete pledges at next month's meeting of G20 leaders in London. Speaking after the gathering of finance ministers in Horsham, West Sussex, Mr Darling, said the G20 recognised the "sense of emergency" surrounding the world economy. CLICK HERE:G20 makes pledge to restore growth

Edinburgh, Scotland - SCOTTISH LIBERAL DEMOCRAT LEADER DOES NOT RULE OUT INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM - Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott has said he could not rule out an independence referendum or going into coalition government with the SNP. He told BBC Scotland it was not possible to predict what might happen in the future, but insisted his party was right to oppose a Referendum Bill. Mr Scott said the public was more concerned with the recession than constitutional issues. He said people could back independence by voting for the SNP in an election, but the Lib Dem leader said: "I don't think I should rule out a referendum for all time, because I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know if I'll be in the next parliament." CLICK HERE:Scottish Liberal Democrat leader does not rule out independence referendum

Antrim, Northern Ireland - GUN FOUND IN POLICE OFFICER SHOOTING - A gun and ammunition have been found during searches in Northern Ireland as part of the investigation into the murder of policeman Stephen Carroll. The weaponry was discovered in Lurgan, where a number of petrol bombs were thrown at police on Saturday evening. Earlier, leading republican Colin Duffy was arrested in the town and is still being questioned about last week's murder of two soldiers in Antrim. Constable Carroll, 48, was shot while on duty in Craigavon on Monday. Mr Duffy is one of three men being questioned about the murder of two soldiers at Massereene Army base last Saturday night. The 41-year-old was arrested during a police raid in Lurgan on Saturday. Investigators involved in the soldiers' murders also carried out an operation in Bellaghy in County Londonderry. CLICK HERE:Gun found in police officer shooting


---

13.03.2009 Zurich, Switzerland - SWITZERLAND EASES BANKING SECRECY ON JUSTIFIED REQUESTS - Switzerland, the world's largest offshore financial center, has agreed to accept concessions on bank secrecy. However, while it will now abide by international rules on bank data sharing, it said it would only respond to "concrete and justified" requests. The government added that it would still protect banking customers from "unjustified watching from abroad". Switzerland's announcement comes after it had risked being added to a global blacklist of uncooperative tax havens. It is estimated that Switzerland's banks hold $2 trillion (£1.4tn) of global wealth held abroad. OECD talks. It reached its agreement overnight with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which sets rules on the sharing of bank data to try and crack down on offshore tax evasion. CLICK HERE:Switzerland eases banking secrecy on justified requests

Winnende, Germany - ARRESTS OVER SCHOOL GUN THREATS - Police have detained at least four men in Europe over threats posted in online chatrooms following Wednesday's school shooting in Germany, reports say. They include a 21-year-old German in Lower Saxony, and three teens in the Netherlands, France and Sweden. They may have been inspired by German teenager Tim Kretschmer shot dead 15 people, many at his former school. Police have cast doubt on the authenticity of an internet warning said to have been posted by Kretschmer. Following Wednesday's school killings, Dutch authorities closed schools and child care centres in the southern city of Breda on Friday after a threat was made to carry out a shooting at an unnamed school on an internet site, Dutch media reported. An 18-year-old man was arrested. ...German police also closed a school in Ilsfed in southwestern Germany after a similar warning, and arrested a 21-year-old man in Lower Saxony over another chatroom threat. In France, police detained an 18-year-old youth after he posted a warning of a shooting at a school in the Paris suburbs, and Swedish police on Thursday detained a 17-year-old boy in the city of Lund who was suspected of posting a picture of himself posing with a weapon on an internet site, along with a threatening message against a high school. The men, most of whom said the threats were meant "as a joke", could face jail time or a fine. German police, meanwhile, say they have serious doubts about the authenticity of a posting attributed to Kretschmer.CLICK HERE:Arrests over school gun threats

Amsterdam, Netherland - DUTCH POLICE FREE BOMB SUSPECTS - The Dutch authorities have released five of seven people arrested on Thursday on suspicion of planning to bomb a popular Amsterdam shopping area. Among those to have been freed was the sister of a militant Islamist involved in the 2004 Madrid train bombings. Of two people, both Moroccan men, still in custody, only one is being detained on suspicion of terrorism offenses. The anonymous warning which sparked the arrests prompted the closure of a major shopping street in the city. The police also postponed a concert by the American band, The Killers, after receiving the warning on Wednesday from a caller in Belgium. On Friday afternoon, officials appeared to cast doubt as to the credibility of the warning. Although they said the investigation into the threat was continuing, they released five people without charge. Prosecutors said one of the two Moroccan men still being held was "being interviewed for offenses other than terrorist activities", and that stolen goods had been found during a search of his home. Amsterdam Mayor Job Cohen said no explosives had been found during searches of buildings linked to the suspects, and that no serious threat remained. On Thursday, Mr Cohen said the anonymous call to police had not been a "regular bomb warning, but a warning of a planned action". "Men were planning to put explosives in the shops and wanted to cause casualties in busy places," he added. CLICK HERE:Dutch police free bomb suspects


---

12.03.2009 Winnende, Germany - DOUBT OVER GERMAN GUNMAN WARNING - German police are investigating reports that an internet warning said to be from a youth who later carried out a school gun attack may have been fake. The message was originally believed to have been posted by gunman Tim Kretschmer six hours before he killed 15 people in the town of Winnenden, but police told the BBC they had been contacted by internet users and officials who doubted its origins. They have filed a request for access to the website's US-based server. Local police spokesman Klaus Hinderer told the BBC they had been alerted to a possible problem with the message by internet users and official sources on Thursday afternoon. He said they could not yet confirm whether or not the message had been a fake, but that they were investigating. The German internet site on which the message was alleged to have been posted has been temporarily shut down. As its servers are based in the US, German police have filed an official request through Interpol to obtain permission to recover information stored on them. CLICK HERE:Doubt over German gunman warning

Novokuznetsk, Siberia - PUTIN HOLDS OFF OVERBURDENING UKRAINE - Russia's prime minister says it has waived fines owed by Ukraine for breaking gas contracts because it does not want to "finish off" its neighbor. Vladimir Putin said he realised Ukraine was "on the verge of bankruptcy" and that "they have nothing to pay with". Mr Putin said Kiev was not taking the volume of gas agreed in contracts with the Russian state gas company, Gazprom, but Ukrainian officials say Gazprom has already agreed to sell less than the contracted amount of gas this year. Gas has become a source of major tension between Russia and Ukraine. Gazprom shut down gas supplies to Ukraine for two weeks in January during a commercial dispute, leading to severe gas shortages across Europe. Supplies were only restored when Ukraine's government and state gas firm, Naftogaz, agreed prices at which they would buy Russian gas, and ship it to Europe. The issue of Ukraine's non-payment of fines imposed by Gazprom for late payment in 2008 remained unresolved by the deal. In stinging comments on Thursday to miners at Novokuznetsk in south-western Siberia, Mr Putin said Moscow would refrain from levying fines on Ukraine for violating the contracts because they could contribute to an economic crisis in the country. CLICK HERE:Putin holds off overburdening Ukraine


---

11.03.2009 Winnenden, Germany - GERMAN SCHOOL SHOOTING MASSACRE - Germany is in shock after a heavily armed 17-year-old opened fire on pupils and teachers at his former school in a killing spree in which 15 people died. The youth fled the school in Winnenden, south-west Germany, but shot himself dead after being cornered by police. Chancellor Angela Merkel called the incident "unimaginable" and said it was a day of mourning for the whole nation. German schools have suffered several attacks in recent years, but none has seen so many fatalities since 2002. The teenager, named as Tim Kretschmer, entered the Albertville secondary school, north of Stuttgart, at about 0930 (0830 GMT) dressed in black combat gear. Baden-Wuerttemberg Interior Minister Heribert Rech said he then opened fire on a class of 14- and 15-year-olds, aiming at their heads. ...Eight girls and one boy were killed, along with three teachers. Seven other children suffered minor injuries...He then hijacked a car, taking its driver hostage, and reached the town of Wendlingen, about 40km (25 miles) away from the school. The police believe he arrived in Wendlingen by chance, after the car's driver lost control on a sharp bend and came to a standstill. The teenager fled into an industrial estate, where he shot and killed two men at a car showrooom. ...In a press briefing, Mr Rech said officers arrived at the showroom and traded gunfire with the teenager, hitting him in the leg. "He fell down, but he got up and managed to load his gun. A little later he was found dead," said Mr Rech. CLICK HERE:German school shooting massacre
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT(COMMENT: How can one comment on the senseless and absurd loss of human lives, but to say it is at the very least a deadly combination of accessible firearms, unsecured ammunition, and the warped mind of the video generation, not to mention possible sexual aberrations, to the final point of glorified self-destruction.)

Paris, France - FRANCE RETURNS TO THE NATO FOLD - French President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced his country is to return to Nato's military command, reversing four decades of self-imposed exile. Mr Sarkozy confirmed the decision in a speech to defense experts at the Ecole Militaire staff college in Paris. ...Critics say France will now be no more than "a clone of Great Britain", but Mr Sarkozy said there was no sense in France, a founder member of Nato, having no say in the organization's decisions on military strategy. "This rapprochement with Nato ensures our national independence," said Mr Sarkozy. "To distance ourselves would limit our independence and our room for maneuver." "We have to be progressive," he said. "A solitary nation is a nation that has no influence whatsoever." "We need strong diplomacy, a strong defense and a strong Europe." He said Nato remained a central element of France's security and defense policies, but stressed that he would not give up the country's independent nuclear deterrent. Mr Sarkozy is expected to formalise the move with a letter to Nato before the alliance celebrates its 60th anniversary next month with a summit in the French city of Strasbourg. CLICK HERE:France returns to the NATO fold

London, England - DAVID CAMERON FULFILS PLEDGE TO LEAD TORIES INTO EUROSCEPTIC OBLIVION - David Cameron has come a step closer to fulfilling his pledge that the Tories will leave the center right grouping in the European Parliament. The Conservatives earlier informed the European People's Party (EPP) that they intend to leave it. The BBC understands they are likely to leave in May and seek to form a new grouping after the European Elections. To qualify as a grouping and access EU funding they will have to be joined by MEPs from at least six other countries. It is thought the Conservatives hope to attract allies from the Czech Republic and Poland among others. Mr Cameron pledged to cut the Conservatives' ties with the EPP grouping in the European Parliament during his 2005 Conservative leadership campaign, saying its federalist views were at odds with Tory policy. CLICK HERE:David Cameron fulfils pledge to lead Tories into eurosceptic oblivion


---

10.03.2009 Banbridge, Northern Ireland - ARRESTS OVER NORTHERN IRELAND POLICEMAN MURDER - Two men, aged 17 and 37, have been arrested in connection with the murder of a policeman in Northern Ireland. Dissident republican group, the Continuity IRA, said it shot Constable Stephen Paul Carroll at Lismore Manor, Craigavon, County Armagh on Monday. He was shot two days after the Real IRA murdered two soldiers in Antrim. Police have raided homes near the scene of the Craigavon shooting and removed a car from outside a house in the Drumbeg estate for forensic investigation. Constable Carroll, 48, a married man, with children from Banbridge, County Down, died when police were attacked as they responded to a woman's call for help. Constable Carroll was shot through the rear window of his police car when he arrived at the scene at about 2145 GMT on Monday. CLICK HERE:Arrest over Northern Ireland policeman murder

Brussels, Belgium - EU BACKS CALLS TO DOUBLE IMF FUNDS - European Union finance ministers have backed a call to double the money the International Monetary Fund has to help countries hit by the financial crisis. They said the IMF funding increase to $500bn (£361bn) should be split fairly among IMF members. The issue will be discussed at a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Sussex, England this weekend. Ministers also agreed to a deal that will see VAT reduced on specific, more labour intensive industries. The deal brings to an end a long running dispute within the EU about VAT exemptions. Germany in particular was concerned about lowering rates. CLICK HERE:EU backs calls to double IMF funds

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA NOW TOP HEROIN CONSUMER - Russia says it has become the world's biggest consumer of heroin. The head of Russia's anti- narcotics service, Victor Ivanov, said that seizures of Afghan heroin were up 70%. Speaking ahead of a meeting in Vienna of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, he called on the UN to do more to fight the problem. Mr Ivanov, a former KGB officer and senior Kremlin official, said the flood of the drug from Afghanistan posed a threat to Russia's national security. CLICK HERE:Russia now top heroin consumer

Madrid, Spain -TOP SPANISH JUDGE IN ALLEGED FAILURE TO DECLARE INCOME - Spain's most prominent judge is under investigation for allegedly failing to declare he received a salary from a US university during a paid sabbatical. The General Council of the Judiciary said it was looking into why Baltasar Garzon did not say he was paid $203,000 by New York University in 2005-2006. Mr Garzon has "emphatically" denied that he acted "in bad faith or with a desire to conceal" his remuneration. If found to have broken council rules, he could face disciplinary action. A spokesman for the judicial oversight board, Agustin Zurita, said punishments for failing to inform it of any external salary received during a sabbatical could range from a fine or suspension to dismissal. CLICK HERE:Top Spanish judge probed over alleged failure to declare income


---

9.03.2009 Bath, England - WWI VETERAN RECEIVES FRENCH AWARD - Patch, the last surviving British veteran of the trenches of World War I, has been made an Officer of the French Legion of Honor. The 110-year-old, who returned to Bath in 1918, was awarded the medal by the French Ambassador at his nursing home in Wells, Somerset. The British veteran already received the Chevalier of the Order award in 1998. Receiving the award, Mr Patch said it was a great honor. 'Greatly appreciated' He said he was delighted to be appointed a Knight of the Legion of Honor 10 years ago, along with 350 other veterans from World War I. At the ceremony, he said: "Now, but two of us remain at our post and the people of France, through their president, have honored us once more by appointing us as Officers of the Legion of Honor. "Ambassador, I greatly appreciate the way your people respect the memory of those who fell, irrespective of the uniform they wore. "I will wear this medal with great pride and when I eventually rejoin my mates it will be displayed in my regimental museum as a permanent reminder of the kindness of the people of France." CLICK HERE:WW1 veteran receives French award

Adan, Turkey - FIVE HELD OVER TURKEY PM PLOT - Police in the Turkish city of Adana have arrested five people suspected of planning to attack Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reports have said. The suspects were detained just before Mr Erdogan visited the southern city on Saturday for a political rally, the state-run Anatolia news agency said. The governor of Adana province, Ilhan Atis, has confirmed the five arrests, but has not given any other details. One of those held is reportedly a woman with close ties to the security forces. She was detained after police intercepted a suspicious telephone conversation about Mr Erdogan's campaign visit ahead of municipal elections on 29 March, and later provided information that led to the four other arrests, the Haberturk newspaper reported. It is not immediately clear if the arrests are connected to the so-called Ergenekon investigation into an alleged plot to topple the government. CLICK HERE:Five held over Turkey PM plot


---

8.03.2009 Dublin, Republic Ireland - A Dublin-based newspaper has received a call supposedly from the Real IRA which claimed responsibility for the attack at Masserene army base. Using a recognised codename, it claimed responsibility for the attack in which two soldiers were killed. Four other people, including two pizza delivery men, were also injured when gunmen struck at the Antrim base. The prime minister described the attack as "evil" and said "no murderer" would derail the peace process. The soldiers are the first to be murdered in Northern Ireland since Lance Bombardier Stephen Restorick was killed by an IRA sniper in 1997. The dead men, both in their early 20s were due to fly to Afghanistan in the coming days. Flowers have been laid at the scene and a vigil was held nearby on Sunday. The Real IRA was born out of a split in the mainstream Provisional IRA in October 1997, when the IRA's so-called quartermaster-general resigned over Sinn Fein's direction in the peace process. It carried out the worst single atrocity of over 30 years of violence in Northern Ireland when it bombed the County Tyrone town of Omagh, killing 29 people, in August 1998 Gordon Brown told the BBC: "I think the whole country is shocked and outraged at the evil and cowardly attacks on soldiers serving their country. CLICK HERE:Real IRA was behind army attack

The Holy See - POPE TO VISIT HOLY LAND IN MAY - Pope Benedict XVI has confirmed the first papal trip to the Holy Land since Pope John Paul II's visit in 2000. The pontiff will visit the sites of Jesus' life in an 8-15 May trip taking in parts of Israel, the Palestinian territories and Jordan. He is expected to visit Jordan's largest mosque in Amman, and stop in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth. The news follows a row over the Pope's lifting of excommunication on a bishop who denies the extent of the Holocaust. Pope Benedict confirmed the latest visit in his traditional Sunday noontime blessing. CLICK HERE:Pope to visit Holy Land in May


---

7.03.2009 Antrim, Northern Ireland - SHOTS FIRED AT ANTRIM ARMY BASE - Soldiers in County Antrim have come under fire during a gun attack at an Army base. Unconfirmed reports said one person was feared dead and five others wounded, but it is not clear if they were civilians or military personnel. Shots were fired at the Massereene Army base in Antrim, 16 miles north of Belfast, at 2140 GMT. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense described the shooting as a "drive-by" attack. One witness who lives near the base told the BBC how he looked to the sky after hearing what he thought were fireworks. He added: "Then I heard a lot of loud bangs again, only it was a lot more than there was initially - maybe between 10 and 20. "Then the siren at the Army barracks went off. Then all you heard was the police sirens and ambulances and there was at least six ambulances. "There was definitely six of the ambulances and God knows how many police cars - they just came out of the police station one after the other." The attack comes shortly after Sir Hugh Orde, the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, requested the Special Reconnaissance Regiment's help to gather intelligence on dissident republicans. CLICK HERE:Shots fired at Antrim army base

Moscow, Russia - US AND ARMS DEAL SEEK 2009 ARMS DEAL - The US and Russia say they will try to clinch a new strategic arms reduction treaty (Start) by the end of 2009. "This is of the highest priority," US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, after talks in Geneva with her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. In turn, Mr Lavrov described the current Start treaty, due to expire by 5 December, as "obsolete". Mrs Clinton earlier said Washington was keen to re-launch its ties with Moscow to end months of cool relations. Start 1 limited the deployment of nuclear warheads to 6,000 per side, along with 1,600 missiles and bombers. It was followed by Start 2 which brought warheads down to 3,500. Mrs Clinton and Mr Lavrov said the two sides had agreed to work together on a number of issues of common and world interest, including Afghanistan, the Middle East and North Korea. CLICK HERE:US and Russia seek 2009 arms deal

Ankara, Turkey - OBAMA TRIP TO TURKEY WITHIN WEEKS - President Barack Obama will visit Turkey "in a month or so", US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said on a visit to Ankara. She met Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the first visit by a member of the new US administration to Turkey. Turkey's foreign minister said Ankara was ready to re-launch indirect talks between Syria and Israel. Mrs Clinton said the importance of building relations between Israel and Syria could not be overstated. Turkey was mediating those talks until recently, but Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said any request to resume that role must come from both sides. "President Obama will be visiting Turkey within the next month or so," said Mrs Clinton, at a joint news conference with Mr Babacan. "The exact date will be announced shortly." CLICK HERE:Obama trip to Turkey within weeks

London, England - MI5 TELEGRAMS FED INTERROGATION - A UK resident detained at Guantanamo Bay has released alleged MI5 memos which he claims show government collusion in his interrogation. Ethiopian-born Binyam Mohamed, 30, told the Mail on Sunday they were sent to the CIA in November 2002, at a time he said he was being tortured in Morocco. His claims of British collusion are being investigated by the government. He also told the paper he was held in continual darkness for weeks on end in a prison in Kabul, Afghanistan. Mr Mohamed claims MI5 agents fed his US captors specific questions which led to him falsely confessing to terrorist activities. In the first memo, the writer asked for a name to be put to him and then for him to be questioned further about that person. The second telegram asked about a timescale for further interrogation. Mr Mohamed claims he acquired the telegrams through the US legal process when he was fighting to be freed from Guantanamo Bay. Daniel Sandford, BBC Home Affairs correspondent, said Mr Mohamed's claims would be relatively simple to substantiate. "As time progresses it will probably become quite apparent whether indeed these are true telegrams and I think it's unlikely they'd be put into the public domain if they couldn't eventually be checked back." The Conservatives have called for a police inquiry into his allegations of British collusion. CLICK HERE:MI5 telegrams fed interrogation

Cork, Republic Ireland - IRISH BISHOP TO STAND ASIDE - An Irish bishop has agreed to "stand aside" to aid an investigation into the handling of allegations of clerical sex abuse in his County Cork diocese. Newry-born Bishop John Magee, 72, had faced a series of calls for his resignation since an independent report was published just before Christmas. It found Cloyne Diocese had put children at risk of harm. This was, the report said, due to an inability to respond appropriately to abuse allegations. It was conducted by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSC), a body set up by, but independent of the Catholic Church. CLICK HERE:Irish bishop to stand aside

Malmo, Sweden - CLASHES IN SWEDEN AT ISRAEL TENNIS MATCH _ Dozens of anti-Israel demonstrators have clashed with Swedish police in Malmo as they sought to disrupt a tennis match between Sweden and Israel. At least five rock-throwing protesters were held in the southern city, police say. There were no reports of injuries. The demonstrators, mostly youths, tried to storm an arena where the Sweden-Israel Davis Cup match was being held. They chanted slogans condemning Israel's recent offensive in Gaza and urged support for the Palestinians. Swedish police said the clashes near the Baltic Hall arena began soon after thousands of people attended the peaceful Stop the Match rally in central Malmo. Some protesters then tried to break through police barricades set up around the sports complex, police said. They hurled stones, firecrackers and bottles of paint at police vans, but were dispersed by hundreds of riot police. Violence reportedly continued in other parts of the city. Only about 300 specially-chosen guests were allowed to watch the doubles match, because Malmo officials said they could not guarantee security at the venue. Israeli player Andy Ram said it was a "stupid decision" to play the tie behind closed doors. "Playing without a crowd is like playing a practice match," he said. CLICK HERE:Clashes in Sweden at Israel tennis match


---

6.03.2009 Moscow, Russia - The last leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, has given some of his strongest criticism yet of the politics of modern Russia. He says the United Russia party of the current Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, behaves like the old-style Communists. "I criticize United Russia a lot," said Mr Gorbachev, "I do it directly." He also said Russia's judicial system was not properly constitutional and dismissed members of its parliament as not truly independent. "United Russia is a party of bureaucrats," he said, in an interview with the American news organisation, Associated Press. "It is the worst version of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union." Mr Gorbachev was speaking as the countries of Eastern and Central Europe look towards the 20th anniversary this year of the fall of Communism in Europe, as symbolized by the smashing of the Berlin wall. The BBC correspondent in Moscow, James Rodgers, says that although Mr Gorbachev is respected throughout the world for his role in ending the Cold War, many Russians more readily associate him with the economic hardship that accompanied the end of Communism. Mr Gorbachev himself now says he did not foresee that his policies of openness and reform, "glasnost" and "perestroika", would lead to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. "I was a resolute opponent of the break-up," he said, expressing the hope that one day Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus might again re-join Russia in a political union. CLICK HERE:Gorbatchev alarmed at Soviet echoes

Brussels, Belgium - BRUSSELS EU QUARTER TO GET A REVAMP - Brussels officials have given the go-ahead for a major facelift of the city's European quarter, which is dominated by EU office blocks. The project aims to mix shops, housing and public spaces with new office buildings, to inject some charm into what has been called an "urban ghetto". The area will be spruced up by French architect Christian de Portzamparc and a team including UK-based Ove Arup. It will include a new tram line. The building work is due to begin in 2011. The European Commission, which occupies the giant Berlaymont building, says it wants the project to "transform the European quarter from the mono-functional administrative area which it is today, to make it a truly diverse and living neighbourhood". The commission says it also wants to reduce its own "environmental footprint" through more efficient buildings and better transport connections. The main street in the area, Rue de la Loi, is often clogged with traffic. Announcing the plans on Thursday, Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas said that "with 80% office space and not enough housing, the European quarter is still seen by many as an urban ghetto". The Berlaymont building was given a major renovation in the 1990s, costing 1bn euros (£890m), after asbestos used in the insulation was found to pose a health hazard. Staff were moved out in 1991 and the building did not reopen until 2004. CLICK HERE:Brussels EU quarter to get revamp


---

4.03.2009 Cologne, Germany - COLOGNE ARCHIVE BUILDING COLLAPSES - The six-storey archive building in Cologne collapsed into a pile of rubble. Rescue workers are searching for up to four people still missing after a building housing archives collapsed on Tuesday in the German city of Cologne. Witnesses said there may have been two people inside a car parked outside the archive and another two in a nearby building that subsequently collapsed. The area must be stabilized before rescue teams can move into the rubble. Cracks and groaning noises had alerted staff and visitors at the archive, all of whom escaped before it collapsed. Work was being carried out nearby on a new underground railway, but the company involved said there had been no recent tunnelling. Gregor Timmer, a spokesman for the city of Cologne, said on Wednesday morning that rescue workers had to assume that between two and four people were still missing underneath the rubble of the archive and two neighboring buildings. CLICK HERE:Cologne archive building collapses


---

Reporting continues after technical intermission.

---

26.02.2009 Sodertalje, Sweden - SWEDEN INVESTIGATES ANTI-US ATTACKS - Three supermarkets have been destroyed and a fourth damaged in central Sweden in what police say might have been a series of anti-American arson attacks. Police spokeswoman Kia Samrell said more than 100 firefighters were called in to put out the fires overnight at the Swedish supermarkets in Sodertalje. Ms Samrell said the police were investigating whether the left-wing group, Global Intifada, was connected. Global Intifada claimed responsibility for two fires in Sodertalje last year. It has also said it was behind arson attacks on vehicles belonging to the Danish and Russian embassies in 2005, and an attack on a Polish consulate in 2004, according to the Swedish Security Service. "The targets have primarily been countries that are participating in the war in Iraq and the Swedish defence industry," it said. The supermarkets targeted on Thursday were branches of Willys, and Ica and Tempo. The chains are all Swedish, but sell American goods. Swedish Radio reports that Global Intifada had recently distributed leaflets in Sodertalje encouraging the public to firebomb shops selling American products. The US embassy in Stockholm has been in contact with the police and has advised people to exercize "caution while shopping and be attentive to suspicious behaviour", Swedish media report. Sodertalje, an industrial town of 60,000 people, received worldwide attention in recent years after accepting nearly 6,000 Iraqi refugees.CLICK HERE:Sweden investigates anti-US attacks

The Hague, Netherland - ICTY KOSOVO TRIAL CLEARS SERBIA LEADER - Serbian ex-President Milan Milutinovic has been acquitted on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Kosovo by a UN war crimes tribunal. Five former top Serbian officials were found guilty on some or all the charges relating to the 1990s conflict. Their sentences range from 15 to 22 years. It was the court's first ruling on alleged crimes committed by Serbian forces in the breakaway region. Mr Milutinovic was seen largely as a figurehead president during that time. The court found that the 66-year-old, who led Serbia from December 1997 to December 2002, had no direct control over the Yugoslav army. His release from custody was ordered. Judge Iain Bonomy pointed the finger at then-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, saying: "In practice, it was Milosevic, sometimes termed the 'Supreme Commander', who exercised actual command authority over the [Serb army] during the Nato campaign." CLICK HERE:ICTY Kosovo trial clears Serbia leader

Riga, Latvia - DOMBROSKI CHOSEN AS LATVIAN PM - Latvian President Valdis Zatlers has nominated former finance minister Valdis Dombrovskis as prime minister and asked him to form a new government. Mr Dombrovskis, who is a member of the European Parliament, is from the main centre-right opposition party, New Era. After being nominated, Mr Dombrovskis warned that Latvia was "on the verge of bankruptcy" and would need to make budget cuts or risk financial collapse. Ivars Godmanis resigned as PM last week amid protests at the economic crisis. Latvia's economy is in recession and is expected to contract by up to 12% in 2009, with unemployment rising by 50%. Mr Dombrovskis, 37, will now hold talks with Latvia's political parties on forming a new government. If they are successful, a list of ministers will be submitted to parliament for a confidence vote. "I wish Valdis Dombrovskis luck," Mr Zatlers said on Thursday. CLICK HERE:

London, England - MINISTER ADMITS TERRORISM TRANSFER - Ministers have admitted they handed over terror suspects in Iraq to US authorities, sparking claims of collusion in extraordinary rendition. Defense secretary John Hutton said two men detained in 2004 were transferred to US custody and were then transported to Afghanistan, where they remain. He said he was reassured they had been treated humanely but apologised for past incorrect answers given to MPs. The Tories said the UK faced charges of being "complicit with serious abuse". The Lib Dems said Mr Hutton's comments raised "as many questions as answers" and called for all relevant documents in the case to be published. Mr Hutton said that contrary to previous statements he now knew UK officials were aware that the two men, understood to be Pakistani nationals, had been transferred to US custody in 2004 but that no action had been taken on the issue. He said "brief references" to the case had been included in papers sent to then Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and Home Secretary Charles Clarke in April 2006 but its significance had not been highlighted at the time. CLICK HERE:Minister admits terrorism transfer


---

25.02.2009 Tallin, Estonia - ESTONIAN SPY SOLD NATO SECRETS - A former Estonian defense ministry official who sold Nato secrets to Russia has been sent to jail for 12 and a half years after a secret trial. Herman Simm, a former head of security, pleaded guilty to treason on Wednesday. The court where he was tried did not reveal which country he spied for, but investigators said Mr Simm passed nearly 3,000 documents to Russia. They said he received 1.3m kroons (£73,000; $106,000) for the data. The Kremlin denied any involvement. Nato made no comment, but the case, which is Estonia's biggest spy scandal since the Cold War, is seen as an embarrassment for the former Soviet state. Estonia joined Nato in 2004, angering Russia. Investigators said Mr Simm, who used to be Estonia's police chief, had been working for the Russian intelligence service (known as SVR) since 1995, when he joined the Estonian defense ministry. He became head of security at the ministry in 2000, handling classified information regarding Nato's communications and surveillance systems. The investigators added Mr Simm met his SVR handlers, named as Valery Zemtsov and Sergei Yakovlev, three or four times a year in different European countries. Mr Simm, 61, was arrested last September. An international arrest warrant has been issued for Mr Yakovlev, who also uses a fake Portuguese identity. Jaanus Rahumagi, the head of the Estonian parliament's security affairs committee, said: "I believe Simm was happy to be involved with such a big game. He liked to be undercover and secretive." Mr Simm, who co-operated with the investigation, has been ordered to pay 20.2m kroons in damages to the Estonian defense ministry. CLICK HERE:Estonian spy sold NATO secrets

Amsterdam, Netherlands - TURKISH BOEING 737-800 CRASH IN AMSTERDAM - A Turkish Airlines plane has crashed on landing at Amsterdam's Schiphol international airport, killing nine people and injuring 84, six critically. The plane, carrying 126 passengers and seven crew, crashed short of the runway near the A9 highway. It broke into three pieces, but did not catch fire. Three of those killed are crew members. Their bodies have been left in the cockpit while investigations continue. Officials said it was unclear why the plane, en route from Istanbul, crashed. The Boeing 737-800 aircraft came down at 1031 local time (0931 GMT), several hundred yards (metres) short of the runway. It had left Istanbul's Ataturk Airport at 0622 GMT. CLICK HERE:Turkish Boeing 737-800 crash in Amsterdam


---

24.02.2009 Rome, Italy - SARKOZY AND BERLUSCONI SIGN NUCLEAR DEAL - Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi and French President Nicolas Sarkozy have agreed that their countries will work together to revive nuclear power in Italy. The Italian power company, ENEL, and its French counterpart, EDF, agreed a deal to study the feasibility of building four power stations in Italy. They would replace those closed in accordance with a referendum held after the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986. Since then Italy has become the world's biggest net importer of electricity. Shortly after taking office in May, Mr Berlusconi's centre-right government announced plans to build nuclear power stations to reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil and gas. Earlier this month, Sweden's government unveiled plans to overturn a nearly 30-year-old decision to gradually phase out nuclear power. The Italian and French leaders signed the nuclear co-operation deal in front of TV cameras after talks in the Italian capital on Tuesday. CLICK HERE:Sarkozy and >Berlusconi sign nuclear deal

Stockholm, Sweden - SWEDEN'S CROWN PRINCESS TO MARRY - Sweden's Royal Court has announced the engagement of Crown Princess Victoria to her long-term boyfriend, commoner Daniel Westling. Victoria, 31, and Mr Westling, a 35-year-old gym owner, have been in a relationship since 2002. A statement from the court said the wedding was planned for the middle of next year. Once married, Mr Westling would assume the title of Prince Daniel, Duke of Vastergotland, said the court. Victoria is first in line to succeed her father, King Carl XVI Gustaf, to the Swedish throne. He met government ministers to ask for their approval for the marriage, as required by the constitution. Sweden's monarchy had no political powers, but the king or queen represents the country and receives foreign dignitaries. CLICK HERE:Sweden's crown princess to marry

Madrid, Spain - SPAIN MAY ACCEPT SOME GUANTANAMO INMATES - Spain's foreign minister has said his country is prepared "in principle" to take in some inmates released from the Guantanamo Bay US military camp. Miguel Angel Moratinos was speaking after a meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington. He said Spain would consider taking prisoners on a case by case basis and only under acceptable legal conditions. About 250 people are still held in the camp, which President Barack Obama has ordered to be shut down within a year. However questions remain over where the inmates will be sent once released. Among them are several high risk prisoners, including the man believed to have mastermind the 9/11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and other al-Qaeda or Taleban suspects. CLICK HERE:Spain may accept some Guantanamo inmates


---

23.02.2009 Madrid, Spain - SPANISH JUSTICE MINISTER RESIGNS - Spain's justice minister has announced his resignation after being criticized for going on a hunting trip with a prominent investigative judge. Mariano Fernandez Bermejo was accused of interfering in a probe by Judge Baltasar Garzon into alleged corruption in the opposition Popular Party. Mr Fernandez Bermejo said he could not "tolerate the use being made of this against" the Socialist government. On Friday, Mr Garzon was taken to hospital following an anxiety attack. He is one of six investigating judges for Spain's National Court which, like many other European countries, operates an inquisitorial system, as opposed to the adversarial system used by the US and UK. Mr Garzon came to prominence in the late 1990s, when he campaigned for the extradition of former Chilean military ruler Augusto Pinochet, from London to Spain for human rights abuses. CLICK HERE:Spanish justice minister resigns

Bucharest, Romaia - EXPLOSION AT ROMANIAN NUCLEAR LAB - A Romanian officer has been killed in a blast at a military laboratory dealing with nuclear, biological and chemical research, Romanian officials say. The defense ministry says the man, aged 37, died of his injuries after the explosion in Bucharest. The cause of the blast was not immediately known, but the ministry says it "does not pose any threat to the population" and there was no fire. It says an investigation is now under way into the accident. The officer who died was identified by the military officials as Octavian Viorel Mihai. At least two other people were injured in the explosion. Romanian defense ministry spokesman Costi Spanu said the laboratory did not handle materials "that could cause panic", the Associated Press news agency reported. CLICK HERE:Explosion at Romanian nuclear lab

London, England - FREED DETAINEE - HAPPY TO BE HOME - A British resident detained at Guantanamo Bay for more than four years has said he is "extraordinarily happy to be home" in the UK. Ethiopian-born Binyam Mohamed, 30, was released on Monday afternoon after he landed at RAF Northolt in London and underwent questioning by police. Mr Mohamed says he was tortured while in custody on suspicion of terrorism. He said his worst moment was when he realized his alleged torturers were receiving material from UK agents. Mr Mohamed arrived at lunchtime after a nine hour flight from the US-owned detention camp in Cuba. He was questioned for nearly five hours, before being driven off to an unknown destination arranged for him by his legal team. The Home Office said he would be given temporary admission until a decision is made on whether he can stay permanently in the UK. CLICK HERE:Detainee - happy to be home-

Lazkao, Basque Country, Spain - BASQUE SOCIALIST OFFICES BOMBED - A bomb has exploded outside the local headquarters of the Basque Socialist Party in the Basque town of Lazkao. The blast followed a telephone warning claiming to be from the Basque separatist group, Eta, police said. It caused some damage but no-one was hurt. The bombing comes ahead of regional assembly elections in the Basque Country to be held on Sunday. Polls show the governing Basque nationalist PNV could lose their 30-year hold on power to the Socialists. Spanish courts have barred two other Basque nationalist parties from taking part in Sunday's elections, ruling that they are linked to Eta. CLICK HERE:Basque socialist offices bombed


---

22.02.2009 Berlin, Germany - EU LEADERS BACK FINANCIAL CLAMPDOWN - European leaders in Berlin have agreed on the need to regulate all financial markets including hedge funds. Leaders of Europe's major economies said a global solution was needed to the current financial crisis. German Chancellor Angela Merkel highlighted that leaders faced an "extraordinary international crisis", but leaders including UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown warned against reverting to protectionism in such a difficult economic climate. The Berlin gathering is a precursor to the next meeting of the G20 group of major developed and developing countries in London on April 2, which aims to rewrite the rules of the global financial system. "There is a need for a global new deal so that the world economy can recover" said Mr Brown to ensure an economy that is based on the "soundest principles". CLICK HERE:EU leaders back financial clampdown

London, England - IMMIGRANTS FACE TIGHTER WORK RULES - Immigrants should not be able to take a skilled job in the UK unless it has been advertised to British workers, the home secretary has said. The government had to make sure policy on overseas workers was "responding to the current economic circumstances", Jacqui Smith told the BBC. She has also ordered an investigation into the impact of the arrival of families of immigrant workers. The number of non-UK-born workers in Britain reached 3.8 million last year. Workers from non-EU countries are categorized by a points-based system that decides whether they can find work in the UK, while there are no restrictions on EU citizens. Ms Smith told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: "Given the current economic situation, it is right for us now to look at that points-based system and to make sure that it is responding to the current economic circumstances. "I'm proposing, for example, that it shouldn't be possible for somebody to come into this country to take a skilled job unless that job has been advertised to a British worker through Jobcentre Plus." From April, non-EU workers wanting to come to Britain without securing a job beforehand must have a master's degree, rather than a bachelor's degree, as currently, and a previous salary equivalent to at least £20,000. CLICK HERE:Migrants face tighter work rules
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT (COMMENT: For the post of minister there should be a minimal requirement of a master's degree in political science!)

---

21.02.2009 London, England - HAIN VOICES FEAR OVER BNP VICTORY - A former minister has warned that the UK's main parties are "complacent" about the British National Party, after the BNP won a local election victory. Labour MP Peter Hain told the BBC that Labour's own supporters were being targeted by the far-right. He said the government needed to make sure local, rather than foreign, workers were prioritised for jobs. A BNP leader said the recession had helped the party win because potential supporters were being hit hardest. Mr Hain was speaking after the BNP won a seat at a by-election for Sevenoaks Council in Kent. The seat, in the Swanley St Mary's ward, was previously held by a Labour councillor. BNP candidate Paul Golding received 408 votes, beating Labour's Mike Hogg by 86 votes. Mr Golding said local young people has voted BNP because they found it "almost impossible" to get a council house. He blamed a policy that allocated council houses to "foreigners and asylum seekers". Mr Hain said: "All political parties, but especially the Labour party, have got to prioritize the fight against the BNP. He said there was a "real danger" of complacency in the Labour party. "It is areas when Labour has traditionally been strong, like Swanley, where the BNP has been making a great deal of headway and exploiting fears and spreading their racist and fascist beliefs." "We need to take them on at the grass roots level and as a government we need to be making sure that we address the fears the BNP are exploiting." BNP deputy leader Simon Darby said the recession and people's fears about the economy were the main factor in its victory - which the party has hailed as a "significant breakthrough" in south east England. CLICK HERE:Hain voices fear over BNP victory

Dublin, Ireland - HUGE PROTEST OVER IRISH ECONOMY - About 100,000 people have taken part in protests in Dublin city centre to vent their anger at the Irish government's handling of the country's recession. They oppose plans to impose a pension levy on 350,000 public sector workers. Trade union organizers of the march said workers did not cause the economic crisis but were having to pay for it. In a statement, the Irish government said it recognised that the measures it was taking were "difficult and in some cases painful". The pension levy was "reasonable", the government said. It reflected "the reality that we are not in a position to continue to meet the public service pay bill in the circumstances of declining revenue", it added. CLICK HERE:Huge protest over Irish economy


---

20.02.2009 Riga, Latvia - LATVIA PM QUITS AS CRISIS BITES - Latvian Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis and his center-right government have resigned, amid turmoil triggered by economic crisis in the Baltic state. President Valdis Zatlers has accepted the resignations and is beginning talks to try to form a new administration. The country's economy is in recession and is set to contract by up to 12% in 2009, with unemployment rising by 50%. Latvia's is the second European government, after Iceland, to fall as a direct result of global economic woes. Earlier, the two largest parties in Latvia's ruling coalition, the People's Party and the Union of Greens and Farmers, both demanded Mr Godmanis's resignation. People's Party Chairman Mareks Seglins said it was the only way to help boost public trust in the unpopular government. A protest over economic policy in the capital, Riga, on 13 January ended in more than 100 arrests. More than 40 people were injured. CLICK HERE:Latvia PM quits as crisis bites

Brussels, Belgium - EU COMMISSION HAILS ENLARGEMENT - The European Commission says the 27-nation EU must not let the current economic crisis jeopardise the gains of eastward enlargement. A commission report says the accession of 12 states since 2004, mostly ex-Soviet bloc countries, boosted living standards and business opportunities. It said enlargement served as an anchor for stability and driver of democracy, but there are concerns that EU states may be tempted to prop up weak domestic firms at their neighbors' expense. The BBC's Chris Mason in Brussels says the impact of the economic crisis threatens to undermine the single market, a founding tenet of European integration. CLICK HERE:EU commission hails enlargement

Banja Luka, Republika Srpska -.SERBS ORDERED TO PAY FOR MODSQUES - Serb authorities in Bosnia-Hercegovina have been ordered to pay $42m (£26m) to local Muslims for the destruction of mosques during the Bosnian civil war. All 16 mosques in Banja Luka, the main town of the Serb-run Republika Srpska, were destroyed in the 1992-1995 war. A lawyer for the area's Muslim community said the local court verdict was of historic importance. Hundreds of religious buildings were destroyed in the conflict, in which about 100,000 civilians were killed. The local court ruling came nine years after the Bosnian Islamic Community sued the Bosnian Serb government and Banja Luka city authorities for the destruction of the shrines in 1993. The Islamic Community said more than 1,000 of its objects were destroyed or damaged during the war. CLICK HERE:Serbs ordered to pay for mosques


---

19.02.2009 Moscow, Russia - POLITKOVSKAYA SUSPECTS ACQUITTED - A Russian military court has acquitted three men accused of aiding the murder of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya in October 2006. The court in Moscow handed down "not guilty" verdicts on ex-police officer Sergei Khadzhikurbanov and brothers Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makhmudov. A third brother, Rustam, is accused of the actual murder and remains at large. The head of Russian journalists' union said he was "ashamed" by the verdicts. Prosecutors said they would appeal. Ms Politkovskaya, who gained prominence by exposing human rights abuses by the Russian army in Chechnya, was shot in her apartment building in Moscow. The brutal murder of the reporter, who worked for the small-circulation Novaya Gazeta newspaper, highlighted the risks run by journalists in Russia.CLICK HERE:Politkovskaya suspects acquitted

La Reja, Argentina - ARGENTINA EXPELS HOLOCAUST BISHOP - Argentina has ordered an ultra-traditionalist British bishop who denies the Holocaust to leave the country or face expulsion. The interior ministry said Richard Williamson had been given 10 days to leave Argentina. Earlier this month the bishop was removed from his post as the head of a Roman Catholic seminary in Argentina. A row erupted in January after the Pope decided to lift Bishop Williamson's excommunication on an unrelated matter. The Vatican said the Pope had been unaware of Bishop Williamson's views and had since ordered him to recant. Argentina's interior ministry said on Thursday that Bishop Williamson "has concealed the true motive for his stay in the country". He had said he was an employee of a non-governmental group rather than declaring "his true activity" as the director of a seminary, the ministry stated. Bishop Williamson's views on the Holocaust have provoked outrage. CLICK HERE:Argentina expels Holocaust bishop

Brussels, Belgium - Czech President Vaclav Klaus has accused the European Parliament of contributing to a sense of political alienation among EU citizens. Mr Klaus told MEPs in Brussels that "between citizens and EU representatives there is a great distance, not only geographically". The Czech Republic currently holds the EU's six-monthly rotating presidency. Some MEPs walked out of the chamber during Mr Klaus's speech, which was punctuated by both applause and boos. The Czech leader criticized those EU politicians who "assume that there is only one possible correct future for European integration, which is ever closer union". CLICK HERE:Czech leader scorns EU politics
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT (COMMENT:The Czech leader very possibly harbors deep resentiments visa á vis closer European union stemming from the unhappy union with Slovakia.)

London, England - Radical preacher Abu Qatada has been awarded £2,500 in compensation by the European Court of Human Rights. Judges ruled that his detention without trial in the UK under anti-terrorism powers breached his human rights. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she was "very disappointed" with the award, but it was "not always possible" to bring terror suspects to trial. On Wednesday, Law Lords ruled that Abu Qatada, 48, could be deported to Jordan despite fears he could face torture. Abu Qatada has been held both in Belmarsh high security prison and under 22-hour home curfew. His lawyers have already submitted an application to the European Court appealing against his deportation. Shadow security minister Crispin Blunt said the pay-out was "an appalling scandal". CLICK HERE:Cleric Qatada given compensation
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT (COMMENT: "If that is the law, Sir, then the law is an ass!" Charles Dickens.)


---

18.02.2009 Prague, Czech Republic - LISBON CLEARS A MAJOR CZECH HURDLE - The lower house of the Czech parliament has approved the EU's Lisbon Treaty, a key step towards ratification. The treaty has not yet been approved by the upper house, the Senate, where its passage is likely to be further delayed by right-wing opponents. The Czech Republic, current holder of the EU's rotating presidency - is among a handful of countries that have not yet ratified the reform treaty. It was rejected by Irish voters in a referendum last June. It cannot take effect unless all 27 EU member states ratify it. The Republic of Ireland government plans to hold a new referendum on the treaty this year, having secured sovereignty "guarantees" from EU leaders. On Wednesday the Czech lower house voted 125 to 61 to adopt the document, aimed at streamlining EU institutions to make them more flexible after the 27-nation bloc's enlargement in recent years. CLICK HERE:Lisbon clears a major Czech hurdle

Paris, France - SARKOZY AIMS TO HEAD OFF UNREST - President Nicolas Sarkozy has proposed tax breaks and benefits to help French people cope with the economic crisis. The measures were announced as he met labour unions and employers to try to calm mounting economic unrest. With his popularity ratings at an all-time low, the meeting is seen as a crucial one for President Sarkozy, correspondents say. In January more than a million people marched in protest at the government's handling of the economic crisis, and the unions have called for another general strike on March 19. CLICK HERE:Sarkozy aims to head off unrest

Brussels, Belgium - EU ACTS AS BUDGET DEFICIT BULGES - The European Commission has taken disciplinary steps to tackle swelling budget deficits in six EU countries. It said that France, Greece, Spain, Ireland, Latvia and Malta had breached EU rules by allowing their budget deficits to exceed 3% of GDP in 2008. The global downturn has taken its toll on public finances as countries try to spend their way out of recession. The Commission said it would issue a deadline in March for the countries to reduce their deficits. The countries will now be subject to the EU's excessive deficit procedure and countries will be invited to take steps to reduce their deficits. CLICK HERE:EU acts as budget deficit bulges

Stockholm, Sweden - EU COOL TO GM CALLS FOR HELP - The UK, Germany and Sweden have reacted coolly to calls for $6bn (£4.2bn) of aid from US car giant General Motors. The UK said it was still considering the details. Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a plan for GM's German Opel brand before aid could be considered. Swedish industry minister Maud Olofsson said it was up to the US carmaker to save its Sweden-based unit Saab. GM said that it needed billions of dollars from several governments outside the US. CLICK HERE:EU cool to GM calls or help

Rome, Italy - TEACHER SUSPENDED OVER CRUCIFIX - A teacher in Italy has been suspended after some students complained that he removed a crucifix from his classroom. Franco Coppoli, a literature teacher from Umbria, took down the crucifix in his classroom arguing that education and religion should not be mixed. Some of his students complained and now the National Education Council has suspended Mr Coppoli for a month. The hanging of crosses in public buildings is not compulsory in Italy but it is customary. The case follows a decision this week by Italy's Supreme Court to quash a conviction of a judge who refused to enter courts where crucifixes were hanging. Judge Luigi Tosti, who is Jewish, had been given a seven-month jail sentence for failing to carry out his official duties. He had earlier issued an ultimatum declaring that either he or the crosses should remain the courtroom, not both. CLICK HERE:Teacher suspended over crucifix


---

17.02.2009 Sardinia, Italy - ITALIAN OPPOSITION LEADER RESIGNS - Italy's center-left opposition leader, Walter Veltroni, has resigned after a his Democratic Party lost a key local election on the island of Sardinia. The result consolidated the hold on power of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's center-right alliance, after its candidate for governor won. Mr Veltroni had been criticized for failing to make gains on the government despite the deepening recession. He said he would give a press conference on Wednesday. Mr Veltroni led the centre-left into the general election last April after Prime Minister Romano Prodi resigned, but lost to Mr Berlusconi and his allies. He has since failed to make up ground on his rival. In Sardinia, Mr Berlusconi's candidate and son of his tax advisor, Ugo Cappellacci, ousted the center-left governor, Renato Soru, the founder of the Tiscali internet company. It put the prime minister's ally in charge of a region where he owns a luxury seaside mansion and spends lots of time CLICK HERE:Italian opposition leader resigns

Milan, Italy - UK LAWYER FOUND GUILTY IN BRIBERY CASE - An Italian court has found British tax lawyer David Mills guilty of accepting a bribe of about 350,000 euros (£400,000) from Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Mills, the estranged husband of UK Olympics minister Tessa Jowell, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail at a court in Milan. Mills, 64, was not in court and is expected to appeal. Mr Berlusconi, who last year passed a law making himself immune from prosecution, has denied paying a bribe. In a statement, Mills said he was "very disappointed" at the verdict. "I am innocent, but this is a highly political case," he said. "The judges have not yet given their reasons for their decision, so I cannot say how they dealt with the prosecutor's own admission that he had no proof. CLICK HERE:UK lawyer found guilty in bribery case

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIAN JUDGE RESIGNS OVER ALLEGED BRIBE - The deputy head of the Russian Supreme Court has resigned after his son was arrested on suspicion of accepting a bribe from a suspect due to face trial. Alexander Karpov's son, Vladimir, was detained on Saturday in Oryol after allegedly accepting $28,000 (£19,000) from a local resident, reports said. The judge, who oversees criminal cases, said he had not seen his son for five years and denied any impropriety. A court spokesman said the resignation was a matter of judicial etiquette. In July, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev described corruption in his country as a threat to national security. Russia is among the countries which have not signed the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's convention against bribery and is frequently criticised by anti-corruption watchdogs. CLICK HERE:Russian judge resigns over aölleged bribe

Stockholm, Sweden - SWEDISH TRAIN VANDALIZED AS SO-CALLED ART PROJECT - Stockholm's transport authority (SL) has demanded compensation from an arts college after a student was involved in an act of vandalism on a metro train. SL Chairman Christer Wennerholm said the authority intended to seek 100,000 kronor ($11,500; £8,000) in damages. Passengers on the metro were terrified when a masked man spray-painted graffiti inside, smashed a window and jumped through it onto the platform. The rampage was filmed and later appeared as part of an art thesis. The two-minute video entitled Territorial Pissing was submitted to the University College of Arts, Crafts and Design (Konstfack) by master's degree student Magnugs Nugstafsson. CLICK HERE:Swedish train vandalized as so-called art project
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT (COMMENT: Paint-spraying, like other contemporary graphic happenings, is artistic fraud, and emanates from arrogance and agression, born of psychic disorder. Pure art needs no chaotic interpretation, it is in itself sublime. Let us return to the Impressionists and develope art far beyond, before photography rudely interrupted.)



---

16.02.2009 Faslane, Scotland - UK AND FRENCH NUCLEAR SUBS COLLIDE IN ATLANTIC - A Royal Navy nuclear submarine was involved in a collision with a French nuclear sub in the middle of the Atlantic, the MoD has confirmed. HMS Vanguard and Le Triomphant were badly damaged in the crash in heavy seas earlier this month. First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Jonathon Band said the submarines came into contact at low speed and no injuries were reported. Both the UK and France insisted nuclear security had not been compromised. Factfile: HMS Vanguard and Le Triomphant BBC defense correspondent Caroline Wyatt said the incident was "incredibly embarrassing" for the Ministry of Defense (MoD). HMS Vanguard returned to its home base Faslane on the Firth of Clyde under her own power on February 14. "Very visible dents and scrapes" could be seen as tugs towed her in to the port on the final stage of the journey, our correspondent said. The submarines are equipped with sonar to detect other vessels nearby but our correspondent said it might be the case that the anti-sonar devices, meant to hide the submarines from enemies, were "too effective". "This is clearly a one-in-a-million chance when you think about how big the Atlantic is," she said. The two submarines are key parts of each nation's nuclear deterrent, and would have been carrying missiles, though both the UK and France have insisted there was no danger of a nuclear incident. CLICK HERE:UK and French nuclear subs collide in Atlantic

Paris, France - FRENCH HOLOCAUST ROLE RECOGNIZEDFrance's highest court has recognized the state's "responsibility" for the deportation of Jews in World War II. The Council of State said the state had permitted or facilitated deportations that led to anti-Semitic persecution without being coerced by the occupiers, but the council also found reparations had since been made "as much as was possible, for all the losses suffered". Correspondents say the ruling is the clearest such recognition of the French state's role in the Holocaust. Between 1942 and 1944 some 76,000 Jews were deported from France by the Vichy government in collaboration with the German occupying army. CLICK HERE:French Holocaust role recognized

Rome, Italy - The authorities in Rome have begun dismantling illegal camps amid an outcry over three rapes last weekend that have been blamed on immigrants. Mayor Gianni Alemanno supervised the demolition of about 30 camps, home to many Roma, or Gypsies, from Romania. A 14-year-old girl was raped in a park in the capital on Saturday, allegedly by two men from Eastern Europe. Meanwhile, a government minister has said surgical castration might be the best option for those who raped minors..The call by Mr Calderoli, a leading member of the anti-immigrant Northern League party, comes as the government prepares new measures aimed at dealing with both crime and illegal immigrants. Interior Minister Roberto Maroni, his party colleague, said it would push through an emergency decree this week speeding up legislation aimed at creating "groups of unnamed citizens" in high-risk areas, who would "assist the police by bringing to their attention events which might be damaging to urban security". CLICK HERE:Rome to dismantle illegal camps

Lanzarote, Gran Canaria - AFRICAN MIGRANTS DROWNED AT SEA - Nineteen people, including an eight-year-old girl, drowned when a migrant boat capsized 20m (65ft) from shore in the Canary Islands, rescuers say. Three people are still said to be missing after the boat, carrying mainly North African migrants, overturned off the eastern coast of Lanzarote. Local residents rescued six people from the vessel after Sunday's accident. Emergency services recovered 14 more bodies from the sea, a day after five others were pulled out of the water. Rescue helicopters have been scouring for any other survivors, but police say hopes are fading fast. Anibal Betancourt, who took part in the rescue operation, told local radio they found survivors "clinging to the sinking boat and screaming", reported the AFP news agency. Most of the migrants involved are said to be from Morocco. CLICK HERE:African migrants drowned at sea

Linz, Austria - POPE'S CHOICE FOR BISHOP DECLINES - A Roman Catholic priest has asked Pope Benedict to revoke his appointment as a bishop in Austria, after his promotion led to protests within the Church. Gerhard Maria Wagner said the "fierce criticism" had persuaded him to ask not to be named auxiliary bishop of Linz. Father Wagner has described Hurricane Katrina as God's punishment for the sins of New Orleans, and the Harry Potter novels as satanic. The Catholic news agency Kathpress says the Pope has agreed to the request. Pope Benedict's promotion of Father Wagner came a week after another PR storm, which erupted after the Pope lifted the excommunication of a bishop who denied the Holocaust. CLICK HERE:Pope's choice for bishop declines

Moscow, Russia - NUMBER OF RUSSIAN BILLIONAIRES DWINDLES - The number of Russian billionaires was cut to 49 from 101 in 2008 by the global downturn, according to Russian business magazine Finans. Mikhail Prokhorov, 43-year old technology and mining tycoon, tops the rich list with $14.1bn (£9.9bn). He sold most of his assets last year just before the financial crisis. Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is second with $13.9bn, while last year's richest Russian, Oleg Deripaska, fell to eighth place with $4.9bn. The financial crisis has cut the combined fortune of the 10 richest Russians by 66% to $75.9bn, the magazine says. Russia, among many other emerging economies, has been hit hard by the global financial and economic crisis after a decade of soaring economic growth. The government estimates that growth fell to 5.6% in 2008 from 8.1% a year earlier. In January, Russia's deputy prime minister said economic growth would be close to zero in 2009. Russia's economic growth. Russia's super rich: Mikhail Prokhorov - $14.1bn, Roman Abramovich - $13.9bn Vladimir Lisin - $7.7bn; Vagit Alekperov - $7.6bn; Suleiman Kerimov - $7.5bn; Mikhail Fridman - $6.1bn; Vladimir Potanin - $5bn; Oleg Deripaska - $4.9bn; Dmitry Rybolovlev - $4.6bn; Alisher Usmanov (Arsenal FC shareholder) - $4.5bn CLICK HERE:Number of Russian billionaires dwindles


---

15.02.2009 Dresden, Germany - (Transl.:webmaster@euro_news_clip) - THOUSANDS IN DRESDEN DEMONSTRATE AGAINST NEONAZI MARCH -More than 12,000 people took to the streets in Dresden.The majority demonstrated against the march of 5000 Neonazis on the anniversary of the bombing of Dresden in the Second World War. Simultaneously, more than 2500 autonomes also participated in a march. There were altercations. Dresden, all of the Dresden, seems to be in action on the remembrance day of the bombing of the city 64 years ago. About 7500 participants, according to those who were involved, attended several soilidarity demonstrations of the supra-party political alliance "Walk and Think". At the same time, according into police, about 5000 Neonazis and more than 2500 autonomes marched through the downtown area. CLICK HERE:Thousands in Dresden demonstrate against Neonazi march


---

14.02.2009 Rome, Italy - G7 PLEDGES TO AVOID PROTECTIONISM - Leading industrial countries have pledged to avoid protectionism as they battle the global economic crisis. Finance ministers at a G7 meeting in Italy said raising barriers to free trade would make the downturn worse. Hours earlier, the US Congress approved an $787bn economic recovery plan that includes a 'Buy American' clause. G7 ministers said stabilizing the world economy and financial markets was their priority. They said they would work together to support growth and jobs. The 'Buy American' clause has raised fears that protectionism could be growing in the world's largest economy, but in a statement after the meeting, new US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner dismissed such concerns. "All countries need to sustain a commitment to open trade and investment policies which are essential to economic growth and prosperity," he said. Ministers also called for urgent reform to the International Monetary Fund, saying the crisis had shown weaknesses in the world financial system. "We agree that a reformed IMF, endowed with additional resources, is crucial to respond effectively and and flexibly to the current crisis," the ministers' statement said. Other points included: Praise for recent economic moves by China; help for banks; and the need for a speedy end to the Doha talks on world trade The G7 comprises the US, the UK, Japan, Germany, France, Italy and Canada. CLICK HERE:G7 pledges to avoid protectionism

Rome, Italy - ITALIAM POLICE WARN OF SKYPE THREAT - Criminals in Italy are increasingly making phone calls over the internet in order to avoid getting caught through mobile phone intercepts, police say. Officers in Milan say organised crime, arms and drugs traffickers, and prostitution rings are turning to Skype in order to frustrate investigators. The police say Skype's encryption system is a secret which the company refuses to share with the authorities. Investigators have become increasingly reliant on wiretaps in recent years. Customs and tax police in Milan have sounded the alarm. They overheard a suspected cocaine trafficker telling an accomplice to switch to Skype in order to get details of a 2kg (4.4lb) drug consignment. Use of wiretaps by prosecutors in Italy has grown exponentially in recent years. Investigators say intercepts of telephone calls have become an essential tool of the police, who spend millions of dollars each year tracking down crime through wiretaps of landlines and mobile phones, but the law may be about to change. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's right-wing government has drawn up a bill which would restrict police wiretaps to only the most serious crimes. CLICK HERE:Italian police warn of skype threat


---

13.02.2009 Brussels, Belgium - EU HIT BY ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN - European economies contracted in the fourth quarter of last year, with some countries registering the worst figures in decades, official data shows. The eurozone economy shrank by 1.5% in the previous quarter and 1.2% on the year, Eurostat said. Germany's economy shrank by 2.1% compared with the previous quarter, its worst quarterly performance since 1990. France shrank by 1.2%, initial data shows, while Italy registered a drop of 1.8%, the steepest drop since 1980. The data puts pressure on the European Central Bank to cut interest rates. In the whole of 2008, the economy in the 15 countries using the euro grew by 0.7% against the previous year, Eurostat said. Slovakia joined the eurozone on 1 January 2009, making it a 16-country club. ... The Dutch economy shrank 0.9% during the quarter while the Austrian economy eased by 0.2%, the first drop in nearly eight years. In the same quarter, Portugal's economy contracted by 2% on the previous quarter and 2.1% on the previous year. "These are huge contractions in Europe, the largest in living memory in most cases," said Ken Wattret, economist at BNP Paribas. Companies have cut investment and exports have dropped as the global recession has taken hold. CLICK HERE:EU hit by economic slowdown

London, England - UK BAN OF DUTCH MP CRITISIEZThe government has come under fire after banning a Dutch MP from entering the UK over anti-Islamic remarks. Former Conservative cabinet minister Michael Portillo said by turning away Geert Wilders, ministers had made a "populist twit and bigot" world famous. The Freedom Party MP had been invited to a House of Lords screening of his film, linking the Koran to terrorism. Muslim groups backed the government's decision and labelled Mr Wilder "an open and relentless preacher of hate". Mr Wilders, who faces trial in his own country for inciting hatred, caused outrage across the Muslim world last year when he posted his film, Fitna, on the internet. Now he is at the centre of further controversy following an invitation from the UK Independence Party's Lord Pearson to show his film in the House of Lords. Lord Pearson told the BBC it was a "matter of free speech" and the film would only be offensive to violent Islamists. CLICK HERE:UK ban of Dutch MP criticized

Brussels, Belgium - EURO PARLIAMENT ROBBER AT LARGE - Belgian police are hunting for a man who stole about 60,000 euros (£54,000) from a bank in the European Parliament, after brandishing a pistol at staff. It was not yet known if the pistol was real or fake, parliament spokesman Jaume Duch Guillot told the BBC. The man demanded money at an ING bank branch on Thursday after evading checks by the parliament's security personnel. The robbery lasted only a few minutes. The security service is now studying CCTV footage for clues about the man. On Friday, Belgian police said he had taken about 60,000 euros in cash. After the robber fled, staff alerted a nearby security patrol. CLICK HERE:Euro parliament robber at large


---

12.02.2009 London, England - DUTCH MP REFUSED ENTRY INTO UK - A Dutch MP who called the Koran a "fascist book" has been sent back to the Netherlands after attempting to defy a ban on entering the UK. Freedom Party MP Geert Wilders had been invited to show his controversial film, which links the Islamic holy book to terrorism - in the UK's House of Lords, but Mr Wilders, who faces trial in his own country for inciting hatred, has been denied entry by the Home Office. He told the BBC it was a "very sad day" for UK democracy. The Dutch ambassador was also at Heathrow to make clear his government's opposition to the ban on Mr Wilders entering the UK. Mr Wilders' film Fitna caused outrage across the Muslim world when it was posted on the internet last year. After being questioned at Heathrow, the MP said he had been to the House of Lords two weeks ago and there had been "no problem". He added: "I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm not protesting or running through the streets of London." ...Mr Wilders added: "Democracy means differences and debate. It's a very sad day when the UK bans an elected parliamentarian... Of course I will come back." He said the government's actions had proved that Gordon Brown was the "biggest coward in Europe". Mr Brown's spokesman said the prime minister "fully supports the decision" taken by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith. Mr Wilders was invited to the House of Lords for a screening of Fitna by the UK Independence Party's Lord Pearson. CLICK HERE:Dutch MP refused entry into UK

The Holy See - POPE CONDEMNS DENIAL OF HOLOCAUST - Pope Benedict XVI has told American Jewish leaders that any denial of the Holocaust is "intolerable", especially if it comes from a clergyman. He was speaking at the Vatican at his first direct talks with Jewish leaders since he lifted the excommunication of a Holocaust-denying bishop. The Jewish leaders appeared to be divided over the pontiff's stance. The Pope has said he was unaware that Bishop Richard Williamson had denied the full extent of the Holocaust. During the meeting, he confirmed he was planning to visit Israel. Vatican sources have said the trip is scheduled for May. The Pope told about 60 delegates from the Conference of American Jewish Organizations that "any denial or minimisation of this terrible crime [was] intolerable", especially from a priest. CLICK HERE:Pope condemns denial of Holocaust


Chicago, ILL - NEANDERTHALS SEPARATE FROM HOMO SAPIENS - Scientists studying the DNA of Neanderthals say they can find no evidence that this ancient species ever interbred with modern humans, but our closest ancestors may well have been able to speak as well as us, said Prof Svante Paabo from Germany's Max Planck Institute. He was speaking in Chicago, US, where he announced the "first draft" of a complete Neanderthal genome. The genetics information has been gleaned from fossils found in Croatia. Prof Svante Paabo confirmed that Neanderthals shared the FOXP2 gene associated with speech and language in modern humans. A total of three billion "letters", covering 60% of the Neanderthal genome, have been sequenced by scientists from Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and 454 Life Sciences Corporation, in Branford, Connecticut. The majority of the sequence comes from bones from Vindija Cave in Croatia. ... "What is exciting now, is that we are beginning to look the other way - from early modern humans into Neanderthals." Professor Chris Stringer, from the Natural History Museum, London, UK, commented: "If the the Neanderthal genome data show little evidence of potential hybridization, that would fit with my view from the fossil evidence that, while interbreeding was probably possible, it may have occurred only rarely, with trivial impact on modern humans. "The populations had been separate for hundreds of thousands of years and I think there would have been significant physical and behavioural differences between them. However, larger samples would be desirable to get a more complete picture, and hopefully those will follow soon." ...Prof Paabo was quick to pour cold water on any suggestion that the genome sequence would facilitate the cloning of a Neanderthal. CLICK HERE:Neaderthals are separate from Homo sapiens

Brussels, Belgium - EU PLANS NEW CHARGES FOR TRUCKS - A panel of Euro MPs has voted to introduce extra road charges to curb congestion and pollution from trucks. The measures, not as yet adopted by EU ministers, and the full European Parliament, would beef up an existing "Eurovignette" directive. EU states would be free to impose levies on trucks using major roads. The current rules only apply to those on highways that cross borders. Congestion charges, like the one in London, would apply to all traffic. The European Commission, which drafted the revised directive, says the new charges would mean an extra 3% cost for road users. CLICK HERE:EU plans new charges for trucks

Nazran, Ingushetia - SEVEN KILLED IN N CAUCASUS CLASH - Four Russian policemen and three suspected rebels have been killed in fighting in Ingushetia, in Russia's troubled North Caucasus, officials say. Gunmen opened fire and then detonated a landmine when police tried to get into a house in the city of Nazran, the Ingush president said. The blast killed four policemen and the gunmen, as well as destroying the two-storey house, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov said. Muslim militants have repeatedly clashed with Ingush security forces. CLICK HERE:Seven killed in N Caucasus clash


---

11.02.2009 London, England - DUTCH MP BANNED FROM ENTERING UK - A Dutch MP who described the Koran as a "fascist book" has been banned from entering the UK amid fears his presence would endanger public security. Freedom Party MP Geert Wilders was invited to show his controversial film - which links the Islamic holy book to terrorism - in the UK's House of Lords, but Mr Wilders, who faces trial in his own country for inciting hatred, has been denied entry by the Home Office. Mr Wilders said the move was "cowardly" but one peer said it was "welcome". Mr Wilders' film Fitna caused outrage across the Muslim world when it was posted on the internet last year. Its opening scenes show a copy of the Koran followed by footage of the 9/11 attacks in the US and the bombings in Madrid in 2004 and London in 2005. The Dutch prime minister has said the film served "no purpose other than to offend". Mr Wilders was asked to show the film at the House of Lords by UK Independence Party peer Lord Pearson. However, he received a letter from the British Embassy in the Netherlands telling him he would not be allowed into the UK. The Home Office said there was a blanket ban on Mr Wilders entering the UK under EU laws enabling member states to exclude someone whose presence could threaten public security. CLICK HERE:Dutch MP banned from entering UK
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT (COMMENT: What ever the grounds this ban denies all the basic principles of the freedom of ideas under which the modern rational society is based and formally constituted. It shall not stand the test of time. Charles Darwin, whose 200th birth anniversary is celebrated today, would be shocked by how little of English Victorian life has survied.)

London, England - UK INCREASE IN FOREIGN-BORN WORKERS - The number of non-UK born workers employed in Britain went up by 214,000 to 3.8 million last year, according to the Office for National Statistics. The number of UK-born workers fell by 278,000 to 25.6 million over the same period, the figures show. Campaigners have urged the government to toughen up entry requirements, but Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the percentage of foreign born workers in the UK, 8% of the workforce, was "lower than in many other countries". He told MPs at prime minister's questions that those calling for more curbs on non-EU migrant workers would "see an impact" on this year's figures thanks to the government's new points based system. He was responding to a question from Tory MP Julian Brazier, who said the government had issued a record 150,000 work permits to non-EU citizens last year. CLICK HERE:UK increase in foreign-born workers

Brussels, Belgium - EU OFFERS SPANISH AUTOWORKERS AID - The European Commission has approved 1.7m euros (£1.5m; $2.2m) in aid for unemployed Spanish car workers hit by the impact of globalisation. Spain applied for the funds to help 1,082 employees from 12 firms in the Castilla y Leon and Aragon regions. The European Globalisation Fund (EGF) allocation also requires approval by EU ministers and the European Parliament. The EGF has up to 500m euros annually at its disposal. It funds retraining and allowances for unemployed workers. Carmakers across the EU are reporting job losses amid a slump in demand owing to the global economic downturn. In the Spanish case, redundancies resulted partly from the relocation of production to Morocco, Turkey and Taiwan. The EGF was set up in December 2006 and so far it has paid out 67.6m euros (£60.4m; $87.5m), corresponding to 12 applications and some 15,000 workers.CLICK HERE:EU offers Spanish autoworkers aid


---

10.02.2009 Karlsruhe, Germany - GERMAN CONSTITUTIONAL JUDGES STUDY LISBON TREATY - German ministers have told judges in the country's constitutional court that the Lisbon Treaty will improve democracy and EU decision-making. They were speaking on the first day of a hearing at the constitutional court to decide whether the treaty violates the German constitution. The controversial treaty - not yet ratified by all 27 member states - is aimed at strengthening EU institutions. The German court ruling is expected to come in a few months' time. The treaty was rejected by Irish voters in a referendum last June. A new referendum is planned for this autumn, with the Yes camp hoping that new EU "guarantees" on Irish sovereignty will be enough to persuade voters to back it. The Czech Republic and Poland have not yet ratified the treaty either. All member states have to ratify it for it to take effect. Addressing the court in Karlsruhe, the German Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, said the treaty would boost democracy in Europe and give national parliaments a greater role in the EU legislative process. "The Treaty of Lisbon expressly strengthens the democratic fundamentals of the European Union," he said. Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said the treaty did not compromise German sovereignty. Germany's parliament has already approved the treaty, but President Horst Koehler has delayed signing it until the court gives its ruling. Opponents say the treaty is part of a federalist EU agenda that threatens national sovereignty. The also say it differs little from the ill-fated EU constitution, rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005. The case against the treaty was brought by Peter Gauweiler, a conservative Christian Social Union (CSU) member of the Bundestag (lower house), and backed by some Left Party MPs. A court ruling could be further delayed by a separate anti-Lisbon complaint brought by Franz Ludwig Graf von Stauffenberg, a lawyer and former CSU deputy. CLICK HERE:German constitutional judges study Lisbon Treaty

Prague, Czech Republic - EU MOVES TO PREVENT PROTECTIONISM - Fears of increasing protectionism in Europe are overshadowing a meeting of EU finance ministers. The Czech EU presidency has announced plans for an informal EU summit before the end of this month to co-ordinate responses to the economic crisis. "The biggest risk at the moment is the risk of protectionism," Czech Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek said. The European Commission is concerned about a French bail-out for carmakers, and is seeking clarification. Commission spokesman Jonathan Todd said there were "a number of concerns" about the French state aid, which was announced on Monday. The commission wants to ensure France's actions do not violate EU competition rules. CLICK HERE:EU moves to prevent protectionism

London, England - FORMER HEAD BANKERS SAY SORRY - The former bosses of the two biggest UK casualties of the banking crisis have apologiszed "profoundly and unreservedly" for their banks' failure. Former Royal Bank of Scotland chief executive Sir Fred Goodwin told MPs on the Treasury Committee he "could not be more sorry" for what had happened. The former bank chiefs also said the bonus culture had contributed to the crisis and needed to be reviewed, but Sir Fred said if bankers felt they were not paid enough, they would leave. Sir Tom McKillop, former RBS chairman, also admitted that his bank's much-criticised purchase of Dutch rival ABN Amro had been a "big mistake". CLICK HERE:Former head bankers say soory


---

09.02.2009 Paris, France - FRENCH AUTOMAKERS RECEIVE 6.5 BN EUROS - France has decided to loan 6.5bn euros ($8.5bn, £5.7bn) to three carmakers, President Nicolas Sarkozy has said. Peugeot-Citroen and Renault will receive 3bn euros each, while Renault Trucks, which is owned by Sweden's AB Volvo, will get 500m euros. In exchange, they had pledged to keep French sites open, the president said after talks with carmakers. The car industry is one of France's biggest employers. Demand for cars has plummeted amid the global downturn. Industry secretary Luc Chatel said the terms of the car bail-out foresaw a reining in management bonuses. "This is not a gift. It is not a subsidy. It is a loan offered at an interest rate of 6%," President Sarkozy said. Meanwhile, The European Commission said it would look very carefully at the French car bail-out. CLICK HERE:French automakers receive 6.5 bn euros

Munich, Germany - GERMANY RECEIVES NEW ECONOMY MINISTER - Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg is to become Germany's new economy minister, following the surprise resignation of his predecessor Michael Glos. Mr Zu Guttenberg has been proposed by his party, the Bavarian-based Christian Social Union (CSU), and his appointment is due to be a formality. At 37-years-old, he will become the youngest ever person to fill the role. The CSU is part of the coalition government led by Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats. Mr Zu Guttenberg, already a senior member of the CSU, is considered to be one of the rising stars of German politics. "He is young, very young - but that is exactly what I want in the process of renewal," said CSU leader Horst Seehofer. Ms Merkel said on Monday morning that she would accept the resignation of Mr Glos. Mr Glos, 64, said he was resigning for personal reasons, adding that he did not wish to remain in the cabinet following September's federal elections. However, the BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Berlin said his departure was ill-timed. "The resignation of the country's economy minister at a time when Germany is facing its worst recession for 60 years is embarrassing for his political allies - and that includes Chancellor Merkel," said our correspondent. CLICK HERE:Germany receives a new Economy Minister

La Rej, Argentina - An ultra-traditionalist British bishop who denies the Holocaust has been removed from his post as the head of a Roman Catholic seminary in Argentina. A statement by the Society of St Pius X said Bishop Richard Williamson's views "in no way" reflected its position. A row erupted last month after the Pope decided to lift Bishop Williamson's excommunication on an unrelated matter. The Vatican said the Pope had been unaware of Bishop Williamson's views and had since ordered him to recant. In a statement, the head of the Latin American chapter of the Society of St Pius X, which runs the seminary in La Reja, said Bishop Williamson had been relieved of his position as director. "Monsignor Williamson's statements do not in any way reflect the position of our congregation," said Father Christian Bouchacourt. "It is clear that a Catholic bishop cannot speak with ecclesiastical authority except on matters concerning faith and morality," his statement said. Bishop Williamson provoked outrage when he said he believed there had been no Nazi gas chambers. CLICK HERE:Seminary dismisses Holocaust bishop

Madrid, Spain - CAR BOMB SKES SPANISH CAPITAL - A van loaded with a bomb has exploded near a conference centre and railway line in the east of Spain's capital, Madrid, reportedly causing no injuries. The bomb exploded outside the Campo de las Naciones at around 0900 (0800 GMT), about 90 minutes after a warning was received by the Spanish Red Cross. Police were able to cordon off the entire area and clear the trade fair centre before the blast occurred. The Spanish authorities have blamed the Basque separatist movement, Eta. Eta has been blamed for the deaths of more than 820 people and for numerous car bombs during its 40-year campaign for an independent Basque nation. The Spanish Red Cross received a telephone call shortly at 0737 (0637 GMT) on Monday morning, naming the street in eastern Madrid where the bomb had been left inside a parked Peugeot van. CLICK HERE:Car bomb shakes Spanish capital

Riga, Latvia - LATVIA'S ECONOMY SHRINKS RAPIDLY - Latvia's economy has shrunk at the fastest rate since the early 1990s, when it split from the Soviet Union, the statistics office has estimated. Gross domestic product (GDP) fell 10.5% in the last quarter of 2008 from the same period a year earlier. The Latvian economy had been booming for several years, driven by consumer demand, but was hit hard last year amid the global financial crisis. Economists believe that Latvia's GDP could fall as much as 10% this year. "We are dropping in the hole faster than we expected," said Andris Vilks, chief economist at banking group SEB. "I would say that we will see double-digit [GDP] decreases for the first and second quarter." Manufacturing output plummeted 11.3% in the quarter in comparison with a year ago, while the retail trade sector fell 15.6% and hotel and restaurant businesses plunged 24.8%. CLICK HERE:Latvia's economy shrinks rapidly


---

08.02.2009 Munich, Germany - RUSSIA POSITIVE ON US APPROACH - Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov has welcomed the US promise to "re-set the button" in their relationship as a "very positive" move. He met US Vice-President Joe Biden at a security conference in Munich, a day after Mr Biden made the comment in a speech about US foreign policy. Mr Biden had spoken of a dangerous drift in Russia-Nato relations. The meeting is the highest-level talks between US and Russia since Barack Obama became US president in January. "The US administration sent a very strong signal, which was heard, the signal that they are ready to resume US-Russian dialogue, to talk on all issues," Mr Ivanov said, but he added: "It does not mean that we should agree on each and every issue, that is clear to both parties." CLICK HERE:Russia positive on US approach

Malmoe, Sweden - Sweden's police chief has promised an independent inquiry after officers playing criminals and suspects on a training exercise adopted racist names. Police commissioner Bengt Svensson said the behaviour of some of the 50 members of the course in Malmo, southern Sweden, was shocking and unacceptable. "This is totally reprehensible," Mr Svensson told Danish media. It is unclear whether the names were chosen by staff or trainees. Complaints by some participants came to nothing. "We're going to appoint an independent person, or people, to investigate this and help Skaane police work on values," Mr Svensson told Sweden's Dagens Nyheter newspaper. Last week Sweden's chief prosecutor decided not to press charges against three police officers from the same region, Skaane, who were caught on police video using racist insults during a riot in the predominantly immigrant neighborhood of Rosengaard in Malmo in December. The riots were linked to the closure of an Islamic center. The owner of the building, in an immigrant neighborhood, had decided not to renew the center's lease. The center, which included a mosque, had to move out. Youths squatting in the premises were evicted by police and then staged violent protests. "euro_news_clip" COMMENT(COMMENT:Members of the Malmoe police are by no means all of Swedish origin, they include individuals of immigrant background. The film shown on TV appears to be an actual operation in the Rosengaard area of Malmoe, where unnamed frequenters of a mainly Islamic youth center were engaged in hurling burning gasoline containers at and around the police, and the police verbal commentary is later quoted by sub-titles in order to clarify the situation. The urban and regional police are rarely visible unless something happens.)

Bern, Switzerland - SWISS TO EXTEND EU ACCESS - The people of Switzerland have voted to continue allowing in workers from the EU and to extend access to two new member states, Romania and Bulgaria. Official referendum results showed that almost 60% of voters had supported the proposal. Right-wing politicians had warned that extending access could bring an influx of cheap labour at a time of recession. Switzerland remains outside the EU, but its political and economic ties to Europe are very close. The BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Berne said that a "no" to free movement could have put that relationship at risk. Since the Swiss first introduced free movement of labour the number of EU citizens working in Switzerland has risen to over a million. CLICK HERE:Swiss to extend EU access


---

07.02.2009 Munich, Germany - US SEEKS TO REWORK FOREIGN TIES - The new US administration is determined to strike a new tone in its relations around the world, Vice-President Joe Biden has told a major security forum. It also wants to press the "reset button" in ties with Russia after a "dangerous drift" in recent years, and was open to talks with Iran, he said, but while the US was ready to do more, it would expect more from its partners. The new US vice-president also warned no strategy in Afghanistan could succeed without Pakistan. He said that the deteriorating situation in the region was a security threat for all countries, not just the US. Mr Biden's wide-ranging speech to international leaders and security experts in Munich set out foreign policy directions for the Obama administration and also covered climate change and the global economic crisis. "I come to Europe on behalf of a new administration determined to set a new tone in Washington, and in America's relations around the world," Mr Biden said. "We will engage. We will listen. We will consult. America needs the world, just as I believe the world needs America," he said. CLICK HERE:US seeks to rework foreign ties


---

06.02.2009 London, England - WARNING OVER SURVEILLANCE STATE - Electronic surveillance and collection of personal data are "pervasive" in British society and threaten to undermine democracy, peers have warned. CCTV cameras and the DNA database were two examples of threats to privacy, the Lords constitution committee said. It called for compensation for people subject to illegal surveillance. The government said CCTV and DNA were "essential" to fight crime but campaign group Liberty said abuses of power mean "even the innocent have a lot to fear". Civil liberties campaigners have warned about the risks of a "surveillance society" in which the state acquires ever-greater powers to track people's movements and retain personal data. Controversial government plans for a database to store details of people's phone calls and e-mails were put on hold late last year after they were branded "Orwellian". "There can be no justification for this gradual but incessant creep towards every detail about us being recorded and pored over by the state" Lord Goodlad said. Ministers are consulting on the plan, which would involve the details but not the content of calls and internet traffic being logged, saying it is essential to fighting terrorism. CLICK HERE:Warning over surveillance state

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA SPARS WITH RUSSIA OVER HUMAN RIGHTS - Russia and the EU have traded accusations over human rights abuses, at their first high-level talks since a gas row soured relations last month. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the killings of a human rights lawyer and a journalist in Moscow recently caused the EU concern. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin then angrily accused the EU of human rights abuses within its own territory. He said "the full range of problems" concerning rights had to be discussed. The murder of prominent Russian human rights lawyer Stanislav Markelov and newspaper reporter Anastasiya Baburova in broad daylight in Moscow last month drew international condemnation. CLICK HERE:EU spars with Russia over human rights

Paris, France - SARKOZY DEFENDS PLANS FOR ECONOMY - French President Nicolas Sarkozy has defended his plans to revive the French economy, saying state intervention with banks has so far cost people nothing. Mr Sarkozy also said there would be no bonuses for executives of failing banks that have been bailed out by the state. The government would scrap a local business tax in 2010 and was ready to consider cutting income tax, he added. He made the comments in a TV interview, a week after nationwide protests and strikes at his handling of the economy. A million workers downed tools to protest against what they said was an inadequate response to the global financial crisis, and to call on the government to do more to protect jobs and wages. On Monday, Prime Minister Francois Fillon announced a 26bn euro ($33.1bn; £23.5bn) initiative designed to "revitalize" the economy. The package comprises 11bn euros to help businesses improve their cashflows; 11bn euros of direct state investment; and 4bn euros of investment by state-owned firms in modernisation programs. CLICK HERE:Sarkozy defends plans for economy


---

05.02.2009 Moscow, Russia - FORMER CHECHEN OFFICIAL SHOT DEAD - A former deputy mayor of Chechnya's capital, Grozny, has been shot dead in western Moscow, the third killing of a high-profile Chechen since September. Gilani Shepiyev was shot three times in the head by a gunman outside his flat in a suspected contract killing. He had fled Grozny in 2006 after being injured in an assassination attempt. An opponent of Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov was shot dead in Moscow in September. Last month, one of his former bodyguards was killed in Vienna. Mr Kadyrov has denied any involvement. A spokesman for the investigations committee of the Russian Prosecutor-General's Office, Vladimir Markin, said Mr Shepiyev's body was discovered close to the entrance of his flat in Moscow early on Thursday morning. The crime scene and the victim's body were being examined by police investigators, he added. A Baykal pistol was found nearby. "The investigation believes that it was a contract killing. All possible theories are being considered," Mr Markin told Russian Vesti TV. CLICK HERE:Former Chechen official shot dead

Frankfurt, Germany - EUROZONE RATE KEPT ON HOLD AT 2% -The European Central Bank (ECB) has kept interest rates unchanged at 2%, but has left open the option of cutting rates at its next meeting in March. Rates in the eurozone have been cut four times since September when they stood at 4.25%. ECB chief Jean-Claude Trichet did not rule out the prospect of a rate cut in March, but he said zero rates were not considered "appropriate". The ECB is trying to lift the eurozone economy, which is in recession. However, it has been more cautious in cutting rates than its counterparts in the US and UK. The Bank of England cut rates by half a percentage point to 1% earlier on Thursday, the fifth reduction since October when UK rates stood at 5%. US interest rates are already as low as they can go. CLICK HERE:Eurozone rate kept on hold a 2%


---

04.02.2009 The Holy See - HOLOCAUST BISHOP TOLD TO RECANT - The Vatican has ordered an ultra-traditionalist bishop to publicly recant his views denying the Holocaust. A statement said Bishop Richard Williamson must "unequivocally" distance himself from his statements to serve in the Roman Catholic Church. The Vatican also said that the Pope had not been aware of the bishop's views when he lifted excommunications on him and three other bishops last month. Earlier, a senior cardinal acknowledged the Vatican had mishandled the issue. The Pope's decision, ending Bishop Williamson's excommunication on an unrelated matter, has caused a bitter row, as the bishop does not believe that Jews were gassed by the Nazis in World War II. The BBC's David Willey in Rome says it is almost unheard of for a pope to admit publicly that he has made a mistake. But that is in effect the significance of the urgent statement put out by the Vatican, our correspondent adds. CLICK HERE:Holocaust bishop told to recant

Brussels, Belgium - ILLEGAL FACE EU CRACKDOWN - Euro MPs have backed tough new rules aimed at preventing employers from hiring illegal workers, but a final vote will be held later this month. Employers who break the rules could be forced to pay fines, make up wage shortfalls, or face a ban for up to five years from public contracts. The "sanctions directive" already has the backing of the European Commission and EU member states' governments. The UK is opting out, doubting the EU's authority to impose criminal sanctions. Up to eight million non-EU illegal migrants are thought to work in the EU. Figures provided by 21 member states suggest a total of 893,000 to 923,000 illegal immigrants entering the EU each year. The new rules, steered through the European Parliament by Italian Socialist MEP Claudio Fava, are set to take effect in 2011. Mr Fava, quoted on the parliament's website, said "migrants are often subjected to terrible exploitation, sometimes even treated as slaves". CLICK HERE:Illegal workers face EU crackdown

Brussels, Belgium - MEPS URGES EU GUANTANAMO PROMISE - The European Parliament has urged EU member states to help the US shut down the Guantanamo Bay prison camp by accepting some detainees. A resolution on Guantanamo was passed by a large majority of MEPs , 542 for, 55 against and 51 abstentions. It called for EU states to accept low-risk prisoners who cannot be sent home for fear they might be mistreated. "Europe cannot stand back and shrug its shoulders," said the Liberal bloc's leader, Graham Watson, during a debate. US President Barack Obama has signed an order to shut Guantanamo within a year. Last week, EU foreign ministers said they wanted to help on humanitarian grounds, but could not act until the US demonstrated the prisoners did not pose a credible security risk. Albania is the only country to have so far accepted Guantanamo detainees on humanitarian grounds, taking in five members of China's Uighur ethnic minority in 2006. CLICK HERE:MEPs urges EU Guantanamo promise

Cairo, Egypt - NAZI CONCENTRATION CAMP DOCTOR DIED 1992 - Aribert Heim, one of the most wanted Nazi criminals, has been dead since 1992, German's ZDF television reports. It says Heim, known as "Doctor Death" lived under a pseudonym and died in Egypt's capital, Cairo. ZDF says it found Heim's passport and other personal documents in a hotel where he lived. Heim was a concentration camp doctor and was accused of killing hundreds of concentration camp victims, using horrific medical experiments. In its report, ZDF quoted witnesses, including Heim's son, as confirming that he died in 1992. The German TV channel also said Heim had converted to Islam. Leading Nazi hunter Efraim Zuroff from the Simon Wiesenthal Center said he had not seen the documents found by ZDF, but he added that if confirmed, the news would be "earth shattering", the Associated Press reports. Heim was one of the last major Nazi fugitives believed to be still at large. He is accused of carrying out horrible medical experiments on prisoners of the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria during World War II. After the war he lived in West Germany, working as a doctor."euro_news_clip" COMMENT(COMMENT: He is believed to have practised in Baden- Wuerttemberg:)CLICK HERE:Nazi concentration camp doctor died 1992


---

03.02.2009 Berlin, Germany - MERKEL JOINS PAPAL HOLOCAUST DISPUTE - German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the Vatican's clarifications over the readmission of a bishop who queries the Holocaust do not go far enough."In my opinion these clarifications are not yet sufficient," Mrs Merkel said. A row erupted last month after Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunication of Bishop Richard Williamson, who had said no Nazi gas chambers existed. Pope Benedict has distanced himself from those beliefs and expressed "full and indisputable solidarity" with Jews. "This should not be allowed to pass without consequences," Mrs Merkel said at a news conference in Berlin. "This is not just a matter, in my opinion, for the Christian, Catholic and Jewish communities in Germany but the Pope and the Vatican should clarify unambiguously that there can be no denial," she said. Last November, British-born Bishop Williamson angered Jewish leaders across the world when he told Swedish TV: "I believe there were no gas chambers [during World War II]." He said he believed that up "300,000 Jews perished in Nazi concentration camps but none of them by gas chambers". He is one of four bishops, who are members of the Society of Pius X, whose excommunication was lifted last month by the Pope. The Society of St Pius X was founded by a French Archbishop, Marcel Lefebvre, in 1970 as a protest against the Second Vatican Council's reforms on religious freedom and pluralism. The Vatican says it was unaware of Bishop Williamson's views on the Holocaust when the decision was made to readmit the group. About six million Jews were killed during the Holocaust. CLICK HERE:Merkel joins Papal Holocaust dispute

Strasbourg, France - FRENCH BASE FOR GERMAN TROOPS - German troops will be stationed in France for the first time since World War II, under plans reportedly being drawn up by both countries. A battalion is likely to be based in Alsace-Lorraine - a region France and Germany have fought over in the past. A French defence ministry spokesman said Paris had agreed to the proposal made by Germany earlier this year, according to the AFP news agency. It is thought some 500 soldiers could be posted somewhere in eastern France. The German magazine Der Spiegel says the border town of Colmar is the likely location, but the French media has reported Strasbourg, Metz or Bitche as possible bases. The soldiers would be part of the Franco-German brigade set up in 1989, which is already about 5,000 troops strong. Nearly half of those are French servicemen based in south-west Germany. According to Der Spiegel, German Chancellor Angela Merkel proposed sending the battalion after Paris said it planned to withdraw some of its troops from Germany, as part of a wide-ranging program of defense cuts. She reportedly said it would be a "shame" to dismantle a key symbol of Franco-German unity and a potential building block in a wider European defence and security policy. Alsace-Lorraine was annexed by Germany after the Franco-Prussian war of 1870, but was reclaimed by France after World War I. It was seized by Nazi Germany in 1940, but reverted to France upon Germany's defeat in 1945. CLICK HERE:

Brussels, Belgium - EU ATTACKS BUY AMERICAN CLAUSE - The EU has increased its pressure on the US to reconsider the "Buy American" clause in the $800bn (£567bn) economic recovery package now before Congress. The clause seeks to ensure that only US iron, steel and manufactured goods are used in projects funded by the bill. A European Commission spokesman said it was the "worst possible signal". However, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said President Obama had assured her the US would not follow protectionist policies. "He stressed that," she said. The rescue plan has already been approved by the US House of Representatives and is under discussion in the Senate this week, who could sign it off before the weekend. The EU spokesman said Europe would launch a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) if the clause remained. CLICK HERE:EU attacks buy Americzan clause

Washington, DC - US HAILS SPECIAL TIES WITH UK - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has paid tribute to Britain's "special relationship" with the US, saying it "stands the test of time". She was speaking after meeting UK counterpart David Miliband, her first ministerial-level talks since President Barack Obama's inauguration last month. The two discussed Afghanistan, Middle East peace and a range of other issues. Mrs Clinton also met German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and said they had covered similar ground. She told reporters they had spoken about the continued need for German forces in Afghanistan, where Nato is struggling to contain a Taleban-led insurgency. "As President Obama has made quite clear, we need our closest allies, like Germany, to help us ensure the success and stability of the Afghan nation at this very important moment," she said. Mrs Clinton described the talks as "an excellent and broad discussion" and Mr Steinmeier's advice on Afghanistan as "constructive". CLICK HERE:US hails special ties with UK

Madrid, Spain - BIG INCREASE IN SPAIN'S UNEMPLOYEMENT - The number of people out of work in Spain increased by 199,000, or 6%, in January from the previous month, official figures show. The record monthly jump brought the total jobless number to 3.3 million, the highest since 1996, the Labour Ministry said. The ranks of Spain's unemployed have swelled by more than one million in the past year. At 14.4%, the Spanish unemployment rate is by far the highest in the EU. "We continue to be affected by the serious international financial crisis, the lack of of liquidity and the fall in consumer spending," said Maravillas Rojo, Spain's employment secretary. Spain was until recently one of Europe's fastest growing economies, but the global financial crisis has hit the country hard, particularly affecting the property and construction sectors.CLICK HERE:Big increase in Spain's unemployment

Athens, Greece -POLICE STATION IN ATHENS ATTACKED - Gunmen have attacked a police station in the Greek capital, Athens, causing some damage but no injuries. A police spokesman said shots were fired at the station in the suburb of Korydallos and that a hand grenade was thrown, but had failed to explode. Investigators said they suspected the left-wing group Revolutionary Struggle was behind the pre-dawn attack. Last month, the group claimed it was responsible for shooting and seriously wounding a policeman in central Athens. Revolutionary Struggle said it was a response to the fatal shooting of a teenager by police in December, which sparked the worst riots in Greece for decades. The policeman who shot 15-year-old Alexis Grigoropoulos has been charged with murder. CLICK HERE:Police station in Athens attacked


---

02.02.2009 Paris, France - FRANCE UNVEILS STIMULUS PACKAGE - France's Prime Minister Francois Fillon has unveiled a series of measures worth 26bn euros ($33.1bn; £23.5bn) designed to "revitalize" the French economy. He called for an "urgent national mobilization" across 1,000 work sites to combat the economic crisis. The package includes 11bn euros to help businesses and 4bn euros to improve infrastructure and public services. Earlier on Monday, Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said France would enter recession "at some point". The French stimulus plan is split into three parts: 11bn euros to help businesses improve their cashflows; 11bn euros of direct state investment; and 4bn euros of investment by state-owned firms for modernising rail infrastructure, energy and the postal service. CLICK HERE:France unveils stimulus package

London, England - EU TO INVESTIGATE POWER COMPANY BILLS - An investigation into electricity prices across the European Union is to be launched by the Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, Meglena Kuneva. Ms Kuneva said the decision followed an initial report, which showed that the prices charged by some suppliers across the 27 member states may be too high. "Less than two thirds of consumers are satisfied with their energy supplier," said the commissioner. The UK government has already said it may legislate to lower energy bills. The comments came last month from House of Commons leader Harriet Harman, following concerns that some energy firms were not passing on enough of the sharp falls in oil and gas wholesale prices since last summer. Ms Kuneva said she would conduct her investigation over the next 12 months in conjunction with Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs. "I don't see the need for legislative action, but I clearly see a step forward on enforcement everywhere to make sure consumers can choose from more than one supplier," she said. CLICK HERE:EU to investigate power company company bills


COMMENT(COMMENT: Above all, a unit price must be agreed upon, and the consumer pays per amount consumed, ending the system whereby fat so-called service charges are levied. This must be enshrined in EU law.)

London, England - NUCLEAR WORKERS JOIN STRIKE WAVEContractors at two nuclear plants have walked out in support of protests over the use of foreign labour, in the latest of a wave of unofficial strikes. The walk-outs at Sellafield and Heysham came on the day talks began over the dispute, which started at Total-owned Lindsey oil refinery, in Lincolnshire. Workers at Grangemouth oil refinery and power stations in Longannet, Warrington and Staythorpe have also walked out. Total insists it is not discriminating against British workers. A statement said: "We recognize the concerns of contractors but we must stress that it has never been, and never will be, the policy of Total to discriminate against British companies or British workers." ...Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said he expected Acas to review the situation at the refinery "very quickly" and urged striking workers to go back to work while this process was taking place. In a parliamentary statement, he said he believed the refinery operator had not discriminated against UK workers, which he stressed would be illegal under European law. CLICK HERE:Nuclear workers join strike wave

Cambridge, England - SHOE HURLED AS CHINESE PM SPEAKS - A protester has thrown a shoe at Wen Jiabao during a speech at Cambridge University and called the Chinese prime minister a "dictator". The shoe landed about a meter away from Mr Wen and the protester, a young man, was then removed by security guards. Mr Wen, who earlier signed a series of trade agreements with Gordon Brown on the final day of a three-day UK visit, described the incident as "despicable". Protests have taken place about human rights and Tibet during his visit. Five people were arrested in London on Sunday after trying to approach Mr Wen. According to eye-witnesses, Mr Wen was interrupted near the end of a speech he was giving in Cambridge on the global economy. According to the Press Association, the shoe was thrown from the back of the hall and landed "well away" from Mr Wen. Reuters reported that the protester urged the audience to challenge the Chinese prime minister, shouting "how can the university prostrate itself with this dictator?" CLICK HERE:Shoe hurled as Chinese PM speaks

London, England - POLICE ALLEGEDLY ASKED TO SEE MP'S E-MAIL - The Commons Speaker has said he will look into claims that the police asked for access to e-mails sent by Tory MP Damian Green without notifying him. Fellow Conservative David Davis told Parliament the police had approached Mr Green to request access to electronic correspondence between the two MPs. A police search of Mr Green's Westminster office in November, without a warrant, sparked anger among MPs. The Speaker said police would in future always need a warrant for such a move. The Speaker also stated that he would have to personally approve any police requests to enter an MP's office or to look at their papers. Mr Green, the shadow immigration minister, was controversially arrested and held for nine hours in an inquiry into leaks from the Home Office. That inquiry is continuing. On Monday, former shadow home secretary David Davis asked the Speaker to clarify the rules regarding police access to e-mails he had exchanged with Mr Green. He told MPs: "My honourable friend [Mr Green] has been approached by the Metropolitan Police and asked for access to e-mail between him and myself. "Does this come under your ruling that it will require a warrant and will be referred to you for your personal decision?" The Speaker said he was not aware of the request, saying it was "news" to him. "I will investigate as to the proper protocol and also the procedures I have laid down for situation without a warrant," he said, adding that he would report back to MPs. CLICK HERE:Police allegedly asked to see MP's e-mail


---

01.02.2009 Moscow, Russia - THOUSANDS DEMONSTRATE ACROSS RUSSIA - Thousands of people have held rallies across Russia protesting against what they describe as the government's mismanagement of the economy. The biggest demonstration took place in the eastern city of Vladivostok, where protesters demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. In the capital Moscow, police arrested a number of people at an unauthorized gathering by a radical party. Meanwhile, government supporters also held their rallies across the country. Protests on such a large scale were unthinkable just a few months ago as the economy boomed with record high oil prices and as the Kremlin tightened its grip over almost all aspects of society, the BBC's Richard Galpin in Moscow says, but now with the economy in deep trouble, there is real fear amongst ordinary people about what the future will hold, he says. He adds that unemployment is rising rapidly, as are the prices of basic food and utilities. In Vladivostok, the anti-government demonstration was called by the Communist Party. CLICK HERE:Thousands protest across Russia

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH ENTHRONES ITS PATRIARCH - The Russian Orthodox Church has enthroned its new leader at a ceremony in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow. Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad became the 16th leader of the Church, succeeding Patriarch Alexiy II, who died in December. He was appointed after a ballot of the Church Council in Moscow last week. Patriarch Kirill, who is regarded as a liberal, has said the Orthodox Church could play a greater role in Russia. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was among the thousands of people attending Sunday's ceremony. Kirill arrived at the cathedral in a black limousine after the cathedral bells had chimed for 15 minutes. He was welcomed by two senior priests and a layman with the Russian traditional bread and salt at the entrance. He was formally enthroned after senior bishops chanted "Axios!" , the Greek word for "worthy", three times. BBC religious affairs correspondent Christopher Landau says Kirill is a well-known face in Russia, having presented religious programmes on state television for some years. Patriarch Kirill is seen by some as a moderniser, our correspondent says. He certainly understands the potential of a high media profile, but on social issues, like abortion and homosexuality, his words are resolutely conservative. In addition to his TV show, Patriarch Kirill served as acting head of the Church after Alexiy II's death and has also been the head of the Church's external relations department for the past 20 years. CLICK HERE:Russian Orthodox Church enthrones its patriarch


---

31.01.2009 The Holy See - POPE PROMOTES CONSERVATIVE CLERIC - Pope Benedict has made a controversial appointment, days after revoking the excommunication of a bishop who is a Holocaust denier. He promoted ultra-conservative cleric Fr Gerhard Maria Wagner to assistant bishop of the Austrian city of Linz. The Vatican came under heavy criticism from Jewish groups this week for the rehabilitation of dissident British-born bishop Richard Williamson. The bishop apologised for shaming the Church, but not for his views. Fr Wagner is also notorious for his extreme views, he has accused the popular Harry Potter novels of spreading Satanism, and described Hurricane Katrina as God's punishment for the sinners of New Orleans. He wrote in a parish newsletter that the death and destruction caused by the hurricane in New Orleans was divine retribution for the city's tolerance of homosexuals and permissive sexual attitudes. The future bishop said he was glad that Katrina destroyed not only nightclubs and brothels in New Orleans, but also five of the city's abortion clinics. The Catholic Church in Austria has been losing support in recent years after its former head was sacked as a result of a scandal involving gay priests in a teaching college. Austrian Catholics gave only a lukewarm welcome to the Pope when he visited Vienna in 2007. CLICK HERE:Pope promotes conservative cleric

Stockholm, Sweden - CLERIC IN HOLOCAUST DISPUTE APOLOGIZES - A UK-born cleric who denied the existence of Nazi gas chambers has apologized to the Pope for causing any distress, but without retracting. Richard Williamson also thanked Pope Benedict for allowing him to rejoin the Roman Catholic Church after being excommunicated on an unrelated issue. He apologized for his "imprudent remarks" in a Swedish TV interview. Pope Benedict has reiterated his "full and indisputable solidarity" with Jews on the subject of the Nazi death camps. He has been under pressure from Nobel Peace Prize winner and death camp survivor Elie Wiesel among others to distance himself from Mr Williamson, who was promoted to bishop along with others by the breakaway Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre of France. Mr Williamson, who lives in Argentina, blogged his apology in an open letter to Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, the mediator between the Vatican and the breakaway Catholic faction. "Amidst this tremendous media storm stirred up by imprudent remarks of mine on Swedish television, I beg of you to accept... my sincere regrets for having caused to yourself and to the Holy Father so much unnecessary distress and problems," he said. He made no mention of the Holocaust in the brief letter. In an interview with Swedish TV, he had said: "I believe there were no gas chambers... I think that two to three hundred thousand Jews perished in Nazi concentration camps but none of them by gas chambers." CLICK HERE:Cleric in Holocaust dispute apologizes


---

30.01.2009 Lindsey, England - REFINERY STRIKES SPREAD ACROSS UK - Strikes have been breaking out across the UK in support of a mass walkout by energy workers in Lincolnshire angry at the use of foreign workers. Hundreds gathered for the third day of the original strike at Lindsey Oil Refinery after owner Total gave a £200m contract to an Italian firm. They have been supported by hundreds of other "sympathy" strikers in Scotland, Wales and other parts of England. Total said there would be no "direct redundancies" as a result of the deal. The firm added that staff employed by the Italian company IREM would be paid the same as existing contractors on the project. More than 300 of its workers have been brought in to do the work. Sites affected by sympathy walk-outs include Fiddlers Ferry power station, Warrington, Cheshire; Grangemouth oil refinery in central Scotland; South Hook Liquified Natural Gas terminal in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire; and Kilroot Power station near Larne, County Antrim. CLICK HERE:Refinery strikes spread across UK

Brussels, Belgium - EUROZONE JOBLESS AT TWO-YEAR HIGH - Unemployment across the nations that share the euro rose to its highest level in more than two years last month, as more firms laid off staff. The eurozone unemployment rate totalled 8% in December, according to the latest official European Union data, up from a revised 7.9% in November. Unemployment was highest in Spain, which recorded a 14.4% figure. Meanwhile, eurozone inflation fell in January to 1.1%, its lowest level in almost 10 years, from 1.6% in December. While Spain saw the highest unemployment last month, the lowest was Netherlands on 2.7%, and Austria at 3.9%. The latest unemployment and inflation figures will increase the pressure on the European Central Bank (ECB) to further cut eurozone interest rates to help bolster the economy and bring inflation closer to its 2% target. "The decline in Spain's property market is an extraordinary story." CLICK HERE:Eurozone jobless at two-year high

Oslo., Norway - NORWAY SELLS UNETHICAL SHARES - Norway's state investment fund has blacklisted US firm Textron, owner of top planemaker Cessna, and Canadian mining firm Barrick Gold. The fund, an ethical investor, sold shares in the firms because Textron makes cluster bombs and because of environmental concerns about Barrick. The fund, which has a value of about $300bn (£208bn), sold $400m worth of shares in the two companies. Barrick said investors were free to choose which company to invest in. The Norwegian fund, known as the oil fund as it invests surplus oil and gas revenues, operates under ethical guidelines. CLICK HERE:Norway sells unethical shares

The Holy See - PRIEST JOINS NAZI HOLOCAUST DISPUTE - A priest from a Catholic society rehabilitated by the Pope has questioned the Holocaust, reports say. Father Floriano Abrahamowicz was quoted as saying that he did not know if anyone had died in Nazi gas chambers. The reports were carried by Italian newspaper La Tribuna di Treviso, and the AP news agency said Fr Abrahamowicz had confirmed their accuracy. Last week a bishop, whose expulsion was lifted last week by the Pope, sparked a row by questioning the Holocaust. Richard Williamson is one of four bishops, who are members of the Society of Pius X, whose excommunication was lifted last week by the Pope. He outraged Jewish leaders when he said he believed there had been no Nazi gas chambers. The leader of the group has since said that the views "do not reflect in any way the position of the society". The Vatican says it was unaware of Bishop Williamson's views on the Holocaust when the decision was made to readmit the group. CLICK HERE:Priest joins Nazi Holocaust dispute

Brussels, Belgium - CHINA AND EU TO HOLD SUMMIT - China and the European Union have agreed to hold summit talks soon, senior officials have announced. China pulled out of a meeting scheduled for December in protest at France's decision to hold talks with Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao announced the forthcoming summit after talks in Brussels, but they said a precise date has not yet been finalized. A diplomat quoted by Reuters news agency said the talks would be held in the Czech Republic, which currently holds the rotating EU Presidency - soon after the G20 summit meeting scheduled for 2 April in London. The two sides are expected to discuss ways to deal with the global financial crisis and climate change. China accuses the Dalai Lama of trying to seek Tibetan independence from Chinese rule, and opposes any foreign leaders holding meetings with him. CLICK HERE:China and EU agree to hold summit


---

29.01.2009 Paris, France - HUGE CROWDS JOIN FRENCH STRIKES - Huge crowds have taken to the streets in France to protest over the handling of the economic crisis, causing disruption to rail and air services. Unions said 2.5m workers had rallied to demand action to protect wages and jobs. Police put the total at 1m. President Nicolas Sarkozy said concerns over the crisis were legitimate and the government had to listen and act. He will meet union and business leaders next month to discuss what programme of reforms to follow this year, he said. Overall, the government estimated that a quarter of the country's public sector workers had joined the action, which was called by eight major French unions. The unions put the figure higher. A spokesman for the CGT union told AFP that 2.5m people across the country had taken part in the day's protests. French police put the number at just over 1m. CLICK HERE:Huge crowds join French strikes

Davos, Switzerland - TURKISH PM STORMS OFF IN GAZA ROW - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stormed off the stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos after an argument with Israel's president. Mr Erdogan clashed with Shimon Peres in a discussion on the recent fighting in the Gaza Strip, telling him: "You are killing people." Mr Peres said Mr Erdogan would have done the same had rockets hit Istanbul. Mr Erdogan accused the moderator of not allowing him to speak and said he did not think he would return to Davos. He was cut off as he attempted to reply to a passionate defence of Israel's actions made by Mr Peres. Turkey is one of the few Muslim countries to have dealings with Israel, but relations have been under strain since the Islamist-rooted AK Party was elected to power in 2002. "I do not think I will be coming back to Davos after this because you do not let me speak," Mr Erdogan shouted before marching off the stage in front of Mr Peres, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and an elite audience of ministers and international officials. CLICK HERE:Turkish PM storms off in Gaza row


---

28.01.2009 Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA HALTS MISSILE DEPLOYMENT - Russia's military has announced it will halt its plans to deploy short-range missiles in its Baltic enclave Kaliningrad, Interfax news agency says. A Russian military official said a change in US attitude had prompted the latest decision, Interfax reports. The US envoy to Nato, Kurt Volker, said that if true, the suspension would be a "very positive step", the Reuters news agency reported. Russia had said the US missile shield plan in Europe was a direct threat. In November last year, Mr Medvedev announced that short-range Iskander missiles would be deployed in Kaliningrad, bordering Poland, to neutralise the perceived US threat. The US has insisted that its plan to base radars and interceptor missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic is designed solely to guard against attack by "rogue states", such as Iran. CLICK HERE:Russia halts missile deployment

The Holy See - POPE IN BID TO DAMPEN BISHOP DISPTEPope Benedict XVI has expressed "full and indisputable solidarity" with Jews, distancing himself from a bishop who denies the Nazis used gas chambers. Briton Richard Williamson was among four bishops whose excommunications were lifted by the Pope last week. Bishop Williamson said recently: "I believe there were no gas chambers". Jewish leaders, marking Holocaust Remembrance Day, reacted angrily to the rehabilitation of the bishop, saying it had harmed Catholic-Jewish dialog. The Pope told a Vatican audience on Wednesday the Holocaust "should be a warning for all against forgetting, denial and reductionism". "While I renew with affection the expression of my full and unquestionable solidarity with our [Jewish] brothers, I hope the memory of the Shoah [Holocaust] will induce humanity to reflect on the unpredictable power of hate when it conquers the heart of man," he said, but Nobel Peace Prize winner and death camp survivor Elie Wiesel said that the Pope, by lifting the excommunications, had given credence to "the most vulgar aspect of anti-Semitism". CLICK HERE:Pope in bid to dampen bishop dispute

Brussels, Belgium - GLOBAL CALLS FOR GLOBAL CARBON MARKET - The European Commission has called for a global carbon trading market as part of a plan to tackle climate change. The EU is already committed to expanding its Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), but now it is urging other industrialized countries to join in. The commission says that by 2015 it wants to link the ETS to other carbon trading systems. The goal is to include emerging economies by 2020. A UN climate conference in Copenhagen in December is to strive for a deal. The commission proposals presented on Wednesday are designed as the EU's contribution to the UN debate, with the aim of getting a new global pact on measures to tackle climate change. CLICK HERE:EU calls for global carbon market

Madrid, Spain - SPAIN ECONOMY ENTERS RECESSIONSpain's economy is in recession for the first time since 1993, according to figures from the Spanish central bank. The Bank of Spain said gross domestic product (GDP) fell 1.1% in the final quarter of 2008, following a 0.2% decline in the third quarter. The Spanish government has already forecast that the country's GDP will shrink by 1.6% during 2009. Spain has the worst unemployment rate in the EU, with 13.9% of the workforce out of a job. The latest labour figures from the Bank of Spain showed that unemployment rose by 3% in the quarter. The eurozone as a whole entered recession in November. CLICK HERE:Spain economy enters recession


---

27.01.2009 Reykjavik, Iceland - NEW COALITION TALKS FOR ICELAND - Iceland's President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson has asked the leader of the Social Democratic Alliance to try to form a new interim government. He told reporters he had asked party leader Ingibjorg Gisladottir to hold talks with the Left Green Party on forming a minority coalition. Conservative Prime Minister Geir Haarde announced his government's collapse on Monday, after weeks of economic crisis. The interim government would run the country until elections in May. The announcement came after Mr Grimsson held individual talks with Ms Gisladottir, the outgoing foreign minister, and the leader of the Left Green Party, Steingrimmur Sigfusson. The two parties disagree on a number of issues but the president said he believed a coalition could be formed swiftly, and would be backed by the Progressive Party. CLICK HERE:New coalition talks for Iceland
Calais, France - FRENCH MIGRANT CAMP REVISITED - GEORGIA SEIZES RUSSIAN SOLDIER -France's immigration minister is to visit Calais as concerns grow that calls for asylum seeker facilities will attract more migrants to the town. A Red Cross center in nearby Sangatte was closed in 2002 after an agreement between the French and UK governments. Aid agencies say migrants gathering in the port should be given better shelter and are calling for a new centre. The UK Border Agency says it will continue to work with France in fighting illegal migration. CLICK HERE:French migrant camp revisited
Tbilisi, Georgia - Russia has accused Georgia of capturing a Russian soldier in the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia, Russian news agencies report. A Russian defence ministry spokesman said soldier Alexander Glukhov had been seized in the Akhalgori region. Georgia's interior ministry said the soldier had surrendered to its police, requesting Georgian citizenship. The Akhalgori region was under Tbilisi's control until last August's war between Georgia and Russia. During the brief war, Georgia's attempts to regain control of South Ossetia were repelled by Russian forces. Tbilisi has urged Moscow to withdraw forces from Akhalgori after the conflict ended with an EU-brokered ceasefire. CLICK HERE:Georgia seizes Russian soldier


---

26.01.2009 Reykjavik, Iceland - CRISIS CLAIMS ICELANDIC CABINET -Iceland's coalition government has collapsed under the strain of an escalating economic crisis. Conservative Prime Minister Geir Haarde announced the resignation of his cabinet, after talks with his Social Democratic coalition partners failed. He said he could not accept the Social Democrats' demand to lead the country. Iceland's financial system collapsed in October under the weight of debt, leading to a currency crisis, rising unemployment and daily protests. The economy is forecast to shrink by almost 10% this year. The coalition between Mr Haarde's Independence Party and Foreign Minister Ingibjorg Gisladottir's Social Democratic Alliance had been under strain in recent months. Mr Haarde told reporters on Monday: "We couldn't accept the Social Democratic demand that they would lead the government." The Independence Party currently controls 25 of the country's 63 parliamentary seats, to the Social Democrats' 18. CLICK HERE:Crisis claims Icelandic cabinet

Amsterdam, Netherlands - ING TO SHED 7000 JOBS THIS YEAR - Dutch banking giant ING has said it is to cut 7,000 jobs as it seeks to save 1bn euros ($1.29bn; £949m). No breakdown has been given yet as to where the jobs will be lost from the bank's 130,000 workforce. The troubled bank and insurer also said that its chief executive, Michel Tilmant, had resigned. In October, the Dutch government pumped 10bn euros into ING to help it in the economic crisis. ING now expects to make a 2008 loss of 1bn euros. ING, one of the world's top 20 banks by market capitalisation and with 85 million clients, will also use a Dutch state guarantee for its loans portfolio. The bank said the Dutch government would cover 80% of its 27.7bn euros residential mortgage-backed securities. CLICK HERE:ING to shed 700 jobs this year


---

25.01.2009 Alloway, Scotland - SCOTS CELEBRATE BURNS 250TH BIRTHDAY - Thousands of people have taken part in events to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, Scotland's national bard. The celebrations were led by First Minister Alex Salmond. It also marked the launch of a year-long program of events which the Scottish Government hopes will raise the country's profile. A procession took place in Dumfries and there were further events which took place in Alloway, Burns' birthplace. Sunday's events began with Mr Salmond attending a church service in Alloway, while Culture Minister Linda Fabiani and the Duke of Buccleuch took part in another commemorative event in Dumfries. Mr Salmond later attended a wreath-laying ceremony at a statue of Burns in Ayr and then went on to the Dumfries lantern procession attended by thousands. CLICK HERE:Scots celebrate Burns 250th birthda

Port Talbot, Wales - CORUS SET TO CUT 2000 JOBS IN UKSteelmaker Corus is set to cut 3,500 jobs worldwide, including more than 2,000 in the UK, the BBC understands. Corus said it could not comment on rumour or speculation, but the company, like all steelmakers, is facing an unprecedented downturn in demand. One union official told the BBC Corus would announce its restructuring plans to workers at 0930 GMT on Monday. Corus, a subsidiary of India's Tata Steel, employs 24,000 people in the UK and 42,000 worldwide. According to the Sunday Times, the Anglo-Dutch steelmaker is not planning to close any of its British plants. Corus's main UK sites are at Port Talbot, Scunthorpe and Teesside. It also has a site in Rotherham. CLICK HERE:Corus set to cut 2000 jobs in UK

London, England - POLICE SHOULD PROBE UK UPPER HPOUSE CASE - The Liberal Democrats have called for a police inquiry into allegations that four Labour peers were prepared to accept money to change proposed laws. Home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said if the claims, made in the Sunday Times newspaper, were true a criminal offence would have been committed. The four are said to have offered to amend laws in return for up to £120,000, claims that they all deny. The Leader of the House of Lords has promised a full investigation. Lady Royall said she had spoken to the men concerned and would be "pursuing the matter with utmost vigor", while a Lords committee is expected to undertake an inquiry soon. Unlike MPs, members of the House of Lords who breach the rules on acceptable conduct cannot be suspended, although they can be "named and shamed" on the floor of Parliament. CLICK HERE:Police should probe UK upper house case


---

24.01.2009 The Holy See - PAPAL MOVE IGNITES HOLOCAUST DISPUTE - The Pope has lifted the excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church of four bishops appointed by a breakaway archbishop more than 20 years ago. One of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre's appointees, Briton Richard Williamson, outraged Jews by saying the Nazi gas chambers did not exist. Two of the other three appointees are French while the fourth is Argentinean. Israel's envoy to the Vatican said the papal decision would "cast a shadow on relations with Jews". "We have no intention of interfering in the internal workings of the Catholic Church, however, the eagerness to bring a Holocaust denier back into the Church will cast a shadow on relations between Jews and the Catholic Church," Mordechai Lewy told Reuters news agency. Lefebvre, who died in 1991, rebelled against liberal reforms in the Church, such as the end of the Latin Mass. He opposed replacing the traditional Mass with services in national languages. The Vatican said the excommunications had been lifted after the bishops affirmed their willingness to accept Church teachings and papal authority. CLICK HERE:Papal move ignites holocaust dispute


Lampedusa, Italy - MIGRANTS ON ITALIAN ISLAND ESCAPE -Hundreds of illegal immigrants have broken out of a detention cener on the Italian island of Lampedusa and are staging a protest, officials have said. Lampedusa mayor Bernardino De Rubeis told the AFP news agency the center's security fence had been toppled and that about 700 immigrants had escaped. They are said to be complaining about conditions at the camp, which was built for 850 but is currently holding 1,800. On Friday, the UN urged Rome to address the "difficult humanitarian situation". The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) expressed mounting concern about overcrowding. Hundreds have been forced to sleep outdoors in the cold. The UNHCR also criticised a government decision to hold those who survive the perilous sea-crossing on the Mediterranean island until their cases are decided. Previously, they were sent to other centers. CLICK HERE:Migrants on Italian island escape


---

23.01.2009 London, England - UK ECONOMY IN RECESSION - POPE LAUNCHES VATICAN ON YOUTUBEThe UK is now in recession for the first time since 1991, official government figures have confirmed. Gross domestic product fell by 1.5% in the last three months of 2008 after a 0.6% drop in the previous quarter. That means that the widely accepted definition of a recession - two consecutive quarters of falling economic growth - has been met. It represents the biggest quarter-on-quarter decline since 1980, and a 1.8% fall on the same quarter a year ago. The worse-than-expected contraction sent sterling to a 24-year low against the dollar, with one pound buying $1.355. Meanwhile the FTSE 100 index fell almost 2%, below 4,000 points. CLICK HERE:UK economy in recession

The Holy See - POPE LAUNCHES VATICAN ON YOUTUBE - Pope Benedict XVI has launched his own dedicated channel on the popular video sharing website, YouTube. Video and audio footage of his speeches as well as news of the Holy See will be posted on the site, the Vatican says. Although the Vatican has its own website, the YouTube venture represents its biggest reach into cyberspace, says the BBC's Duncan Kennedy in Rome. Vatican officials say it is aimed at everyone from devout Catholics to the casual web user, but there is a debate within the Catholic Church about the value of the internet as a missionary tool, our correspondent says. The 81-year-old Pope's first YouTube message spoke of a new way to spread hope around the world:. CLICK HERE:Pope launches Vatican on YouTube

Reykjavik, Iceland - ICELAND ANNOUNCES EARLY ELECTION - Icelandic Prime Minister Geir Haarde has called an early general election for May 9, adding that he will not stand again because of a throat tumor. Mr Haarde plans to have surgery abroad following a medical examination that revealed the malignant growth, he said. He said a new chairman would lead the party in the elections. There have been several protests against the government since October, when Iceland's financial system collapsed in the global credit crunch. On Wednesday, angry protesters surrounded Mr Haarde's car outside the government building in the capital Reykjavik, banging on the vehicle's windows and pelting it with eggs. CLICK HERE:Iceland announces eraly election

Paris, France - FRANCE'S JUSTICE MINISTER TO RESIGN - French Justice Minister Rachida Dati, the first politician of North African origin to hold a senior cabinet post in France, is stepping down. Ms Dati, 43, has attracted criticism for her management style and gossip about her clothes and love life. She is to run for the ruling UMP party in the June European elections. President Nicolas Sarkozy did not explain why she was quitting, but made it clear that she could not stay in the cabinet if she became a Euro MP. While her move has been confirmed by the UMP, Ms Dati herself has not yet commented on it. She will be number two on the center-right UMP's list for the Paris region, after Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier. So she is almost certain to get elected to the European Parliament, correspondents say. Earlier this month she came under fire from women's groups for returning to work just five days after giving birth. CLICK HERE:France's justice minister to resign


---

22.01.2009 Berlin, Germany - FORMER GERMAN POST OFFICE DIRECTOR IN TAX EVASIONN TRIAL - The former head of Germany's Deutsche Post, Klaus Zumwinkel, has gone on trial for tax evasion. He pleaded guilty to charges of avoiding paying nearly 1m euros in taxes (more than £900,000) in 2003-07. He is one of the most high-profile German executives to be prosecuted for tax fraud. Prosecutors allege that Mr Zumwinkel used a foundation created in Liechtenstein to defraud the state by transferring huge amounts to it. Mr Zumwinkel was arrested last year after his name and bank details had featured on a data disc sold by a Liechtenstein bank official to the German secret services. On the opening day of the trial, Deutsche Post's former chief executive admitted evading taxes. He described his actions as the biggest mistake of his life and promised to bear the consequences. Following his arrest, the tiny principality of Liechtenstein came under intense international pressure to make its financial institutions more transparent. CLICK HERE:Former German Post Office director in tax evasion trial

London, England - LABOUR EX-CABINET MINISTER IN PARTY DONATIONS FIASCO - Peter Hain was guilty of "serious and substantial" failures in not registering donations, the Commons standards watchdog has said. The former cabinet minister was cleared last month by police over the late declaration of £103,000 of donations to his Labour deputy leadership bid, but he has been rapped by the Commons Standards and Privileges Committee. Mr Hain said the committee had accepted his mistakes were "honest" and he would be making an apology in the Commons. In a statement, Mr Hain said: "The Cabinet Secretary stated that I complied fully with the Ministerial Code, the Crown Prosecution Service exonerated me and now the Parliamentary authorities have also accepted that the mistakes I made were honest mistakes. "I have been asked to repeat my apology on the floor of the Commons which I am happy to do." The Commons Standards and Privileges Committee said the scale of the rule breach caused "justified public concern.". CLICK HERE:Ex-Labour cabinet minister in party donations fiasco

Ankara, Turkey - MORE ARRESTS IN TURKEY COUP PROBE - Up to 30 people have been arrested across Turkey in connection with an ongoing investigation i nto an alleged plot to topple the government. Those detained include a union leader as well as a number of army officers and special force police officers. Eighty-six people have been on trial since October, accused of an ultra-nationalist plot to stoke unrest and provoke the army to launch a coup. Critics say the ruling AK party is simply arresting its secular opponents. Around 30 people were detained in a separate wave of arrests earlier this month. CLICK HERE:More arrests in Turkey coup probe


---

21.01.2009 London, England - UK UNEMPLOYMENT NEARS 2 MILLION BY FALLING STERLING - UK unemployment was 1.92 million between September and November, up 131,000 from the previous three months, the highest level since September 1997. That does not include the tens of thousands of jobs cut since November. The number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance increased 77,900 to 1.16 million in December, according to the Office for National Statistics. "Every job loss, every redundancy, is a matter of regret and sadness for us all," said Prime Minister Gordon Brown. "We may not be able to help people keep their existing job, but we will help people get into a new job," he added, during Prime Minister's Questions. Leader of the Opposition David Cameron said, "It is clear that the British economy faces dark days indeed." He added that there was "no real confidence that government policies are working".CLICK HERE:
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT(COMMENT: The economic situation is fast approaching the critical stage and requires drastic measures, namely the establishment of a national government with widest possible responsibility. There is hardly time for a general election.)

London, England - EX-KGB SPY BUYS UK NEWSPAPER FOR 1 POUND - Russian ex-KGB agent Alexander Lebedev is to buy the London Evening Standard newspaper for the sum of £1. The paper's publisher, the Daily Mail & General Trust (DMGT), said it had agreed to the sale of a majority interest in the paper to Mr Lebedev. The billionaire businessman is believed to have made an offer for approximately a 76% share of the paper. He has previously revealed that he used the paper to find out information when he was a young spy based in London. DMGT said the Evening Standard would pass into the hands of Evening Press, a company formed by Mr Lebedev and his son Evgeny Lebedev and owned by Lebedev Holdings. DMGT's Associated Newspapers division is to retain a minority share of 24.9% in the new firm, called Evening Standard Ltd. CLICK HERE:Ex-KGB spy buys UK newspaper for 1 pound

London, England - DISPUTE OVER CLARKE EUROPE COMMENTS - Ken Clarke is reported to have warned against the Tories taking a "right-wing nationalist" stance on Europe shortly before returning to the shadow cabinet. The MP, who was made shadow business secretary this week, is quoted as telling a conference in December that this would alienate Barack Obama. Labour said this was a correct analysis of Tory policy on Europe, which was to "isolate the UK". But the Conservatives said this was an "absurd interpretation" of the remarks. Mr Clarke, seen as one of the most Europhile Tory MPs, has sometimes been at odds with the party's leadership on the issue, but on his return to the shadow cabinet, the former chancellor said he would vote in favour of leader David Cameron's policies. However, a debate at Nottingham University in December is quoted on the publicservice.co.uk website, in which he addresses party policy ahead of Mr Obama assuming the US presidency. ...The article reports Mr Clarke saying: "A lot will depend on relations with Europe, because Obama doesn't want his strongest European ally led by a rightwing nationalist. CLICK HERE:Dispute over Clarke Europe comments

London, England - ALLEGEDLY POLICE AGAIN ENTERED MP OFFICE WITHOUT SEARCH WARRANT - A Conservative MP has alleged that police entered his Commons office without a search warrant demanding to see constituency correspondence. Daniel Kawczynski said he found it "disgraceful" after the controversy over the arrest of shadow immigration minister Damian Green last year. The MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham said he had handed over the letter. He said the inquiry related to a Shrewsbury-postmarked letter containing "white powder" sent to a minister. Mr Kawczynski said it was to his "eternal shame" that he had complied by handing over the letter. His comments follow the arrest of shadow immigration minister Mr Green, and the search of his Commons offices, last year. Mr Kawczynski said the investigation related to a letter sent to Schools Secretary Ed Balls, which contained white powder that later turned out to be flour. The letter had been sent from his constituency, he added. CLICK HERE:Allegedly police again entered MP office without search warrant

Berlin, Germany - GERMAN UNEMPLOYMENT TO AVERAGE 8.4% IN 2009 - Germany has predicted that its economy will shrink by 2.25% in 2009, which would be its worst performance in the post-World War II era. The downgraded forecast is much lower than the previous prediction of 0.2% growth, made in October. Germany's economy accounts for about a third of eurozone output. "There is no precedent in post-war history for this economic decline that we unfortunately have to forecast," said economy minister Michael Glos. Mr Glos predicted that exports - a key factor in German growth in recent years - would slump by 8.9% this year. He also said that the jobless rate would climb to an average of 8.4% in 2009, from 7.8% in 2008. CLICK HERE:German unenemployment to average 8.4% this year

Amsterdam, Netherlands - DUTCH MP TO BE CHARED OVER ISLAM FILM - A Dutch court has ordered prosecutors to put a right-wing politician on trial for making anti-Islamic statements. Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders made a controversial film last year equating Islam with violence and has likened the Koran to Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf. "In a democratic system, hate speech is considered so serious that it is in the general interest to... draw a clear line," the court in Amsterdam said. Mr Wilders said the judgement was an "attack on the freedom of expression". "Participation in the public debate has become a dangerous activity. If you give your opinion, you risk being prosecuted," he said. Not only he, but all Dutch citizens opposed to the "Islamization" of their country would be on trial, Mr Wilders warned. "Who will stand up for our culture if I am silenced?" he added. CLICK HERE:Dutch MP to be charged over Islam film


---

20.01.2009 Washington, DC - 44TH US PRESIDENT INAUGURATED - New US President Barack Obama has used his inaugural address to pledge a "new era of responsibility" in a time of crisis at home and abroad. Mr Obama spoke after taking the oath of office as America's 44th president - and its first African-American leader. More than one million people gathered in the National Mall in a wintry Washington DC, to see Mr Obama take the oath shortly after 1200 (1700 GMT). He later set off on an inaugural parade that will take him to the White House. The new president is due to attend a series of balls later, but a shadow was cast over Mr Obama's celebrations in the hours after his swearing-in, as veteran Senator Ted Kennedy collapsed during the inaugural lunch at Congress. Mr Kennedy, whose support was seen as influential in winning over Democratic voters for Mr Obama, has been seriously ill with a brain tumour and has previously undergone surgery. In his first speech as president, Mr Obama said his country faced a number of challenges but was entering a "new era of responsibility". Mr Obama made reference to the scale of his achievement at being the first black American elected to the White House, in a remark that gathered one of the biggest cheers of the speech. "This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed... why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath." CLICK HERE:44th US president inaugurated
CLICK HERE:Full text of Obama inauguration speech

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA OPENS GAS TAPS TO EUROPE - Russia has resumed gas supplies to Ukraine and Europe, raising hopes of an end to weeks of shortages. Officials confirmed that gas had reached Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria - some of the countries worst hit by the disruption to supplies. The move comes after the Russian and Ukrainian prime ministers agreed a new contract on the price of gas. Millions of Europeans have been without heat since the failure to renew the old contract, which expired on January 1. EU states import a quarter of their gas from Russia and 80% of supplies come via Ukraine. Almost 20 countries in Europe have been affected by the dispute. Some countries, including Bulgaria and Slovakia, rely almost entirely on Russia for gas, pumped via Ukraine. They have had to shut down industrial plants and domestic heating systems, find alternative sources of gas or switch energy plants to oil. People have struggled to heat homes and schools.CLICK HERE:Russia opens gas taps to Europe

Paris, France - CHINESE PM EU VISIT SNUBS FRANCE - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is due to travel to Europe next week, the foreign ministry has announced - but his trip will pointedly exclude France. Mr Wen will visit Germany, Spain and Britain, as well as the EU in Brussels and the World Economic Forum in Davos. Correspondents say Beijing continues to snub Paris because of a meeting between President Nicolas Sarkozy and the Dalai Lama late last year. China reacted at the time by cancelling a scheduled summit with the EU. Mr Wen's visit is being seen by analysts as a sign it is ready to mend relations with European leaders following the heated row last year over China's crackdown on Tibetan protesters. "We hope that the visit will further enhance mutual understanding and trust," foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters. "Setbacks that have happened in the past are not what we want to see," she said. This attempt at a rapprochement does not appear to include France. Ms Jiang gave no reason as to why Mr Wen's visit did not include meeting the French, but correspondents say officials in Beijing are still angry at Mr Sarkozy's meeting with the Dalai Lama. The Chinese foreign ministry recently warned that the future of China's ties with France depended on whether Paris was prepared to "correct its wrongdoing" over Tibet. CLICK HERE:Chinese PM EU trip snubs France


---

19.01.2009 London, England - PRO-EUROPEAN KEN CLARKE RETURNS TO TORY SHADOW-CABINET - Former chancellor Ken Clarke has expressed "delight" at rejoining the Conservatives' front bench team, as shadow business secretary. He said he had thought carefully about returning to frontline politics and decided to do so to tackle "the gravest economic crisis I have known". The pro-European said he accepted the party had a "settled view" on the issue and he would not oppose its policy. David Cameron said Mr Clarke, 68, was a "big figure" with "great experience". "Ken was the last chancellor of the exchequer to lead this country out of recession. He has more experience of dealing with tough economic challenges than Gordon Brown's entire cabinet," Mr Cameron said. CLICK HERE:Pro-European Ken Clarke reyiurns to Tory shadow-cabinet

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA AND UKRAINE SIGN GAS DEAL - Russia and Ukraine have signed a 10-year gas deal, which their prime ministers say will bring their long-running dispute to an end. Russia says its energy company Gazprom has been told to resume immediate gas flows to Ukraine and Europe. The EU has given a guarded response, saying the crisis would only be over once gas supplies resumed. Millions of Europeans have been without heat because of the dispute, which began on January 1st. Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said the transit of Russian gas to European consumers would begin as soon as the gas reached Ukraine. CLICK HERE:Russia and Ukraine sign gas deal

Moscow, Russia - PROMINENT RUSSIAN LAWYER KILLED - A top human rights lawyer who acted for the family of an 18-year-old Chechen woman murdered by a Russian army officer has been shot dead in Moscow. Stanislav Markelov, who acted for the family of Kheda Kungayeva, was shot by an unknown man after a news conference in the center of the Russian capital. He expressed outrage after the officer, Yuri Budanov, was released last week. Budanov was the first Russian officer to be prosecuted for killing a civilian during the conflict in Chechnya. He confessed to strangling Ms Kungayeva in 2000, saying he had acted in a fit of rage while interrogating her, suspecting she was a sniper. He was subsequently jailed for 10 years. CLICK HERE:Prominent Russian lawyer killed

Brussels, Belgian - EUROZONE ECONOMY TO SHRINK 1.9% - The eurozone economy will shrink 1.9% in 2009 and grow by only 0.4% in 2010, the European Commission has forecast. The Commission said in a statement that the whole European Union was facing a "deep and protracted recession". Unemployment in the the 16 countries using the euro is expected to exceed 10% in 2010, up from 7.5% in 2008. The commission hopes it will be possible "to create the conditions for a gradual recovery in the second part of 2009" in the eurozone economy. Economy Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said in a statement it would be achieved through "measures to stabilise the financial markets, the easing of monetary policy and the economic recovery plans". The commission said annual inflation in the 16 countries using the euro would be 1% in 2009 and 1.8% a year later. CLICK HERE:Eurozone economy to shrink 1.9%

Brussels, Belgium - TURKEY TRIES TO REVIVE EU DRIVE - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is in Brussels for talks on his country's flagging bid to join the EU. Mr Erdogan said accession remained a "top priority" for Turkey, before holding talks with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. It is his first visit since 2004, when the EU agreed to open accession talks. Correspondents say a flurry of democratic reforms to reach that goal has since foundered, and many see 2009 as decisive for Turkey's EU ambitions. Last week, Mr Erdogan asked a close aide, Egemen Bagis, to be the country's first full-time negotiator for the accession talks. At the start of his three-day visit to Brussels, Mr Erdogan insisted that EU accession remained a "top priority" for his country. "I hope there will be a leap in 2009," he told a news conference. CLICK HERE:Turkey tries to revive EU drive


---

18.01.2009 Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany - SPD LEFTIST LEANING HALTED - Hesse state election results according to exit polls: CDU: 37.2/36.9 - SPD: 23.7/23.8 - FDP: 16.1/16.5 - Greens: 13.9/13.8 - Left: 5.2/5.3 per cent. Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel has taken over a wasteland from.Andrea Ypsilanti. The leading candidate has won over the leadership of the Hesse-SPD with a courageous election campaign. However, the will to move forward has not been realized with him. The frustration in the party is simply too great. CLICK HERE:SPD'S leftist leaning halted


---

17.01.2009 Moscow, Russia - The Russian and Ukrainian prime ministers have struck a deal to resume Russian natural gas exports to Europe via Ukraine as soon as Tuesday. Vladimir Putin and Yulia Tymoshenko reached the agreement after a day of delicate talks in Moscow. Under the deal, Ukraine will start paying for Russian gas at the much-higher European prices from next year. The dispute between Moscow and Kiev has disrupted gas supplies to much of Europe for almost two weeks. "In the very near future, transit - and the Ukrainian side has assured us to this effect, will resume," said Mr Putin, speaking alongside his Ukrainian counterpart on Russian TV. Mrs Tymoshenko said that the two countries' energy companies, Gazprom and Naftohaz, had been instructed to draw up the relevant contracts by Monday. CLICK HERE:Gas to flow after Moscow deal


---

16.01.2009 Berlin, Germany - PUTIN: GAS SOLUTION CLOSER - Russian PM Vladimir Putin says a deal to end the European gas crisis may be nearer, after discussing the formation of a consortium to transfer gas. Speaking in Germany, he said: "We are approaching interesting agreements which could lead to a solution." He spoke following meetings with European energy companies which he hopes can enable transit via Ukraine. He also criticized the EU, saying it had sided with Ukraine in the two countries' contractual dispute. Mr Putin said it was intolerable that Russia be expected to supply the "technical gas" needed by Ukraine to keep pressure up in its pipes to transfer gas to Europe. He said a deal was being brokered between Russia's Gazprom and other European firms, including Germany's E.on, Gaz de France and Italy's Eni, under which they would supply the technical gas. It is not clear whether Ukraine would accept such a deal. Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, following talks with Mr Putin, said moves to resume gas supplies through Ukraine's pipelines could soon enter a "test phase". CLICK HERE:Putin:Gas solution closer


---

15.01.2009 London, England - EX-KGB SPY IN BID TO BUY UK NEWSPAPER - A Russian ex-KGB agent could soon be in control of London daily newspaper the Evening Standard. Billionaire businessman Alexander Lebedev is believed to have made an offer for a 76% share of the paper. He has previously revealed that he used the paper to find out information when he was a young spy based in London. Owner Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) is believed to be considering the offer, although the company has made no official comment. DMGT chairman Lord Rothermere is thought to have already rebuffed a bid Mr Lebedev made for the paper last month. BBC media correspondent Torin Douglas said the paper had been hit by the advertising downturn and a fierce free newspaper battle in London. ... Mr Lebedev has described the Standard as a "very good newspaper" with some "brilliant journalists". His fortune, which is reported to be worth around $3.1bn (£2.1bn), was made mostly through banking, insurance companies and from his stake in the Russian airline Aeroflot. In 2006, he teamed up with ex-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to buy the Russian paper Novaya Gazeta. CLICK HERE:Ex-KGB spy in bid to buy UK newspaper

Frankfurt, Germany - The European Central Bank (ECB) has cut eurozone interest rates by half a percentage point to 2%. The ECB has now reduced rates four times from 4.25% in September as it continues efforts to bolster the eurozone economy. In comments after the announcement, ECB chairman Jean-Claude Trichet suggested another rate cut would come in March. According to official figures, the eurozone has been in recession since September of last year. The latest rate cut also affects Slovakia, which this month became the 16th country to adopt the euro. "If we get more significant disappointments coming through, the market will continue to look for further rate cuts" Dresdner Kleinwort economist Rainer Guntermann said. CLICK HERE:Eurozone interest rates cut to 2%

Brussels, Belgium - EURO INFLATION HITS 26-MONTH LOW - Eurozone inflation fell to a 26-month low in December, thanks to a big decline in the price of energy bills, official figures have shown. Inflation in the 15 countries that were using the euro in December, before Slovakia joined this month, fell to an annual rate of 1.6%. This compares with 2.1% in November, and came after energy bills, including the price of petrol, fell 3.7%. The data comes as the European Central Bank is expected to cut interest rates. CLICK HERE:Euro inflation hits 26-month low

Moscow, Russia - SCHROEDER TO JOIN BOARD OG TNK-BP - Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is to join the board of Russo-British oil giant TNK-BP. BP and its Russian billionaire partners in TNK-BP spent much of 2008 in battle for control of the firm. He will be one of three independent directors appointed to try to prevent further problems amongst the board. He joins James Leng, named on Wednesday as new chairman of Rio Tinto, and Alexander Shokhin, of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. "The counsel of such a distinguished statesman [as Mr Schroder], who brings both enormous geopolitical experience and a history of strong relationships with Russia, gives me particular confidence that the next chapter in the progress of TNK-BP will be good for all shareholders and for Russia," said BP chief cxecutive Tony Hayward. CLICK HERE:Schroeder to join board of TNK-BP

Moscow, Russia - EU TO ATTEND GAS SUMMIT IN MOSCOW - Top EU officials plan to join Russia and Ukraine in high-level talks in Moscow to resolve the gas crisis. The Russian and Ukrainian governments have confirmed that they will hold talks in Moscow on Saturday. EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs and Czech Energy Minister Martin Riman will attend, the commission says. No gas is flowing via Ukraine to Central and Eastern European countries, some of which are rationing gas amid cold weather and diminishing reserves. German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that Russia could damage its reputation as a reliable energy supplier if the row continued. She is due to meet Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Germany on Friday. CLICK HERE:EU to attend gas summit in Moscow

Vienna, Austria - AUSTRIAN POLICE HUNT CHECHEN'S KILLERS - Human rights groups have urged the Austrian government to bring to justice the killers of a Chechen dissident who was shot dead on a Vienna street. Umar Israilov, 27, was killed by two gunmen on Tuesday, Austrian media say. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Memorial Human Rights Center said the victim had told police in Austria that he was being followed. Mr Israilov, a former Chechen rebel, had accused the Russian-backed Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov of torturing him. Mr Israilov, a former bodyguard for Mr Kadyrov who later fled, filed a complaint against the Chechen president with the European Court of Human Rights in 2006. Austrian police arrested a suspect on Tuesday near St Poelten, 80km (50 miles) west of Vienna, in connection with the shooting, local media report. CLICK HERE:Austrian police hunt Chechen's killers


---

14.01.2009 Moscow, Russia - EU WARNS OF LEGAL ACTION OVER GAS - The European Commission has warned Russian and Ukrainian gas companies of legal action over a dispute which has left many Europeans without heat. Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said he would advise EU energy companies to sue unless Gazprom and Naftogaz move fast to restore supplies. Bulgarian, Slovak and Moldovan prime ministers have held talks in Moscow and Kiev but the deadlock remains. Supplies remain cut off because of a row between Russia and Ukraine. Mr Barroso told the European Parliament the dispute between Ukraine and Russia was "most unacceptable and incredible". He said if agreements, sponsored by the European Union, are not observed "as a matter of urgency", he would advise energy companies that have deals with Gazprom and Naftogaz, to file lawsuits against them. CLICK HERE:EU warns of legal action over gas

Athens, Greece - GROUP CLAIMS GREEK POLICE ATTACKS - A left-wing militant group has claimed responsibility for shooting and seriously injuring a 21-year-old police officer last week, police say. In a statement sent to a newspaper, Revolutionary Struggle also said it was behind a gun attack on a police bus on December 23, in which no-one was hurt. Revolutionary Struggle has carried out attacks before, including firing a rocket at the US embassy in Athens. Analysts say they fear Greece's recent unrest could fuel domestic terrorism. The attacks follow Greece's worst riots in decades, sparked by the fatal police shooting of a teenager in Athens in early December. CLICK HERE:Group claims Greek police attacks

Sofia, Bulgaria - PROTESTERS FIGHT POLICE IN SOFIA - Anti-government protesters at a rally in the Bulgarian capital Sofia have clashed with police outside the parliament building. More than 2,000 people had been taking part in a peaceful rally when what the police described as a riot broke out. The rally involving students, farmers and activists was to protest about continued corruption and poverty. Bulgaria is rated as the most corrupt of the EU's 27 member states by Transparency International. Shouting "resign!" and "mafia!" the protesters threw bottles, smashed windows on the parliament building, and damaged police cars. When an anonymous bomb threat was received, the Deputy Mayor of Sofia, Yulya Nenkova, issued an order to break up the rally, local media reported. The police then used force to disperse the protesters, who were demanding the resignation of the Socialist-led government. CLICK HERE:Protesters fight police in Sofia

Peking, China - The Chinese government has increased its estimate of how much the economy grew during 2007. The revision means China's economy overtook Germany's to become the world's third largest in 2007. Gross domestic product expanded 13%, up from an earlier estimate of 11.9%, to 25.7 trillion yuan ($3.5 trillion). The figures underscore China's emergence as an economic superpower, although the country's growth rate is expected to have dropped to 9% in 2008. China's government is taking measures to try and ease the slowdown. The government has launched a 4 trillion yuan ($586bn) stimulus package and has promised measures to help struggling exporters and vehicle and steel makers. Individually, most of China's more than one billion people remain poor. Germany's GDP per person was $38,800 in 2007 compared with $2,800 in China, which has wide disparities between rich and poor. China's economy has grown tenfold in the past 30 years. Merrill Lynch economist Ting Lu predicted that it will overtake Japan as the world's second largest econom. "euro_news_clip" COMMENT(COMMENT: In embrasing capitalism communist China still remains a society with no social welfare structure, where there is no pension, and no free medical treatment for the old, many of whom live on less than a dollar a day, and are housed in less than 10 m2) )

---

13.01.2009 Moscow, Russia - RUSSIAN GAS TO EU BLOCKED - Russian gas giant Gazprom says Ukraine has blocked gas deliveries to Europe, dashing hopes of ending a row which has hit several countries' supplies. Gazprom deputy head Alexander Medvedev said Ukraine had failed to carry the gas onwards to Europe after it resumed pumping it across their border. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko called on Russia to "stop the blackmail" and work out an agreement. Hundreds of thousands of Europeans have been without gas for nearly a week. Moscow has been unable to resolve differences with Ukraine over debts and pricing. The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, at a pumping station on the Russian-Ukrainian border, says the latest twist in the dispute is symptomatic of the total lack of trust between the two countries. European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso telephoned Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to express disappointment at the low levels of gas flowing from Russia and at the apparent lack of access to dispatch centres for EU monitors, EU officials said. Mr Barroso said he would also discuss the problem with the Ukrainian leadership. Russia shut off the gas to Europe last Wednesday, accusing Kiev of stealing gas meant for other European customers.CLICK HERE:Russian gas to EU blocked

Berlin, Germany - GERMANY PROVIDES 50BN EURO STIMULUS - German Chancellor Angela Merkel has unveiled an economic stimulus package worth about 50bn euros ($67bn; £45bn) to kick-start Europe's largest economy. The measures include investments in railways, roads and schools, as well as a number of tax relief initiatives. It is aimed at helping the country during what some fear could be its worst recession since World War II. An earlier 23bn-euro plan to stimulate the economy, passed last month, was derided for being too cautious. "We will do everything possible to make sure Germany not only gets through this crisis but emerges stronger," Ms Merkel said. CLICK HERE:Germany provides 50bn euro stimulus

London, England - UK ECONOMIC TURNDOWN ALARMING - Business leaders have painted a bleak picture of the UK economy, with a survey suggesting the end of 2008 saw a "frightening deterioration". The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said its survey results were "awful" and the worst since it began in 1989. Elsewhere, a separate report suggested it had been the worst December for UK retail sales in at least 14 years. On 23 January, official figures are set to confirm the UK is in recession with six months of negative growth. The British Retail Consortium figures on sales from the High Street and online said that like-for-like sales in December were down 3.3% on a year ago while total sales shrank 1.4%. This is despite the government cut in value added tax (VAT), which took effect in December. CLICK HERE:UK economic downturn alarming

Brussels, Belgium - MEP'S BACK PESTICIDE CONTROLS - The European Parliament has voted to tighten rules on pesticide use and ban at least 22 chemicals deemed harmful to human health. The UK government, the Conservatives and the National Farmers' Union all oppose the new rules, saying they could hit yields and increase food prices. The rules have not yet been approved by the 27 member states' governments. The draft law would ban substances that can cause cancer or that can harm human reproduction or hormones. UK farmers say the law would "seriously threaten" UK food production. It could wipe out the carrot industry and seriously affect many other crops, the National Farmers' Union has warned. Certain pesticides are particularly useful in Britain to combat diseases associated with wet weather, such as potato blight. CLICK HERE:MEP's back pesticide controls


---

12.01.2009 Kiev, Ukraine - RUSSIA TO RESUME GAS SUPPLIES - Russia will resume pumping gas to third countries via Ukraine from Tuesday morning, following the completion of a monitoring deal, the EU says. The Czech presidency of the EU made the announcement following the signing of a deal by Russia, Ukraine and the EU. Hundreds of thousands of people in Europe have been left without gas since Russia turned off the taps over a contractual dispute with Ukraine. Despite the deal, it may be some time before supplies return to normal. Analysts say that in theory, supplies could return to normal within 24 hours but a more likely time frame is 36 to 48 hours. Under the gas transit deal, international pipeline monitors will verify the flow of Russian gas through Ukraine. CLICK HERE:Russia resumes gas supplies

Seine-Saint-Denis, France - GASOLINE BOMBS HIT FRENCH SYNAGOG - Two petrol bombs have been thrown at a synagog north of Paris, police have said, days after another French synagogue was attacked. Police in the Seine-Saint-Denis region said no injuries were caused, but a restaurant next door to the synagog was damaged. Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said the attack was "intolerable". The incident came amid tensions in France over the violence between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, now in its 17th day. Ms Alliot-Marie vowed to find and punish those who carried out the attack in Saint-Denis on Sunday. French officials have been keen to stress to Jewish and Muslim community leaders that the unrest in Gaza should not lead to violence in France. Protests against Israel's military action in Gaza attracted more than 100,000 people in France during the weekend. CLICK HERE:Gasoline bombs hit French synagog

Athens, Greece - SHIPPING MAGNATE KIDNAPPED IN GREECE - A Greek shipping magnate has been kidnapped at gunpoint near his home on the outskirts of Athens, police say. Pericles Panagopoulos was abducted, along with his driver, after their car was deliberately blocked in the seaside suburb of Kavouri. The two men were bundled into another vehicle, though the driver was released a short while later. Mr Panagopoulos, who is 70 and said to be in poor health, was the founder of Greece's largest ferry company, Attica. Police said the kidnapping appeared to have been carried out by three armed men. Mr Panagopoulos was taken away in a dark van, which was abandoned about 15km (10 miles) away, police said. The alarm was raised by a builder, who saw the kidnappers hustle their victim into another getaway vehicle. The chauffeur was left handcuffed in the van. CLICK HERE:Shipping magnate kidnapped in Greece

Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain - BASQUE LEADER'S TRIAL DISMISSED - A Spanish court has thrown out a case against the head of the Basque regional government, who was accused of illegal contacts with banned separatists. The court acted after the prosecution admitted that the contacts were not illegal, after all. Basque Nationalist politician Juan Jose Ibarretxe went on trial last week, along with two members of Spain's governing Socialist Party. They had met the separatist group Batasuna during a failed peace effort. Batasuna is the banned political wing of the militant group Eta. Five members of Batasuna were also on trial in the case, which was thrown out of court on Monday. The case had resulted from complaints filed by two conservative groups opposed to talks with Eta. CLICK HERE:Basque leader's trial dismissed


---

11.01.2009 Kiev, Ukraine - RUSSIA_UKRAINE GAS DEAL HITS SNAG - Russian energy giant Gazprom says a deal to re-start gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine will be delayed as it has not received a copy of the agreement. Kiev and Moscow signed the EU-brokered deal on Saturday. The new snag comes as EU observers arrived at gas pumping stations in Ukraine to monitor flow. Hundreds of thousands of people across Europe are without heating in the region's worst energy crisis in years. The underlying issue over pricing that provoked the dispute is unresolved. The weekend agreement followed days of intensive EU-led shuttle diplomacy between Russia and Ukraine. Moscow said that once the EU monitors were in place, it would turn the taps back on, bringing the crisis to an end. However, by late on Sunday, Gazprom said it had still not received a copy of the monitoring agreement "through official channels". "This is delaying our work and the start of monitors' work at the facilities," said Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov. Once gas starts to flow, it will still take at least 36 hours for it to reach hundreds of thousands of consumers in countries like Bulgaria, Serbia and Bosnia, in the grip of severe winter weather. CLICK HERE:


---

10.01.2009 Kiev, Ukraine - ACCORD SIGNED IN RUSSIA GAS DISPUTE - Russia and European Union officials have signed a deal, which pave the way for the re-opening of gas supplies to Europe.The deal, signed by Russian PM Vladimir Putin and Czech PM Mirek Topolanek, sets out how gas flowing to Europe through Ukraine will be monitored. Hundreds of thousands of European homes have no heating after gas shipments via Ukraine were halted on Wednesday. The Czech PM is going to Ukraine, which must sign the deal if it is to work. The deal followed five hours of talks between Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin and officials from the European Union."Let's sign and we will go immediately to Kiev to ask the same of the Ukrainian side, and so, we will end the crisis," said Mr Topolanek, who represented the EU. Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's office said she would meet Mr Topolanek in Kiev on Saturday evening. CLICK HERE:Accord signed in Russia gas dispute

Madrid, Spain - SPANISH INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT PLUNGES - Spanish industrial output fell by 15.1% in November, compared with the same month one year ago, the biggest fall on record and a sign of a deep recession.Analysts had expected output in factories and mines to drop by 11%. On Thursday, figures revealed that the country's unemployment rate hit a 12-year high in 2008 of 3 million. Retail sales across the 15 nations that share the euro rose unexpectedly in November, defying the gloom that pervades the eurozone economy. Spain, which has enjoyed 14 years of consecutive growth, is expected to enter a recession in the fourth quarter. GDP growth fell 0.2% in the third quarter and analysts forecast a 0.8% drop for the fourth quarter. The country has been particularly hard hit by the slowdown, partly because of the weakness in the construction sector. The figures indicate that the problem is not just in the construction sector, but also in manufacturing.CLICK HERE:Spanish industrial output plunges


---

9.01.2009 Kiev, Ukraine - EU GAS MONITORS ARRIVE IN UKRAINE - There are hopes that gas flows through Ukraine may soon be restored after the first EU monitors arrived to start checking pipelines from Russia. Hundreds of thousands of homes in Europe remain without heating amid plunging temperatures, following a row over gas between Russia and Ukraine, but Russia says shipments will resume when Russian, Ukrainian and EU monitors start work, possibly later in the day. It may still take several days for gas to reach some areas, however. "It will take at least three days," to get the whole system functioning again, EU energy spokesman Ferran Terradellas said. More than 15 countries have been hit by the shutdown of Russian supplies. Serbia and Bosnia-Hercegovina are among the worst hit, as many homes there rely on communal heating stations that only run on gas.CLICK HERE:EU gas monitors arrive in Ukraine

Athens, Greece - NEW VIOLENCE BREAKS OUT IN ATHENS - Police in Athens have clashed with protesters in a resumption of the violence that flared after last month's killing of a teenager by police. Hooded youths broke away from a student march against education reforms and threw stones and flares at riot police, who fired tear gas and flash grenades. The center- right Greek government has pledged to crack down on the rioting. Earlier this week a policeman was shot and badly injured in an attack feared linked to the unrest. The policeman underwent more surgery on Friday. Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis recently vowed that police would take a harder line against the "catastrophic violence" that swept Greece after the shooting of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos on December 6. The new deputy interior minister in the prime minister's reshuffled cabinet, Christos Markoyiannakis, has promised a "zero tolerance" approach to crime. Friday's clashes were the first test of that resolve.CLICK HERE:New clashes break out in Athens


---

8.01.2009 Brussels, Belgium - RUSSIA TO RESTORE GAS TO EUROPE - The Russian gas giant, Gazprom, says it will resume pumping gas to Europe once independent monitors are in place to check the flow to EU markets. Ukraine, whose dispute with Russia over pricing led to the crisis, said it would guarantee transit to Europe. Gazprom's announcement came after a morning of acrimonious talks in Brussels between Russian and Ukrainian gas executives and EU officials. The talks were aimed at ending the row that has seen supply to Europe cut off. Ten of thousands of homes in Europe have been left with no heating, a situation which the European Commission has described as completely unacceptable. The BBC's Dominic Hughes in Brussels says that after a morning of talks during which the war of words intensified, the two sides have been working towards a deal that will at least see supplies to Europe restored. CLICK HERE:Russia to restore gas to Europe

Prague, Czech Republic - CZECHS WARN ON EU FISCAL PLANS - The Czech Republic has warned the European Union against borrowing its way out of the global slowdown. The Czechs are the current holders of the rotating EU presidency."There is a risk that if discipline is not adhered to, we'll have real problems," finance minister Miroslav Kalousek said. He urged members to clamp down on increased public spending, even as the eurozone and the UK headed into recession. Mr Kalousek also said the economic downturn should not be made worse by "untrustworthy policies exercised by some countries", but did not name which member states he meant. The comments follow criticism last month by the German finance minister, Peer Steinbruck, of the UK's decision to cut VAT and raise the national debt to record levels. "It must be hoped that when the period of crisis is over, everybody will come back to fiscal and financial discipline," Mr Kalousek said. CLICK HERE:Czechs warn on EU fisvcal plans

Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain - BASQUE LEADER ON TRIAL IN SPAIN - The head of the Basque regional government in Spain has gone on trial over contacts with a banned party linked to the separatist group Eta. Juan Jose Ibarretxe, on trial in the city of Bilbao, is accused of holding talks with the Batasuna party in 2006. The talks took place during a failed attempt by Spain's Socialist government to negotiate peace with Eta. Two Socialist Party members, Patxi Lopez and Rodolfo Ares, also went on trial over contacts with Batasuna. All three politicians have admitted contacts with Batasuna, but stressed they were part of a campaign to reach a peaceful settlement. They are being sued by two Spanish conservative organisations opposed to talks with Eta. If found guilty, they could face prison terms and a ban on political activity. CLICK HERE:Basque leader on trial in Spain

Frankfurt, Germany - Commerzbank, Germany's second-biggest bank, has said it is to be partly nationalised, with the government taking a 25% stake, plus one share. The bank is to receive 10bn euros (£9bn; $13.7bn) in a second injection pf capital from the German banking sector stabilisation fund, Soffin. Commerzbank had been seeking help after its 5.1bn euro takeover of rival Dresdner Bank from insurer Allianz. It shares had fallen to a record low on Thursday ahead of the announcement. In a statement, the bank said: "The federal government will hold a stake of 25% plus one share in the new Commerzbank." Commerzbank originally announced its purchase of Dresdner in September, for 9.8bn euros. CLICK HERE:Commerzbank is part nationalized


---

7.01.2009 Kiev, Ukraine - DISPUTE HITS EU GAS SUPPIES - Exports of Russian gas to Europe via Ukraine appear to have completely stopped amid a dispute over gas supplies between the two countries. Heating systems shut down in some parts of central Europe, as outdoor temperatures plunged to -10C or lower. Russia and Ukraine have blamed each other, and the EU says it wants its own monitors to check the flow of gas. The EU depends on Russia for about a quarter of its total gas supplies, some 80% of which is pumped through Ukraine. The list of countries that have reported a total halt of Russian supplies via Ukraine includes Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Serbia, and Austria. Italy said it had received only 10% of its expected supply.The row comes amid a cold snap across Europe that is likely to push up demand for gas. Bulgaria says it has sufficient supplies for just a few more days. CLICK HERE:Dispute hits EU gas supplies

Sofia, Bularia - BULGARIA URGES RETURN TO NUCLEAR - Bulgaria's President Georgi Purvanov has suggested that a nuclear reactor deemed unsafe by the EU could be restarted to help cover gas shortages. Bulgaria is one of several countries to have reported falling gas supplies after Russia reduced its exports amid a contractual row with Ukraine. Mr Purvanov said Bulgaria needed to reactivate the Kozloduy unit as "a more critical situation is hardly possible". The European Commission said it had not received a formal Bulgarian request. Ferran Tarradellas, spokesman for the EU energy commissioner, told the BBC that Bulgaria met its commitments to shut down reactors three and four at Kozloduy as part of its accession to the EU, and the EU saw no reason to reverse that process.Referring to reactor three on Tuesday, Mr Purvanov said "preparations for a restart of the reactor must begin immediately". CLICK HERE:BUlgaria urges return to nuclear

Paris, France - FRANCE TO ANNOUNCE JUSTICE REFORM - President Nicolas Sarkozy is expected to announce major changes to the French judiciary, bringing it closer to the system in the English-speaking world. According to the French newspaper Le Monde, Mr Sarkozy wants to abolish investigating magistrates, who currently act as independent judges. The changes would allow state prosecutors and the police to take the lead in investigations instead. Critics say the move would leave the system open to political interference. At present the investigating magistrate plays a powerful and independent role, overseeing investigations by police and prosecutors, examining the evidence, and deciding if a case should go to trial. State prosecutors, who answer to the justice minister, are now expected to take over criminal cases. Such a change would be in line with recommendations made after a high-profile paedophilia case eight years ago, the Outreau scandal, in which more than a dozen people were wrongfully jailed following a flawed investigation by a young magistrate. It would bring the French justice system closer to those used in much of the English-speaking world. Unions representing magistrates warn the changes would compromise the independence of the French system. Some have suggested that Mr Sarkozy is taking revenge against the independent judges who have led several far-reaching corruption probes into the affairs of leading politicians and businessmen. CLICK HERE:France to announvce justice reform

Ankara, Turkey - TURKEY HOLDS 30 OVER COUP PLOT - More than 30 people have been detained in Turkey in a widening inquiry into an alleged coup plot. Those arrested reportedly included three retired generals and a former police chief. Some 86 people are already accused of an ultra-nationalist plot to stoke unrest that would provoke the army to launch a coup. Critics say the ruling AK Party is simply arresting some of its most prominent secular opponents. Wednesday's police operation involved simultaneous raids in six provinces, the Turkish state news agency Anatolia said. A court in Istanbul also ordered searches of the suspects' homes and workplaces, it said. A larger group of suspects, who include retired military officers, politicians, academics and journalists, went on trial in October, accused of being part of a shadowy group known as Ergenekon. CLICK HERE:Turkey holds 30 over coup plot


---

6.01.2009 Frankfurt, Germany - EURO WEAKENS ON RATE-CUT EVIDENCE - EUROPEAN GAS SUPPLIES DISRUPTED - The euro has slipped against the pound and the dollar as expectations rise that the European Central Bank will cut interest rates again on January 15. Eurozone inflation figures showed a bigger- than-expected drop while the purchasing managers' index showed a contraction in the service sector. The pound is trading at 1.09530 euros while the dollar is at 0.74765 euros. The ECB has cut rates from 4.25% to 2.5% since October, as inflation has dropped from its July peak of 4%. Cutting interest rates can hurt a currency because investors buy other currencies to seek better returns. The situation with the euro is less clear, however, because UK interest rates are also expected to be cut next week and US rates are effectively zero. Instead, currency strength is reflecting the perceived relative strength of economies and in recent months the eurozone economy has been seen as less vulnerable to the downturn than those of the UK or US. CLICK HERE:Euro weakens on rate-cut evidence

Moscow, Russia - EUROPEAN GAS SUPPLIES DISRUPTED - Several European countries say their supplies of Russian gas have been cut sharply amid an energy price dispute between Moscow and Ukraine. Turkey said all its gas supplies via Ukraine had been cut. Romania reported a 75% reduction. Bulgaria, Greece and Macedonia are also seeing shortfalls. The Russian energy giant Gazprom says Ukraine has shut down three of the four pipelines for EU-bound Russian gas. The European Commission says the supply cut is "completely unacceptable". The EU depends on Russia for about a quarter of its total gas supplies, some 80% of which is pumped through Ukraine. Ukraine's main energy company, Naftogaz, says talks with Gazprom aimed at resolving the crisis are due to resume in Moscow on Thursday. Naftogaz chairman Oleh Dubyna made the announcement, but it has not yet been confirmed by Gazprom. Russia stopped supplying gas to Ukraine on New Year's Day in a row about unpaid bills. The row comes amid a cold snap across Europe likely to push up demand for gas. CLICK HERE:European gas supplies disrupted

Blaubeuren /Ulm, Germany - GERMAN BILLIONAIRE COMMITS SUICIDE - German billionaire Adolf Merckle has committed suicide after his business empire ran into trouble in the global economic slowdown. In a statement his family said he been "broken" by the financial crisis, and had taken his own life. Mr Merckle ran up losses of about 400m euros (£363m;$535m) last year due to wrong-way bets on Volkswagen shares. He was ranked as the world's 94th richest person in 2008, and his family controls a number of German companies. The 74-year-old's body was found on Monday near railway tracks in southern Germany. Officials said there was no evidence that anyone else was to blame. His family, which had reported him missing after he failed to return home, said in a statement: "Adolf Merckle lived and worked for his family and his firms." "The distress to his firms caused by the financial crisis and the related uncertainties of recent weeks, along with the helplessness of no longer being able to act, broke the passionate family businessman, and he ended his life." Mr Merckle's business interests included the generic drugs maker Ratiopharm and the cement maker Heidelberg Cement.CLICK HERE:German billionaire commits suicide

Toulouse, France - ARSON ATTACK ON A FRENCH SYNAGOG - Attackers rammed a burning car into a synagog in the southern French city of Toulouse, officials have said. The car, packed with a gasoline bomb, was set alight and then pushed into the synagog door by a second car. The building caught fire but a local rabbi and about 12 people caught inside escaped unharmed after Monday's attack. It came as the French defence minister met Jewish and Muslim community leaders to stress the Middle East conflict should not lead to violence in France. Police said they were investigating the attack and had not made any arrests.Damage to the synagogue building was limited to a blackened door, a regional official said, adding that no-one was injured even though a rabbi was inside overseeing an adult learning course. CLICK HERE:Arson attack on French synagog


---

5.01.2009 Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA TO CUT UKRAINE GAS SUPPLY - Russian President Vladimir Putin has told gas giant Gazprom to cut supplies sent via Ukraine to Europe over allegations Kiev is siphoning some off. Mr Putin said flow should be reduced by the amount Ukraine had taken since deliveries ended on January 1. Russia stopped supplying gas to Ukraine five days ago amid a row over unpaid bills and a new pricing contract. Ukraine denies siphoning off gas and says technical problems are disrupting the flow. Pipes across Ukraine carry about one-fifth of the European Union's gas needs. Several EU countries have reported a drop in gas deliveries since 1 January, apparently as a result of the dispute. The move came after Mr Putin held talks with Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller. CLICK HERE:Russia to cut Ukraine gas supply

Paris, France - TUNISIAN BOMBING TRIAL BEGINS - Three men, including the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, have gone on trial in France for the 2002 bombing of a Tunisian synagog. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who is being held in the Guantanamo Bay camp, is being tried in absentia for the attack. German national Christian Ganczarski and Tunisian Walid Nouar are also on trial in Paris. They deny involvement.mTwenty-one people died when a suicide bomber drove a gas-filled tanker into the Djerba synagogue on April 11, 2002. Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack.Kuwaiti-born Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is accused of organising the bombing, which killed 14 German tourists, five Tunisians and two French nationals. Under French law the death of the two French means a trial can be held in France. According to court documents, suicide bomber Nizar Nouar called Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Mr Ganczarski, a convert to Islam who specialized in communications, just before he drove the gas-laden truck into the synagog. CLICK HERE:Tunisian bombing trial begins

Waterford, Irish Republic - WEDGEWOOD GOES INTO ADMINISTRATION - Iconic china and ceramics firm Waterford Wedgwood has into administration after the economic slowdown hit the debt-laden firm. Deloitte has been appointed as administrator to seek buyers for different parts of the company. It said failed buyout talks and poor trading meant restructuring could not happen "in an acceptable timescale". Wedgwood has also requested that its shares be suspended from trading on the Irish Stock Exchange....Wedgwood has been known as an iconic name in British pottery firm for 250 years, with many households in the UK owning one or more of their pieces. CLICK HERE:Wedgewood goes into administration


---

3.01.2009 Kiev, Ukraine - UKRAINE WARNS EU OF GAS PROBLEM - Ukraine has warned that there could be serious problems with gas s upplies for European Union countries if its dispute with Russia is not settled soon. An energy official in Kiev said technical problems could disrupt flow. Several EU countries have reported a drop in gas deliveries, apparently as a result of the dispute. Romania, Hungary, Poland and Bulgaria said the pressure in their pipelines fell after Russian gas giant Gazprom cut off Ukraine's supply. Gazprom says it can no longer count on Ukraine as a transit route to EU countries and is seeking alternatives. In a BBC interview, the deputy chairman of Gazprom, Alexander Medvedev, said he hoped EU countries would back the move. The firm has since accused Ukraine of stealing gas. The Czech Republic, which holds the rotating EU presidency, is to convene a meeting of envoys in Brussels on Monday to discuss the row. Both Russian and Ukrainian officials are visiting European capitals to put their case. CLICK HERE:Ukraine warns EU of gas problem

Athens, Greece - WEAPONS LINK SEVERAL GREEK ATTACKS - Weapons used to shoot a police unit in Greece overnight are linked to two previous attacks, including one by an anti-US militant group, police say. A 21-year-old officer is in critical condition after being shot in the body and leg before dawn on Monday. The attack followed weeks of protests after police shot a teenager dead. The handgun used in Monday's attack was also used in 2007 in an assault on a police station, by a group which also attacked the US embassy, police said. Tests showed the 9mm-calibre weapon was used in the attack on a police station in suburban Athens on April 30, 2007. That attack, which caused no injuries, was claimed by the far-left group Revolutionary Struggle. Revolutionary Struggle also claimed responsibility after a rocket-propelled grenade was fired into the US embassy in Athens in January 2007, causing damage but no injuries. CLICK HERE:Weapons link several Grrek attacks


---

2.01.2009 Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA LOOKS TO RE-ROUTE EU GAS SUPPLY - Russian gas giant Gazprom says it can no longer depend on Ukraine as a transit route the EU and is looking to develop alternatives. In a BBC interview, the deputy chairman of Gazprom, Alexander Medvedev, said he hoped EU countries would back the move. Gazprom cut off Ukraine's gas supply on Thursday in a row over payment. The firm has since accused Ukraine of stealing gas, however Ukraine's state energy firm said Russia was not sending enough gas to ensure the EU supplies. Ukraine's state gas company, Naftogaz, denied illegally siphoning Russian gas, saying it was ensuring the export supply Ukraine has insisted it will not interfere with gas transported from Russia to other states via its pipelines, as it has enough gas in its reserves to look after its own needs for some time. EU countries have not reported any reduction in gas deliveries via Ukraine. CLICK HERE:Russia looks to re-route EU gas supply

Brussels, Belgium - BELGIAN MP'S BACK NEW GOVERNMENT - New Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy has received the backing of parliament in a vote of confidence. Mr Van Rompuy was appointed on Wednesday and has assembled much the same cabinet that served under his predecessor Yves Leterme. Mr Leterme's government collapsed after he resigned on December 19 amid a scandal over the rescue of Fortis bank. The new government must deal with the fallout from that, as well as impending recession and a continuing ethnic rift. Parliament voted for the new government by 88 votes to 45, with no abstentions. CLICK HERE:Belgian MP'S bacdk new government


---

1.01.2009 Prague, Czech Republic - CZECHS TAKE OVER LEADERSHIP OF EU - The Czech Republic has taken over the rotating presidency of the European Union, and immediately grappled with a potential crisis. It issued a statement urging Russia and Ukraine not to let their dispute over gas prices disrupt supplies to the EU. The Czechs assume the presidency from the French, and hold it for six months. They face some daunting challenges, not least the global economic downturn, but some fear the presidency could be marred by domestic rows over the EU. There has already been an ugly war of words between the center-right government and the Eurosceptic President Vaclav Klaus, who bitterly opposes closer EU integration, says the BBC's Rob Cameron in Prague. It is has led some to question whether, 16 years since the birth of an independent Czech state, Czech democracy is mature enough to lead the EU, our correspondent says. The Czech Republic is also one of the few EU countries not to have ratified the Lisbon Treaty on streamlining the EU. While center-right Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek wants to press ahead with this, President Klaus is a staunch opponent. The assumption of the presidency was marked relatively modestly, with the Czech deputy prime minister illuminating a pendulum on a hill above Prague, accompanied by fireworks. CLICK HERE:Czechs take over leadership of EU

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA SHUTS OFF GAS SUPPLY TO UKRAINE - Russia has stopped all gas supplies to Ukraine after the collapse of talks to end a row over unpaid bills and prices. Russia's gas giant Gazprom said it turned off the taps at 0700 GMT, when its contract to supply Ukraine ended. Ukraine insists it has paid off its debts to Gazprom, but Russia contests this. The two countries have also failed to agree on a price for 2009. The EU urged Russia and Ukraine to resume negotiations and not to let the dispute disrupt supplies to Europe. A similar row between Gazprom and Ukraine at the beginning of 2006 led to gas shortages in several EU countries. Pipes across Ukraine carry about a fifth of the EU's gas needs. The new holders of the EU presidency, the Czech Republic, urged the parties to "rapidly reach a successful outcome" to their dispute. "All existing commitments to supply and transit must be honoured," it added. Both Russia and Ukraine insist that gas supplies transported via Ukraine to the European Union will continue as normal. An official at Gazprom's headquarters in Moscow said: "We have fully cut off supplies to Ukraine as of 10am (0700 GMT) today." "Usually we supply 390 million cubic meterss per day, of which 300 million is transit gas for Europe. Today supplies are running at 300 million cubic meters. We continue supplying Europe in full," Reuters quoted him as saying. CLICK HERE:Russia shuts off gas supply to Ukraine

Bratislava, Slovakia - SLOVAKIA BECOMES A EUROZONE MEMBER - Slovakia has become the 16th member of the eurozone, the second former communist country to join the grouping. Up to 100,000 people gathered in the capital Bratislava's main square for a midnight ceremony with fireworks. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was one of the first to withdraw the new currency, taking 100 euros from a cash machine in the parliament building. The Slovak koruna (crown) will remain in circulation alongside the euro until January 16. Cash machines were meant to be issuing euros from Thursday, while some banks planned to open, despite the New Year's Day holiday, to swap korunas for euros, but the new currency was taking a while to filter through. "None of my clients has paid with euros yet, everybody's using korunas," Marek, a 30-year-old taxi driver in Bratislava, told the AFP news agency. At Bratislava's railway station, Richard Nedo, a 20-year-old waiter at an internet cafe, said: "Since we opened at 6am, we have had 10 customers but only three of them, foreign tourists, paid with euros. Slovaks are still using korunas." Slovakia sees its adoption of the euro as a shield from the turbulence that has hit currencies in neighboring ex-Soviet bloc countries. CLICK HERE:Slovakia becomes a eurozone member


---

31.12.2008 Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain - BOMB BLAST TARGETS TV SITE - A car bomb has exploded near the offices of a Basque television station in Bilbao in northern Spain. The blast happened minutes after the building had been evacuated, following a warning call in the name of the Basque separatist group Eta. Spanish media said there was structural damage to the building, but no casualties have been reported so far. Eta's violent four-decade campaign for a sovereign Basque state has cost more than 800 lives. A Basque police spokesman said Wednesday's blast near the Basque Radio-Television (EiTB) offices happened at 1105 (1005 GMT) and the area around the building had been evacuated and cordoned off. The explosion smashed the building's windows and left a thick pall of smoke hanging over the area. The suspects are believed to have commandeered a car, because its owner was found tied up in the rural Arrigorriaga area near Bilbao. Eta called off a ceasefire in June last year. CLICK HERE:Bomb blast targets Basque TV site

Madrid, Spain - SPAIN SENDS MILITANT TO RUSSIA - Spain has extradited to Russia a Chechen terror suspect accused of attacking interior ministry offices in the North Caucasus in June 2004. The Russian chief prosecutor's office said Murat Gasayev was handed over to Russia on Wednesday. It is the first such extradition from a European country, according to Vadim Yalovitsky, deputy head of the office's extradition department. Mr Gasayev was arrested in the Spanish city of Valencia in December 2006. Spain's El Pais news website reports that Mr Gasayev's extradition took place without any anti-torture guarantees. Russian prosecutors say the police investigation established that in June 2004 Mr Gasayev took part in an attack on the interior ministry building in Nazran, in the Russian republic of Ingushetia. A police officer died in the attack and seven were wounded, the Itar-Tass news agency reports. Mr Gasayev stands accused of banditry, murder and illegal possession of arms. He could face life imprisonment. CLICK HERE:Spain sends militant to Russia


---

30.12.2008 Brussels, Belgium - NEW BELGIAN LEADER TAKES OFFICE - Belgium's king has appointed a new prime minister and sworn in his cabinet, after a deal was reached on the formation of a new government. Herman Van Rompuy, leader of the Flemish Christian Democrats, becomes prime minister, succeeding Yves Leterme, who resigned on Decemberx19. His government collapsed amid a scandal over the rescue of Fortis bank. Mr Van Rompuy, formerly speaker of parliament, is seen as a much safer pair of hands, correspondents say. The new government was presented to King Albert on Tuesday evening. It comprises the same five parties that had made up Mr Leterme's government. Its immediate task is to tackle the recession looming in Belgium, says the BBC's Oana Lungescu in Brussels, as well as dealing with the scandal that accounted for his predecessor, and with Belgium's perennial divisions. Mr Van Rompuy, 61, has long resisted taking the premiership, but is seen as a safe pair of hands, after successfully cracking down on public debt as budget minister in the 1990s. CLICK HERE:New Belgian leader takes office

Kiev, Ukraine - UKRAINE PAID GAS DEBT IN FULL - President Viktor Yushchenko has said Ukraine has paid its debt to Gazprom in full, to prevent the Russian firm cutting off its gas supplies, but Gazprom said it had not received the money so far and "it is too early to talk about debt repayment". Talks continued in Moscow as the two sides also need to agree on a price for 2009 gas supplies to Ukraine. The Russian monopoly has threatened to cut off gas to Ukraine unless Ukraine signs a new contract by 1 January. "The money will be transferred today, in two or three hours," said a spokesman for Naftogaz. Earlier, the Ukrainian government allowed Naftogaz to borrow up to $2bn (£1.3bn) to pay the debt. Gazprom has said Ukraine owes $1.67bn (£1.1bn) for gas and $450m in fines for November-December supplies. Earlier, Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller told Russian news television channel Vesti that "Gazprom will have no grounds for supplying gas to Ukraine" if it does not pay out its debt.CLICK HERE:Crib mosques anger Italian party
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT(COMMENT:Gazprom gas to Western Europe flows through Ukraine. It would be interesting to hear what former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who is a well-paid member of the Gazprom executive, thinks of the situation.)


---

29.12.2008 London, England - POUND HITS EUROS 1.23 - The pound has hit a new record low against the euro as the grim outlook for the UK economy continues to put downward pressure on the currency. Weak house price data and figures showing that homeowners are choosing to repay their mortgages rather than spending, pushed the currency lower. Low trading levels in the foreign exchange markets also helped to force sterling down to 1.023 euros. Many analysts believe parity with the euro is now only a matter of time. The rate for tourists buying their currency before they travel has almost reached parity, where one pound buys one euro. At one major High Street currency exchange, 100 euros currently costs £99.11. CLICK HERE:Pound hits Euros 1.23

Moscow, Russia - ROUBLE SLIDES TO NEW LOW - Russian rouble has hit a low after its central bank allowed the currency to devalue for the twelfth time, including nine falls this month. It fell to 41.6 against the euro, an all time low, and to 29.3 against the dollar, the lowest level since 2005. The currency has lost more than 20% of its value against the dollar - largely due to the slumping price of oil on which Russia's economy heavily relies. The Kremlin has been using reserves to try and support the currency. However concern that Russia is pumping too much cash into supporting the rouble prompted ratings agency Standard and Poor's to cut the country's credit rating earlier this month for the first time in nine years. The rouble has also touched a new low of 34.8 roubles against the basket of euros and dollars which is its official measure within the country. CLICK HERE:Rouble slides to new low

Madrid, Spain - HUGE PRO-FAMILY RALLY IN MADRID - Hundreds of thousands of people have attended an open-air Mass in central Madrid aimed at promoting family values in defiance of some government reforms. Pope Benedict XVI addressed the Catholic congregation via giant video screens, urging people to keep family values strong. Spain's Socialist government has legalised gay marriage and made divorce easier, angering Catholic clergy. The Archbishop of Madrid used the Mass to condemn abortion. Archbishop Antonio Maria Rouco Varela , quoted by the AFP news agency, spoke of the "shocking cruelty" of abortion, warning against the "culture of death". Spain's government is considering easing the country's restrictions on abortion. CLICK HERE:Huge pro-family rally in Madrid


---

28.12.2008 Madrid, Spain - EXILES MAY RECEIVE SPANISH PASSPORT - About 500,000 people whose families had to flee Spain during the civil war and the subsequent Franco era now have the right to apply for Spanish citizenship. Spain's new Law of Historical Memory, enacted a year ago, applies to people whose mother or father was Spanish, and the grandchildren of those who fled. They can start submitting applications for Spanish citizenship on Monday. Most of those who qualify live in Argentina, Uruguay, Cuba, Chile, Venezuela, Mexico and France. Nearly 300,000 Spanish descendants in Argentina are eligible for citizenship - the largest group, Spain's El Pais news website reports. Descendants of Spaniards who left the country out of fear of political persecution or economic hardship between 1936 and 1955 can apply for nationality before 2011. The Law of Historical Memory aims to compensate and rehabilitate victims of Spain's 1936-1939 civil war. CLICK HERE:Exiles may receive Spanish pasport

Lampedusa, Italy - MIGRANT WAVE HITS ITALIAN ISLAND- Several hundred more migrants from Africa have arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa, bringing the total of arrivals in 48 hours to about 1,700. Two boats carrying more than 300 people were intercepted by the Italian navy off the island a day after four vessels holding about 1,300 people were found. Italian officials say there has been a sharp rise in the number of illegal migrants coming from Africa this year.Many risk the dangerous Mediterranean crossing to enter Europe from Libya. The latest arrivals included two pregnant women who were among 65 people rescued from a large inflatable dinghy south of Lampedusa, Ansa news agency said. Another boat was intercepted on Saturday carrying 247 people. Four vessels made their way to Lampedusa or were intercepted close to the island on Thursday night and Friday morning. Italian authorities say the island's migrant detention centre, built to house 850 people, is under severe pressure. CLICK HERE:Migrant wave hits Italian island


---

Vaclav Klaus 27.12.2008 Prague, Czech Republic - EUROSCEPTIC BECOMES EU PRESIDENT - When you are head of state of the country about to hold the EU presidency, you might normally be looking forward to a taste of the international limelight, and a busier, more prestigious schedule than usual. But Vaclav Klaus, president of the Czech Republic, may be relishing his country's assumption of EU leadership in January for very different reasons, as an opportunity to publicise views which other EU leaders will not enjoy hearing.For Mr Klaus, a steely, bespectacled economist who came to sudden prominence after the Czechoslovak revolution against communism, is a vehement Eurosceptic. He believes the EU has echoes of the old Soviet bloc he used to live under, and he is also an enthusiastic challenger of European and international policy on everything from climate change to relations with Russia. Constant dissidence. Mr Klaus gave a foretaste of what the EU can expect on an official visit to Ireland in November. Upsetting his Irish hosts, he ostentatiously visited Declan Ganley, leader of the successful Irish No campaign against ratification of the EU's Lisbon reform treaty.Klaus compared Ganley and his supporters to dissidents in the old communist bloc, which angered many former Czech dissidents who suffered persecution and imprisonment for their views, but Mr Klaus likes to think of his life as a kind of constant dissidence against what he sees as the erroneous views of the majority. He was born in Prague in 1941 during the wartime Nazi occupation. As an economics student in post-war communist Czechoslovakia, he was allowed to study in Italy and the United States during the political thaw of the mid-to-late 1960s, but the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 ended all hope of wider international opportunities for bright young Czechs.Klaus, who refused to join the Communist Party, could not aspire to a senior academic or business job. But he was allowed to earn his living in the 1970s and 80s in a post at the Czechoslovak National Bank. He did not join the more open campaign of opposition to the communist regime led, among others, by the playwright Vaclav Havel. But as political restraints eased again in the late 1980s Klaus did organise seminars to discuss free-market economics. He was always supremely self-confident or, as his critics put it, arrogant. According to files published last year in the Czech press, a communist secret policeman sent to monitor Klaus's seminars concluded that "he feels like an unappreciated genius".CLICK HERE:Eurosceptic becomes EU president


---

26.12.2008 Presevo, Serbia - SERBIA ARRESTS ALLEGED EX-KLA FIGHTERS - Police in south Serbia have arrested 10 suspected former Kosovo Liberation Army fighters for war crimes against non-Albanians, including murder and rape. Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said the suspects had been arrested in the Serbian town of Presevo, near the border with Kosovo. The 10 are suspected of being former KLA fighters who killed more than 50 Serbs in Kosovo. The alleged crimes date back to after the end of the conflict there in 1999. The Serbian war crimes prosecutor's office said the group had sought to get rid of Serbs and other non-Albanians Gnjilane (Gjilan in Albanian), 47km (30 miles) south-east of the Kosovan capital, Pristina. "From June 1999 until October 1999, they were involved in at least 51 murders and 159 abductions in the town," said Bruno Vekaric, a spokesman for Serbia's war crimes prosecutor, Vladimir Vukcevic. CLICK HERE:Serbia arrests alleged ex-KLA fighters


---

25.12.2008 Yevpatoria, Ukraine - UKRAINE APARTMENT BUILDING BLAST KILLS 22 - Hundreds of rescuers are working in the rubble of an apartment building in southern Ukraine, where an explosion has killed at least 22 people.Emergencies Minister Volodymyr Shandra said 21 people have been rescued. Many more people are feared to be trapped. Two entrances to the five-storey building in Yevpatoria were blocked by falling concrete following the blast. The cause is unknown, although officials say that gas cylinders may be to blame. Day of mourning Rescuers have been scrabbling through the rubble, calling for quiet to hear cries for help. One resident, Lidia Kovalenko, told AFP news agency: "I saw a blue flame and smoke and... a horrible explosion." There were about 35 apartments in the building, which was built in the 1960s.Ukraine President Viktor Yushchenko has declared 26 December a national day of mourning. CLICK HERE: Ukraine apartment building blast kills 22


---

24.12.2008 Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA DEVALUES THE ROUBLE AGAIN - Russia has devalued its currency, the rouble, for the third time this week and the seventh time this month. It takes it to its lowest value against the US dollar since January 2006. The Russian currency has been hit by the price of oil, which is Russia's main export. Oil prices are more than $100 a barrel below their July peak. The rouble is now more than 15% below its record levels against the US dollar, which were set at the beginning of August. Russia's central bank has spent more than $100bn (£68bn) defending its currency since the summer. It has opted to devalue gradually by widening the rouble's trading band, instead of making a single big devaluation. "All the commodity currencies have devalued and the rouble is a laggard here," said Alexei Moisseev at Renaissance Capital. "Judging by the pace they are moving at, they could do two more moves before the end of the year." "When you are going at such pace, there is a real chance it will help, it is a real alternative to a [big] one-off devaluation." CLICK HERE:Russia devalues the rouble again

Kiev, Ukraine - RUSSIA MAY CUT OFF GAS TO UKRAINE - Russian gas giant Gazprom has renewed its threat to cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on January 1, saying a contract dispute has reached a "critical" stage. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Ukraine faced Russian "sanctions and demands" if it did not pay off its gas debt "to the last rouble". Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov stressed that the dispute would not disrupt gas deliveries to Europe. Ukraine owes $1.67bn (£1.1bn) for gas and $450m in fines, Gazprom says. Gazprom denied that any agreement had been reached with Kiev on postponing the repayment, contradicting an announcement by Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko. CLICK HERE:Russia may cut off gas to Ukraine

Belgrade, Serbia - Gazprom to control Serbia's gas Russia and Serbia have signed a controversial energy deal that will hand Russian gas giant Gazprom control of NIS, Serbia's oil monopoly. Under the deal, Gazprom is to build a gas pipeline through Serbia and an underground gas storage facility there. Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev and his Serbian counterpart Boris Tadic signed the agreement in Moscow. The plan is for Serbia to host part of a new pipeline called South Stream, to deliver Russian gas to southern Europe. Gazprom is taking a 51% stake in NIS for 400m euros (£380m; $560m), officials say.South Stream is designed to take Russian gas under the Black Sea to Bulgaria and then to Serbia for transit towards the lucrative markets of southern Europe. Washington and the European Union are backing a rival pipeline project called Nabucco, to bring gas from Central Asia, which would bypass Russia. CLICK HERE:Gazprom to control Serbia's gas

Riga, Latvia - IMF BAILS OUT LATVIA - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a 1.68bn euro ($2.35bn; £1.59bn) rescue loan for Latvia. It is part of a 7.5bn euro package that includes funding from the European Union, World Bank and other countries. It will allow Latvia to maintain its currency's peg to the euro, but there will be sacrifices such as cuts in public sector wages and state spending. Value added tax will be raised from 18% to 21%, which has prompted protests in the capital, Riga. Latvia has also agreed to keep its budget deficit below 5% of gross domestic product next year and reduce it to 3% by 2011. The other countries involved in the bail-out are the Czech Republic, Poland, Estonia and the Nordic countries. The Nordic states, and especially Sweden, are involved because their banks have loaned a lot of money in Latvia, and so would be damaged if its economy were to deteriorate any further. Meanwhile, other countries nearby have been keen to help because of the damage that would be done to them if Latvia's currency were to be devalued. CLICK HERE:IMF bails out Latvia

Rome, Italy - CRIB MOSQUES ANGER ITALIAN PARTY - Right-wing politicians have protested at the inclusion of Islamic symbols in nativity scenes in northern Italy. Elaborate cribs with figurines enacting the nativity decorate most Catholic churches in Italy at this time of year. A priest at a Genoa church put a mosque and minaret in his crib, while a crib at a Venice school also had a mosque. The Genoa branch of the anti-immigrant Northern League reacted with fury, but a senior church figure said there are no firm rules on what can be included. CLICK HERE:Crib mosques anger Italian party
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT(COMMENT: Placing a minaret in a crib is quite simply an ignorant anachronism.)

---

23.12.2008 Moscow, Russia - PUTIN: ERA OF CHEAP GAS IS ENDING - The era of cheap gas is coming to an end, Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has told ministers from the world's major gas-exporting countries. Mr Putin said the cost of extracting gas was rising sharply, therefore "the era of cheap energy resources, of cheap gas, is of course coming to an end". The Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) meeting in Moscow has agreed a charter and plans for a permanent base. Some observers say the GECF may develop into an Opec-style producers' cartel. This speculation increased with the news that the charter had been adopted and that GECF leaders had agreed to establish permanent offices in Doha, Qatar. Mr Putin had earlier said Russia was ready to set up the headquarters in St Petersburg and give it full diplomatic status. "A new organisation has been born today, said Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko. As the head of the government of the world's biggest gas exporter, Mr Putin's word carries weight both with producers and consumers, the BBC's James Rodgers in Moscow, but despite Mr Putin's warning, gas prices, which tend to follow oil prices with a delay of a few months - seem likely to fall in the short term, he says. The EU gets 42% of its gas imports from Russia, mostly via pipelines across Ukraine. The Moscow meeting comes amid growing concern that a new contract dispute between Russia's gas giant Gazprom and Ukraine could disrupt gas supplies to Europe this winter. CLICK HERE:Putin:Era of cheap gas is ending

Vatican, Holy See - HOMOSEXUAL GROUPS ANGRY AT PAPAL REMARKS - Gay groups and activists have reacted angrily after Pope Benedict XVI said that mankind needed to be saved from a destructive blurring of gender. Speaking on Monday, Pope Benedict said that saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behaviour was as important as protecting the environment. The comments were "irresponsible and unacceptable", the UK's Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM) said. Vladimir Luxuria, a transgender former Italian MP, called his words "hurtful". The row erupted as news emerged that the pontiff is to pay his first visit to the Holy Land in May next year. Pope Benedict made the comments in an end-of-year speech to senior Vatican staff. Defending God's creation was not limited to saving the environment, he said, but also about protecting man from himself. CLICK HERE:Homosexual groups angry at papal remarks

London, England - EU APPROVES UK FINANCE MEASURES - The original support measures had been approved by the commission in October, when it first became clear that government intervention was necessary. The changes relate to fees paid by banks to the government, and increase the number of currencies in which government guarantees can be issued. The commission also approved rescue measures for Germany, Italy and Spain. The decisions should clear the way for more cash injections and loan guarantees to troubled banks. The changes bring the British package in line with those of other EU members. "The commission therefore concluded that the UK support measures, as amended, are compatible with the common market," a commission statement said. From the start of next year, the fee payable to the government on guaranteed liabilities will be based on an annual rate 0.5% plus the financial institution's standard five-year credit default swap rate. The government will also be able to guarantee debt issued in Japanese yen, Australian dollars, Canadian dollars and Swiss francs. Currently, it can only guarantee debt in sterling, US dollars or euros. Also, financial institutions will be able to roll over guarantees on some instruments until April 2014, two years beyond the current limit. CLICK HERE:EU approves UK finance measures


---

22.12.2008 London, England - BANK OF ENGLAND DID NOT UNDERSTAND CRISIS - The Bank of England did not understand the severity of economic problems before the current financial crisis, its deputy governor says. Sir John Gieve told the BBC that the Bank knew "crazy borrowing" was taking place and the price of houses and other assets was rising unsustainably, but the Bank thought this problem was less serious than it turned out to be, he said in an interview for Panorama. The Bank relies too much on interest rates to control the economy, he added. Sir John, who will be stepping down next year, also sits on the Bank's interest rate-setting committee. In the interview with BBC business editor Robert Peston, he said interest rates were "a blunt instrument", because they affected the whole economy. "There are some books... which the taxpayer's now holding, which clearly have a level of defaults in them" Sir John Gieve said. CLICK HERE:Bank of England did not understand crisis
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT (COMMENT:1 EUROPOUND = 1.06290 EUR , 2008.12.22 22:15:12 CET)

London, England - POLICE CHIEF ISSUES TORY APOLOGY - The head of Britain's counter-terror squad has apologized "unreservedly" to the Conservative Party. Met Police Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick claimed on Sunday the party had mobilised the press against him, but on Monday he said he had reflected on his comments and apologised "for any offence or embarrassment" caused. The Tories have accepted the apology for the "deluded comments" from Mr Quick, who is heading a probe into the Home Office leaks to the Tories. Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve said the apology "draws a line under the matter". Mr Grieve refused to say whether or not he thought Mr Quick should continue in charge of the leaks inquiry, telling the BBC Mr Quick should make the "professional judgement" himself about whether he still had the "necessary objectivity" to continue, and asked what he thought had prompted Mr Quick's comments, Mr Grieve said: "I can only assume that he was both angry and stressed because of the possible compromising of his security, and that as a result he came out with these intemperate and in truth completely deluded comments about the Conservative Party." Mr Quick, who is heading the leaks investigation which saw senior Tory MP Damian Green arrested last month, said on Sunday he had been forced to move his family after a published newspaper article put them at risk. "The Tory machinery and their press friends are mobilised against this investigation," the Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner told reporters. "I think it is a very spiteful act, possibly to intimidate me away from investigating Mr Green, and I feel it has put my family at risk." He later withdrew claims that the Conservatives had acted in a "corrupt" way, and issued the full apology on Monday in a statement. "I have now reflected on the comments I made yesterday at a difficult time for me and my family. I wish to make clear that it was not my intention to make any allegations, and retract my comments," he said. CLICK HERE:Police chief issues Tory apology

Brussels.Belgium - BELGIAN PM RESIGNATION ACCEPTED - The king of Belgium has accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Yves Leterme's government, the palace says. King Albert II "accepted the resignation of the government and asked it to stay on in a caretaker capacity," a statement said. The statement made no mention of who might replace Mr Leterme, but analysts say former PM Jean-Luc Dehaene is favourite for the caretaker role. Mr Leterme offered to resign amid a row over the sale of troubled bank Fortis. The king held a series of consultative meetings over the weekend to consider the impact of the government's resignation during the current financial crisis. Mr Leterme only took office in March, nine months after a general election had resulted in political deadlock founded in tensions between Flemish and Walloon groups. He tendered his resignation in June after he failed to push through plans to devolve more power to the regions, but the king rejected it. CLICK HERE:Belgian PM resignation accepted

Tbilisi, Georgia - RUSSIA BLAMED FOR MONITOR PULLOUT - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe says it will close its mission in Georgia early in 2009 because of Russian opposition. Delegates said Moscow refused to back down during a row over the status of the breakaway regions of Georgia. Russia insists that the disputed regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia should be recognised as independent. US Ambassador Julie Finley described Russia's resistance to reaching an agreement as "appalling". "There is only one party responsible for what has happened and what is about to happen with the shutting down of that mission, it is the Russian Federation," she said. The US and its European allies in the 56-nation grouping have not recognised South Ossetia as independent. CLICK HERE:Russia blamed for monitor pullout


---

21.12.2008 Athens, Greece - GREECE SEES MORE VIOLENT CLASHES - Greek police have again clashed with demonstrators in Athens, two weeks after the fatal shooting of a teenager by police sparked nationwide unrest. The violence followed a memorial gathering at the site where Alexandros Grigoropoulos died on 6 December. Groups of demonstrators threw rocks and petrol bombs at police, who responded with volleys of tear gas. Protests in Athens and other cities in the past fortnight over the police killing have often turned violent. Greece's worst unrest in decades is fuelled by anger at high youth unemployment and unpopular government reforms. The protests have caused hundreds of millions of euros in damage, rocking a conservative government that has a one-seat majority and trails the opposition in polls. CLICK HERE:Greece sees more violent clashes

Vladivostok, Russia - POLICE BREAK UP RUSSIAN PROTESTS - Russian riot police have forcibly broken up a rally being held in the eastern city of Vladivostok. About 500 people had gathered in the city's central square to demonstrate against a new tax on imported cars. Witnesses said police officers kicked protesters, damaged journalists' equipment and made dozens of arrests. Vladivostok, one of several cities holding protests, depends heavily on car imports from Japan and critics say the tax could push prices up by 50%. The tax is intended to help prop up Russia's domestic car industry and prevent people buying cheaper, imported products. Protests against it began a week ago and have also been held in at least nine other cities in far eastern Russia, local Russian media report. Most of the demonstrations were dispersed by police, said the independent Russian radio station Ekho Moskvy. CLICK HERE:Police break up Russian protests

Rome, Italy - ITALIAN GENERAL SENTENCED FOR SECURITY LAPSE - An Italian general has been sentenced to two years in prison for failing to provide proper security at an Iraqi base hit by a suicide attack. Gen Bruno Stano was in charge of Nasiriya base, southern Iraq, when the attack killed 19 Italians. He was given a suspended sentence by a military court judge. He was charged last year with two other officers. Gen Vincenzo Lops was acquitted while Col Georg Di Pauli still faces military justice. All three were charged with "omissions of military defense measures". The generals were successive commanders of Italy's then 3,000-strong contingent in Iraq, while the colonel commanded a special police unit headquartered at the Nasiriya base. CLICK HERE:Italian general sentenced for security lapse


---

20.12.2008 Kabul, Afghanistan - AFGHAN BLAST KILLS DANISH TROOPS - Three Danish soldiers were killed and one wounded in Afghanistan when their vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb or mine, Danish military officials said. Their vehicle was travelling in a supply convoy near the town of Gereshk in southern Helmand province. Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said it was the single biggest loss for the Danish mission in Afghanistan. Denmark has about 700 soldiers serving in Afghanistan. Twenty-one have been killed since the mission began in 2002. In a separate incident, a soldier from the Netherlands was killed when he stepped on a mine during a firefight with the Taleban in Uruzgan province, also in the south of Afghanistan. Eighteen Dutch soldiers have been killed since the country sent a force to join Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in 2006. South-eastern Afghanistan has been the scene of heavy fighting since the Taleban insurgency gained momentum several years ago. CLICK HERE:Afghan blast kills Danish troops

Moscow, Russia - MOSCOW MARKET BLAST INJURES FOUR - At least four people are reported to have been injured in a blast at a market in southern Moscow. The explosion happened at the entrance to the market area near Prazhskaya metro station. An official told Interfax news agency the blast was accidental and was linked to fireworks stored inside a stall selling underwear. "Four women who were near the stall suffered wounds and burns, according to initial reports," the official said. Correspondents say blasts and attacks in Moscow and other cities are often linked to criminal gangs. CLICK HERE:Moscow mark blast injures four


---

19.12.2008 Brussels, Belgium - EU AGREES DEAL ON FISHING QUOTAS - EU ministers have agreed to a 30% increase in next year's fishing quota for North Sea cod, but will reduce catches for several other species. The quotas are a compromise between environmental groups, who say some fish stocks are on the verge of collapse, and fishermen who fear for their jobs. Quotas have been increased for cod and plaice in the North Sea, for mackerel, and for west of Scotland monkfish. The UK said the deal reached would save west of Scotland fishing communities. ...The cut in the prawn quota for trawlers operating off western Scotland, the lifeblood of some fishing communities - was less than the 15% the European Commission had demanded. Fishing crews will have to install new nets which allow threatened species such as cod and hake back into the sea. CLICK HERE:EU agrees deal on fishing quotas

Brussels, Belgium - BELGIAN PM PROPOSES RESIGNATION - Belgium's Prime Minister Yves Leterme has proposed that his government resigns amid a row over the break-up of the stricken Fortis bank. The cabinet has held an emergency session and backed Mr Leterme's move. He must now present the proposal to King Albert II, but correspondents say the monarch may not accept it. Earlier, Justice Minister Jo Vandeurzen quit after Belgium's highest court said the government had tried to influence a court ruling on the Fortis case. Judges last week blocked the government's bail-out and sale of its stake in Fortis to French bank BNP. They said shareholders in the company had to be allowed a say in the deal. Mr Leterme's spokesman, Peter Poulussen, confirmed the decision had been approved by the cabinet. "The cabinet has decided to tender the resignation of the entire government to the king," Mr Poulussen said. Under Belgium's constitution the king must decide whether to accept the resignation. Mr Leterme only took office in March, nine months after a general election had resulted in political deadlock founded in tensions between Flemish and French-speaking groups. CLICK HERE:Belgian PM proposes resignation

Prague, Czech Republic - CZECH PM RAISES NEW LISBON HURDLE - The Czech government is unwilling to ratify the EU's stalled Lisbon Treaty unless MPs back a US plan to site a radar base in the Czech Republic. Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek linked the two thorny issues during a visit to London on Thursday. His stance looks like causing a new political headache for the EU, just as the Czech Republic prepares to assume the EU presidency next month. His government lacks a working majority in parliament. Czech MPs are expected to debate both treaties in February. There have been Czech demonstrations against the proposed radar base, which is part of what the US calls a missile defense shield to prevent any missile attack from Iran or other so-called "rogue" states. The Lisbon Treaty, a sweeping new rule-book for the EU, cannot come into force unless it is ratified by all EU states. The Czech Republic, the Republic of Ireland and Poland have not yet done so. CLICK HERE:Czech PM raises new Lisbon hurdle

Berlin, Germany - BERLIN MEMORIAL TO ROMA WWII DEAD - Work has begun in the German capital, Berlin, on a memorial to the hundreds of thousands of Roma, or Gypsies, killed by the Nazis in World War II. It will feature a square well brimming with water and bearing an inscription of a poem about the Holocaust. The leader of Germany's Roma community, Romani Rose, praised the government for "recognizing its historical responsibility" to those persecuted. Experts say between 220,000 and 500,000 Roma were killed during World War II. The memorial in Tiergarten park, to the south of Berlin's parliament building, is scheduled to be completed in 2009. Berlin already contains a memorial to the millions of Jews who were killed in the Holocaust and another to the thousands of homosexuals persecuted by the Nazis during the war. CLICK HERE:Berlin memorial to Roma WWII dead


---

18.12.2008 Moscow, Russia - GAZPOROM THREATENS UKRAINE FUL SUPPLY - Russian gas company Gazprom says it may cut supplies to Ukraine on January 1 if a continuing dispute over pricing has not been resolved. Gazprom say it has received only $800m (£522m) of the $2bn it says Ukraine will owe by the end of the year. Rows between Gazprom and Ukraine rattle Europe's nerves as a supply cut could affect the amount of Russian gas reaching countries further west. That is what happened during a similar dispute in 2006. Now Gazprom says that unless agreement is reached over outstanding payments, and a new delivery contract signed, it will have no legal obligation to supply Ukraine from 1 January. That, of course, raises the prospect of a cut, although Gazprom may stop short of actually taking such a step. While Gazprom insists it acted legally in shutting off gas to Ukraine three years ago, suggestions from Europe that it was acting irresponsibly threatened to damage Russia's international reputation as an energy supplier.CLICK HERE:Gazprom threatens Ukraine fuel supply

Tblisi, Georgia - US CHIDES GEORGIAN FAILING ARMY - The US has produced a report which severely criticises the capabilities of Georgia's military, four months after its war with Russia, a US paper says. The Pentagon document, cited in the New York Times, says extensive reforms are needed if Georgia's army is ever to become a modern fighting force. It mentions widespread mismanagement and unqualified leadership in the army. The criticism is also likely to come as a setback for Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili. Extracts from the document, leaked to the New York Times, say that more than a decade of American training and years of investment by President Saakashvili have failed to turn Georgia's immature and unprepared military into a full fighting force. CLICK HERE:US chides Georgian failing army

Lampedusa, Italy - MSF - STATE OF MIGRANTS IN ITALY APPALLING - The working conditions of many poor African migrants in rural areas of southern Italy are "appalling", the international medical charity MSF says. The charity, which calls the workforce an invisible and vulnerable army, says migrants live in dilapidated buildings, with no electricity or running water. Thousands of Africans, many of them without papers, seek jobs as fruit pickers in the Calabria region. MSF says they are paid about 20 euros (£19; $29) for 12 hours' work daily. "They live in disused houses, hangars or abandoned factories, with no running water, electricity or heat, often surrounded by rubbish that attracts rats and packs of stray dogs," said Antonio Virgilio, MSF's head of mission in Calabria. MSF (Medecins Sans Frontieres) calls the lack of basic hygienic facilities "appalling". It has distributed sleeping bags and hygiene kits to migrant workers in Calabria. Mr Virgilio said the Calabrian authorities were failing to respect the United Nations minimum standard of one toilet per 20 people for the migrant workers. CLICK HERE:MSF - State of migrants in Italy appalling


---

EUROPOUND NOW EQUALS: 1.07646 EUR 18.12.2008, 0127 hours CET


---

17.12.2008 Ljubiana, Slovenia - SLOVENIA BLOCKS CROATIAN EU TALKS - Slovenia has moved to block neighboring Croatia from joining it in the European Union, in a continuing dispute over boundaries. Croatia began negotiations on joining the 27-member bloc three years ago, with further talks due on Friday. But Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor said Croatia had submitted maps showing boundaries Slovenia disputed as part of its pre-joining reform process. Croatia denied the claim and called on Slovenia to reconsider its move. Under EU procedure, a country needs to negotiate "chapters" to gain membership. Talks are firstly opened and then closed once an agreement is reached. Croatia must complete 35 chapters, and had planned to open 10 and close five on Friday. However, Mr Pahor said: "The Slovenian government agrees... to opening one chapter and closing three chapters." He said Croatia was using documents in negotiations that are prejudicial to the 17-year-old territorial dispute between the two countries, a charge Croatia denies. Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said his government still hoped to complete talks by the end of 2009 as planned and expected Slovenia to reconsider. "I'm not a big optimist when I say that, but I think that it would be good if they did that," he said, according to AFP news agency. CLICK HERE:Slovenia Croatian EU talks

Brussels, Belgium - UK WORK TIME OPT_OUT UNDER THREAT - Britain has moved a step closer to being forced to limit the working week to 48 hours for all employees. Euro MPs have voted in favour of ending Britain's opt-out from the EU working time directive. Britain is determined to keep the opt-out and will now start talks with EU ministers in an effort to keep it. The UK does not have a veto on the issue but it is expected to join forces with other countries who back its position in order to get its way. A decision is expected early next year following "conciliation" talks with the European council of ministers. If Britain is forced to axe its opt-out, the law will come into force in three years' time. CLICK HERE:UK work time opt-out under threat

Ankara, Turkey - TURKISH PM SCORNS ARMENIA APOLOGY - Turkey's prime minister has criticised a Turkish internet petition which apologises for the "great catastrophe" of 1915 when Armenians were massacred. The petition was launched by more than 200 Turkish academics and newspaper columnists earlier this week. Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "I find it unreasonable to apologize when there is no reason". Hundreds of thousands of Armenians died at the hands of Ottoman Turks in 1915. Turkey denies that it was "genocide". Mr Erdogan said the petition risked stirring trouble. He called it "irrational" and "wrong". Many international historians say the massacres and deaths of Armenians during their forced removal from what is now eastern Turkey were "genocide". Turkey vehemently denies that, arguing that those who died were just victims of the turmoil of World War I, in which many innocent Muslim Turks also died. CLICK HERE:Turkish PM scorns Armenia apology

Brussels, Belgium -EURO MP'S SEAL MAJOR CLIMATE DEAL - The European Parliament has backed a package of measures to combat global warming - seen as a key EU initiative. The plan, agreed by EU leaders last week, sets out how the 27 member states will cut carbon emissions by 20% by 2020, compared with 1990 levels. With the backing of MEPs, the package, hailed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy as "historic", becomes law, but critics say concessions made to some industrial sectors will lessen the package's long-term impact. Scientists say carbon dioxide emissions need to be cut by 25-40% by 2020 for there to be a reasonable chance of avoiding dangerous climate change. CLICK HERE:Euro MP'S seal major climate deal


---

16.12.2008 Paris, France - EXPLOSIVES FOUND IN PARIS STORE - Five sticks of explosives have been found and made safe in a top Paris department store, French police say. The Printemps Haussmann store was evacuated and cordoned off, and police directed traffic away from the area. French news agency AFP received a letter signed by a group calling itself the Afghan Revolutionary Front, warning of "several bombs" placed in the store. President Nicolas Sarkozy urged caution in reacting to the incident. There was no detonator linked to the explosives. "All we can do is to be prudent and moderate," Mr Sarkozy said at a news conference in the European Parliament. "My belief has not changed since 2002 that vigilance in the face of terrorism is the only possible line to take." Letter sent to news agency AFP: "Send the message to your president that he must withdraw his troops from our country before the end of February 2009 or else we will take action in your capitalist department stores". CLICK HERE:Explosives found in Paris store

Woolwich, England - MEDICAL DOCTOR GUILTY OF CAR BOMB ATTACKS - An NHS doctor has been convicted of plotting to bring chaos and murder to London and Glasgow Airport by setting off massive car bombs. A jury at Woolwich Crown Court found Bilal Abdulla guilty of plotting the home-made bomb attacks in 2007. Another NHS doctor, Mohammed Asha, was cleared of helping Abdulla and a second attacker, Kafeel Ahmed. Ahmed died following the Glasgow attack on June 30, 2007, a day after he and Abdulla had attacked London's West End. Prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw told the jury the men had been intent on "committing murder on an indiscriminate and wholesale scale" in attacks that would occur without warning, spreading panic among the public. Abdulla will be sentenced on Wednesday. Meanwhile, lawyers for Dr Asha said he had been served with deportation papers, but would fight to remain in the UK and rebuild his medical career. CLICK HERE:Medical doctor guilty of car bomb attacks

Strasbourg, France - SARKOZY ATTACKS FEDERALISTS IN THE EU - French President Nicolas Sarkozy has criticised European federalists in his final speech to the European Parliament as holder of the EU presidency. "It would be a mistake to want to build Europe against the nation states," he told MEPs, saying he opposed "European fundamentalism". Mr Sarkozy also said the EU's legal guarantees to the Irish people would be added to Croatia's EU accession treaty. Croatia will probably join the EU in 2010 or 2011, he said. At last week's EU summit in Brussels the leaders agreed to give the Republic of Ireland "legal guarantees" on a range of issues, including state neutrality and family rights, in exchange for an Irish pledge to hold a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. The controversial reform treaty, aimed at adapting EU institutions to the enlarged 27-nation bloc, was rejected by Irish voters in June. The No camp sees the treaty as a way for European federalists to impose their agenda. The EU has pledged that the treaty will not affect Irish jurisdiction over taxation policy, state neutrality, abortion and the rights of the family - all concerns that figured in the referendum campaign in Ireland. In return, the Irish government said it would strive to get the treaty ratified by next October. CLICK HERE:Sarkozy attacks federalist in the EU

Palermo, Sicily, Italy - SCORES HELD IN ANTI-MAFIA RAIDS - Italian police say they have arrested nearly 100 people in anti-Mafia raids across the southern island of Sicily and in the central region of Tuscany. They say the operation targeted the bosses of local clans who were planning to rebuild the Sicilian Mafia, also known as Cosa Nostra. A police statement said the raids involved some 1,200 police officers. The Sicilian Mafia was dealt a huge blow with the arrest in 2006 of its boss Bernardo Provenzano. The police operation, codenamed Perseus, involved the use of helicopters and dogs in a vast sweep across Italy, says the BBC's Duncan Kennedy in Rome. Police said it was the result of a nine-month operation that included the use of phone taps. Those being held are accused of extortion, arms dealing and drugs trafficking. CLICK HERE:Scores held in anti-Mafia raids


---

15.12.2008 Moscow, Russia - RUSSIAN RACIST GANG SENTENCED - A group of racist skinheads who carried out 18 brutal murders in Russia's capital Moscow have been sentenced to jail terms of between six and 20 years. The gang of seven targeted non-Slavic migrants in the city between August 2006 and October 2007. Many of the attackers were minors at the time. Besides killing 18 people, they also tried to murder another 12, the court heard. The group posted video of some of their crimes on the internet. The heaviest jail term was handed to Roman Kuzin, who received 20 years in jail. "Artur Ryno and his gang are the extreme, dangerous face of generation who have grown up in an ideological vacuum" The two alleged ringleaders of the group, Artur Ryno and Pavel Skachevsky, were given 10-year sentences in a penal colony. Their sentences were the longest they could have received, as they were minors at the time. Four other members of the group received jail sentences of between six and 12 years. The prosecution argued that the defendants had formed an organized group with the aim of murdering migrants from Asian and Caucasian regions of the former Soviet Union. CLICK HERE:Russian racist gang sntenced

Passau, Germany - TWO HELD OVER NAZI STABBING OF POLICE CHIEF - German police say they have held two people suspected of stabbing a police chief in an apparent neo-Nazi attack. The suspects were arrested based on a description given by Alois Mannichl, who was seriously injured near the southern city of Passau on Saturday. A regional prosecutor said the attacker was a skinhead who called Mr Mannichl a "leftist pig" before plunging a knife into him, narrowly missing his heart. Mr Mannichl, 52, has led a crackdown on neo-Nazis in the state of Bavaria. The stabbing of the police chief, who is now stable after undergoing emergency surgery, has shocked many in Germany. Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Hermann has said if the right-wing theory is confirmed it would mark a serious escalation in neo-Nazi violence. CLICK HERE:Two held over Nazi stabbing of police chief

Bray, Irish Republic - IRISH MINISTER HELD AT GUNPOINT - An Irish government minister has been held hostage at gunpoint during an armed robbery, police say. Minister for European Affairs Dick Roche, 61, was among a number of people seized at a hotel and golf resort near the eastern town of Bray. No shots were fired during the incident, and the hostages were later released unharmed. The three male attackers then escaped with an undisclosed sum of money in a getaway car, police said. The three attackers, one of them armed with a sawn-off shotgun, raided the Druids Glen Marriott Hotel, south of Dublin, on Monday morning, police said. "No shots were fired or any persons injured during the course of the incident," they said in a statement. Reports say the attackers stole some 20,000 euros (£18,000). A police investigation is now under way. CLICK HERE:Irish Minister held at gunpoint

Ankara, Turkey - TURKISH ACADEMICS ARMENIA APOLOGY - An internet petition has been launched in Turkey, apologizing for the "great catastrophe of 1915" when hundreds of thousands of Ottoman Armenians died. Armenians and many international historians describe as "genocide" the massacres and deaths during a forced deportation from eastern Turkey. Turkey firmly denies that, saying those killed were just victims of war. The petition, which is the first of its kind, was initiated by prominent Turkish academics and newspaper columnists. They say they want to challenge the official denial and provoke discussion in Turkish society about what happened. The petition is entitled "I apologize", and a short statement at the top rejects what it calls the ignorance and denial in Turkey of what the Ottoman Armenians suffered in 1915. It then apologizes for the pain that was caused. CLICK HERE:Turkish academics Armenia apology


---

14.12.2008 Moscow, Russia - POLICE HALT ANTI-KREMLIN RALLIES - Police have prevented two marches by anti-government demonstrators in Moscow and St Petersburg, detaining at least 100 protesters. Police trucks ringed two Moscow squares where protesters were to gather, and officers arrested dozens of people. In St Petersburg, police blocked 100 protesters from marching on the city's main thoroughfare, arresting 10 people. The protests were the latest organised by former chess champion Garry Kasparov's Other Russia movement. Other Russia has tried to stage several protests it calls dissenters' marches. Among those arrested on Sunday was Mr Kasparov's fellow leader, Eduard Limonov. The Moscow authorities had warned that Sunday's demonstration, which had not been given permission, would be "firmly stopped by law enforcement officers within the framework of the law". The latest protests follow the founding on Saturday of a new umbrella movement for Kremlin opponents, called Solidarity. CLICK HERE:Police halt anti-Kremlin rallies

Athens, Greece - VIOLENT PROTESTS RESUME IN GREECE - There have been further riots in Greece in protest at the killing by police of a 15-year-old boy eight days ago. Violent clashes broke out in the capital, Athens, on Saturday evening following a day of largely peaceful vigils for Alexandros Grigoropoulos. Youths threw petrol bombs at banks and the police station where the officer charged with the teenager's killing was based. Police responded with tear gas. At least 70 people have been injured in the protests sparked by the shooting. The unrest has spread throughout the country, and has prompted calls for Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and his government to stand down. Mr Karamanlis has vowed not to be swayed by protests, insisting Greece needs experienced leadership at a time of economic crisis. The BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens says the clashes on Saturday evening have been the most serious disturbances for several days. The protesters used laser pointers to target police for attack. CLICK HERE:Violent protests resume in Greecein


---

13.12.2008 Lisbon, Portugal - US HAILS LISBON GUANTANAMO OFFER - A senior US official has described as a "significant step" Portugal's offer of asylum for some inmates from the US detention center at Guantanamo Bay. John Bellinger, legal adviser to the US secretary of state, told the BBC the move was the first break in a European refusal to help shut down the camp. In a letter to EU members this week, Portugal urged them to follow its lead. The US has cleared 50 to 60 detainees for release, but it cannot repatriate them due to the risk of mistreatment. President-elect Barack Obama has pledged to close down the detention center soon after he takes office in January, but he is yet to set out what will happen to the 250 men currently being held there. CLICK HERE:US hails Lisbon Guantanamo offer


---

12.12.2008 Brussels, Belgium - EU LEADERS REACH NEW CLIMATE DEAL - European Union leaders have reached a deal on a package of measures to fight global warming. The plan, agreed at a Brussels summit, sets out how 27 member-countries will cut carbon emissions by 20% by 2020, compared with 1990 levels. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the summit chairman, said something "quite historic" had happened in Brussels, but critics said concessions made to some nations and sectors would lessen the package's long-term impact. Scientists say carbon dioxide emissions need to be cut by 25-40% by 2020 for there to be a reasonable chance of avoiding dangerous climate change. In other developments. EU leaders agreed an economic recovery package worth 200bn euros (£180bn) to ease the economic downturn; A deal was reached on concessions enabling the Irish Republic to hold a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, which aims to streamline EU decision-making. CLICK HERE: EU leaders reach new climate deal

Brussels, Belgium - BROWN HAILS EU RECOVERY PACKAGE Gordon Brown has said European leaders have agreed to back an "ambitious and co-ordinated" recovery plan to help their economies through the downturn. The package, negotiated at an EU summit in Brussels, will see 200bn euros of funding equivalent to 1.5% of the EU total output, poured into economies. Mr Brown said measures would include "judicious" tax cuts and acceleration of public spending projects. The PM's economic policy has come under fire from leading German politicians. Finance minister Peer Steinbruck called his decision to cut VAT levels and raise borrowing to record levels to support the weakening economy as "crass" and "breathtaking." Steffen Kampeter, of Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party, described Mr Brown's £20bn fiscal stimulus as "a failure of Labour policy", but Mr Brown said that "whatever comments had been made in the last few days", the agreement over the need for a huge stimulus package showed that the EU was "wholly united". He described the agreement as "good news for the UK and good news for Europe". CLICK HERE:Brown hails EU recovery package

Athens, Greece - GREEK PM REJECTS ELECTION CALLSGreek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has rejected calls for an early general election after a week of violent unrest over a fatal police shooting. Speaking at an EU summit in Brussels, the conservative leader said that his country needed a steady hand at a time of economic crisis. Masked rioters have again confronted police in central Athens, throwing stones and petrol bombs. The riots were sparked by the killing of a teenager last Saturday. One policeman has been charged with the murder of Alexandros Grigoropoulos, 15, and a second has been charged with being an accomplice. The officer who fired the shot says the fatal wound came from a ricocheting bullet. Ballistics tests have not yet been published and the Grigoropoulos family has hired an independent pathologist to study the case to ensure there is no cover-up. CLICK HERE:Greek PM rejects election calls

Dulin, Irish Republic - IRELAND'S PM CONFIRMS EU VOTE PLAN - Ireland's prime minister has confirmed he is prepared to put the EU's reform treaty to a referendum again after winning assurances from EU leaders. Brian Cowen said that on the basis of concessions agreed at an EU summit in Brussels, he was prepared to go back to the Irish people next year. The Lisbon Treaty has been on ice since being rejected by Irish voters in June. It would bring in a set of reforms aimed at streamlining an enlarged European Union. Ireland wanted assurances that the treaty would not affect three areas of concern to the country's "no" voters: abortion, Irish neutrality and taxation. European leaders are also believed to have promised that Ireland will keep its EU commissioner. "I have said that I would be prepared to return to the public with a new package and seek their approval of it," Mr Cowen said after the summit. "Today we have the clear evidence the European Union is ready to respond." CLICK HERE:Ireland PM confirms EU vote plan


---

11.12.2008 Brussels, Belgium - BELGIUM DETAINS AL-QAIDA SUSPECTS - Belgian police say they have detained 14 people suspected of being members of the al-Qaeda network. They include a man believed to have been about to launch a suicide attack, officials said. Federal prosecutor Johan Delmulle said police did not know where the suspected suicide attack was to have targeted. The detentions came as a two-day European Union leaders' summit was due to start in the Belgian capital, Brussels, on Thursday afternoon. A total of 242 police officers carried out 16 raids in Brussels and one in the eastern city of Liege, officials said. Police seized computers, data storage equipment and a pistol during the raids, reports say, and the men and women arrested are due to appear before anti-terrorism judges later. Mr Delmulle said the suspects could have been targeting Pakistan or Afghanistan, "but it can't be ruled out that Belgium or Europe could have been the target". The man suspected of planning the suicide attack had "received the green light to carry out an operation from which he was not expected to come back", Mr Delmulle quoted investigators as saying. CLICK HERE:

Brussels, Belgium - IRISH READY TO HOLD NEW EU VOTE - The Irish Republic is willing to hold a second referendum on the EU's reform treaty if given certain guarantees by the EU, a spokesman has told the BBC. Those legally binding guarantees are to be discussed by EU leaders at a summit in Brussels. The Lisbon Treaty has been on ice since being rejected by Irish voters in June. The summit is also due to take crucial decisions on EU measures to tackle climate change, and to consider an EU-wide economic stimulus plan. Opening the meeting on Thursday French President Nicolas Sarkozy, chairing the summit, said he hoped his fellow leaders would be able to unite on a climate package. "Europe must not provide the spectacle of its own division," he said. The mechanism for a second referendum is included in draft conclusions which are being presented by the current holders of the EU presidency, France, and which have been seen by the BBC. CLICK HERE:Irish ready to hold new EU vote

Reykjavik, Iceland - ICELAND COULD APPPLY FOR EU MEMBERSHIP SOON - Iceland may apply to join the European Union as soon as next year, the EU's commissioner says. Olli Rehn said the European Commission was "mentally preparing for the possibility of an application from Iceland... for early next year". Iceland has always preferred to stay outside the EU, but after being badly hit by the economic crisis, some are now advocating its entry. "Clearly there is movement in Iceland," Mr Rehn said. His office said Iceland, should it formally apply, would probably meet accession criteria much more quickly than other countries, which can take years, or decades. "The EU's door is open to any European country that respects the principles of liberty, democracy and human rights and can carry the obligations of EU membership," said Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, a spokeswoman for Mr Rehn's office. "Considering Iceland's already far-going economic integration with the EU, I would expect that accession negotiations can progress clearly much faster than with other countries that do not have such strong ties with the EU." CLICK HERE:Iceland could apply for EU membership soon

Brussels, Belgium - BROWN SHRUGS OFF GERMAN CRITICISM - Gordon Brown has shrugged off criticism from Germany's finance minister of his economic , saying the remarks were influenced by internal politics. Peer Steinbruck criticised the decision to cut VAT and raise national debt levels, saying the UK's response to the crisis was "crass" and "breathtaking". Mr Brown said Germany had intervened to support its banks and to inject money into the economy as Labour had done, but the Tories said the German comments were a "stark warning" to Labour. The Lib Dems said Germany's leaders were "fed up being lectured" by Mr Brown over how to run their economy. Mr Steinbruck's comments, in an interview with Newsweek magazine, represented an unusual breach of standard diplomacy. They also exposed apparent divisions in Europe over its response to the global economic downturn as EU leaders prepare to gather in Brussels on Thursday for a summit to discuss the issue. CLICK HERE:Brown shrugs off German criticism

Athens, Greece - FRESH CLASHES IN GREEK CAPITAL - Greek students have attacked police in the capital, Athens, in the latest outbreak of protests over the killing of a teenaged boy last Saturday. The authorities say at least one person was injured as protesters threw stones and firebombs at a police station, near the city's main university. Students are also reported to have set up road blocks in some parts of Athens. A policeman has been charged over the youth's death. His lawyer says the bullet that killed him was a ricochet. But the ballistics report has not yet been officially published. An unnamed police official said that an elderly bystander had been taken to hospital after being struck by a rock in the latest violence. CLICK HERE:Fresh clashes in Greek capital


---

10.12.2008 London, England - STERLING HITS NEW EURO LOW - The British pound has fallen to a new record low against the euro amid a grim outlook for the UK economy. Sterling declined to under 1.14 euros for the first time. It also touched a new low against a basket of currencies. Interest rates have been cut both in the UK and in the eurozone, but they remain higher in the 15-member euro currency area. The pound was also hit by new data suggesting the UK economy had shrunk by 1% in the three months to November. The pound stood at $1.4827 and at 1.1363 euros by later afternoon in London. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research indicated that the rate of output decline was "accelerating", and the institute now expects a fall of more than 1% in the last three months of the year. "We have declining interest rates and there isn't really anything at the moment to provide a strong reason to buy," said currency analyst Chris Gothard at Brown Brothers Harriman. CLICK HERE:Sterling hits new euro low
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT (COMMENT: Has sterling suffered irreparable damage?)
Berlin, Germany - BROWN'S KEYNESIANISM QUESTIONED - The German finance minister has launched an outspoken attack on the UK government's plans to help pull Britain out of the economic downturn. In an unusual breach of standard diplomacy, Peer Steinbruck attacked the UK's decision to cut VAT and raise the national debt to record levels. Mr Steinbruck said the UK's switch from financial prudence to heavy borrowing was both "crass" and "breathtaking". His comments came in an interview with Newsweek magazine. "There is a broad international consensus that a fiscal stimulus is right thing for economies now," said a T reasury spokesman. Criticising the UK government's decision to cut VAT from 17.5% to 15%, Mr Steinbruck questioned how effective this will be. "Are you really going to buy a DVD player because it now costs £39.10 instead of £39.90?" he said. "All this will do is raise Britain's debt to a level that will take a whole generation to work off." Saying the UK government was now "tossing around billions", Mr Steinbruck questioned why Britain was now closely following the high public spending model put forward by 20th Century economist John Maynard Keynes. "The switch from decades of supply-side politics all the way to a crass Keynesianism is breathtaking," he said. "When I ask about the origins of the [financial] crisis, economists I respect tell me it is the credit-financed growth of recent years and decades. "Isn't this the same mistake everyone is suddenly making again, under all the public pressure?" Chancellor Alistair Darling announced in last month's pre-Budget report that the government would inject an extra £20bn into the UK economy in a bid to get it moving again. CLICK HERE:Brown's Keynesianism questioned

Athens, Greece - STRIKE ADDS TO UNREST IN GREECE - Several thousand people have marched through the Greek capital Athens to protest at the government's economic policies, as part of a general strike. While turnout appeared lower than expected, the strike hit transport and the public sector and the city saw new unrest over the shooting of a teenager. Rioters hurled petrol bombs at police outside a court where two policemen were remanded in custody for his death. A defense lawyer says the youth was killed by a ricochet. Greece's conservative prime minister has vowed to restore order and compensate businesses affected by the riots, which spread from Athens across Greek cities after the shooting on Saturday. The leader of the socialist opposition, George Papandreou, made a call for public calm. CLICK HERE:Srike adds to unrest in Greece


---

9.12.2008 Athens, Greece - GREEK PROTESTS AS FUNERAL HELD -Violence continued for a fourth day in Athens, as a funeral was held for a teenager whose death has sparked rioting across Greece. Clashes erupted near the cemetery where 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, shot by police on Saturday, was buried. Youths also fought police outside parliament, in a repeat of the violence that has seen hundreds of buildings torched and dozens injured. The opposition said the government had lost public support and should resign. On Wednesday union leaders plan to hold a 24-hour general strike over welfare reforms. Police fear the stoppage, which is expected to bring the country to a standstill, could fuel further violence. Fresh protests began in central Athens early on Tuesday. Schools were shut as thousands of teachers, schoolchildren and parents marched on parliament to protest against the killing. CLICK HERE:Greek protests as funeral held

Dublin, Irish Republic - DIOXIN FOUND IN IRISH CATTLE - Almost 50 cattle herds across Ireland have been fed contaminated feed which has sparked a scare over pork products. Three cattle herds in the Republic have tested positive for dioxins, but the Irish government says the levels do not pose a public health concern. Nine of the herds are in Northern Ireland, and the Food Standards Agency said the farms were under restriction, so none of animals would be processed. The FSA said the beef on sale in Northern Ireland "was entirely safe". Stormont Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said nine cattle herds had been affected in Northern Ireland, including one beef and dairy herd. CLICK HERE:Dioxin found in Irish cattle

Kiev, Ukraine - UKRAINE COALITION SET TO REFORM - The pro-Western coalition government in Ukraine which collapsed in September amid disagreements has been reformed, says the speaker of parliament. Fresh elections had been expected following months of deadlock between President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, but supporters of the two leaders have now agreed to work together in a new coalition joined by a smaller party. The dispute had paralysed Ukraine as it faces a crippling financial crisis. The formation of the new coalition was announced by the head of the smaller party, Volodymyr Lytvyn, immediately after he was re-elected as parliament's speaker. He said a formal agreement was expected to be signed within days. CLICK HERE:Ukraine coalition set to reform

Dusseldorf, Germany - TRAIN PLOTTER JAILED IN GERMANY -A Lebanese man has been sentenced to life in jail over a failed plot to bomb passenger trains in Germany in 2006. Yusef Mohammed al-Hajj Dib, 24, was convicted of attempted murder by the court in Dusseldorf, western Germany. In July 2006, two bombs were found on trains in Dortmund and Koblenz, but the devices failed to go off. Hajj Dib had argued he only wanted to scare the public after being angered by a row over the the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. The cartoons, that were first printed in a Danish newspaper, triggered violent protests across the Muslim world. Hajj Dib is one of two main suspects accused of planting the bombs. Jihad Hamad, aged 22, was arrested in his native Lebanon in August 2006 after fleeing Germany. CLICK HERE:Train plotter jailed in Germany

Transparency International: Companies from emerging economies such as Russia and China are more likely to pay bribes when doing business in other countries, a survey claims. Anti-corruption body Transparency International interviewed 2,742 senior business executives to see which firms would pay bribes in foreign countries. Russia, China, Mexico, India, Brazil and Italy were the worst of the 22 major economies ranked in the survey. Firms from Belgium and Canada were seen as least likely to pay bribes. Countries whose firms are least prepared to pay bribes: Belgium, Canada, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Japan, UK. Countries whose firms are most prepared to pay bribes: Russia, China, Mexico, India, Brazil, Italy. Source: Transparency International

---

8.11.2008 Athens, Greece - GREEK RIOTERS CLASH WITH POLICE - Thousands of rioters across Greece have clashed with police in a third day of violent protests over the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy. Police used teargas against protesters roaming the streets of Athens throwing petrol bombs and setting fire to buildings, vehicles and rubbish bins. Dozens of people have been injured throughout the country and there are reports of looting in some areas. Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has gone on television to appeal for calm. He said "extreme elements" were taking advantage of the situation to engage in vandalism and pledged to compensate businesses damaged. The riots began on Saturday after Alexandros Grigoropoulos was shot dead by police in the Exarchia area of Athens. Television pictures on Monday evening showed small fires burning in the centre of Athens and hundreds of people wandering through the streets, some attacking banks, businesses and vehicles. A large Christmas tree in central Syntagma Square was set on fire and windows were smashed on hotels, government buildings and departments stores. CLICK HERE:Greek rioters clash with police

London, England - BROWN PREACHES TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT - Gordon Brown has said more investment is needed in technology and environmentally friendly in an effort to tackle the downturn. The prime minister held Downing Street talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Jose Manuel Barroso, head of the European Commission. Afterwards he said technology could help governments in their efforts to "invest out of the downturn". EU leaders are to hold an economic summit in Brussels later this week. Also taking part in Downing Street meetings were representatives of companies including Vodafone, Tesco, British Telecom, the National Grid, Corus, Prudential and Diageo. Mr Brown said: "We have looked at how, just as many years ago investment in road and rail and infrastructure was a powerful stimulus to the economies then, so too in this new age we can invest in the digital infrastructure for the future." He added that areas to be looked at included telecommunication, environmentally related industries and new environmental technologies. CLICK HERE:Brown preaches technology investment

Gerde, France - FRANCE ARRESTS NEW ETA LEADER - The man suspected of being the new military chief of the Basque separatist group Eta has been arrested in France, police say. Aitzol Irionda, 31, was arrested along with two others near Gerde, south-west France, carrying guns and fake identity papers, French police said. Spanish Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba described Mr Irionda as the "number one" Eta member. The arrests follow last week's murder of a businessman in the Basque region. It was the first attack linked to Eta since the arrest of its former military head, Mikel Garikoitz Aspiazu Rubina, also known as "Txeroki", last month. "Aitzol Iriondo is presumably Txeroki's substitute," Mr Rubalcaba told a news conference in Madrid. "As such we're talking about the military chief and number one member of the terrorist group Eta." Mr Rubalcaba said the authorities would continue to pursue and arrest Eta members "until this finishes". He told anyone considering taking over Mr Iriondo's role as head of the organisation: "I can assure them that, from this moment, we are looking for you". CLICK HERE:France arrests new Eta leader

Brussels, Belgium - EU NAVAL FLOTILLA BEGINS SOMALI PIRATE CONTROLS - European Union warships and aircraft are due to launch anti-piracy patrols off the Somali At least four ships and two observation planes from several EU countries, including the UK, France and Greece, will escort aid and merchant ships. The area, including one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, the Gulf of Aden, has seen almost 100 pirate attacks this year. It is the first naval operation in the bloc's history. It will take over from the existing Nato mission and last at least a year. The goal is not only to increase security for seafarers and shipping in the hazardous Somali waters, but to help in the delivery of food aid to Somalia. EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday will formally launch the mission, and approve what officials describe as robust rules of engagement. CLICK HERE:EU naval flotilla begins Somali pirate controls

London, England - UK OPPOSITION SHUNS MP RAID INVESTIGATION - The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have said they will not take part in a Commons inquiry into the police raid on MP Damian Green's parliamentary office. The government won a close vote to set up a committee dominated by Labour MPs, which would not begin work until after the police investigation finished. The Lib Dems denounced the inquiry as a "nonsense", while the Tories warned it should not be "party political". A cross-party motion to change the committee's remit failed by four votes. Suggested by former Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell, the amendment would have allowed the inquiry to go ahead without waiting for the completion of any police inquiry or proceedings. After this failed, a government motion to set up an MPs' committee in accordance with the make-up of the Commons - which has a Labour majority - and not start work until the police inquiry is over, passed by 23 votes. CLICK HERE:UK opposition shuns MP raid investigation


---

7.12.2008 Dublin, Irish Republic - IRISH REPUBLIC RECALLS ALL PORK -All pork products made in the Irish Republic since September have been recalled over fears they are contaminated with a toxic substance. The action was taken after dioxins were found in slaughtered pigs thought to have eaten contaminated feed. Tests showed some pork products contained up to 200 times more dioxins than the recognised safety limit. The UK's Food Standards Agency said it did not believe at this stage that UK consumers faced any "significant risk". However, the BBC has learned the agency's counterpart in Northern Ireland is examining whether pork products in the province have been affected. Food safety expert Professor Hugh Pennington told the BBC the health risk was "very, very low". CLICK HERE:Irish Republic recalls all pork
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT(COMMENT: Dioxin has the capacity to cause permanent genetic damage to all forms of life with which it comes in contact, depending on the length of time of contact and the concentration.)

Athens, Greece - GREEK POLICE SHOOTING SPARKS RIOTING - Riots have broken out in several Greek cities after police shot dead a teenager in the capital Athens. The unrest began soon after the shooting in the central Exarchia district, a regular scene of clashes between police and leftist groups. Youths threw petrol bombs, burned cars and smashed shop windows. Riots then spread to Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city, to the northern cities of Komotini and Ioannina, and to Crete. Two officers have been suspended, and an inquiry is under way, after the worst such violence in several years. CLICK HERE:Greek police shooting sparks rioting


---

6.12.2008 Moscow, Russia - RUSSIAN CHURCH ELECTS ACTING HEAD - The Russian Orthodox Church's top body has elected a high-profile bishop, Kirill, as its temporary leader after the death of Patriarch Alexiy II. Church leaders chose Kirill, 62, in a secret ballot a day after the death of the Church's first post-Soviet leader, Alexiy, from heart failure. Kirill is familiar to millions of Russians from TV broadcasts and is the Church's chief envoy abroad. Alexiy, who was 79, is to be buried on Tuesday at a cathedral in Moscow. The Russian Orthodox Church counts nearly 70% of Russia's population, about 100 million people, among its members and, as such, is the world's biggest Orthodox Christian community. CLICK HERE:Russian church elects acting head


---

5.12.2008 London, England - MP's HOME SWEPT FOR POLICE LISTENING DEVICES - The offices, home and car of Tory MP Damian Green have been swept for listening devices by a private security firm called in by his own party. The Tories feared police investigating alleged leaks of sensitive Home Office material may have planted bugs when they raided the premises last week. Despite intensive searches, nothing was found by the security experts. The MP was held by police last week on suspicion of conspiring to commit misconduct in public office. It is understood a Berkshire-based security firm was hired to carry out the search. "To avoid the possibility of any listening devices being planted we decided to have the offices in Bethersden swept." Damian Green's agent said. The Metropolitan police, whose officers arrested Mr Green last week, has declined to comment on the search. Using electronic devices, the experts swept Mr Green's constituency home and association offices in Bethersden, Kent, on Friday. The day before, a similar sweep had been carried out at the MP's London residence, Westminster office, and his previously impounded car. Mr Green's agent Gordon Williams said: "Damian is very anxious to maintain the confidentiality of his electors' parliamentary case work. "Clearly the offices in Bethersden were occupied for quite some time without us personally being present. "We cannot guarantee the integrity of the office while we're not here, so to avoid the possibility of any listening devices being planted we decided to have the offices in Bethersden swept and also the parliamentary office, car and London and constituency homes.CLICK HERE:MP'S home swept for police Listening devices

Edinburgh, Scotland - SCOTLAND'S PROGRESSIVE CLIMATE BILL - A newly-published Scottish bill to help tackle climate change could be a "world leader", environmental groups have claimed. The Scottish Government proposals would see an 80% reduction in the country's greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. It also sets out measures to tackle shipping and aviation emissions. Campaigners Stop Climate Chaos Scotland hailed the bill as potentially "the most significant for a generation", but said there was room for improvement. The targets in the Scottish Climate Change Bill will include a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and a cut of 80% by 2050. CLICK HERE:Scotland's progressive climate bill

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIAN CHURCH HEAD DIES - The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Alexiy II, has died at the age of 79. There is no word on the cause of his death at his residence outside Moscow, but he had been sick for some time. No date has been set yet for the funeral. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called his death a "great loss". Alexiy II was credited with helping restore the moral authority of the Russian Orthodox Church after decades of repression under communism. Favored by the KGB as he rose through the Church's ranks, he then oversaw its post-communist revival. However, relations with the Roman Catholic Church remained frosty and he repeatedly refused to meet the late Pope John Paul II, or his successor, Benedict XVI. CLICK HERE:Russian Church head dies

Tbilisi, Georgia - SENIOR GEORGIAN MINISTERS DISMISSED - Four key government ministers in Georgia have been dismissed in a major cabinet reshuffle. Correspondents say the move comes as President Mikhail Saakashvili is seeking to deflect criticism from the disastrous war with Russia in August. President Saakashvili replaced his prime minister a month ago, appointing Grigol Mgaloblishvili. Now there is a new foreign minister, as well as new ministers for defense, security, and education. Some government posts were changed when Mr Mgaloblishvili became prime minister, but Defencse Minister David Kezerashvili and Foreign Minister Eka Tkeshelashvili had kept their portfolios. CLICK HERE:Senior Georgian minister dismissed


---

4.12.2008 Moscow, Russia - PUTIN RULES OUT EARLY KREMLIN BID -Russian PM Vladimir Putin has ruled out an early return to the presidency. He told the BBC he would wait until 2012 , when presidential polls are due, to decide whether to run at all. Recent efforts in Russia to extend the presidential term from four to six years have fuelled speculation that Mr Putin may return to the post soon. He was obliged to step down this year after serving two consecutive terms. Dmitry Medvedev was elected as Russia's new president in March. "The next presidential election will take place in 2012... For now, everyone must fulfil his duties in his place," Mr Putin said. He said he had a "very effective tandem" with Mr Medvedev. "We have worked together for several years," he added. Mr Putin warned Russians of tough economic times ahead, during a nationwide question-and-answer broadcast, but he reassured his audience that the current economic troubles would not compare with the collapse of the 1990s. CLICK HERE:Putin rules out early Kremlin bid

Paris, France - FRANCE UNVEILS HUGE STIMULUS PLAN - French President Nicolas Sarkozy has unveiled a 26bn-euro ($33bn; £23bn) stimulus plan to help France fend off financial crisis. The measures include a 1bn-euro loan for carmakers and 5bn euros of new public sector investments. The plan amounts to 1.3% of France's gross domestic product and should boost its economic growth by 0.6% in 2009. It will also increase the budget deficit to 3.9% of GDP from the previously forecast 3.1%. This is above the 3% ceiling demanded by the European Commission, but the rules have been eased to help members of the European Union tackle the crisis. About 20bn euros will be added to the public debt. "We will not give up our goal of sorting out our finances as soon as possible. Not doing anything now would have cost us much more," said President Sarkozy. CLICK HERE:France unveils huge stimulus plan
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT (COMMENT:1 billion euro loan for car-makers to produce what? If it is not to develop and produce hydrogen-powered combustion engines, one might just as well divide the money up from the start amongst the deprived metropolitan clochards.)

Brussels, Belgium - DALI LAMA IN ADDRESS TO EURO MP'S - Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has addressed Europe's lawmakers, restating that he was seeking autonomy within China, not independence. During his European tour, he will also meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy. China has warned France that bilateral trade could be harmed if the planned meeting goes ahead on Saturday. Beijing last week cancelled its summit with the EU which France - the current holder of the EU presidency, was to have hosted on December 1. Addressing the European Parliament in Brussels, the Dalai Lama said he was "seeking a genuine autonomy within China". The Tibetan exile leader said his movement was not "a separatist", stressing his commitments to "strictly non-violent methods" to achieve his goals. Earlier, the 73-year-old Dalai Lama urged the EU to stand up to China on human rights. CLICK HERE:Dali Lama in address to Euro MP's

Frankfurt, Germany - ECB CUTS EURORATES TO 2.5% - The European Central Bank has delivered a record rate cut, lowering the key interest rate for the 15 countries that use the euro to 2.5% from 3.25%. The cost of borrowing was cut for a third consecutive month as the central bank tries to bolster the eurozone's faltering economies. Central banks worldwide are cutting interest rates dramatically to stave off a protracted recession. Earlier, the Bank of England reduced interest rates to 2% from 3%. Sweden's central bank cut its key interest rate by a record 1.75 percentage points to 2% on Thursday and monetary policymakers in Denmark and New Zealand also reduced the cost of borrowing. CLICK HERE:ECB cuts eurozine rates to 2.5%

London, England - BANK CUTS UK RATES TO 57-YEAR LOW - The Bank of England has cut interest rates by one percentage point, from 3% to 2%, the lowest level since 1951. The move, which followed a dramatic cut in November, has been welcomed by many commentators who said the cut should help the slowing economy. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has urged lenders to pass on the cut to homeowners and business. So far, only a handful of lenders have said they will pass on the cut in full to standard variable rate mortgages. There has been no news yet for savers, with banks and building societies saying their savings rates are "under review". CLICK HERE:Bank cuts UK rates to 57-year low

Strasbourg, France - DNA DATABASE BREACH OF RIGHTS - Two British men should not have had their DNA and fingerprints retained by police, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled. The men's information was held by South Yorkshire Police, although neither was convicted of any offence. The judgement could have major implications on how DNA records are stored in the UK's national database. The judges said keeping the information "could not be regarded as necessary in a democratic society". Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she was "disappointed" by the European Court of Human Rights' decision. The database may now have to be scaled back following the unanimous judgement by 17 senior judges from across Europe. Under present laws, the DNA profiles of everyone arrested for a recordable offence in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are kept on the database, regardless of whether they are charged or convicted. The details of about 4.5m people are held and one in five of them does not have a current criminal record. CLICK HERE:DNA database breach of rights


---

3.12.2008 Brussels, Belgium - NATO DEFERS ON UKRAINE, GEORGIA - Nato has reaffirmed that Ukraine and Georgia will eventually join the alliance, without offering them formal roadmaps towards membership. Instead, Nato foreign ministers meeting in Brussels said the two nations should pursue reforms needed to join the bloc, without giving any timetable for entry. They also said they expected Albania and Croatia would join Nato next year. Nato also agreed to resume low-level contacts with Russia, which were frozen over its war with Georgia in August. In a final communique after the two-day meeting, Nato foreign ministers said: "We reaffirm all elements of the decisions regarding Ukraine and Georgia taken... in Bucharest". "Nato is becoming the battle-ground for competing national positions." a Nato diplomat said. The document referred to Nato's pledge at its April summit in the Romanian capital that Ukraine and Georgia would eventually join the bloc. However, the communique added: "Both countries have made progress, yet both have significant work left to do." It said that annual programs would now be developed to help the two nations advance their reforms needed to join the alliance. CLICK HERE:Nato defers on Ukraine,Georgia

London, England - MP RAID POLICE HAD NO WARRANT - Commons Speaker Michael Martin has said he "regrets" that police were allowed to search Conservative MP Damian Green's office without a warrant. A parliamentary aide had allowed a raid, part of a government leaks inquiry, by signing a consent form, he added. Mr Martin told MPs he had known in advance about the search and Mr Green's arrest, but he had not been told the police did not have a search warrant. Mr Green said Home Office leaks to him had been "in the public interest". Items including computer files were confiscated during raids on all the MP's homes and offices last Thursday. The Speaker has referred this issue to be investigated by a committee of senior MPs. Mr Martin also promised that, in future, a warrant would be required before searches were carried out on Commons property. "Every case must be referred for my personal decision, as it is my responsibility," he added. But one Conservative MP said the Speaker should resign, given that he had "failed in his fundamental duty to protect Parliament". "I have no confidence in the Speaker's willingness or ability to defend Parliament or me as an MP, so that I can defend the interests of my constituents," Richard Bacon said. "He has to go. It is that simple." After the news broke last week that four addresses had been raided, Scotland Yard said it had had warrants for all of them. CLICK HERE:MP raid police had no warrant

San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain - SPANISH BUSINESSMAN SHOT BY ETA - A businessman has been shot dead outside a restaurant in Azpeitia in the Basque region of northern Spain. Spanish police say they suspect the Basque separatist group Eta is behind the killing. Local media say Ignacio Uria Mendizabal, 71, worked for a company building a high-speed train link, a project previously targeted by Eta. The shooting comes less than a month after the arrest of the suspected operational head of Eta. Mikel Garikoitz Aspiazu Rubina, also known as "Txeroki", was arrested in southern France on 17 November. The Spanish interior ministry had said it expected there to be retaliation for the arrest. Officials say Mr Uria Mendizabal was shot several times in the car park of a restaurant in Azpeitia, near San Sebastian. Media reports say he was shot in the head and the chest by several people who then fled the scene in a car. CLICK HERE:Spanish businessman shot by Eta

Zagreb, Croatia - CROATIA WEB ARRESTS SPARK FURORE - Croatia's prime minister has ordered an inquiry following arrests of several opposition activists who made plans via the social networking website Facebook. "This is not about this or that government or party, but about freedom," Croatian PM Ivo Sanader said. Police in Zagreb questioned a Facebook activist who had put up posters ahead of an anti-government protest planned for Friday, Croatian TV reported. Last week a man who had set up an anti-Sanader forum was held in Dubrovnik. In a statement on Wednesday, Mr Sanader said he had asked Interior Minister Tomislav Karamarko and Police Director Vladimir Faber "to submit a report today on the latest events and arrests in Zagreb and Dubrovnik and to take appropriate steps if police did not respect regulations". He said "no-one should be detained or arrested in Croatia for expressing different views". In the Zagreb case, an opposition Facebook group with nearly 60,000 members included volunteers who had downloaded posters over the internet, Croatian TV reported. The man arrested in the Croatian capital was charged with disturbing the peace, under an old law from 1990 which applied to the then-Yugoslavia, the TV reported. CLICK HERE:Croatia web arrests spark furore


---

2.12.2008 Brussels, Belgium - NATO TO RESUME TIES WITH RUSSIA - Nato has agreed to a "conditional and graduated re-engagement" with Russia, the alliance's secretary general says. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said talks with Moscow, which were frozen over its war with Georgia in August, would resume. The Nato- Russia Council is not being restored, but the Nato chief said lower-level talks would take place. Foreign ministers meeting in Brussels also reiterated their support for eventual Nato membership for Georgia and Ukraine, but Nato is deeply divided on the subject, and did not offer the countries their desired membership action plan (MAP). Moscow strongly opposes their ambitions to join the alliance, and some countries, like Germany, France and Italy, fear offering them MAPs would provoke Russia, correspondents say. Instead, ministers encouraged Tbilisi and Kiev to pursue reforms needed to join the alliance, without any timetable for entry. Mr De Hoop Scheffer said that all previous decisions made by Nato heads of state regarding Georgia and Ukraine still stood. CLICK HERE:NATO to resume ties with Russia

Brussels, Belgium - RUSSIA AND EU RESUME NEGOTIATIONS - The EU and Russia have restarted talks on a new partnership agreement, after they were frozen by the EU in the wake of August's conflict in Georgia. The decision to resume talks was made last month, despite the opposition of Lithuania, which called it a "mistake". The EU insists it will not be "business as usual" with Russia, but that the two sides must discuss vital issues like like energy, climate change and trade. Talks on a new agreement began this year after a delay of about 18 months. The EU and Russia have been seeking a replacement for a previous agreement, which has expired. Although trade between Russia and EU states has boomed in recent years, the political relationship has become increasingly strained, over issues such as human rights and energy supplies. CLICK HERE:Russia and EU resume negotiations

Pristina, Kosovo - EU TO OPERATE ALL OVER KOSOVO - The EU's police and justice mission will start deploying throughout Kosovo on 9 December, including to Serb-controlled areas, EU officials say. Under the plan, approved by the UN Security Council, nearly 2,000 EU police, justice and customs officials will take over UN duties in Kosovo, but the UN mission - called Unmik - will retain a political role. The EU's "Eulex" mission was supposed to start earlier. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February. Several thousand Kosovo Albanians demonstrated in the capital Pristina against the Eulex deployment on Tuesday, the day it was originally scheduled to start. Protesters held banners saying "Kosovo in the EU, not under the EU" and "Eulex made in Serbia". The protest organizer and leader of the Self-determination Movement, Albin Kurti, voiced fears that the EU officials would "have immunity from the law - they will also be above the law". Eulex police spokeswoman Karin Limdal said Eulex would operate "all over Kosovo - in the Serb-controlled areas too". CLICK HERE:EU to operate all over Kosovo

Brussels, Belgium - EU WANTS BANKS TO BOOST LENDING - The EU competition commissioner Neelie Kroes has said she expects banks that receive state aid to give commitments to lend to the real economy. At the EU finance ministers meeting in Brussels, she said national rescue schemes should also include incentives for the state aid to be returned. The European Commission has been under pressure to approve various bail-out plans proposed by member states. New rules regarding state aid are expected to be approved by Christmas, but many national governments said the EU was being too "bureaucratic" in its approach. The European Union competition commissioner made it clear that she wanted banks to lend more in return for government help. CLICK HERE:EU wants banks to boost lending


---

1.12.2008 London, England - NO 10 DENIES SHIFT IN EURO POLICY - The government has denied a shift in policy on the euro after the European Commission's president said the UK was "closer than ever before" to joining. Jose Manuel Barroso told French radio that British politicians were considering the move because of the effects of the global credit crunch. Lord Mandelson said at the weekend that "our aim" should be to join the euro, but Downing Street said its position on the single currency remained the same and that it had "no plans" to join. "Our position hasn't changed... we have no plans to join the euro," No 10 said. In 1997 Gordon Brown, seen as less keen on the euro than Tony Blair, set five economic tests which had to be met before ministers would recommend UK euro entry and holding a referendum. The key test is whether the UK economy is coming together with those of countries in the eurozone and whether this can be sustained in the long-term. The second test, linked to this, is whether there is sufficient flexibility to cope with economic change. CLICK HERE:No 10 denies shift in euro policy

Poznan, Poland - UN CLIMATE SUMMIT SEEKS CLARITY - This year's round of UN climate talks are opening in Poland with nations attempting to set the terms of a new deal on all aspects of climate change. The talks, in the city of Poznan, mark the halfway point in a two-year process agreed at last year's UN conference. The meeting will not produce a new deal but is likely to clarify what countries are looking for on issues such as emission cuts and forest protection. The US will be represented by officials of the outgoing Bush administration. The two-year process which began at last December's talks in Bali is designed to conclude in a year's time with an agreement that can enter force in 2012 when the current emission cuts under the Kyoto Protocol expire. "The Poznan conference is taking place in the broader context of the current global financial crisis and impending recession," noted Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). "But we cannot allow this to detract from the fight against climate change. CLICK HERE:UN climate summit seeks clarity

Stuttgart, Germany - MERKEL DEFIES CALLS FOR TAX CUTS - German chancellor Angela Merkel has ruled out further tax cuts before elections in September next year saying she has doubts over their impact. She said her government had no need to enter a "senseless" competition with other countries which were spending billions of euros to prevent recession. The chancellor has been facing criticism for her economic strategy, but she said German consumers would put money from tax cuts into savings instead of spending it in shops. "I will not stand for action for action's sake", Angela Merkel told the Christian Democratic Party's convention. Germany has already launched a 480bn euro ($606bn; £404bn) rescue package for German banks hit by the credit crunch, and a tax holiday on the sale of new cars, but rival politicians and industry leaders argued that Germany should introduce a stimulus plan which included significant tax cuts, similar to those offered in the United States, Britain and France. Figures released in November confirmed that Germany is officially in recession after its economy contracted for two consecutive quarters.CLICK HERE:Merkel defies calls for tax cuts

Istanbul, Turkey - BLAST AT TURKISH POLITICAL OFFICE - Six people have been injured by a blast outside an office belonging to Turkey's ruling party in Istanbul. City Governor Muammer Guler said the explosion may have been caused by a parcel bomb. Police were examining security TV footage for clues as to who planted the bomb, which exploded at around 1500 (1300 GMT), he said. The injured included four policemen and two workers for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party. The office, in the Sutluce district of the city, was busy as party officials were meeting to deal with applications for municipal elections. Bombings are not uncommon in Istanbul, with Kurdish, Islamist and leftist militants all having been blamed in the past. CLICK HERE:Blast at Turkish political office


---

30.11.2008 Bucharest, Romania - ROMANIANS VOTE IN NATIONAL ELECTIONS - Early indications from the Romanian general election put the leftist Social Democratic party in the lead. Exit polls predict that the opposition Social Democrats have won 36% of the vote in the first such election since Romania joined the EU last year. The global economic downturn appears to have eroded support for the governing Liberal party. The Social Democrats, the successors to the communists, campaigned on promises to increase welfare payments. There have been no official results so far. Correspondents say the Liberals' former allies, the Liberal Democrats, are also in a strong position. Squabbles between their figurehead President, Traian Basescu, and the Liberal leader, Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu, wrecked their coalition. President Basescu, who still has another year in office, can nominate the next prime minister if the result is close. CLICK HERE:Romanians vote in national elections

London, England - UK COMMONS LEADER CONCERNED BY MP'S ARREST - Leader of the Commons Harriet Harman has said she is "very concerned" by the arrest Conservative immigration spokesman Damian Green. Ms Harman also said she understood MPs' anger at the way police officers had raided Mr Green's Parliamentary and constituency bases, and she said protection of MPs' offices from police raids must be reviewed. Her comments came as Home Secretary Jacqui Smith refused to condemn the police for making Thursday's arrest. Mr Green was arrested, but not charged, by police investigating alleged leaks from the Home Office. The Ashford MP, who denies any wrongdoing, was held for nine hours while his homes and offices were searched. CLICK HERE:UK Commons leader concerned by MP's arrest


---

28.11.2008 Brussels, Belgium - DRUG FIRMS BLOCK CHEAP MEDICINE - Drug companies are blocking or delaying the entry of cheaper generic medicines into the EU, pushing up medicine bills, the European Commission has said. Their actions cost EU healthcare providers 3bn euros ($3.9bn; £2.5bn) in savings between 2000 and 2007, it said. It added that drug firms used legal action and multiple patents to stop rivals getting to market. Drug firms said the "perfectly lawful" measures were justified to protect investment in research and development. Generic drug companies, which sell cheaper versions of drugs once the patent has expired, have long complained that it is difficult to get their drugs to market in Europe. The Commission said that innovators filed multiple applications to stop generic drugs getting to market, in one case, there were 1,300 patents for a single drug. The report found that owners of original drugs often intervened in national approval procedures for generic medicines. CLICK HERE:Drug firms block cheap medicine

Tbilisi, Georgia - SAAKASHVILI DEFENDS S OSSETIA WAR - Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has denied seeking a green light from Washington for his country's assault on its breakaway region of South Ossetia. Giving evidence to a parliamentary inquiry into the conflict, Mr Saakashvili also denied planning the attack months in advance. He insisted Russia made the first move, pouring tanks and men over the border. There was an outcry this week when Georgia's former ambassador to Moscow said Georgia started the war. Erosi Kitsmarishvili also said Georgia believed it had received Washington's approval for its attack. The former envoy was condemned for his comments, and was nearly physically assaulted while giving evidence to the parliamentary hearing. Mr Saakashvili said the decision to launch an assault on South Ossetia was made after nearby Georgian villages came under "heavy bombardment" from South Ossetia, and after "hundreds of [Russian] tanks and heavy vehicles" started crossing the border. "Under these conditions, if you ask me whether Georgia had to undertake military actions against these firing positions, the answer is yes," Mr Saakashvili said. CLICK HERE:Saakashvili defends S Ossetia war

Brussels, Belgium - FRANCE-UK SPLIT OVER EU FARM PLAN - France has failed to get unanimous agreement on the future of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) during EU farm ministers' talks in Brussels. The UK, Sweden and Latvia objected to the final French draft on EU farm policy after 2013. The CAP farm support scheme is the biggest item of EU spending - absorbing about 55bn euros (£45bn) annually - about 40% of the entire EU budget. The UK has argued strongly for bolder reform of the CAP. France, the current holder of the EU presidency, finally dropped disputed references to "market stabilisation" and the doctrine of "community preference". "Market stabilization" is often taken to mean the traditional EU price guarantees for farmers. "Community preference" is the system whereby priority is given to EU produce, putting imports to the EU at a disadvantage. France gets the biggest portion of CAP funding, about 10bn euros annually. CLICK HERE:France-UK split over EU farm plan

Brussels, Belgium - EU READY TO ACCEPT 10,000 IRAQIS - The European Union says it is ready to accept up to 10,000 Iraqi refugees, many of whom are living in extreme hardship in Jordan and Syria. The agreement came at an EU meeting in Brussels on Thursday, where interior ministers received a new report on conditions at refugee camps. Germany said it would take in about 2,500 of the refugees. Priority will be given to those with medical needs, torture victims, single mothers and religious minorities. The UN refugee agency, the UNHCR, welcomed the EU pledge as a "positive step", saying it had been pressing the EU for 18 months to offer more protection to vulnerable Iraqi refugees. So far, only 10% of those resettled by the UNHCR have found a home in EU countries, mainly Sweden and the Netherlands, the BBC's Oana Lungescu reports from Brussels. Sweden says it received about 18,000 Iraqi asylum seekers in 2007 - more than half the total that entered the EU last year. CLICK HERE:EU reday to accept 10,000 Iraqis

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA HIKES RATES TO AID ROUBLE - Russia's central bank increased its key interest rate to 12% from 11% in an attempt to reduce an outflow of money and curb the decline in the rouble. The move is also aimed at containing inflationary pressures. On Monday the head of the central bank refused to rule out the possibility that the national currency, the rouble, could weaken. However, Sergei Ignatiev stressed that both the bank and the government wanted to avoid a devaluation. Russia has been spending billions of dollars to support the rouble. CLICK HERE:Russia hikes rates to aid rouble


---

27.11.2008 London, England - UK OPPOSITION IMMIGRATION SPOKEMAN ARRESTED - Conservative immigration spokesman Damian Green, was arrested earlier in connection with an investigation into a series of leaks from the Home Office. He was held on suspicion of "conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office," the Metropolitan Police said. He has not been charged but is still being questioned by police. The Tories say he denies any wrongdoing. It is believed to be connected to the arrest of a man suspected of being a Home Office whistleblower. The BBC understands that a junior Home Office official was suspended from duty 10 days ago over a number of leaks and the matter was referred to police. He was arrested but not charged. It follows a series of leaks, including: 1. The November 2007 revelation that the home secretary knew the Security Industry Authority had granted licences to 5,000 illegal workers, but decided not to publicise it. 2. The February 2008 news that an illegal immigrant had been employed as a cleaner in the House of Commons. 3. A whips' list of potential Labour rebels in the vote on plans to increase the pre-charge terror detention limit to 42 days. 4. A letter from the home secretary warning that a recession could lead to a rise in crime. The BBC understands Tory leader David Cameron is angry about what has happened and stands by Mr Green. CLICK HERE:UK opposition immigration spokesman arrested
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT (COMMENT: The circumstances are unprecedented in British democracy.)

Madrid, Spain - SPAIN REVEALS 11BN EURO STIMULUS - Spain has launched an 11bn euro (£9.2bn) plan aimed at boosting the economy and creating 300,000 jobs. The plan, which represents 1.1% of the Spain's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), is part of the European Union's 200bn euro stimulus announced on Wednesday. The money will be mainly invested in infrastructure and public works, Spain's prime minister Jorge Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said. Spain's unemployment reached 11.3% in September, an EU record. The Spanish government said it would invest 0.8bn euros in the ailing car industry, which has been through a severe downturn and seen sales plummet 54.6% since the beginning of the year. The construction industry has also been severely hit by the financial crisis, with property prices falling and companies slashing thousands of jobs. CLICK HERE:Spain reveals 11bn euro stimulus

Godthaab, Greenland - DANISH DOUBTS OVER GREELAND ELECTION - Danish politicians say Greenland is still years away from true autonomy, despite its vote for greater self-rule. In a referendum on Tuesday, 75.5% of voters in Greenland backed a plan to increase their autonomy from Denmark, the former colonial power. Denmark subsidises Greenland's 57,000 population to the tune of 3.2bn kroner (£395m) annually, two-thirds of the Arctic island's budget revenue. Greenland's foreign policy and security will remain in Danish hands. "Whether the Greenlanders can take over more political institutions themselves depends heavily on the natural resources. It could well be 30-40 years," said Per Oerum Joergensen, an MP in Denmark's governing Conservative Party. He helped negotiate the new Greenland autonomy deal. CLICK HERE:Danish doubts over Greeland election


---

26.11.2008 Brussels, Belgium - EU ANNOUNCES 200 BILLION EURO PLAN - European Commission has unveiled an economic recovery plan worth 200bn euros (£170bn) which it hopes will save millions of European jobs. The EC expects member states to contribute 170bn euros while the European Union will give 30bn euros. The plan is aimed at stimulating spending and boost consumer confidence. Some of the money will be used for job training, improving energy links and broadband access, and developing less polluting cars. The Commission's proposals include at least five billion euros to help the car industry develop green technologies and a total of 2.2 bn to improve the energy efficiency of homes and factories. It said aid to small and medium sized businesses over the next two years would be increased from 10 to 30 billion euros. It also wants to ensure easier access to 1.8bn euros worth of EU funding for job training. CLICK HERE:EU announces 200 billion euro plan

Tbilisi, Georgia - GEORGIAN DISPUTE OVER ORIGINS OF WAR - A former Georgian ambassador has caused uproar in Georgia by saying his country, not Russia, started August's war over South Ossetia. Erosi Kitsmarishvili, a former envoy to Russia, was testifying at a parliamentary commission hearing into the war the breakaway Georgian region. One lawmaker threw his pen at Mr Kitsmarishvili and then had to be restrained as he charged towards him. Georgia maintains its assault on South Ossetia followed a Russian invasion. "Russia was ready for this war, but the Georgian leadership started the military action first," Mr Kitsmarishvili told the commission on Tuesday. He said he had this information "from high-ranking Georgian officials". However, he said he believed Georgia had been provoked into war by Russia. Mr Kitsmarishvili has been an outspoken critic of the Georgian president since being replaced as ambassador to Moscow, the BBC's Tom Esslemont in Tbilisi says. CLICK HERE:Georgian dispute over origins of war

Harwell, England - UK TO HAVE EUROPEAN SPACE CENTER - The European Space Agency (Esa) is to open a research centre in the UK. The facility, which will be based on the Harwell innovation campus in Oxfordshire, will concentrate on space robotics and climate change science. Currently, Britain is the only major member state of Esa not to host one of its technical centres. The agreement to open the facility was announced in The Hague where European science ministers have been meeting to approve agency policies and funding. Senior Esa executive Daniel Sacotte told BBC News the agreement was a symbolic moment. "It's important. It shows renewed interest for Britain to be part of Esa, to be involved in space activity; and we welcome that. "It's a new development in our relationship with this very important member state." CLICK HERE:UK to have European space center

Moscow, Russia - KREMLIN REFORM PASSES UPPER HOUSE - Russia's upper house of parliament has approved a bill extending presidential terms from four to six years. The change to the constitution was backed by 144 members of the Federation Council. One senator voted against. The bill was last week adopted by the lower house, the State Duma. It must now be supported by Russia's regional parliaments to become law. The bill has been fast-tracked, and is seen by some as a sign Vladimir Putin may return to the presidency soon. Mr Putin became prime minister this year after being obliged under the constitution to step down after two consecutive presidential terms. He was succeeded as president by Dmitry Medvedev. CLICK HERE:Kremlin reform passes upper house

Prague, Czech Republic - CZECH COURT CLEARS LISBON TREATY - A top Czech court has said the EU's Lisbon Treaty is compatible with the country's constitution. The parliament's ratification of the controversial reform treaty was halted earlier this year pending the ruling by the Constitutional Court. The Czech Republic is among a handful of countries that have not yet ratified the treaty. It cannot take effect unless all 27 member states do so. The treaty was dealt a heavy blow in June, when Irish voters rejected it. Signed in December 2007, the treaty is aimed at streamlining decision-making in the enlarged 27-nation EU. Next month the Irish government is expected to present ideas for resolving the deadlock created by the Irish No vote. The No lobby insist there can be no re-run of the June referendum and that "no means no". Czech President Vaclav Klaus has argued that the treaty would undermine Czech sovereignty. The Czech court ruling on Wednesday is especially significant because the Czech Republic will take over the six-month rotating EU presidency in January. CLICK HERE:Czech court clears Lisbon Treaty


---

25.11.2008 Paris, France - UK TO SUFFER SEVERE RECESSION - The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has warned of a "severe" economic downturn in the UK in 2009. The Paris-based body has predicted that economic output in the UK will fall by 1.1% next year, more than any other major G7 country. Unemployment in the UK is predicted to rise significantly to over 8% by end of 2009 from 5.5% in 2008. The US economy is forecast to decline by 0.9% in 2009, and Germany by 0.8%. Economic growth in the 30 countries of the OECD is forecast to fall by 0.4%, before growing by 1.5% in 2010. ...As well as the UK, the OECD identifies Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Spain and Turkey as being the countries most affected by the economic slowdown. CLICK HERE:UK to suffer severe recession

Pristina, Kosovo - KOSOVO TO WORK WITH EU MISION - Both Serbia and Kosovo have agreed to co-operate with a new EU mission due to take over in Kosovo, though Kosovo still has objections, the UN head says. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a report that he had instructed UN staff to prepare to hand over to the EU. Western diplomats welcomed Serbia's consent - which comes despite its opposition to Kosovo's independence. ...Meanwhile, Germany has described as "absurd" any suggestion that it was involved in a bomb attack on the EU envoy's office in Kosovo on November 14. Three Germans have been detained, suspected of involvement in the attack. German and Kosovan media have reported that the men are German intelligence agents, but officials in Berlin have refused to comment on these claims. CLICK HERE:Kosovo to work with EU mission

Paris, France - FRENCH SOCIALISTS DECLARE AUBRY THE WINNER - The French Socialist Party has declared Martine Aubry its new leader, despite accusations of irregularities by defeated candidate Segolene Royal. Ms Aubry won the contest by a mere 42 votes, 0.04%, a margin which Ms Royal said was too thin to be credible. The process has left the party deeply divided, with the French press speculating on a possible formal split. The UMP party of President Nicolas Sarkozy has revelled over what it calls "the implosion of the Socialist party". CLICK HERE:French socialists declare Aubry the winner

Sofia, Bulgaria - EU STRIPS MILLIONS FROM BULGARIA - The European Commission has stripped Bulgaria of 220m euros (£188m) in EU funding over its failure to tackle corruption and organised crime. In July, the commission froze more than 500m euros in aid to Bulgaria, one of its newest and poorest members, following a scathing EU report. The commission has now confirmed that the country will definitely lose nearly half that amount. Bulgaria is rated as the most corrupt of the EU's 27 member states. As the economic crisis starts to bite, this unprecedented move is meant to show that the European Commission is not squandering taxpayers' money, and to warn new and potential EU members that they have to crack down on entrenched corruption. EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said cutting the funds due to Bulgaria was an uncomfortable decision. "I regret this decision because Bulgaria is an economic success story, it's a very committed and constructive member state," he said. CLICK HERE:EU strips millions from Bulgaria

Caracas, Venezuela - VENEZUELA WELCOMES RUSSIAN SHIPS _ Russian warships have arrived for joint exercises with Venezuela's navy, the first deployment of its kind in the Caribbean since the Cold War. The naval squadron, including a nuclear-powered cruiser, sailed into view at the port of La Guaira. The exercises will coincide with a two-day visit by Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev, which starts on Wednesday. He is on a tour of Latin America, pushing Russia's ties to a region of deep strategic interest to the US. The Russian vessels, including the flagship missile cruiser Peter the Great and two support vessels, appeared off La Guaira, near Caracas, early on Tuesday. The destroyer Admiral Chabanenko docked while Venezuelan forces fired a 21-gun salute. The Russian vessels are set to begin maneuvers in port on Wednesday, the day Mr Medvedev is due to arrive in Caracas, and from December 1 exercises will be out out at sea. CLICK HERE:Venezuela welcomes Russian ships

Moscow, Russia - MOSCOW TRIAL JUDGE CRITICIZED - Prosecutors in the trial of three men charged over the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya have demanded the dismissal of the judge. Judge Yevgeny Zubov has reportedly been accused of bias and failing to follow correct procedures in the case. He has withdrawn from the court in Moscow while the demand is considered, with a decision expected on Wednesday. Ms Politkovskaya, a leading critic of Russia's policies in Chechnya, was shot dead outside her Moscow home in 2006. Ms Politkovskaya's supporters believe state security agents were involved in her murder - and for that reason, they say, there will never be a fair trial at Moscow's military court. The three men on trial are charged with involvement in the murder plot, but not with either carrying out the murder or ordering it. CLICK HERE:Moscow trial judge criticized


---

24.11.2008 Madrid, Spain - ETA HEAD LINKED TO AIRPORT BOMB - The suspected head of Basque separatist group Eta has been charged over the December 2006 Madrid airport bombing. The indictment, issued by a Spanish judge, says Miguel de Garikoitz Aspiazu Rubina ordered the attack and gave final instructions to the bombers. The attack marked Eta's return to violence following the failure of talks with the Spanish government. Mr Garikoitz Aspiazu, 35, is being held in France over the murder of two Spanish police officers there in 2007. He was arrested a week ago. On Friday, he was placed under formal investigation, a measure which under French law gives investigators more time to examine evidence. The Spanish indictment alleges that Mr Garikoitz Aspiazu, known by his nickname Txeroki, ordered the attack on Barajas airport during the summer of 2006, and later gave the final instructions to the men who planted the bomb. Two Ecuadorean immigrants were killed in the attack, and 68 people were injured. In all, the indictment names five alleged perpetrators. The judge in Madrid has requested that he be transferred into Spanish custody. CLICK HERE:ETA head linked to airport bomb

Stuttgart, Germany - RED ARMY FACTION BOSS TO BE FREED - A German court has approved the release from jail of a leader of a radical leftist group involved in high-profile killings in the 1970s and 1980s. Red Army Faction leader Christian Klar, aged 56, is serving five life terms but will have served the minimum required 26 years by January. The court in Stuttgart said there were no grounds to keep him in custody. The group, also known as the Baader-Meinhof gang, targeted bankers, businessmen, judges and US servicemen. More than 30 people were killed by the gang, before it disbanded 10 years ago. "A major consideration was the question of whether it could be feared that Christian Klar would commit significant criminal acts again," but the judges decided there was no evidence he would, the court said in a statement. It said that Klar would remain on probation for five years after his release. CLICK HERE:Red Army Faction boss to be freed

London, England - UK CHANCELLOR UNVEILS FISCAL BORROWING GAMBLE - Chancellor Alistair Darling has cut VAT but taken borrowing to record levels in moves he says are needed to save the UK from a deep and long-lasting recession. Top earners also face more tax and all National Insurance contributions will rise, he said in his pre-Budget report. Mr Darling said "exceptional measures" were needed with the economy set to shrink next year - but the Tories said he had "mortgaged" Britain's future. Alcohol, tobacco and petrol duty rises to offset the 17.5% to 15% VAT cut. Key points. 1. VAT cut by 2.5 percentage points 2. 45% tax rate on earnings over £150,000 from 2011 . 3.All National Insurance to go up by 0.5% from 2011. 4.Economy to shrink by up to 1.25% next year. 5. Borrowing to hit record £118bn. 6. Public spending growth cut to 1.2%. 7. Phased increase in vehicle excise duty . 8. £60 Christmas gift for pensioners. CLICK HERE:UK chancellor unveils fiscal borrowing gamble


---

23.11.2008 Tbilisi, Georgia - SHOTS FIRED NEAR GEORGIAN LEADER - The Georgian and Polish presidents have accused Russian troops of firing near a motorcade carrying them close to the breakaway republic of South Ossetia. Both South Ossetian troops and Russian forces in the area denied involvement. No-one was injured in the incident. President Mikhail Saakashvili and his Polish counterpart Lech Kaczynski were planning to visit victims of fighting between Georgia and Russia in August. The area has seen much cross-border gunfire since a ceasefire was agreed. Georgia has been marking the fifth anniversary of the Rose Revolution that swept Mr Saakashvili to power. A witness travelling with Mr Saakashvili told Reuters news agency that uniformed South Ossetians fired warning shots after the convoy came within 30m of a checkpoint at the de facto border. Mr Saakashvili said the incident should serve as a "reminder" to European politicians that Russia was "brazenly violating" an EU-brokered ceasefire accord between Tbilisi and Moscow.CLICK HERE:Shots fired near Georgian leader

Pristina, Kosovo - GERMANS HELD IN KOSOVO OVER BLAST - A Kosovan judge has ordered three Germans suspected of throwing an explosive device at the EU headquarters in Pristina to be held for 30 days. The three reportedly deny involvement in the attack on November 14, saying they were detained while investigating it themselves. Windows in the glass-fronted building were shattered but nobody was hurt. German and Kosovo media report that the men are German intelligence agents but officials in Berlin refuse to comment. Lawyers for the detainees say the prosecution is seeking terrorism charges that carry a maximum 20-year sentence. A spokesman for the German foreign ministry in Berlin confirmed that three Germans had been arrested on Thursday, but declined to make any further comment as an investigation was under way. The German weekly Der Spiegel said the men worked for the German intelligence agency BND, and that they told investigators they had been examining the scene of the explosion, but had not been involved in it. CLICK HERE:Germans held in Kosovo over blast

London, England - DISMAY AT LITVINENKO STALEMATE - Justice campaigners say they are disappointed at the lack of progress made in the case of murdered Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko. On the second anniversary of his death, the Litvinenko Justice Foundation again called for the extradition of prime suspect Andrei Lugovoi, 42. Former KGB agent Mr Litvinenko, 43, died on November 23, 2006 in London after being poisoned with Polonium-210. The UK suspects fellow former agent Mr Lugovoi of murder, which he denies. Mr Litvinenko fell ill shortly after drinking tea during a meeting at a West End hotel with former contacts Mr Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun. The Russian government denies any involvement in his death and has asserted Mr Lugovoi was framed by MI6. CLICK HERE:Dismay at Litvinenko stalemate


---

22.11.2008 Paris, France - ROYAL DEMANDS FRENCH VOTE RE-RUN- French ex-presidential candidate Segolene Royal is contesting the results of a vote to choose the leader of the French Socialist opposition. Martine Aubry, a former minister and current mayor of Lille, won the vote by a razor-thin margin of 42 votes. Ms Aubry is best known as the architect of the 35-hour work week. Supporters of Ms Royal said there had been irregularities and demanded a re-run of the vote next week, raising the prospect of more party in-fighting. The party has been divided over whether to move toward the political centre or hold to traditional leftist beliefs. CLICK HERE:Royal demands French vote re-run


---

21.11.2008 Moscow, Russia - PRESIDENCY REFORM PASSED BY DUMA - A bill to extend the presidential term from four to six years has passed the lower house of the Russian parliament, the Duma, by an overwhelming majority. Some 392 deputies voted for the constitutional changes, to 57 against, in the bill's third and final reading. The measure also has to pass the upper house, but that is seen as a formality, as it is largely loyal to the Kremlin. The bill has been fast-tracked, and is being seen as a sign Vladimir Putin may return to the presidency soon. Mr Putin became prime minister this year after being obliged under the constitution to step down after two consecutive presidential terms. He was succeeded as president by Dmitry Medvedev. CLICK HERE:Presidency reform passed by Duma

Moscow, Russia - NEW TWIST IN POLITKOVSKAYA - The trial of three men suspected of involvement in the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya has been suspended, amid deepening controversy. Judge Yevgeny Zubov postponed it for 10 days, after coming into dispute with both the jury and defence lawyers. The latest bizarre twist adds to the impression that this trial is seriously compromised, a BBC correspondent says. Supporters of the murdered Kremlin critic say the trial is already proving to be a farce. On Monday the judge surprised everybody by ruling that the trial would be open to the public, says the BBC's Rupert Wingfield Hayes in Moscow. Two days later he reversed his decision, saying the jury had refused to appear in front of journalists, but on Thursday a member of the jury called a Moscow radio station to deny any of them had made such a request. The juror said they had objected to having TV cameras in court, but not text journalists. Now the judge has suspended the case, saying defense lawyers are too busy, but they, too, are denying that is true. Politkovskaya's supporters believe state security agents were involved in her murder, and for that reason, they say, there will never be a fair and open trial. Politkovskaya, one of the most vociferous critics of former Russian President Vladimir Putin, was shot dead outside her Moscow apartment two years ago. Three men are on trial, former policeman Sergey Khadzhikurbanov and two Chechen brothers, Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makhmudov, but they are only charged with involvement in the plot, not with either carrying out the murder or ordering it. CLICK HERE:New twist in Politkovskaya trial

Paris, France - FRENCH SOCIALISTS IN RUN-OFF VOTE - France's opposition Socialists face a run-off vote for a new leader, after a first ballot did not produce a winner. The second vote on Friday, which comes amid bitter party rifts, pits former presidential candidate Segolene Royal against Lille Mayor Martine Aubry. Leftist MEP Benoit Hamon is out of the race after coming third in Thursday's vote. None of the candidates gained the 50% needed to avoid a run-off vote. The leadership issue is being decided by 233,000 party members. The voting comes after last weekend's party congress, that was meant to back a single candidate, n the first round, Ms Royal gained 42.5% of the vote, Ms Aubry 34.7% and Mr Hamon 22.8%. CLICK HERE:French Socialists in run-off vote

Stockhoolm, Sweden - SWEDEN RATIFIES EU LISBON TREATY - Sweden has become the 24th of the EU's 27 member states to ratify the controversial Lisbon Treaty. Sweden's parliament backed the reform treaty after a late-night debate, with 243 votes in favor, 39 against and 67 deputies absent or abstaining. The treaty, aimed at reshaping EU institutions to fit an enlarged bloc of 27, has to be ratified by each member state to take effect, but Irish voters rejected it and Czech and Polish ratification is stalled. CLICK HERE:Sweden ratifies EU Lisbon Treaty


---

20.11.2008 London, England - RECESSION FEARS HIT STOCK MARKETS - World stockmarkets have fallen amid growing concerns that the world economy will enter a protracted downturn. The US Dow Jones industrial average fell 2.3% before recovering to gain 0.9% in early afternoon trading. Earlier, European markets all closed sharply lower on recession fears, with London, Paris and Frankfurt all down more than 3%. Concerns over a sharp slowdown in US factory activity added to worries about the strength of the economy. On Wednesday, the Dow Jones index had fallen back 5% to below the 8,000 mark after the US central bank cut its economic growth forecasts for 2009. In Asia on Thursday, Japan's Nikkei index ended 6.8% lower and Hong Kong's main index fell more than 4%. CLICK HERE:Recession fears hit stock markets

Brussels, Belgium - EU FINALLY REACHES DEAL ON FARM REFORM - EU farm ministers have agreed to reform agricultural policy by shifting more subsidies away from production and liberalizing the dairy market. The deal on reforming the Common Agricultural Policy came on Thursday after marathon all-night talks. More subsidies will be transferred to conservation, reducing the traditional EU incentives for farmers to produce. Milk quotas will be raised initially, but later scrapped, in the biggest overhaul of farm policy since 2003. The measures will go into effect during 2009-2013. The changes build on a major CAP reform enacted in 2003, which broke the link between farm production and subsidies. Critics say the subsidies distort world markets and harm farmers in developing countries, by guaranteeing prices for farmers in the EU. Before the 2003 reforms, which "decoupled" subsidies from production, the EU was widely criticized for the accumulation of butter mountains and wine lakes. CLICK HERE:EU finally reaches deal on farm reform

Moscow, Russia - PUTIN VOWS TO PREVENT COLLAPSE - Russia's government will do "everything" it can to prevent another financial collapse in the country, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has said. Speaking about the growing global economic crisis, he said "the collapses of past years will not be repeated". He was referring to the 1991 turmoil after the collapse of the USSR and the Russian default in 1998. Mr Putin was addressing the annual congress of the governing United Russia Party in Moscow. The premier also gave an assurance that Russia's financial reserves, built up from oil and gas sales, would prevent any sharp rises in inflation and cushion the slide in the value of the national currency, the rouble. He also promised a package of tax breaks to stimulate the economy. However, Mr Putin warned that the financial crisis must not lead to "the bankruptcy of the defense industry". CLICK HERE:Putin vows to prevent collapse

Riga, Latvia - LATVIA TO SEEK SUPPORT FROM IMF - Latvia has become the second European Union country to seek the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) help to stabilize its financial system. It is also asking for help from the European Union. The Latvian prime minister said the sum needed would be decided by talks with the IMF and EU. The IMF is already involved in a $25bn (£16bn) bail-out plan for Hungary. Latvia has fallen into recession and recently nationalized the country's second-largest bank. The government invested $353m into the Parex bank to help it survive after a run on its deposits. It also offered $877m in guarantees to its creditors. Latvia's economy, which grew by 50% between 2004 and 2007, shrank 4.2% in the third quarter of this year - the sharpest economic contraction in the European Union. The Latvian government has already started talks with the European Commission, the executive branch of the EU, on a possible rescue package for its economy. The IMF has said it has $200bn set aside to help out countries facing turmoil because of the current global financial crisis. It has also said it expects to provide help for some 24 countries. CLICK HERE:LATVIA TO SEEK support from imf


---

19.11.2008 Barcelona, Spain - DONOR TRACHEA CARTILAGE WITH RECIPIENT STEM CELLS SUCCESSFULLY TRANSPLANTED - Surgeons in Spain have carried out the world's first tissue-engineered whole organ transplant, using a windpipe made with the patient's own stem cells. The groundbreaking technology also means for the first time tissue transplants can be carried out without the need for anti-rejection drugs. Five months on the patient, 30-year-old mother-of-two Claudia Castillo, is in perfect health, The Lancet reports. She needed the transplant to save a lung after contracting tuberculosis. The Colombian woman's airways had been damaged by the disease. Scientists from Bristol helped grow the cells for the transplant and the European team believes such tailor-made organs could become the norm. To make the new airway, the doctors took a donor windpipe, or trachea, from a patient who had recently died. Then they used strong chemicals and enzymes to wash away all of the cells from the donor trachea, leaving only a tissue scaffold made of the fibrous protein collagen. This gave them a structure to repopulate with cells from Ms Castillo herself, which could then be used in an operation to repair her damaged left bronchus, a branch of the windpipe. CLICK HERE:Donor trachea cartilage with recipient stem cells successfully transplanted

The Hague, Netherlands - EU and ESA - Earth observation scientists have made a last-minute plea to Gordon Brown to put the UK's weight behind Europe's environmental monitoring project, GMES. The 2bn-euro venture will build a full picture of the state of the planet from satellite and ground-based data, but despite the UK's oft-stated claim to lead the world on climate policy, it has so far been lukewarm on GMES. Three leading scientists have now sent a letter to the PM urging him to back GMES at a critical meeting next week. Member states of the European Space Agency (Esa) will decide at a gathering in The Hague how to fund the next phase of the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) program, also known as Kopernikus. CLICK HERE:EU and ESA
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT (COMMENT: Climate change, studied by the Incas and Ancient Egyptians by observing and fixing the movements of the heavenly bodies, is, this writer believes, mainly the result of the phenomenon known as precession, or global axis wobble, which has been shown to have a 22,000-year cycle, approximately the length of recent ice ages.)

London, England / Paris, France - EUROPEAN DIGITAL LIBRARY FOUNDATION OPENS 2010 - The British Library in London is among more than 1,000 cultural organizations making contributions to a European online library. The free multimedia venture, Europeana, will also see input from the European Commission and the Louvre Museum. Internet users will be able to access more than two million books, maps, recordings, photographs, archive documents, paintings and films. These will be sourced from institutions across the EU's member states. Further expansion for the project, which was created by the European Commission and is run by the European Digital Library Foundation, is planned for 2010. The British Library has contributed audio recordings, images and texts to Europeana. These range from the Gutenberg Bible to the sound of a curlew on Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire. CLICK HERE:European Digital Library Foundation opens 2010

Moscow, Russia - POLITKOVSKAYA TRIAL DOORS CLOSED - The trial of three men charged over the murder of prominent Russian reporter Anna Politkovskaya will be held behind closed doors, the judge has ruled. The judge reversed his earlier decision that it would be open to the public, saying jurors had refused to enter the courtroom in the presence of the media. Meanwhile, all three defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. Ms Politkovskaya, a leading critic of Russia's policies in Chechnya, was shot dead in Moscow on October 7, 2006. The reporter's family and lawyers criticized the judge's decision. CLICK HERE:Politkovskaya trial doors closed

Geneva, Switzerland - RUSSIA-GEORGIA TALKS PROGRESS Talks between Georgia and Russia aimed at defusing tensions after their brief war in August have made substantial progress, diplomats in Geneva say. Mediators said there was genuine agreement that security in the region must be improved and that refugees must be allowed to return to their homes, but major differences over the status of Georgia's rebel areas of South Ossetia and Abkhazia were set aside. The talks were mediated by representatives of the UN, EU and OSCE. Delegates from South Ossetia and Abkhazia were also at the meeting. It follows insistence from Russia - which has recognised them as independent states - that they be included. Georgia had argued that they were integral parts of its territory, and therefore should not be treated in Geneva as independent countries. CLICK HERE:Russia-Georgia talks progress


---

18.11.2008 The Hague, Netherlands - SERBIA GENOCIDE CASE TO PROCEED -Croatia's allegations against Serbia of genocide during the early 1990s will be heard at the International Court of Justice, the court has decided. Judges at the UN's highest court in The Hague voted by 10 to seven that it had the jurisdiction to hear the case. Croatian sources say that 20,000 Croatians died in the conflict, while hundreds of thousands of Serbs living there were displaced. This will be only the second genocide case to come before the court. The first was also brought against Serbia, by Bosnia. Serbia was cleared in that case. A date for hearing Croatia's complaint has yet to be set. CLICK HERE:Serbia genocide case to proceed

London, England - 300,000 UK VISAS WRONGLY ISSUED - An estimated 300,000 visas giving foreigners the right to come to Britain may be wrongly approved every year, a committee of MPs has been told. Linda Costelloe-Baker, the independent visa monitor, told the Home Affairs Committee it was "reasonable" to assume 15% of short-term approvals were wrong. She also said officials were "under pressure" to issue, rather than reject, visas to meet productivity targets. The Tories said it made a "mockery" of Labour's claims to control immigration. Embassies and consulates examine 2.4 million applications each year from tourists, business people and those visiting relatives. They check applicants intend to leave after their visa expires and have enough money to live in the country and are not looking for a job, Ms Costelloe-Baker told the committee. 'Rejected applications were checked for accuracy but there was not a similar system in place to check applications that were approved, said Ms Costelloe-Baker. CLICK HERE:300,000 UK visas wrongly issued

Dyfed Powys, Wales - BNP ACTIVISTS PUBLISHED ONLINE - A list showing the full contact details of British National Party activists has been published online. The BNP says the list, which includes home phone numbers and e-mail addresses, dates from 2007 and some people are no longer members. BNP deputy leader Simon Darby called it "an underhand political attack", saying an ex-employee was to blame. Party leader Nick Griffin has complained to Dyfed Powys Police, who are investigating. Mr Griffin said he was disappointed by the leak. He said: "We'll be asking the police to investigate. "Having spent a lot of money to secure our members' privacy we are disappointed that it's been breached. "They know it's been in the hands of someone anti-BNP for a considerable length of time." Mr Darby said the publication could lead to identity theft and endanger children named in the list. He believes it was posted on Monday night by an ex-employee who had used it to send out party information to members. Earlier this year the party obtained an injunction from the High Court in Manchester banning any publication of the list. The anti-immigration party has won council seats in recent years, and took a London Assembly seat in May. CLICK HERE:BNP activists published online

Mardid, Spain - GARZON PULLS OUT OF FRANCO PROBE - A top Spanish judge has pulled out of investigations into the fate of more than 100,000 people who vanished during the civil war and Franco dictatorship. Justice officials say Baltasar Garzon complied with demands that inquiries should be handled by courts in the regions where crimes were committed. Judge Garzon announced last month that the opening of mass graves from Spain's 1936-39 civil war could start, but Spain's top criminal court later suspended the exhumations. It imposed the halt to allow it to rule on whether Judge Garzon had the competence to launch the inquiry. Judge Garzon's supporters condemned the ruling as "brutally inhumane", but others said the judge's intervention violated the 1977 Amnesty Law, that pardoned politically-motivated crimes by General Franco's friends and foes alike. CLICK HERE:Garzon pulls out of Franco probes


---

17.11.2008 Cauterets, France - FRANCE HOLDS ETA MILITARY HEAD - The suspected military chief of the Basque separatist group, Eta, has been arrested in southern France. Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero called the arrest of Mikel Garikoitz Aspiazu Rubina, alias "Txeroki", a "severe blow" to Eta. Mr Garikoitz Aspiazu is suspected of the murder of two Spanish civil guard officers in France in 2007. Eta is blamed for the deaths of more than 820 people in its 40-year campaign for an independent Basque nation. The arrest of Mr Garikoitz Aspiazu, 35, which took place overnight in the Hautes-Pyrenees region of France, follows the detention of Eta's alleged political commander, Javier Lopez Pena, in a joint Spanish-French operation in the French city of Bordeaux in May. However, the BBC's Steve Kingstone in Madrid says that, in the past, high-profile arrests have always been followed by fresh attacks and Eta is far from defeated. ...The Basque news agency, Vasco Press, said that Mr Garikoitz Aspiazu, whose nickname means Cherokee, had been detained along with another suspected Eta member in the town of Cauterets. The French interior ministry did not provide any other details about the arrest, but said he was "suspected of being the perpetrator" of the murder of two Spanish civil guard officers in Capbreton on 1 December 2007. "This arrest shows again the resolute commitment of the French police and gendarmerie in the fight against all forms of terrorism and illustrates once again the excellent co-operation between France and Spain in the fight against Basque terrorism," the French statement added. The two Spanish civil guards were shot during a surveillance operation on suspected Eta members. Their deaths prompted thousands of Spaniards to denounce the separatist group at a march in the capital, Madrid. French police arrested a man and a woman over the attack several days later - but said at the time they were looking for a third suspect. CLICK HERE:France holds ETA military head

Litvinov, Czech Republic - ETHNIC RIOT ERUPTS IN CZECH TOWN Riot police in the northern Czech town of Litvinov have waged a bloody battle with far-right protesters trying to reach a Roma (Gypsy) suburb. Police, some mounted on horses, tried to force back rioters from a 500-strong crowd with batons and tear gas as youths hurled petrol bombs and stones. Seven demonstrators and seven police officers were injured in the clashes. The violence broke out at a march by the far-right Workers' Party on Monday, a public holiday in the Czech Republic. At least one injured policeman could be seen lying on the ground with blood on his face, and a police car was set alight. About 1,000 police were deployed to control the marchers. "The police tried to get the demonstrators back to the planned march route but they started throwing flaming bottles," said police spokeswoman Jarmila Hrubesova. About 15 people were reportedly arrested. CLICK HERE:Ethnic riot erupts in Czech town

Moscow, Russia - POLITKOVSKAYA MURDER CASE OPENS - Three men have gone on trial in Moscow charged with involvement in the murder of prominent Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya in 2006. The capital's military court ruled that the trial would be open to public. The suspected killer remains at large, and Ms Politkovskaya's supporters say there is little likelihood the trial will reveal who ordered her killing. Ms Politkovskaya, a Kremlin critic, was shot dead outside her home in Moscow on October 7, 2006. The three defendants who went on trial are former policeman Sergey Khadzhikurbanov and two Chechen brothers, Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makhmudov. ...A court spokesman told the BBC he could not specify exactly what charges the men were facing, although none of them was accused of either carrying out the murder or ordering it. Another man, an officer with the country's security service, also appeared before the military court. Pavel Ryaguzov is charged with abuse of office and extortion. Meanwhile, investigators say Rustan Makhmudov, who is believed to have fired the fatal shot, and the person or persons who ordered Mr Politkovskaya's killing remain at large. On Monday, the court decided that the trial would be open to the public, after requests from both Ms Politkovskaya's relatives and friends, and the defendants' lawyers. Earlier, some of Ms Politkovskaya's colleagues described the trial as a "farce" "How can you say the investigation is complete if you have neither the killer nor the person who ordered it in the dock?" Russian journalist Grigory Pasko said. The murder of Ms Politkovskaya, who wrote for the small-circulation Novaya Gazeta, shocked the international community but did not register widely in Russia. Ms Politkovskaya had frequently travelled to Chechnya and the North Caucasus where her dispatches described some of the horror of a war where most of the casualties were civilians. She was the 13th journalist to be killed in a contract-style killing in Russia during Vladimir Putin's period as president, according to the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists. Mr Putin - who had served maximum two consecutive terms in office - was succeeded by Dmitry Medvedev in May. CLICK HERE:Politkovskaya murder case opens

Plavi, Georgia - RUSSIA SAND GEORGIA IN DRONE DISPUTE - Georgia and Russia have been trading accusations over a reconnaissance plane which allegedly crashed in Georgia, killing two Georgian policemen. "Georgia's sovereign airspace was violated by a Russian unpiloted reconnaissance drone," Georgia's interior ministry said. "These claims have nothing to do with the reality," Russia retorted. Rows about drones were a feature of rising tensions between Russia and Georgia that ended in war in August. During the conflict, Georgia's attempts to regain control of its breakaway region of South Ossetia were repelled by Russian forces. Georgia's interior ministry said a drone overflew Georgia at approximately 1500 (1100 GMT) on Monday, before crashing "on the territory of the village of Plavi, in the Shida Kartli region". "Two police officers... died as a result of the explosion of the unmanned aerial vehicle, which occurred shortly after the police unit arrived," it said. Eight other people were injured in the blast, it said, but the Russian defense ministry dismissed the claim as "yet another in a series of provocations by the Georgian leadership". CLICK HERE:Russia and Georgia in drone dispute


---

16.11.2008 Washington, DC - RUSSIA PINNING HOPES ON OBAMA - President Dmitry Medvedev has said he hopes US President-elect Barack Obama will help rebuild the strained relations between their two countries. In a speech in Washington, Mr Medvedev said that a new US administration might be able to address what he described as a lack of "necessary mutual trust". He said he wanted to meet Mr Obama soon after he takes office in January. The Russian leader also indicated that Russia might accept a compromise over a planned US missile shield in Europe. Two weeks ago, he said Moscow would neutralise the possible deployment by the US of a tracking radar in the Czech Republic and missile interceptors in Poland by stationing short-range missiles in its western enclave of Kaliningrad. The US insists the shield is incapable of threatening Russia and is designed solely to guard against missile attacks by "rogue states". CLICK HERE:Russia pinning hopes on Obama

Washington, DC - SUMMIT PLEDGE TO RESTORE GROWTH - World leaders at the G20 financial summit in Washington have pledged to work together to restore global growth. They said they were determined to work together to achieve "needed reforms" in the world's financial systems. US President George W Bush said that finance ministers would now work on detailed reform proposals, and then report back. Leaders of emerging economies said the summit marked a historic shift of power away from the richer countries. Mr Bush's successor in the White House, Barack Obama, said in a statement that he was ready to work "together on these challenges" with the G20 when he takes office in January. "The president-elect believes that the G20 summit... is an important opportunity to seek a coordinated response to the global financial crisis," said a statement issued in his name. The meeting brought together leading industrial powers, such as the US, Japan and Germany, and also emerging market countries such as China, India, Argentina, Brazil and others - representing 85% of the world economy. CLICK HERE:Summit pledge to restore growth


---

15.11.2008 Washington, DC - WORLD LEADERS GRAPPLE WITH CRISIS - World leaders are to continue talks on measures to limit the current financial turmoil at a summit in Washington. They hope to agree on long-term reforms to cut the risk of further crises and a coordinated economic stimulus plan. Efforts are focused on five hours of formal talks on Saturday. The summit began with a working dinner on Friday. Divisions have emerged between Europe, which wants stricter market rules, and the US and other countries, which prefer more moderate reforms. Opening the two-day summit at the White House, US President George W Bush dampened hopes for quick solutions. "This problem did not develop overnight and it will not be solved overnight, but with continued cooperation and determination it will be solved," he said. The participants hope to agree on a common set of principles for future reform, including changes to the organizations charged with regulating the world economy. Leaders are close to agreeing a concrete action plan on financial regulation, the AFP news agency quoted a high-ranking French official as saying, but US President-elect Barack Obama is not attending, raising concerns over the lack of guarantee that any proposals agreed by Mr Bush will be implemented by his successor. CLICK HERE:World leaders grapple with crisis

London, England - Gordon Brown says he is disappointed by "partisan talk" after the shadow chancellor warned his actions could lead to sterling's collapse. George Osborne told the Times the PM's willingness to borrow his way out of trouble was "irresponsible". Sterling has fallen sharply in recent weeks amid fears about a UK recession. Speaking in Washington, Mr Brown said: "We are taking the policy that is absolutely essential to take people through these difficult times." Labour has accused Mr Osborne of "talking down" the pound, while the Lib Dems say his comments show "confusion" within his party, but the Tories said Mr Osborne is the shadow chancellor and meant to give a critique. ...BBC political correspondent David Thompson said therehas been a so-called convention that opposition spokespeople do not say anything that might damage the economy and talk down the pound, and Mr Osborne would appear to have broken that. Mr Brown, who is attending the G20 summit of the world's leading economies this weekend, said he regrets "the partisan talk from the opposition". "At a time when nations are coming together all over the world to deal with these problems, I think people are looking to politicians to be responsible and to show leadership." He said the governor of the Bank of England had "made it absolutely clear that it is not only right to cut interest rates, but it is perfectly reasonable to have a fiscal stimulus". On Friday, the pound slipped to a 13-year low against a basket of other currencies, hovered near a six-and-a-half year low against the dollar, and traded at a near-record low against the euro. Mr Osborne said the more the prime minister borrowed, the less attractive the currency would become. He told the Times: "We are in danger, if the government is not careful, of having a proper sterling collapse, a run on the pound." He said that would push up long-term interest rates, "which is a huge burden on the economy". "The more you borrow as a government the more you have to sell that debt and the less attractive your currency seems." He went on to label Mr Brown's tactic as a "scorched-earth policy", which a future Conservative government would have to clear up. "His view is he probably won't win the next election. The Tories can clear this mess up after I've gone," he said. Conservative MP John Redwood, who chairs the Tories' policy group on economic competition, told the BBC: "Part of the reason it's been falling is the loose and careless remarks of government ministers and the governor of the Bank of England, because they in power can move markets. "And part of the reason for the sharp decline is overseas investors losing confidence in Britain because they think this government is borrowing too much." And shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, Phillip Hammond, said there there was broad support for Mr Osborne in the party and backed his warnings of the risks in the government's approach. Former Conservative chancellor Kenneth Clarke said Mr Osborne' had "made a perfectly sensible comment that in any analysis of the situation". Labour MP John McFall, who chairs the Commons Treasury Committee, told the BBC that Mr Osborne's comments were "very dangerous". "We have abormal economic times here," he said. "You can witness that by the G20 meeting in Washington this weekend and George Osborne is running the risk of a run in sterling or making false predictions if and when sterling recovers." Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman Vince Cable said Mr Osborne's criticism signalled "massive intellectual confusion" within the Conservatives over fiscal policy. He said: "For the last decade, the Conservatives have been rubbishing the idea of Britain joining the euro on the basis that we need to have a flexible exchange rate, yet when we have a flexible exchange rate, they complain because it's flexible." CLICK HERE:PM Brown regrets Tory economy attack
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT (COMMENT: webmaster@euro-news-clip refers to our comment on this subject of yesterday, 14.11.2008. The Opposition has now spoken. Stop sterling's depreciation against the euro on the currency markets.)

---

14.11.2008 Frankfurt,Germany - EUROZONE OFFICIALLY IN RECESSION - The eurozone has officially slipped into recession after EU figures showed that the economy shrank by 0.2% in the third quarter. This follows a 0.2% contraction in the 15-nation area in the previous quarter from April to June. Two quarters of negative growth define a technical recession. The news was widely anticipated and follows data showing that Germany and Italy, two of the biggest eurozone economies, are already in recession. BBC Berlin correspondent Steve Rosenberg said the figures were not a surprise. "Looking ahead, we can expect further quarters of negative GDP growth, until the third quarter of 2009" said Gilles Moec, senior economist, Bank of America: "The Germans had their gloomy economic news [on Thursday] and as Germany is the dynamo of the European economy, when there are problems there, it drags the rest of the region down with it," he said. It is the first recession the region has seen since the euro's creation in 1999, but analysts forecast worse to come for the countries that use the euro. "Looking ahead, we can expect further quarters of negative GDP growth, until the third quarter of 2009, simply because so far we have not had in the GDP figures the full impact of the credit market crisis," said Gilles Moec, senior economist, Bank of America. CLICK HERE:Eurozone officialy in recession
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT (COMMENT:The Bank of England and the UK Chancellor are apparently doing nothing to support the pound in its steep fall in value against the euro, and nobody is asking why, least of all the Opposition.)

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIAN MP'S BACK PRESIDENCY MOVE - Russian MPs have backed a bill to extend the presidential term from four to six years amid speculation it may herald Vladimir Putin's early return. The bill was announced only last week by President Dmitry Medvedev and is being fast-tracked through parliament. Mr Putin became prime minister this year after being obliged under the constitution to step down after two consecutive presidential terms, but speculation is rife that he is planning to return to the presidency. The BBC's Richard Galpin says it has always been assumed that Mr Putin may return after Mr Medvedev has completed one term, but the apparent rush to get this constitutional amendment through is being seen by some as a sign that Mr Putin is in a hurry and may return much sooner. ...The constitutional change will only apply to the next president and the government says it is needed because the existing four-year term is too short to implement serious reforms in such a huge country. One political analyst told the BBC that Mr Putin, who stood down as president in May, could now be planning to come back well before the next election in 2012 and wants a longer term in office. The word is that Mr Putin wants to be able to deal with the financial crisis, which is beginning to hit Russia very hard, our correspondent reports. Speaking earlier this week, Mr Putin denied the bill was tailor-made to bring him back to office, saying the legislation was aimed at "fostering the development of democracy" in Russia and had "no personal dimension". He pointed out that in Finland, for example, the presidential term was also six years. In France, up until 2002, it was seven. "As for who will run for office and when, it's too early to talk about that now," he added. CLICK HERE:Russian MP's back presidency move

Nice, France - SARKOZY PUTS PRESSURE ON RUSSIA - France's President Nicolas Sarkozy says he is concerned about Russia's threat to deploy missiles near Poland and wants a summit on European security. "We really must move forward... to remove sources of friction," Mr Sarkozy said at a joint news conference with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. The talks in Nice, in southern France, came just ahead of a global summit in Washington on the financial crisis. Mr Sarkozy also urged Russia to complete a troop pull-out from Georgia. "I told Mr Medvedev there will have to be more progress with regard to withdrawing troops," he said. France hosted the EU-Russia meeting on Friday, as it currently holds the EU presidency. Under a French-brokered ceasefire deal, Russia withdrew many of its troops following a brief war with Georgia in August. But Georgia says Russia must also withdraw forces from the Akhalgori and Kodori Gorge areas. The deal said Russia should pull back to positions it held before the war. Russia plans to keep thousands of troops in the Georgian breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Referring to Russia's missile deployment threat, Mr Sarkozy called for a European security summit next year under the auspices of the European security body, the OSCE.CLICK HERE:Sarkozy puts pressure on Russia


---

13.11.2008 Brussels, Belgium - EU SEEKS TO EXPAND ENERGY GRIDS - The European Commission has unveiled plans to diversify the EU's energy imports and reduce dependence on Russia, the main gas supplier. The EU will remain dependent on imported fossil fuels for many years to come, the Strategic Energy Review says. Some member states "are overwhelmingly dependent on one single supplier," the document says, without naming Russia. It urges the EU to develop energy infrastructure in the Baltic states and the Mediterranean region. It also wants the EU to build a North Sea offshore grid, to link up national electricity grids in north- western Europe and plug in the numerous planned offshore wind farms. Key points: 1. Infrastructure needs and diversifying energy supplies; 2. External energy relations; 3. Oil and gas stocks and crisis response mechanisms; 4. Energy efficiency ; 5.Making best use of EU's indigenous energy resources. CLICK HERE:EU seeks to expand energy grids

Paris, Georgia - SARKOZY SOUNDS OFF ON GEORGIA FIASCO - French President Nicolas Sarkozy has accused US President George W Bush of failing to take the initiative over the summer conflict in Georgia. Receiving a prize in France for "political courage", he asked his audience "who defended human rights?" after the war erupted in August. "Was it the president of the United States... Or was it France?" he asked. Mr Sarkozy led a mission to Moscow that resulted in a ceasefire between Georgia and Russia. Picking up the prize, awarded by Politique Internationale magazine, at a ceremony at his own Elysee Palace in Paris, Mr Sarkozy suggested the American president did not want to stake his credibility on a push for peace. "When on August 8 someone had to leave for Moscow or Tbilisi, who defended human rights?" he asked rhetorically. "Was it the president of the United States, who said 'This is unacceptable'? Or was it France which kept up the dialogue" between the leaders of Russia and Georgia, he asked, in a speech covered by the French AFP news agency. "I remember the American president's call the day before our departure for Moscow: 'Don't go there, they [the Russians] want to go to Tbilisi, they're 40km away. Don't go, [just] condemn it'. "I did go, along with [French Foreign Minister] Bernard Kouchner, and, as if by coincidence, while we were there the ceasefire was declared," Mr Sarkozy said. CLICK HERE:Sarkozy sounds off on Georgia fiasco

Berlin, Germany - GERMAN ECONOMY NOW IN RECESSION - Germany has entered a recession after government figures showed that Europe's largest economy contracted by 0.5% in the third quarter. This is the second consecutive quarter that the economy has shrunk after a 0.4% contraction in the second quarter. The fall in economic output, driven by falls in exports, was greater than many analysts had expected. Rich countries' think tank the OECD has also forecast a fall in Euro-area economic activity of 0.5% next year. "A negative effect on gross domestic product came from foreign trade, with a strong increase in imports and weakening exports," the Federal Statistics Office said. The last time that the German economy was in recession was the first half of 2003. CLICK HERE:German economy now in recesssion

Tallinn (Reval), Estonia - US CRITICIZES RUSSIA SHIELD MOVE ­ - Russian threats to base missiles in the Baltic have been criticised as "provocative" by the US defence secretary Robert Gates. Mr Gates told reporters after a Nato meeting in Estonia: "Such provocative remarks are unnecessary and misguided." Moscow sees a planned US missile shield in central Europe as a threat, and says it will place missiles in its Baltic enclave, Kaliningrad, to neutralize it. The US insists the shield is a defence against missiles from "rogue" nations. The Kremlin has asked the US why it cannot instead use a Russian-operated early warning radar in Azerbaijan. Mr Gates previously said that while the radar might be used, it was not capable of guiding interceptor missiles. Within hours of the conclusion of the US presidential election last week, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced his plans to place short-range Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad CLICK HERE:US criticizes Russia shield move


---

12.11.2008 Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA REJECTS MISSILE OFFER - Russia has rejected US proposals aimed at easing Moscow's concerns over a planned missile shield in central Europe, a Kremlin source has said. The source said the proposals by the Bush administration were "insufficient" and would put President-elect Barack Obama "in a dead-end situation". The US insists the shield is a defense against missiles from "rogue" nations, but Russia sees it as a direct threat. Moscow has said it will deploy missiles in the Baltic to neutralise the shield. Last week, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said he had been forced to respond to the US plans by putting short-range Iskander missiles in the Kaliningrad enclave, between Poland and Lithuania. "Russia is ready to co-operate with the US on the issues of European security, but considers the [US missile shield] proposals that were sent are insufficient," the unnamed Kremlin source was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. The source said "the current [Bush] administration wants at any price to show" that there was no alternative to deploying the US missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic. The proposals were aimed at "putting the new US president in a dead-end situation, so that he should take responsibility for what was concocted without him," the source added. The proposals have not been made public, but previous US initiatives included, among other things, offers to allow Russia to send observers to monitor the missile defence sites, according to the Associated Press news agency. Moscow and Washington are due to hold further talks on the issue next month. CLICK HERE:Russia rejects US missile offer

Brussels, Belgium - MISSHAPEN FRUIT AND VEGETABLE RULE REPEALED - The European Commission has scrapped controversial rules that prevent oddly-sized or misshapen fruit and vegetables being sold in Europe. The EU's agriculture commissioner called it "a new dawn for the curvy cucumber and the knobbly carrot". Marketing standards for 26 types of produce were scrapped, in a drive to cut bureaucracy. The rules were introduced to ensure common EU standards, but are regarded by critics as examples of Euro-madness. Some 20% of produce is rejected by shops across the EU because it fails to meet the current requirements. The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mariann Fischer Boel, said Wednesday's vote by the EU's fruit and vegetable management committee was "a concrete example of our drive to cut unnecessary red tape". CLICK HERE:Misshapen fruit and vegetable rule repealed

Dublin, Republic of Ireland - CZECH LEADER IN DISPUTE OVER EU PACT - Czech President Vaclav Klaus has become embroiled in a spat with the Irish government over the EU's Lisbon Treaty. Mr Klaus, who is on a state visit to Ireland, angered ministers by staging a news conference with the leader of an anti-treaty pressure group. Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin called the action inappropriate, only to be dubbed a hypocrite by Mr Klaus. Irish voters rejected the treaty, which would streamline decision-making, in a referendum earlier this year. The pact requires the approval of all 27 European Union member states, and the Irish government has come under pressure to hold another vote. On Tuesday, Mr Klaus met Declan Ganley, the head of Libertas, a pressure group that campaigns against the treaty and was a key force behind Ireland's No vote in June. Endorsing Mr Ganley's views at a joint news conference, the Czech president said he feared freedom and democracy would "not be enhanced" by the treaty. The Irish foreign minister said his comments were an "inappropriate intervention in the context of such a state visit", particularly given the Irish government was in negotiations with the EU about the pact. CLICK HERE:Czech leader in dispute over EU pact


---

11.11.2008 Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA WOULD HALT MISSILE PLANS - Russia's foreign minister has said it will abandon plans to station missiles in Kaliningrad if the US does not base part of a missile shield in Europe. Sergei Lavrov said short-range Iskander missiles would only be deployed in the western enclave, which borders Poland, to neutralise any perceived US threat. President Dmitri Medvedev unveiled the planned counter-measure a week ago. The US insists the planned shield is designed solely to guard against attack by "rogue states", such as Iran. At present, the system will include a tracking radar in the Czech Republic and 10 missile interceptors in northern Poland. Moscow says they could threaten its own defenses. These would be in addition to radars and interceptors in Alaska and California in the US, and another radar at Fylingdales in the UK. At a news conference in Moscow on Tuesday, Mr Lavrov was asked whether the Russian plans to deploy Iskander missile systems in Kaliningrad might affect Friday's EU-Russia summit and renewed talks on a new partnership and co-operation agreement. "I don't see any connection between what was announced in the message of our president to the Federal Assembly and relations between Russia and the European Union," he said. "We said… that if the third zone of positioning of the US anti-missile shield is created, one of the measures to neutralise the threats to Russia's security that would inevitably arise will be the deployment of Iskander missile systems in the Kaliningrad region." CLICK HERE:Russia would halt missile plans

London, England - POIGNANT CEREMONY MARKS ARMISTICE 1918 - Three of the last surviving veterans of World War I were greeted with a round of applause as they arrived to mark the 90th anniversary of the Armistice. Henry Allingham, 112, Harry Patch, 110, and Bill Stone, 108, are among the last of the five million men and women who served in Britain's forces during the conflict. The knowledge that this was almost certainly the last significant anniversary the men will attend made the event particularly poignant. Watched by dignitaries including the Duchess of Gloucester, Prime Minister Gordon Brown and members of the Cabinet, the three men were led down Whitehall by a single piper shortly before 1100. CLICK HERE:Poignant ceremony marks armistice 1918

Moscow, Russia - MEDVEDEV BID TO EXTEND PRESIDENCY TERM - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has sent to parliament a bill that extends the presidential term to six years from the current four, the Kremlin says. Mr Medvedev said last week the measure would give more time for the head of state to push through reforms. He did not say if he wanted to extend his own term or that of his successor. There has been speculation that Mr Medvedev is a stop-gap so that his predecessor Vladimir Putin can return to his job. Mr Putin, who is currently serving as Russia's prime minister, has served the maximum two consecutive terms, stepping down in May. CLICK HERE:Medvedev bid to extend presidency term

PAris, France - FRENCH RAIL ANARCHISTS ARRESTED - French police have arrested at least 10 people in connection with a series of attacks on France's rail network. Police say those arrested were probably involved in sabotaging overhead power cables that disrupted national rail and Eurostar services over the weekend. It is believed they belong to a far-left anarchist group protesting against trains transporting nuclear waste. French President Nicolas Sarkozy congratulated investigators for their "rapid and promising progress". The French interior ministry says suspects from the "anarcho-autonomous" movement were arrested in three cities, including Paris, after a months-long investigation. It is understood that 20 people were originally detained but only 10 now remain in custody, where they are being questioned about several acts of sabotage on French railway lines. On Saturday, metal rods were jammed against overhead power cables, taking out trains on lines north, east and south of the capital, causing chaos to the national network. Eurostar trains to Brussels and London and services to northern Europe were also seriously disrupted. On Sunday another high speed train was stopped after protestors placed concrete blocks on the line. Railway officials say the attacks were probably part of the same well organised campaign. They said it did not threaten the safety of passengers. Investigators are now examining a link between the group and the German far left, which has already claimed responsibility for actions against trains carrying nuclear waste. CLICK HERE:French rail anarchists arrested


---

10.11.2008 Gorleben, Germany - DEMONSTRATORS CONFRONT POLICE OVER NUCLEAR WASTE TRAIN - A shipment of nuclear waste is expected to arrive at a dump in Germany despite mass protests from environmentalists. Eleven containers of treated waste were on Monday transferred from a train onto lorries in Dannenberg for the final journey to the northern Gorleben site. The train was delayed for hours after setting off from France on Friday, as protesters clashed with police trying to block the shipment. Several demonstrators even managed to cement themselves to the tracks. A number of protesters on Monday are continuing to block access to the Gorleben site in Lower Saxony. "We will be the last to be removed, but we will keep going. I don't care if it's tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. I'm staying here," Katrin Heineberger from Germany's Green Youth Party said. "I want to bloc the transporter and stop it from making its way to the storage facility," she said. Some 16,000 police have been deployed across Germany to ensure the shipment reaches its final destination. CLICK HERE:Demonstators confront police over nuclear waste train

Brussels, Belgium - EU TO END FREEZE ON TALKS WITH RUSSIA - European Union foreign ministers have decided to resume partnership talks with Russia, despite failing to reach unanimous agreement. Lithuania, the former Soviet republic, remains unconvinced, saying the decision is a "mistake". The EU suspended talks over Russia's intervention in Georgia, and Lithuania argues it has still not fully met the terms of the truce and withdrawn, but the 26 other EU members agreed it was time to re-engage with Moscow. "We have found a good way to proceed," said EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, after the foreign ministers met in Brussels. "We think it is time to resume the talks....It followed a statement by the British and Swedish governments.who have been among the sternest critics of Russia in the EU, saying: "We need and want to work with Russia." CLICK HERE:EU to end freeze on talks with Russia">

London, England - MUSLIM FREE SPEECH THREATENED - Governments across Europe must do more to safeguard freedom of speech for Muslim reformers who face threats from extremists, a think tank has warned. The UK-based Center for Social Cohesion highlighted the cases of 27 writers, including Sir Salman Rushdie, activists, politicians and artists. The center said they had suffered violence and intimidation for criticising Islam or seeking reform. It said governments had a duty to ensure free speech for all citizens. The report: "Victims of Intimidation: Freedom of Speech within Europe's Muslim Communities", said official failure to offer victims the protection they needed had left "significant numbers" of Muslims unable to express themselves. It said this also created the impression that more Muslims were opposed to free speech than was actually the case. The center called for European governments to "promote greater religious and social harmony by demonstrating that they see Muslims and those of Muslim background as complete citizens, neither restricted in their freedoms nor unduly permitted to issue threats against others". CLICK HERE:Muslim free speech treatened


---

9.11.2008 Berlin, Germany - MERKEL URGES ANTI-RACIST ACTION - As Germany marks the 70th anniversary of the Kristallnacht anti-Semitic riots, Chancellor Angela Merkel said all Germans must act against racism. At a ceremony at Berlin's largest synagog, she said Germans "cannot be silent" in the face of anti- Semitism. Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass, is often regarded as the starting point of the Holocaust. Nazis ransacked Jewish homes and businesses and burned synagogs as police and firefighters looked on. More than 90 Jewish people were murdered and about 30,000 Jewish men were sent to concentration camps on November 9 and 10, 1938. Millions were killed by the Nazi regime, including about six million Jewish people. "Indifference is the first step towards endangering essential values," Mrs Merkel said at the commemoration service with the Central Council of Jews at the Rykestrasse synagogue in Berlin. "Xenophobia, racism and anti-Semitism must never be given an opportunity in Europe again. The Rykestrasse synagog was damaged in the Kristallnacht rampage but has been recently restored. The anniversary comes at a time of concern that far right sentiments are on the rise in Germany. "There was no storm of protest against the Nazis, but silence, shrugged shoulders and people looking away, from individual citizens to large parts of the church," Mrs Merkel said. "We cannot be silent, we cannot be indifferent when Jewish cemeteries are desecrated and rabbis are insulted on the street." On Sunday evening, a concert entitled "Tu Was", or "Do Something", will be held at Berlin's Tempelhof airport. Its organizer, British violinist Daniel Hope, said he was inspired by reading a book about the events in 1938 and realising there was nothing to mark the day other than the official ceremony. "It's difficult to know how to commemorate a day of tragedy," he said. "It is a wonderful chance for everybody to think about things. Not doing something is the worst thing anyone can do". CLICK HERE:Merkel urges anti-racist action

"euro_news_clip" COMMENT (COMMENT:This day is also the 19th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall, 9.11.1989.)
8.11.2008 Washington, DC / Warsaw, Poland - OBAMA DENIES POLAND MISSILE DISPUTE - US President-elect Barack Obama has not given a commitment to go ahead with plans to build part of a US missile defense system in Poland, an aide says. He was speaking after Polish President Lech Kaczynski's office said a pledge had been made during a phone conversation between the two men, but Mr Obama's foreign policy adviser, Denis McDonough, denied this. Russia opposes the US scheme and has announced plans to deploy missiles on Poland's border as a counter-measure. On Friday, EU leaders said the decision would not contribute to creating a climate of confidence or to the improvement of security. In a statement published on his website on Saturday, Poland's president said Mr Obama had " emphasized the importance of the strategic partnership of Poland and the United States and expressed hope in the continuation of political and military co-operation between our countries." CLICK HERE:Obama denies Poland missile dispute

Primorye Coast, Russia - 20 RUSSIAN SUBMARINERS DIE ON BOARD - At least 20 people have died in an incident involving the failure of a fire extinguishing system on a Russian nuclear submarine, local media report. Russian Pacific Fleet spokesman Igor Dygalo said both sailors and shipyard workers died in the incident, which occurred during sea trials. He said the submarine itself had not been damaged and there had been no radiation leaks. Military prosecutors are investigating the incident. The submarine, whose name and class have not been revealed, has been ordered to suspend sea trials and return to port in the far eastern Primorye territory, Capt Dygalo said. "I declare with full responsibility that the reactor compartment on the nuclear-powered submarine is working normally and the radiation background is normal," he said, quoted by Itar-Tass news agency. There were 208 people on board at the time, 81 of whom were servicemen. Twenty-one injured people have been evacuated from the submarine, sources at the fleet said. Reports say the incident occurred in the nose of the vessel. The nuclear reactor, which is in the stern, was not affected. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is being kept fully informed about the incident, his press service said. Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Kolmakov and Navy Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Vysotsky are flying to the scene of the incident. Russia's worst submarine disaster happened in August 2000, when the nuclear-powered Kursk sank in the Barents Sea. All 118 people on board died. CLICK HERE:20 Russian submariners die on board

Tbilisi, Georgia - OSCE FAILED IN GEORGIA WARNINGS - The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has been accused of failing to warn that this summer's Russia-Georgia conflict was looming. A former senior OSCE official, Ryan Grist, told the BBC he had warned of Georgia's military activity before its move into the South Ossetia region. He said it was an "absolute failure" reports were not passed on by bosses, but OSCE Chairman Alexander Stubb said the risks were transmitted to member governments and the system worked well. The conflict in the region began on August 7 when Georgia tried to retake its breakaway region of South Ossetia by force after a series of lower-level clashes with Russian-backed rebels. Russia launched a counter-attack and the Georgian troops were ejected from both South Ossetia and Abkhazia, a second breakaway region, days later. Russian forces remain in the two regions, and Moscow has backed their declarations of independence. On Friday, thousands of anti-government activists demonstrated in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, their first major protest since the conflict. CLICK HERE:OSCE failed in Georgia warnings


---

7.11.2008 Brussels, Belgium - EU UNITED ON FINANCIAL REFORMS - A summit of EU leaders has resulted in a common position on reforming the world financial system, French President Nicolas Sarkozy says. EU countries agreed on "the need to take firm and ambitious operational decisions at the Washington summit" on November 15, Mr Sarkozy told reporters. The Brussels talks were aimed at EU co-ordination ahead of the global summit on financial reform in Washington. Mr Sarkozy wants tighter financial regulation and a bigger IMF role. As current holder of the EU presidency he pushed for the G-20 Washington summit, arguing that the world's financial system required fundamental reform in the wake of the credit crunch. He said Friday's discussions covered areas such as financial transparency, curbing tax havens, the activities of credit ratings agencies and "this short-term craze which is basically speculation". European governments have already committed 2.2 trillion euros ($2.8 trillion) to bank rescues to avert a financial meltdown, amid a banking crisis widely held to be the worst since the 1929 Wall Street crash. CLICK HERE:EU united on financial reforms

Tbilisi, Georgia - GEORGIANS RALLY AGAINST LEADER - Thousands of opposition activists have demonstrated in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, their first major protest since the conflict with Russia. Critics have accused President Mikhail Saakashvili of starting a war with Russia that Georgia could not win. "We are starting a new wave of civil confrontation, and we will not give up until new elections are called," opposition leader Kakha Kukava said. A year ago opposition rallies were broken up by police. Rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannon were used in a crackdown that ended days of protests but opened the government up to accusations of heavy-handedness. Following those protests, Mr Saakashvili went on to call snap elections, which he won. There were about 10,000 protesters at Friday's rally, according to estimates by reporters at the scene. They crowded the steps outside parliament, holding banners and waving flags, calling for democratic reforms. CLICK HERE:Georgians rally against leader

Paris, France - ROYAL LEADS SOCIALIST PARTY RACE - The former French presidential candidate, Segolene Royal, has taken an early lead in the race to become leader of the opposition Socialist Party. Ms Royal, defeated by Nicolas Sarkozy in last year's election, came first in a ballot of the party's 233,000 members on the programmes of the six hopefuls. She won 29% of the vote, four points more than Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe and former minister Martine Aubry. The Socialist Party will meet next week in Reims to try to choose a new leader. Party members will then formally elect a successor to Secretary General Francois Hollande on November 20. CLICK HERE:Royal leads Socialist Party race


---

6.11.2008 London, England - BANK OF ENGLAND DRASTICALLY CUTS INTEREST RATES TO 3%- The Bank of England has made a shock one-and-a-half percentage point cut in UK interest rates to 3%, the lowest level since 1955. The size of the cut, the most dramatic since 1981, signals the Bank's concern the UK is heading for a long recession, the BBC's economics editor says. Mortgage lenders are now under pressure to pass the cut on to borrowers, but due to the unexpected size of the cut, most banks have not yet decided how much of it to pass on. "I think it's essential that the banks do pass on the benefit of lower interest rates to people and to businesses," Chancellor Alistair Darling said. "Banks need to understand that they need to help their customers." CLICK HERE:Bank of England drastically cuts interest rates to 3%

Frankfurt, Germany - EUROZONE RATES LOWERED TO 3.25% - The European Central Bank has lowered its eurozone interest rates to 3.25% in an attempt to prevent a recession. The bank reduced rates by half a percentage point amid increasing signs of slowing growth. The Swiss and Danish central banks did the same. ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet said further cuts could not be ruled out. Separately, the International Monetary Fund has forecast that the eurozone economy would shrink by 0.5% in 2009, more than previously estimated. Speaking after the ECB rate cut, Mr Trichet said that the level of uncertainty stemming from the turmoil on the financial markets remained "extraordinarily high and exceptional challenges lie ahead". CLICK HERE:Eurozone rates cut by 3.25%

Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia - EIGHJT DEAD IN NORTH OSSETIAN MINIBUS BOMBING - At least eight people have died in what Russian investigators say was a bomb attack that hit a minibus in Vladikavkaz, in the North Caucasus. Investigators say the bomb was planted outside a busy market and went off as the minibus arrived at a bus stop. Earlier, officials said 11 people were killed in the explosion. Vladikavkaz is the capital of North Ossetia which has, like neighboring Ingushetia and Chechnya, suffered sporadic violence from militant groups.The explosion happened at about 1415 local time (1115 GMT) as passengers were getting off the packed minibus, Russian officials say. The blast was caused by an improvised explosive device, fragments of which have now been found, local investigators say. They say the attack was well prepared and believe that the bomb may have been detonated by a female suicide attacker. CLICK HERE:8 dead in North ssetian minibus bombing

Strasbourg, France - EU PLANS TOUGHER TOY SAFETY RULES - New measures to tighten toy safety standards have been backed in the European Parliament, making their early passage into EU law more likely. The new rules for toy firms will ban chemicals that can cause cancer or genetic changes, allergenic fragrances and parts that can choke children. About 80% of toys on sale in the EU come from China. Millions of Chinese-made toys were recalled in 2007. A Labour MEP said EU toy safety rules were 20 years old and needed updating. The MEP, Arlene McCarthy, chairs the parliament's internal market and consumer protection committee, which backed the legal changes on Thursday. MEPs hope to fast-track the legislation to get it enacted early next year. They are amending revised toy safety standards proposed by the European Commission. A full vote in the parliament is expected on December 16. CLICK HERE:EU plans tougher toy safety rules

Brussels, Belgium - US STRONGLY CRITICAL OF RUSSIA'S MISSILE PLAN - The US has described as "disappointing" Russia's plans to deploy new missiles in the Baltic region to counter a US defense shield in central Europe. The US state department stressed the planned shield in the Czech Republic and Poland was "not aimed at Russia". Nato voiced "serious concerns" about Moscow's intentions. President Dmitry Medvedev said putting short-range Iskander missiles near Nato members Poland and Lithuania would "neutralize" the US missile shield. In his state-of-the nation address on Wednesday, Mr Medvedev said Russia had been forced to respond to the US plans by deploying missiles in its Kaliningrad enclave, between Poland and Lithuania. The US has repeatedly stated that its shield is a defene against missiles from "rogue" nations, but Russia sees it as a direct threat, correspondents say. CLICK HERE:US strongly critical of Russia's missile plan


---

5.11.2008 EU Capitals - EUROPEAN LEADERS HAIL OBAMA VICTORY - European leaders have hailed the triumph of Democrat Barack Obama in the US presidential election. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the victory was "brilliant", while UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown hailed Mr Obama's "vision for the future". German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the result was "historic", while the European Commission president called for "a new deal for a new world". Moscow said it was expecting a "fresh approach" in US relations with Russia. Mr Obama beat Republican John McCain to become the first black US president. "At a time when we must face huge challenges together, your election has raised enormous hope in France, in Europe and beyond," Mr Sarkozy said. "France and Europe... will find a new energy to work with America to preserve peace and world prosperity," the French leader acted. In London, Mr Brown said: "The relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom is vital to our prosperity and security. "Barack Obama ran an inspirational campaign, energising politics with his progressive values and his vision for the future." Mrs Merkel said that the German government was "fully aware of the importance and of the worth of our transatlantic partnership". Meanwhile, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the world now needed the EU and US to forge "a new deal" to tackle the continuing global financial crisis and other major issues. "We need to change the current crisis into a new opportunity. We need a new deal for a new world," Mr Barroso said. In Moscow, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said "everyone has the right to expect a fresh approach from the United States to all the most important problems, including... relations with Russia". CLICK HERE:European leaders hail Obama victory

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA TO MOVE MISSOILES TO BALTIC - Russia is to deploy new missiles in a Baltic enclave near Nato member Poland, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says. Short-range Iskander missiles in the Kaliningrad region would "neutralize" the planned US anti-missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic, he said. The US says its shield is a defence against missiles from "rogue" nations, but Moscow sees it as a direct threat. Mr Medvedev also said he wanted to extend Russia's presidential term to six years from the current four. He did not explain if he wanted to extend his own term, or change the rules for his successor. There has long been speculation that Mr Medvedev is a stop-gap so that Prime Minister Putin, who served the maximum two consecutive terms, can return to the top job, correspondents say. In his first state-of-the nation address, Mr Medvedev said Moscow would deploy the Iskander missile system in the Kaliningrad region - between Nato members Lithuania and Poland, to "neutralize, if necessary, the [US] anti-missile system". "Naturally, we also consider using for the same purpose the resources of Russia's navy," he said. CLICK HERE:ussia to move missiles to Baltic


---

4.11.2008 Chicago, Illinois - BARACK OBAMA US PRESIDENT ELECT - Barack Obama achieves an historically relevant and overwhelming electoral victory to become the first African-American as the 44th US president elect.

The Holy See - ROME HOSTS VATICAN-MUSLIM SUMMIT - Muslim and Vatican officials are holding historic talks in Rome to establish a better inter-faith dialog and defuse any future tensions. Catholic-Muslim ties soured after Pope Benedict XVI's speech in 2006, in which he linked Muslims with past violence. The speech provoked Muslim outrage and triggered violent protests. It also prompted leading Muslim scholars to launch an appeal to the Pope for greater theological dialog, called the Common Word. The manifesto now has more than 250 signatories. Muslim leaders say protests against the Pope's speech, and also the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in a Danish newspaper in 2005 - might have been avoided if Christian and Muslim leaders had spoken out together against such violence. CLICK HERE:Rome hosts Vatican-Muslim summIt

Marseille, France - BARCELONA TO BE HQ FOR MEDITERRANEAN UNION - The Spanish city of Barcelona will host the headquarters of the embryonic 43-nation Mediterranean Union. The decision was announced on Tuesday at a meeting of foreign ministers from the union's participating countries in Marseille, southern France. The union embraces 27 EU states and countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Joint work is planned in areas such as water, energy and education. France's President Nicolas Sarkozy launched the union at a summit in July. Barcelona was the site of a previous EU-led Mediterranean initiative, called the Barcelona Process. CLICK HERE:Barcelona to be HQ for Mediterranean Union

Madrid, Spain - BIN LADEN SON REQUESTS ASYLUM IN SPAIN - One of Osama Bin Laden's sons has asked for political asylum in Spain, local officials say. Omar Osama Bin Laden, aged 27, made his claim after a scheduled stopover at Madrid's Barajas airport on a flight from Egypt to Morocco. The reasons for his asylum request were not immediately clear. The self-declared pacifist son of the al-Qaeda leader was earlier this year refused entry to live in the UK with his 52-year-old British wife. The Spanish authorities said they would deal with Mr Bin Laden's case "speedily", Spain's El Pais newspaper reported. He was carrying a Saudi passport, the Spanish interior ministry officials said. He currently lives in Cairo, with wife Zaina Alsabah-Bin Laden, formerly named Jane Felix-Browne, from Cheshire. They had hoped to move to Mrs Bin Laden's home in north-western England. The couple said the visa application was rejected in April after the British authorities had judged that it might not be "conducive to the public good". CLICK HERE:Bin Laden son requests asylum in Spain


---

3.11.2008 Frankfurt, Germany - EUROZONE ON THE VERGE OF RECESSION - The eurozone is on the brink of recession with economic growth falling 0.2% in the second quarter, the European Commission has announced. A Commission statement warned: "In 2009, the EU economy is expected to grind to a standstill." The slowdown will mark the eurozone's first recession since the currency's inception in 1999. Figures also announced on Monday show that manufacturing in the zone fell in October to its lowest level since 1997. The Commission also forecast further falls of 0.1% in the third and fourth quarters of this year, and overall growth of just 0.1% next year and 0.9% in 2010. Output, new orders, new export orders, and purchases, all fell to their lowest level since the Purchasing Managers' Index, compiled by Markit Economics, was introduced more than 11 years ago. CLICK HERE:Eurozone on the verge of a recession

Wiesbaden, Germany - (dpa) A BITTER END FOR ANDREA YPSILANTI - (Transl.:webmaster@euronewsclip) The change of power in Hesse to a red-green minority government with tacit agreement of the Left Party came to nothing at the last minute.Four SPD-state representatives surprisingly refused to follow their leader one day before her planned election as state president. As reason they indicated concern regarding the Left Party, which is to tolerate the red-green coalition in Wiesbaden. State president Roland Koch (CDU) remains therefore in office as caretaker. The three dissidents initiually made their no public in Wiesbaden on Monday after the SPD voted by a large majority for the coalition agreement with the Greens during the party convention at the weekend. Ypsilanti appeared "extremely disappointed". She is saying nothing about her political future or possible fresh elections. CLICK HERE:A bitter end for Andrea Ypsilanti

Paris, France - FRENCH NET PIRATES FACE CUT-OFF - French plans to throw persistent pirates off the net have got closer to becoming law. The French Senate voted overwhelmingly in favour of the law, which aims to tackle ongoing piracy of music, movies, and games online. Those caught illegally sharing digital media will get warnings e-mailed and posted to them before having their net connection terminated. The proposed law now goes to the French National Assembly for final approval. The idea to tackle piracy with such a three strikes law was first floated in November 2007, when French President Nicolas Sarkozy called it: "a decisive moment for the future of a civilised internet". Under the plan, net firms will be enrolled as watchdogs that will keep an eye on consumers indulging in casual piracy. Those spotted illegally sharing copyrighted works, such as music tracks or movies, will get two warnings, but if they do not heed these then their net connection with be terminated. The French Senate voted 297 to 15 to back the law, which will also create a new governmental body that will oversee the anti-piracy work. Companies will be encouraged to install firewalls blocking content sharing by employees. CLICK HERE:French pirates face net cut-off


---

2.11.2008 Moscow, Russia - NAGORNO-KARABAKH AGREEMENT SIGNED - Armenia and Azerbaijan have signed a joint agreement aimed at resolving their dispute over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh at talks near Moscow. Azeri President Ilham Aliyev and his Armenian counterpart, Serzh Sarkisian, agreed to intensify their efforts to find a political settlement. It is the first time in nearly 15 years that such a deal has been reached. Sporadic clashes have continued over Nagorno-Karabakh, despite the signing of a ceasefire agreement in 1994. Before the truce, several years of fighting had left some 30,000 people dead and forced more than one million from their homes. In 2006, an overwhelming majority of Nagorno-Karabakh residents, mostly ethnic Armenians, voted in favour of declaring a sovereign state. The declaration has not been internationally recognised. At Sunday's talks hosted at Meiendorf Castle, the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed "to speed up further moves in the negotiating process" over Nagorno-Karabakh, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in a statement.CLICK HERE:Nagorno-Karabakh agreement signed

Moscow, Russia - GADDAFI SEEKS RUSSIA ENERGY PACT - The Libyan leader, Col Muammar Gaddafi, has said he hopes to increase energy ties with Russia, during his first visit to Moscow since the Soviet era. Col Gaddafi said closer co-operation between the two major gas and oil producers was "particularly important". Correspondents say Russia wants Libya to support its plans for a cartel of gas-producing nations, similar to Opec. It has also been reported that the two countries are negotiating a civilian nuclear co-operation agreement. Under the deal, Russia would help Libya design, develop and operate nuclear research reactors and provide fuel, Libyan media said. CLICK HERE:Gaddafi seeks Russia energy pact


---

1.11.2008 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - PM BROWN CALLS FOR OIL PRICE STABILITY - Gordon Brown has arrived in the Middle East to ask Gulf states to help stabilise oil prices and to contribute to tackling the global economic crisis. Speaking ahead of the visit, he said Gulf states had an interest in a "well functioning economy", and he said they had an interest in a "stable energy price" not in "massive volatility" that had been seen. Mr Brown is being joined in Saudi Arabia by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Business Secretary Peter Mandelson. The UK prime minister held talks with Saudi ruler King Abdhullah at the King"s Palace in Riyadh. He was expected to stress the Gulf nations must maintain their oil production levels to avoid "spikes" in oil prices. CLICK HERE:PM Brown calls for oil price stability

Madrid, Spain - PASSPORT OFFER FOR SPANISH EXILES - Descendants of people who fled Spain during the country's civil war are to be allowed to apply for citizenship. The decision will allow an estimated 500,000 children and grandchildren of civil war-era exiles to seek to return. That number is believed to include 300,000 people in Argentina alone, Spain's government says. The measure is part of new legislation passed last year that aims to compensate and rehabilitate victims of Spain's 1936-1939 civil war. An estimated 500,000 people died in the civil war, which left Spain as a dictatorship under the rule of the Fascist General Francisco Franco.Descendants of Spaniards who left the country for fear of political persecution or economic hardship between 1936 and 1955 will now be able to apply for nationality before 2011. CLICK HERE:Passport offer for Spanish exiles


---

31.11.2008 Nazran, Ingushetia - MILITARY MAN TO RUN RESTIVE INGUSHETIA - A career soldier has been appointed to run Russia's unstable southern republic of Ingushetia, where attacks on security forces have escalated. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev named Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, a paratrooper, as acting president, to replace Murat Zyazikov, a former KGB officer. He said he was not sacked and stepped down voluntarily, but the Kremlin accepted his resignation immediately. Critics say Mr Zyazikov's crackdown did not work, and new tactics are needed. The Kremlin seems to be admitting that it needs a new approach to ending the violence in the North Caucasus, the BBC's James Rodgers reports from Moscow. Violence in the region is on the increase - raising the prospect of it spreading to other parts of the North Caucasus. There are frequent attacks on officials and members of the security forces. Ingushetia's armed insurgent groups are said to be linked to Islamist fighters in neighbouring Chechnya. Mr Yevkurov was awarded the honour "Hero of Russia" for bravery in Chechnya, and was one of the commanders of the Russian contingent which seized control of Pristina airport during the Kosovo conflict in 1999. CLICK HERE:MIlitary man to run restive Ingushetia

Zagreb, Croatia - CROATIA SET TO GET GREEN LIGHT FROM EU - The European Commission says Croatia is on track to become the 28th member of the European Union, despite a wave of mafia-style violence. A draft commission report seen by the BBC gives, for the first time, a timetable for concluding accession talks with Croatia by the end of 2009. Provided it meets all the EU conditions, Croatia could join in 2011. The report, set to be adopted next Wednesday, also calls on Turkey to resume political reforms. After a wave of mafia-style violence, including the killing of a prominent journalist, Croatia has to show it is cracking down on organised crime and corruption. Meanwhile, France and Germany say any talk of dates is an empty promise, unless the EU finds a way to revive the Lisbon reform treaty, meant to prepare the bloc for new members. CLICK HERE:Croatia set to get green light from EU

Tarsus, Turkey - TURKEY DENIES CHRISTIANS CHURCH - The Turkish government says it is "out of the question" for it to hand over a revered medieval church where Catholics want to hold Christian services. The church, currently run as a museum, stands in the south-eastern town of Tarsus, where St Paul was born. The Turkish constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but Christian groups in the country believe that in practice they face discrimination. Next week the Vatican will hold a Catholic-Muslim forum to improve ties. It was the Cardinal Archbishop of Cologne in Germany who first challenged the Turkish government to hand over the church in Tarsus. He has pointed out that Muslims of Turkish origin in Germany are free to worship and build new mosques, but that Christians in Turkey face substantial obstacles to their religious freedom. CLICK HERE:Turkey denies Christians church


---

30.10.2008 Pamplona Spain - CAR BOMBERS TARGET PAMPLONA CAMPUS - A car bomb has exploded in a university car park in Pamplona, northern Spain. There were no reports of deaths in the blast, which happened at 1110 (1010 GMT), but at least 15 people were injured and some cars were set ablaze. The University of Navarra is near the Basque Country, where Eta separatists are continuing a violent campaign for independence from Spain. Local officials said they had received a vague telephone warning, purportedly from Eta, before the blast. "Eta has once again displayed its vileness," said Jose Antonio Alonso, spokesman for the governing Socialist party. It followed the arrest on Tuesday of four suspected Eta members, three of them in Pamplona. Guns and a large quantity of explosives were also seized in the raids. The bomb exploded in a car park at the university, setting cars on fire and blowing out the windows of nearby buildings. "Suddenly the whole building shook and there was a huge column of smoke. It was tremendous, a huge explosion," Aparicio Caicedo, a 29-year-old Ecuadoran studying at the university, told the Associated Press news agency. "There were other small explosions after the fire set off the fuel tanks in the parked cars nearby," said Bernardino Leon, a University of Navarra professor. CLICK HERE:Car bombers target Pamplona campus

Wolfsburg, Germany - VW DEFIES ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN - Volkswagen has resisted the economic slowdown and reported growing three-month profits. Net profit from July to September rose 28% to 1.2bn euros ($1.6bn; £950m) boosted by sales in emerging markets. Improved demand in China, Russia and India helped offset slackening sales in Europe and the US. VW says it continues to believe that its deliveries, sales and profits will exceed last year's levels despite the "difficult environment". "We are confirming our forecast for 2008, despite the dramatic deterioration in global economic conditions and the automotive industry environment in recent months," said VW's chief financial officer Hans Dieter Poetsch. The company, which is in the process of being taken over by Porsche, said its diverse range of brands had given it a competitive advantage. VW owns marques such as Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley, Skoda and Seat. CLICK HERE:VW defies economic slowdown


---

29.10.2008 Moscow, Russia - JESUITS FOUND DEAD IN MOSCOW APARTMENT - Russian police have launched a murder inquiry after two Jesuit priests were found dead in a Moscow apartment. The bodies of Otto Messmer, 47, leader of the Russian Jesuit order, and Ecuadorean priest Victor Betancourt, 42, were found on Tuesday night. The door was found ajar and there were no signs of any theft from the flat in upmarket Petrovka Street. Police said they had suffered severe head injuries and the bodies had lain undiscovered for at least a day. The attack on Father Betancourt is believed to have happened at the end of last week as he did not turn up for mass as usual on Sunday, according to Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican's chief press spokesman. He added that Father Messmer had returned to Moscow from Germany on Monday evening and was probably killed shortly afterwards. A statement from the official investigators' office said: "We have launched a probe into the murder. CLICK HERE:Jesuits found dead in Mosacow apartment

Rome, Italy - PROTESTS OVER ITALY'S SCHOOL REFORM -School pupils, university students and teachers have staged demonstrations across Italy against a school reform law just passed by parliament. In Rome's Piazza Navona, a popular tourist spot, several people were lightly injured in a clash between left- and right-wing students. The reform package is expected to cut the education budget. In primary schools there will be just one all-purpose teacher per class and a grade system for pupils' behavior. The package will reinstate a 10-point system for grading pupils' conduct, aimed at curbing bullying. The government decree became law on Wednesday with 162 senators voting in favour and 134 against. The leader of the center-left opposition Democratic Party (PD), Walter Veltroni, vowed to push for a national referendum to get the decree repealed. CLICK HERE:Protests over Italy's school reform

Moscow, Russia - MANDELSON URGES END TO DISPUTE WITH RUSSIA - Peter Mandelson has said he believes there is a "thawing" of Russian-British relations but regretted that trade was bound to be affected by political rows. The business secretary, on a trade visit to Moscow, said the rows made it "that much harder" to strengthen ties. Relations between Moscow and London have been strained since the murder of Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006. Lord Mandelson also refused to answer questions about his meetings with Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska. The new business secretary is on a trade visit to Moscow. He said he was the first cabinet minister to visit Russia since early 2007. Relations soured after Mr Litvinenko, a fierce critic of Vladimir Putin who had been granted UK citizenship, was poisoned in London in November 2006. Britain's extradition request for suspect Andrei Lugovoi, a former KGB agent who denies involvement, has been refused by Russia. At the height of the row, four diplomats were expelled from each country, Russia ordered the closure of British Council offices and talks on visas and counter-terrorism co-operation were called off. CLICK HERE:Mandelson urges end to dispute with Russia

Zabreb, Croatia - CROATIA LAUNCHES ANTI-MAFIA DRIVE - Croatia's new justice minister has announced a package of measures to tackle organized crime, following a spate of mafia-style killings. Ivan Simonovic told the Croatian parliament that courts would fast-track such cases and witness protection would be improved. He said the problem needed "a scalpel", because it threatened people's security and Croatia's bid to join the EU. New legislation would allow criminals' property to be confiscated, he said. "That way we will hit the mob where it hurts most - their wallets!" he said. On October 23 a car bomb blast in the capital Zagreb killed Ivo Pukanic, editor of the weekly newspaper Nacional, along with the paper's chief marketing executive, Niko Franic. Earlier this month, a prominent lawyer's daughter, Ivana Hodak, was shot dead in Zagreb. Her killing prompted Prime Minister Ivo Sanader to replace his ministers of justice and the interior. CLICK HERE:Croatia launches anti-mafia drive


---

28.10.2008 Paris, France - BROWN AND SARKOZY IN ACTION CALL - UK PM Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy have warned urgent action is needed to prevent the current financial malaise spreading. Mr Brown said the first priority was "to stop the contagion to other countries, including in eastern Europe" where there were "problems emerging". He said the IMF would have to create a new fund to help struggling nations and Mr Sarkozy also wants a crisis fund for EU member states expanded from 12bn euros ($15bn;£9.6bn) to 20bn euros. The two leaders were meeting in France to coordinate their positions before the forthcoming US and European summits on the global financial crisis. Their talks came as the Bank of England said the world's financial firms had now lost £1.8 trillion ($2.8 trillion) as a result of the continuing credit crisis. Mr Brown said a summit of world leaders in Washington on November 15 would be a defining moment for how countries work together to tackle the problem. CLICK HERE:Brown and Sarkozy in action call

Tbilisi, Georgia - GEORGIA DENIES WAR CRIMES CLAIM - President Mikhail Saakashvili has denied that Georgia's armed forces committed war crimes during their attack on South Ossetia in August. Evidence obtained by the BBC in the breakaway region suggests Georgia used indiscriminate force, and may have targeted civilians. Witnesses said tanks had fired on an apartment block, and civilians were shot at as they fled the fighting. UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband has raised the issue with Tbilisi. South Ossetia and another region, Abkhazia, broke away from Georgia in the early 1990s, in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Georgia's attempt to re-conquer South Ossetia triggered a Russian invasion and the most serious crisis in relations between the Kremlin and the West since the Cold War. The BBC recently undertook the first unrestricted visit to South Ossetia by a foreign news organisation since the conflict. Marina Kochieva, a doctor in the regional capital Tskhinvali's main hospital, told our reporters that she and three relatives were targeted by a Georgian tank as they were trying to escape by car from the town on the night of August 9. CLICK HERE:Georgia denies war crime claims

Warsaw, Poland - POLAND MAY GET REFERENDUM ON EURO - The Polish government says it wants Poland to adopt the euro in 2012, but opposition to the plan - including from the president - may force a referendum. The pro-EU government of prime minister Donald Tusk approved a roadmap for eurozone entry at a meeting on Tuesday, but opposition Law and Justice (PiS) leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski and his twin brother, President Lech Kaczynski, favour a referendum on the euro. Poland committed itself to adopting the euro under its 2004 EU entry terms. Poland's constitution would have to be amended to enable its currency, the zloty, to be swapped for the euro. Mr Tusk said eurozone membership would make Poland more secure in the long term, but PiS opposition in parliament to the plan could force a referendum. The PiS believes switching to the euro could undermine Poland's strong growth and national sovereignty. "If there is no other possibility and I need the opposition's support on this matter, we may have to decide to organise a referendum," Mr Tusk said, quoted by the AFP news agency. CLICK HERE:Poland may get referendum on euro


---

27.10.2008 Tbilisi, Georgia - GEORGIA'S DISMISSED BY PRESIDENT - President Mikhail Saakashvili of Georgia has announced that he is replacing his prime minister. "We took a joint decision with Lado Gurgenidze that he will no longer serve as prime minister," the president told a meeting of MPs. He did not say why the decision was made. It is not clear if it was linked to Georgia's war with Russia in August. Mr Saakashvili said he was promoting Georgia's ambassador to Turkey, Grigol Mgaloblishvili, to prime minister. Mr Mgaloblishvili, 35, will be asked to submit a new list of cabinet ministers for parliament's approval. The president said Mr Gurgenidze, a former banker who has been in office for a year, would head a new financial commission focusing on the stabilisation of Georgia's financial system. The conflict in August has dented investor confidence and damaged the country's previously healthy growth. Last week Western donors pledged $4.5bn (£2.7bn; 3.5bn euros) to help rebuild Georgia. CLICK HERE:Georgia's PM dismissed by presdient

Washington, DC - IMF EUROPEAN AID PRAISED - A bank which provides investment to Eastern Europe has welcomed a decision by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help Ukraine and Hungary. The IMF is to offer a $16.5bn (£10.4bn) loan to Ukraine and has agreed an as yet undisclosed package with Hungary. "I think that is a very helpful role of the IMF," Erik Berglof at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) told BBC News. Hungary's currency has gone up slightly on Monday against the euro. The forint has seen a sharp fall, stocks have tumbled and the country has cut its growth forecast for 2009. "The program which has now been agreed with the IMF provides a strong basis for confidence in the country's [Hungary's] financial framework," the EBRD said in a statement. CLICK HERE:IMF European aid praised


---

26.10.2008 Washington, DC - UKRAINE SET FOR $16.5 BN IMF LOAN - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is to offer a $16.5bn (£10.4bn) loan to Ukraine to help it "maintain confidence and economic and financial stability". The country has been badly shaken by the global credit crunch, with stock markets and the Ukrainian currency tumbling and banks needing propping up. Internal political turmoil has also delayed economic development. The loan depends on Ukraine being able to balance its budget and make reforms to its banking sector. Last week the IMF said it was to give Iceland a £2.1bn loan as its banking system came close to collapse. Hungary, Pakistan and Belarus are also in talks about accessing IMF funding. CLICK HERE:Ukraine set for $16.5 bn IMF loan

Vilnius, Lithuania - CONSERVATIVES SEEK WIN IN LITHUANIA - Lithuanians are voting in the second round of general elections in which the main conservative opposition hopes to build on gains made two weeks ago. The Homeland Union led after the first round on 12 October, while the governing Social Democrats were fourth. After casting his vote on Sunday, Homeland Union leader Andrius Kubilius said he expected on Monday to "take the initiative" to form a coalition. Mr Kubilius, 51, served as Lithunainan prime minister during 1999-2000. The second round will decide 68 seats of the 141-seat parliament. Voting began at 0700 (0500 GMT) and will close at 2000 (1800 GMT). "We expect the result of the election will be such that we can form a government together with the center-right and liberal parties," Mr Kubilius said as he cast his ballot. CLICK HERE:Conservatives seek win Lithuania


---

25.10.2008 Beijing, PR China - WORLD LEADERS URGE WORLD FINANCE REFORM - Asian and European leaders have called for comprehensive reform of the global financial system. Ending a summit in Beijing, they also urged the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to play a greater role in helping countries hit by the market turmoil. UN chief Ban Ki-moon called for action to help affected developing nations. Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao said Beijing would take an active role at a summit of world leaders to be held in Washington next month. Leaders attending the 43-nation Asia Europe Meeting (Asem) agreed to "undertake effective and comprehensive reform of the international monetary and financial systems". CLICK HERE:Leaders urge world finance reform

Muzhava, Abkhazia - The mayor of a Georgian town near the separatist region of Abkhazia has been killed in an explosion, the interior ministry says. Muzhava mayor Gia Mebonia and other officials were inspecting a house damaged the previous night by shelling when the incident happened. At least two other people, possibly including the home owner, were reported to have been injured in the blast. A ministry spokesman blamed Abkhaz separatists and their Russian backers. Shota Utiashvili told the AP agency that authorities found an antenna near the blast site and said this suggested the explosion was activated by remote control, but it was not possible to verify the claim. Tension has been high in the region after fighting began on August 7, when Georgia tried to retake South Ossetia by force after a series of lower-level clashes with Russian-backed rebels. Russia launched a counter-attack and the Georgian troops were ejected from both South Ossetia and Abkhazia days later. CLICK HERE:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/europe/7690931.stm

Madrid, Spain - BASQUE RALLIES DEMAND INDEPENDENCE - Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets in the Basque region of Spain, demanding the right to a referendum on independence. The regional government had originally planned to hold a vote on Saturday, but the proposal was declared illegal by Spain's Supreme Court. Organizers say 20,000 people joined rallies in six Basque towns. In another sign of protest against the court's ruling, there were explosions at two Basque railway stations. The governing Basque Nationalist Party had hoped to consult the electorate on Saturday on negotiations towards a full referendum on independence within two years, but last month, Spain's Supreme Court declared the plan unconstitutional. During Saturday's march, police had to separate Basque nationalist demonstrators from a rival rally by a far-right party - which proclaimed that Spain would never be divided. Overnight, there was a very different protest in the form of explosions. CLICK HERE:Basque rallies demand independence


---

24.10.2008 Strasbourg, France - RUSSIAN LAWYER WAS NOT POISONED - Fears that a lawyer representing several critics of Russia's government may have been poisoned appear unfounded, French authorities say. Karinna Moskalenko fell ill in the French city of Strasbourg, and traces of mercury were found in her car. She and members of her family were treated for nausea and headaches, but a French prosecutor says it seems the mercury came from a broken thermometer or barometer, and was spilled by the car's previous owner. The vehicle was bought last August by Ms Moskalenko's husband, from an antique dealer who used it to carry his wares. On investigation, it turned out that an old thermometer or barometer had been broken accidentally during a journey. Ms Moskalenko's clients include the jailed former Russian oil tycoon, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and the family of murdered journalist Anna Politkovskaya. Fears had been aroused that she had been subject to an attack similar to the one that killed former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006. CLICK HERE:Russian lawyer was not poisoned

Reykjavik, Iceland - ICELANDIC ANGER AT UK TERROR MOVE - Thousands of Icelanders are sending a message to Gordon Brown that they are not terrorists after the UK used terror laws to freeze their assets. An online petition was launched this week following the UK government's attempt to protect British savings in Iceland's failed Landsbanki. The petition has been signed by about 40,000 people and shows Icelanders with signs saying they are not terrorists. The Treasury said Iceland was in no way considered to be a terrorist regime. Signatories to the petition have uploaded wry photographs of themselves in an attempt to show the absurdity of categorising an Icelandic bank as a terrorist organization. The photographs show ordinary Icelanders, including a fisherman, a baby and a man in a Santa Klaus costume - holding up hand-written signs stating: "Mr, Brown, we are not terrorists," but despite the light-hearted tone of their protest, Icelanders are furious by what they see as the high-handed actions of the UK government, its implied slur on their national character and the dire consequences for the Icelandic economy. CLICK HERE:Iceland anger at UK terror move

Ankara, Turkey - PM UNDERMINED TURKEY'S SECULARISM - Turkey's prime minister was involved in anti-secular activities, the country's Constitutional Court has said. The court was explaining why it it imposed financial sanctions on the governing AK Party in July, but it said that while PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other AKP leaders had broken secular principles, they had not promoted violence. The court did not, in the end, ban the AKP, as many commentators had predicted it would. The case pitted the secular elite against the AKP. The party has denied it wants to create an Islamist state by stealth. The party, which has Islamist roots, won re-election in polls last year. In their ruling published on Friday, the judges cited the AKP's efforts to promote religious education and its aborted attempt to abolish a ban on wearing headscarves in universities as violations of secular principles. CLICK HERE:PM undermined Turye's secularism


---

23.10.2008 Havana, Cuba - EU FORMALLY RENEWS TIES WITH CUBA - The EU and Cuba have formally restored ties, five years after the EU imposed diplomatic sanctions on the island following mass arrests of dissidents. European Commissioner Louis Michel said the accord he signed with Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque was "a turning point for EU-Cuban relations". Mr Perez Roque welcomed its respect for the island's political independence. It will now receive 2m euros ($2.6m) of emergency hurricane recovery aid, with 30m euros ($38.9m) available next year. An EU delegation will return to Cuba in November to determine the needs and priorities for the financing to be made available in 2009. CLICK HERE:EU formally renews ties with Cuba

Brussels, Belgium - EU IN NEW ATTEMPT TO INSPIRE VOTERS - The European Commission is stepping up efforts to get its message across to Irish voters and other EU citizens ahead of European elections next June. The commission, stung by the Irish rejection of the Lisbon Treaty, plans to form a partnership with the Republic of Ireland to raise public awareness. The "management partnership" involves explaining EU goals and policies in plain language to ordinary citizens. The EU's controversial reform treaty was rejected by Irish voters in June. Commission vice-president Margot Wallstroem said there had been a lot of "emotional arguments" and "disinformation" in the run-up to the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. She told the Irish Times newspaper that for many of the anti-treaty arguments the pro-Lisbon side "never had a counter-argument". She is due to visit Dublin next month. Anti-treaty campaigners insist that the referendum cannot be re-run and that "no means no". CLICK HERE:EU in new attempt to inspire voters

Athens, Greece - GREEK MINISTER QUITS OVER SCANDAL - A second Greek minister has resigned after being accused of involvement in a controversial land deal that has become a scandal engulfing the government. Minister of State Theodore Roussopoulos, who was one of PM Costas Karamanlis's closest aides, denies any wrongdoing. His resignation comes after lawmakers voted unanimously to form a commission to investigate the land deal. The deal saw valuable state land traded for less valuable land held by the Orthodox monastery on Mount Athos. The exchange, with the Vatopedi monastery, is said to have cost the state some 100 million euros (£80m). Mr Roussopoulos said he was quitting his post so he could defend himself against a "malicious and totally groundless attack". Last month Merchant Marine Minister Georges Voulgrakis quit over the scandal, though he too insists he has done nothing illegal. CLICK HERE:Greek minister quits over scndal

Zagreb, Croatia - ZAGREB BOMB KILLS TWO JOURNALISTS - A car bomb in the Croatian capital Zagreb has killed two journalists, including Ivo Pukanic, the owner of a leading weekly newspaper, reports say. Mr Pukanic, 47, was killed with Nacional weekly newspaper's marketing executive, Niko Franic, in the blast outside the newspaper's premises. There is no indication who was behind the attack, which occurred in central Zagreb at about 1820 (1620 GMT). The city has been gripped by a wave of violence this year. President Stipe Mesic said the bomb, which was reportedly planted underneath Mr Pukanic's Lexus, meant "terrorism has become a fact on the streets of our capital". "The state is faced with an unprecedented challenge from the criminal circles," he said. "Now it is them or us... rule of law and safety of citizens against criminals, terrorists and mafia." Nacional is an investigative paper that often exposes corruption and human rights abuses. Mr Pukanic, who was also the paper's editor-in-chief, had spoken out about a plot to assassinate him earlier this year. CLICK HERE:Zagreb bomb kills two journalists

Ljubljana, Slovenia - QUEEN PRESENTED WITH LIPIZZANER - The Queen has been presented with a white Lipizzaner stallion during a visit to a stud farm in Slovenia, but the horse, a 16-year-old called Kanizo, will not be leaving the country as he will continue to be cared for at the farm and riding school in Lipica. The farm breeds Lipizzaners for the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have been on a two-day visit to Slovenia at the invitation of President Danilo Turk. It is the first visit the royal couple have made to Slovenia since its independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991 and entry into the European Union in 2004. During her visit to the stud farm, the Queen watched eight riders and their horses perform for her before she was given her gift. The center's director, Matjaz Pust, described Kanizo, or 085 Favory Canissa XXII as he is officially known, as "one of our best performers, one of the most beautiful horses we have". The royal couple then returned to the capital Ljubljana where thousands of Slovenians had turned out to greet her. CLICK HERE:Queen presented with Lipizzaner


---

22.10.2008 Frankfurt, Germany - GERMAN BANK RAIDED BY PROSECUTORS - The Frankfurt offices of German bank KfW have been searched by investigators following its transfer of 319m euros (£251m; $410m) to Lehman Brothers. Authorities are investigating whether the transfer, which took place on the same day that US bank Lehman filed for bankruptcy, could have been prevented. Prosecutors said they would determine whether board members had acted criminally in allowing the transfer. State-owned KfW said it would co-operate fully with the inquiry. A statement by the prosecutors said its investigation would discover whether KfW "violated legal obligations to safeguard assets... despite knowledge of signs of liquidity problems at Lehman Brothers". KfW said it had mistakenly transferred the funds as part of a swap deal. Last month, the bank sacked two board members over the transfer, which caused widespread embarrassment to the country's financial institutions and to the Berlin government. German newspaper Bild called KfW "Germany's dumbest bank" when news of the transfer broke.CLICK HERE:German bank raided by prosecutors

NYC, NY - RECESSION FEARS DRAD SHHAES DOWN - US stocks were down in afternoon trading in New York, echoing declines in Europe and Asia as fears of a global recession hit investor confidence. Wall Street's main Dow Jones index was down 4%, while in Europe, the UK's FTSE 100 lost 4.5%, Germany's Dax fell 4.5%, and France's Cac gave up 5.1%. Job cuts at Yahoo and drugs firm Merck have increased economic concerns. The falls came as the White House said a global summit to tackle the financial crisis will be held next month. The meeting will debate the reforms needed to avoid another financial crisis and look at the progress currently being made. Leaders from the G20 group of nations, the world's leading industrialized countries and major developing nations, will attend. CLICK HERE:Recession fears drag shares down

Paris, France - SARKOZY TAKES EXCEPTION TO VOODOO DOLL _ French President Nicolas Sarkozy has threatened to sue a publishing company if it does not withdraw from shops a "voodoo doll" in his image. The doll comes with pins and a manual with instructions on how to put the evil eye on the president. Users can stick the pins into choice quotes from Mr Sarkozy which are printed on the doll. Mr Sarkozy's lawyer said the president had the "exclusive and absolute rights" over his own image. Publishers K&B have issued 20,000 editions of the kit and have also produced a similar doll of Segolene Royal, Mr Sarkozy's Socialist party rival in the presidential elections last year. Her lawyer said she is considering legal action, calling the doll an affront to her human dignity. The publisher said Mr Sarkozy's reaction was "totally disproportionate" and has so far refused to pull the doll from shops. The product went on sale on October 9. The quotes on the Sarkozy doll include "work more to earn more" and "get lost, jerk" , which he reportedly said to a bystander who refused to shake his hand at an event last year. CLICK HERE:Sarkozy takes exception to voodoo doll


---

21.10.2008 Athens, Greece - NATIONAL STRIKE IN GREECE - Air traffic, urban transport and public services have ground to a halt in Greece, where hundreds of thousands of people have walked out on strike. Thousands marched through Athens in protest at privatization, caps on pay and reforms to the pension system. A small group of protesters threw stones and clashed with riot police, who fired tear gas, but there were no reports of injuries and for the most part rallies in the capital passed off peacefully. Public offices across the country were forced to close, with hundreds of thousands of people thought to have joined the nationwide strike, called by two unions representing some 2.5 million people. Nearly 200 domestic and international flights and many train services were cancelled, and ferries were forced to remain in port. State hospitals ran on skeleton staffs, while schools, universities and post offices kept their doors closed. Bank staff, lawyers, journalists and civil engineers also joined the strike. CLICK HERE:National strike in Greece

Strasbourg, France - SARKOZY WANTS TOP EU ECONOMY TEAM - French President Nicolas Sarkozy has called for a European "economic government" to ensure a more united EU response to financial turmoil. The leaders of the 15-nation eurozone should co-ordinate their actions with the European Central Bank, he said. Meanwhile the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Europe should weather the worst of the turmoil thanks to the EU's "crisis management" measures. However, the IMF predicts eurozone growth will slow to 0.2% next year. That compares with a predicted rate of 1.3% this year and 1.4% in 2010. In its latest assessment, the IMF forecasts that the Irish Republic and Italy will prove to be in recession already, with growth figures for 2008 of -1.8% and -0.1% respectively. Both would remain in recession next year, with Spain joining them. More promisingly, the IMF believes eurozone inflation will fall to 1.9% next year, down from 3.5% this year. Alessandro Leipold, acting head of the IMF's European Department, said that should allow a further easing of interest rates. CLICK HERE:Sarkozy wants top EU economy team

Strasbourg, France - BARONESS ASHTON ENDORSED AS EU TRADE COMMISSIONER - A key Brussels committee has endorsed Baroness Ashton as the UK's nominee for EU trade commissioner, despite some MEPs expressing reservations about her. In her first public appearance since being put forward for the role, she defended her suitability for the post. UKIP leader Nigel Farage, a member of the European Parliament's trade committee, said she did not have "relevant experience" for the job, but she said she had the authority to negotiate complex trade deals. Appearing before MEPs, Baroness Ashton praised her predecessor Lord Mandelson. Baroness Ashton was asked by MEPs to respond to recent newspaper claims that Lord Mandelson, now back in Westminster as UK business secretary, had faced a potential conflict of interest during his time as EU trade chief arising from his alleged links with a Russian billionaire. On Sunday, Lord Mandelson dismissed the reports as "muck raking" and "innuendo". CLICK HERE:Baroness Ashton endorsed as EU Trade Commissioner

London, England - OSBORNE DENIES RUSSIAN CASH CLAIM - Shadow chancellor George Osborne has denied claims he tried to solicit a £50,000 donation for the Tories from Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska. Financier Nathaniel Rothschild said Mr Osborne discussed a donation from Mr Deripaska in the presence of a witness. Mr Rothschild said he had boarded the Russian businessman's yacht off Corfu in the summer "to solicit a donation", but Mr Osborne said he did not ask for nor receive any money and has been backed by Tory leader David Cameron. Mr Cameron gave his support to Mr Osborne saying he had shown the "right judgement" over the matter. In a statement on Tuesday evening, Mr Rothschild alleged he had discussed the idea of a donation via Mr Deripaska's UK firm, Leyland DAF, three times with Mr Osborne and Tory fundraiser Andrew Feldman on August 24. He said the first discussion, held in his house, was witnessed by a New York fund manager, James Goodwin. He added that Mr Goodwin also "recalled" that the subject of a donation "arose briefly" later when the men were guests on Mr Deripaska yacht but the "conversation gained no traction". CLICK HERE:Osborne denies Russian cash claim

Ljubljana, Sloveqnia - QUEEN BEGINS SLOVENIA STATE VISIT - The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have begun a two-day state visit to Slovenia at the invitation of the country's president, Danilo Turk. It is the first time they have been to the country since its independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991 and entry into the European Union in 2004. They will visit the home of Slovenia's Lipizzaner horses where the Queen will be presented with a white stallion. The royals will then travel to Slovakia to meet President Ivan Gasparovic. The trip to Slovenia has been organised to celebrate the country's achievements during its short history and will include a state banquet and a walkabout in the capital Ljubljana. The Royal couple were accompanied by foreign secretary David Miliband and his wife Louise on their flight into Joze Pucnik Airport. CLICK HERE:Queen begins Slovenia state visit


---

20.10.2008 Vrams Gunnarstorp / Helsingborg, Sweden - SWEDISH KING VISITS LINNÉ'S FAVORITE GARDEN - Wrams Gunnarstorp - (Transl.: webmaster@euro-news-clip ) A fascinated king Carl XVI Gustav met Helsingborgs Dagbladet (hd.se) late Monday afternoon at Wrams Gunnarstorp after a half-day study visit to the estate's biogas plant. The aim of the visit is a closer study of the plant and the possible application of the model with local organic waste as a basis for biogas production. The dream is to discover a technology which permits biogas production in a scale which can be applied to smaller farms. "We have collected many impressions and the technology is a little more complicated than I had imagined," said king Carl XVI Gustav. Prince Carl Philip was also present at Wrams Gunnarstorp, but did not attend the press briefing. Wrams Gunnarstorp's owner Rudolf Tornerhjelm was especially happy about the royal party's visit to the biogas plant. "Receiving attention means a great deal," Rudolf Tornerhjelm remarked. The biogas plant transforms hog manure as well as waste from Findus production, to biogas in about 20 days in Wrams Gunnarstorp The plant is a co-production of the Danish company Bigadan, Swedish E-ON, which takes charge of the gas, includung Rudolf Tornerhjelm, who together own the plant through the company Söderåsens Bioenergi. The plant was inaugurated last November.CLICK HERE:Swedish king visits Linné's favorite garden
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT (COMMENT:When the world famous Swedish naturalist Karl Linné, who was the first to identify and classify animals and plants, visited the estate Wrams Gunnartorp on July 12, 1749, he wrote in his diary, "the box-tree hedge seen here was as magnificent as ever I have seen, so far as I have travelled... Edit. The original hedge described by Linné was planted in 1737.There is also one smaller hedge planted at the end of the Thirty Years War, 1648)

Paris, France - SARKOZY BANK ACCOUNT FRAUD INVESTIGATED - The French government has begun an investigation after internet hackers stole money from President Nicolas Sarkozy's bank account. The thieves managed to get hold of Mr Sarkozy's personal account number. It is unlikely they knew it was his account, said a source. The crime was reported by a French Sunday newspaper. Only small amounts of money are thought to have been taken. Mr Sarkozy's office confirmed that a complaint had been filed last month. "This was a classic case of data privacy, likely by one or several low-key swindlers," a source close to the inquiry told AFP new agency. The fact that Mr Sarkozy's bank might face some penalty over the "misuse of personal data" has not been ruled out, a government spokesman, Luc Chatel said. "When one gives personal information to one's bank, it is not so the information is used for marketing or recruiting purposes, or that it should be divulged," he added.CLICK HERE:Sarkozy bank account fraud investigated

Istanbul, Turkey - DISARRAY AT TURKISH TERROR TRIAL - The trial of 86 people in Turkey on charges including armed insurrection and aiding a terror group has adjourned after chaotic opening scenes. The judge called a halt for several hours, ordering everyone out, after protesters had piled in and lawyers complained of intolerable conditions. The suspects are accused of belonging to a shadowy ultra-nationalist network. Prosecutors say the group plotted a series of attacks aimed at provoking the military into carrying out a coup. The trial may revive tensions between the Islamist-rooted ruling AK Party and the secular military, analysts say. Among the 86 suspects charged at the Silivri prison-court were retired army officers, politicians, academics and also journalists, who are alleged to be members of the Ergenekon group. The 2,455-page indictment holds the group responsible for at least two violent attacks, a bombing of a secularist newspaper in 2006 and an attack on a court the same year in which a judge was killed. CLICK HERE:Disarray at Turkish terror trial

Prague, Czech Republic - ELECTION SPLITS CZECHS OVER EU ROLE - The Czech prime minister insists his coalition government will be ready to assume the EU presidency in January despite a regional election defeat. "I am not capitulating to hopelessness," Mirek Topolanek said, after his right-wing Civic Democrats had lost in all 13 regions contested. Jiri Paroubek, leader of the opposition left-wing Social Democrats, called for a new government to assume the EU role. Mr Topolanek faces a confidence vote in the lower house on Wednesday. The weekend election saw the Social Democrats (CSSD) sweep the Civic Democrats (ODS) out of all their regional strongholds. Mr Topolanek called it "a slap in the face". Mr Paroubek said "this government is not able to lead this country nor do reasonable work for the Czech Republic in the European Union". The Czech Republic assumes the six-month EU presidency on 1 January, taking over from France. CLICK HERE:Election splits Czechs over EU role


---

19.10.2008 Camp David, MD - LEADERS RETHINK GLOBAL FINANCE - President George W Bush has invited world leaders to gather in the US by the end of the year to discuss reform of the global financial system. The summit would be the first of a series announced after talks between Mr Bush, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and EU Commission chief Manuel Barroso, but the agenda is unclear and differences are already emerging. Mr Bush said any plan must not undermine free markets. Mr Sarkozy said "hateful practices" must be abandoned. Before he arrived at Camp David, the US presidential retreat in the state of Maryland, the French leader warned the world could not "continue to run the economy of the 21st Century with instruments of the economy of the 20th Century".CLICK HERE:Leaders rethink global finance

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA FLEET MAY LEAVE UKRAINE - Russia's deputy PM has told the BBC the country's Black Sea Fleet will vacate its naval base in Sevastopol in 2017 if the Ukrainian government demands it. Speaking exclusively to Panorama, Sergei Ivanov said Russia would seek to renew its lease on the Crimean port, but will move the Fleet if it cannot. The move will anger nationalists who consider Sevastopol a part of Russia. It is feared the port could become a flashpoint in already strained relations between Russia and the West. ...Asked if he could envisage the Fleet not being based in the Crimea, its home for the last 225 years, Mr Ivanov, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's number two who oversees Russia's military and industry, said: "Yes I can imagine that easily after 2017. Why not, if the Ukrainian government then in power decides not to prolong the lease?" It will also surprise the West where in the wake of the war in Georgia many fear Moscow could seek to reclaim parts of the Crimea by force to secure the Fleet's future. Mr Ivanov however dismissed such claims as Cold War-style propaganda and gave Russia's strongest assurances to date that it has no territorial ambitions. "We are not aggressive," said Mr Ivanov. "We have recognized the territorial integrity of all former Soviet republics. That was in 1991. Russia, of course, has no territorial ambitions regarding any former Soviet countries." "We are not going to start a war or attack any country. Right now, in fact, Russia does not fight any war at all. If you analyse how many wars the United States and Britain are fighting - it's quite different," he added. CLICK HERE:Russia fleet may leave Ukraine

Athensm Greece - GREEK STRIP SEARCH UNDER INVESTIGATION - Greek police are investigating reports that a number of officers humiliated a suspect by carrying out a strip search in the center of Athens. The inquiry was ordered after a Greek newspaper published photographs of the incident involving a man who appears to be of Asian or Middle Eastern descent. He was told to drop his trousers and underwear in the middle of the street, according to Ethnos. The report was headlined "Guantanamo images in the center of Athens". The photos have tarnished the image of the police as they try to crack down on spiralling crime and violence in the city center. Pictures of the event were taken from the offices of a leftwing organisation which campaigns on behalf of immigrants' rights. Its spokesman, Petros Constantinou, described the incident as a case of extreme racism. The police have launched an internal inquiry and say that any officer implicated in the affair will be subject to disciplinary sanctions. The episode will undermine the police as they struggle to cope with the rapidly changing nature of the area around Athens's famous Omonia Square. Side streets around Omonia are a magnet for illegal immigrants, who live in squalid accommodation and find it difficult, if not impossible, to support themselves. CLICK HERE:Greek strip search under investigation


---

18.10.2008 Camp David, MD - US TO HOST GLOBAL FINANCE SUMMIT -US President George W Bush is holding talks on the global financial crisis with French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy and the European Commission president. Mr Bush, Mr Sarkozy and Jose Manuel Barroso are meeting at Camp David. They are discussing plans to hold a global summit of G8 nations as well as China, India and other major economies, which Mr Bush has offered to host. The Europeans want the summit to pave the way for talks on an overhaul of the world's financial regulatory systems. As Mr Bush welcomed his guests to Camp David, the presidential retreat in the state of Maryland, he offered to host the summit in the US "in the near future". Mr Sarkozy said the summit could be held before the end of November. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has already proposed using the UN headquarters in New York as a venue. CLICK HERE:US to host global finance summit

NYC, NY - IMF TO INVESTIGATE ITS DIRECTOR - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is investigating whether its French director abused his power in an alleged relationship with a subordinate. The IMF said the inquiry was instigated by a long-serving governing board member, Shakour Shaalan of Egypt. In a statement Dominique Strauss-Kahn said he was co-operating with the inquiry but denied abusing his power, according to Reuters news agency. It comes as the world grapples with the worst financial crisis for decades. The investigation is believed to centre on whether Mr Strauss-Kahn had a relationship with Piroska Nagy, until recently a senior IMF official. It is to examine whether she got a larger severance package than would otherwise have been expected when she left the organisation in August. The investigation is also looking at whether she was put under pressure to leave her job. The IMF is currently receiving an increased number of requests for help from countries seeking to ease the effects of the global financial crisis.CLICK HERE:IMF to investigate its director

Klagenfurth, Austria - THOUSANDS ATTEND HAIDER FUNERAL -Tens of thousands of mourners have lined the streets of the Austrian city of Klagenfurt for the funeral of the far-right politician, Joerg Haider. His body was taken in a procession from the provincial parliament to a square in the city, where friends and prominent politicians paid tribute. Austria's president and chancellor were among the dignitaries who attended a requiem mass in Klagenfurt Cathedral. Mr Haider died in a traffic accident a week ago. He had been drinking alcohol. The 58-year-old was driving alone after leaving a nightclub when his car left the road and overturned while travelling at more than twice the speed limit. An official from his party, the Alliance for Austria's Future (BZO), said Mr Haider's blood alcohol level was well above the legal limit. The accident occurred south of Klagenfurt, the capital of Carinthia, where Joerg Haider was the provincial governor for 11 years. The center of Klagenfurt was sealed off for the funeral ceremonies and extra police were deployed to prevent any disruption by far-right protesters. International guests included Sayf Gaddafi, the son of the Libyan leader, who was a close friend of Mr Haider, and a delegation from Italy's right-wing Northern League. Mr Haider has been condemned by left-wing groups, and one prominent writer used an article in a leading Austrian newspaper to describe him as a fascist, the BBC's Kerry Skyring reports. The coffin, covered in wreaths, was borne in a military vehicle along the streets of the city. Austria's Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer alluded to Mr Haider's controversial reputation in an address to the memorial service. "He was a man who could leave no-one cold, whether in a positive or a negative sense," Mr Gusenbauer said. Following the requiem mass, Mr Haider's body was taken to be cremated. His ashes were expected to be taken to a chapel in a valley where he lived just outside the city. Mr Haider was known for his anti-immigration and anti-EU policies. CLICK HERE:

Nazran, Ingushetia - RUSSIANS AMBUSHED IN INGUSHETIA - Russian troops have launched a search for militants in the volatile southern region of Ingushetia after a deadly attack on a military convoy. Official Russian reports of the ambush, which has been blamed on local Muslim separatists, said two soldiers were killed and at least seven injured. but other reports suggested as many as 40 Russian soldiers were killed. The convoy came under grenade attack and machine gun fire near Nazran, capital of the north Caucasus region. "A search of the area is currently taking place, the bandits who carried out the attack on a defense ministry military column are being tracked," said a Russian official, quoted by Interfax news agency. Russian news agencies reported that one armoured personnel carrier and two lorries had been damaged in the incident. However, an Ingushetian law enforcement source quoted by Reuters said 40 soldiers were killed in the ambush. CLICK HERE:Russians ambushed in Ingushetia


---

17.10.2008 Berlin, Germany - GERMAN PARLIAMENT BACKS BAIL-OUT - Germany's parliament has backed what has been billed as the largest financial rescue package in Germany's post-war history. Up to 500bn euros ($670bn; £387bn) will be used to pour fresh money into banks and to guarantee loans between them. The measures were passed overwhelmingly in the lower house and then unanimously in the upper house. The plan was rushed through and is expected to be signed into law by the president later on Friday. Germany's Economy Minister Michael Glos said the move was crucial not just for the banks, but primarily for "the good of citizens and the economy". "Everything must be done to restore confidence" in the financial sector, he said. CLICK HERE:German parliament backs bail-out

Budapest, Hungary - HUNGARY WARNS ON GROWTH - Hungary has cut its growth forecast for 2009, as concerns grow about the impact of the global credit crisis on the East European country's economy. Separately, credit rating agency Fitch has downgraded its outlook for Hungary from stable to negative. Hungarian stocks have tumbled and the forint has fallen against the euro. Earlier this week, Hungary sought help from the European Central Bank and it is in negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Janos Veres, the country's finance minister, said the country's economy was likely to expand 1.2% next year, down from an earlier estimate of 3% His comments came as Fitch attributed its downgrade of the country's creditworthiness to "shocks from global financial turbulence and the likelihood of recession in the euro area". The Hungarian currency weakened on the downgrade to 273 forint to the euro. CLICK HERE:Hungary warns on growth

Grozny, Chechnya - A new mosque in the Russian region of Chechnya, described by the authorities as the biggest in Europe, has opened. The Heart of Chechnya mosque has been built in the centre of the capital, Grozny, on a spot where civil war raged only a few years ago. Hundreds of local people attended the opening of the mosque, which was built in memory of Chechnya's assassinated pro-Kremlin leader Akhmad Kadyrov. His son Ramzan - the present ruler, led the inauguration ceremony. Muslims played traditional instruments outside the mosque, built in the classical Ottoman style, and reminiscent of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul. The Turkish-built structure, which can hold 10,000 worshippers, has risen where there was only rubble, says BBC correspondent James Rodgers. CLICK HERE:Vast new mosque opened in Chechnya


---

16.10.2008 Brussels, Belgium - EU HOLDS FIRM ON climate goals - EU leaders will maintain their targets and timetable for tackling climate change, despite objections from some nations, the French president has said. At a summit in Brussels, Nicolas Sarkozy said "solutions" would be found for those that had expressed concerns. Some countries have threatened to block a deal agreed last year for EU-wide cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, citing the economic slowdown. The split over climate change contrasts with EU unity over the banking crisis. The financial crisis has prompted some countries such as Poland and Italy to argue that they cannot afford to enforce tough emissions targets on their industrial sector. CLICK HERE:EU holds firm on climate goals

Madrid, Spain - SPANISH JUDGE TO PROBE FRANCO ERA - A Spanish judge has launched a criminal investigation into the fate of tens of thousands of people who vanished during the civil war and Franco dictatorship. Judge Baltasar Garzon - Spain's top investigating judge, has also ordered several mass graves to be opened. One is believed to contain the remains of the poet Federico Garcia Lorca, who was murdered by fascist forces at the start of the war in the 1930s. Correspondents say the historic ruling will be controversial in Spain. They say there has been a tacit agreement among political parties not to delve too deeply into the civil war and Franco era. In his 68-page ruling, Judge Garzon says that Francoists carried out "illegal permanent detentions" which he says falls within the definition of crimes against humanity. He refers to 114,000 people who disappeared during a 15-year period after the outbreak of war in 1936. CLICK HERE:Spanish judge to probe Franco era

The Holy See - POPE JOHN PAUL WOUNDED IN 1982 - A priest who attacked Pope John Paul II in 1982 reached the pontiff with a bayonet and drew blood, it has emerged. The extent of the injury from the attack in Portugal was kept quiet, a film based on an aide's memoirs says. The ultra-conservative Spanish priest, Juan Maria Fernandez y Krohn, was convicted and jailed in Portugal. His attack came a year after the Pope was wounded by Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca in St Peter's Square in Rome. The Pope died in 2005, aged 84. "I can now reveal that the Holy Father was wounded. When we got back to the room [in the Fatima sanctuary complex] there was blood" Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz. The latest revelation was made in a new documentary film based on the memoirs of the Pope's personal secretary, Stanislaw Dziwisz. CLICK HERE:Pope John Paul wounded in 1982

Madrid, Spain - TERROR SUSPECTS ARRESTED IN SPAIN - At least eight people have been held in Spain on suspicion of helping Islamic militants, officials have said. The interior ministry said the arrests were made in Madrid, Barcelona and also the southern town of Algeciras, the Associated Press reports. The suspects are said to be Moroccan. Some of them are believed to have given shelter to suspects in the 2004 Madrid train bombings which killed 191 people. The raids were authorised by Spain's top anti-terror judge, Baltasar Garzon. The arrests stemmed from an operation in 2005 in which police broke up a militant cell that allegedly recruited people to carry out suicide attacks against the US-led coalition in Iraq, the interior ministry said in a statement. CLICK HERE:Terror suspects arrested in Spain


---

15.10.2008 Brussels, Belgium - EU LEADERS SEEK BROAD BANK REFORM - European leaders are calling for major reform of the global banking system, as they meet to discuss an EU rescue plan. UK PM Gordon Brown said the IMF should be "rebuilt" to help regulate the world's financial systems. German Chancellor Angela Merkel backed French calls for better international supervision of the financial system. Meanwhile, eight east and central EU members issued a statement saying targets on climate change, the original focus of the summit, should be eased. Poland threatened to use its veto on some parts of the legislation package unless its coal-based economy was shielded from the impact. France, which currently holds the EU presidency, is keen to push through the legislation by the end of this year. Earlier, the European Commission's President, Jose Manuel Barroso, had urged leaders not to forget climate change. "Climate change does not disappear because of the financial crisis," he said. "Tackling climate change is central to Europe's future prosperity." CLICK HERE:EU leaders seek broad bank reform

Reykjavik, Iceland - ICELAND WORKING FLAT OUT - Iceland's government is working "day and night" to solve the country's financial crisis, Prime Minister Geir Haarde has told the BBC. He said its priority was to get Iceland's banking system working properly again following last week's near-collapse. The central bank has turned to its northern European neighbours for help in raising foreign currency. Talks with Russia and the the IMF over possible loans continue. "We need to make sure we have a functioning banking system, this is what we are working on day and night, " Mr Haarde told the BBC's Clive Myrie. On the International Monetary Fund, which has sent a mission to evaluate the situation in Iceland, Mr Haarde said: "We have not decided whether or not we will apply for a loan, and they have not decided what conditions they will set if we do." Tuesday saw Iceland's central bank use a swap facility to receive 200m euros ($273m; £156m) each from the central banks of Norway and Denmark. The Nordic country's stock exchange closed down 5.8% when trading resumed on Tuesday, five days after it was suspended. CLICK HERE:Iceland working flat ou

Tskhinvali, South Ossetia - GEORGIA-RUSSIA TALKS COLLAPSE - Talks between Georgian and Russian officials on the recent conflict over Georgia's rebel region of South Ossetia have collapsed, Georgian officials say. They say the Russians did not attend an opening session of the Geneva meeting, mediated by the UN and the EU. Moscow has made no comment on the outcome. The talks were aimed at encouraging security in the Caucasus, following a truce between Moscow and Tbilisi. In August, Russia ousted Georgian troops trying to regain South Ossetia. In a separate development, the International Court of Justice ordered Georgia and Russia to protect civilians from ethnic discrimination in South Ossetia and Abkhazia - another Georgian rebel region. Tbilisi had asked the court to order Moscow to protect ethnic Georgians in the two regions, but judges at the UN's highest court ruled that all civilians were at risk. CLICK HERE:Georgia-Russia talks collapse


---

14.10.2008 Brussels, Belgium - BANK CRISIS TO DOMINATE EU MEETING -European Union leaders are to discuss multi-billion-euro rescue schemes for Europe's ailing banks as they begin gathering for a summit in Brussels. The 27-member bloc is expected to rally behind plans agreed last week by officials from the 15-nation eurozone. British PM Gordon Brown will be warmly welcomed, after coming up with a rescue plan that other countries have copied, says BBC correspondent Jonny Dymond. But leaders will also be aware that the signs of recession are mounting. Germany, the continent's biggest economy, is on the verge of recession, a report said on Tuesday, but the leaders will try to keep the emphasis on joint action to unfreeze bank lending and restore confidence in the markets. "I am sure... there will be a common position," said European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso. "I have boundless faith in the sense of responsibility and common sense of our heads of government and states." Talks get under way on Wednesday, and wrap up on Thursday. Leaders will meet under the chair of the French, who hold the current presidency, and have a packed agenda that includes: Bank bail-outs: Europe's largest economies have announced hundreds of billions of euros in state support for their struggling banks. France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Austria are planning to guarantee bank lending, provide short-term liquidity and partly nationalise some banks, in schemes modelled on the UK's £500bn (640bn-euro) bail-out package. Other members of the 15-nation eurozone are expected to brief their colleagues on similar rescue plans. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, chairing proceedings, has urged European governments to act together in the crisis, to avoid damaging splits. In a departure from the norm, European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet will address the summit on Wednesday. The commission now has the task of scrutinising each country's plan to ensure they do not disadvantage other EU member states or violate EU competition laws. Immigration: Leaders are expected to sign an immigration pact, committing their countries to common principles for handling immigrants, and trying to achieve a better match between immigrants' skills and jobs in the EU labour market, which is facing certain skills shortages and an ageing workforce. An EU "return directive" sets out common rules for processing illegal immigrants, while the EU also has plans a "Blue Card" scheme to attract more high-skilled immigrants. Energy: France is anxious to get agreement on a package of environmental measures before its EU presidency ends in December. President Sarkozy has stressed that, despite the economic strains caused by the credit crunch, the EU must become "a low-carbon economy". Politicians in Germany, Italy and Poland have argued that existing targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions would impose extra burdens on electricity generators and carmakers, as an economic recession looms. In the case of the UK, similar resistance has arisen over including aviation in the CO2 targets. Lisbon treaty: EU leaders are waiting for the Irish government to come up with a "roadmap" - a way forward - after Irish voters rejected the Lisbon Treaty in June. The treaty, aimed at streamlining EU institutions to cope with enlargement, has to be ratified by all 27 member states to take effect. Most have now ratified it, but no big breakthrough is expected at this summit. Relations with Russia: The EU has postponed talks on a new EU-Russia partnership treaty, amid continuing concern about Russia's military presence in Georgia. EU monitors verified a Russian withdrawal from buffer zones around the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, but the situation remains very tense. There are divisions in the EU about when to resume partnership talks.CLICK HERE:Bank crisis to dominate EU meeting

London, England / NYC, New York - SHARES RISE AS CONFIDENCE RETURNS - Stock markets worldwide have forged higher, as investors bet that state action to strengthen the banking system will ease the credit crisis. In New York, the Dow Jones was up 1% in morning trading, while in Europe, Germany's Dax ended up 2.7%, while the UK's FTSE added 3.2%. The US has unveiled details of a plan to take stakes in banks, following steps by the UK and European leaders. Investors are more confident that a financial meltdown has been averted. The Dow Jones was up 93 points at 9,481 by late morning in New York. The Dax closed up 137 points to 5,199, while the FTSE added the same amount to 4,394. Investors worldwide welcomed the fresh moves to deal with the financial crisis. CLICK HERE:Shares rise as confidence returns

Strasbourg, France - RUSSIAN HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER ALLEGEDLY POISONED - French police have opened an inquiry into allegations that a prominent Russian human rights lawyer may have been poisoned in Strasbourg on Monday. Karina Moskalenko, who represents some of the Kremlin's best known critics, fell ill after finding a substance similar to mercury inside her car. She and members of her family were later treated for nausea and headaches. Prosecutors said there had not been enough of the substance to endanger life, but that more tests were needed. Ms Moskalenko's clients include the jailed former Russian oil tycoon, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and the family of the murdered journalist, Anna Politkovskaya. The lawyer said on Tuesday that her illness had meant she was unable to travel to Moscow on Wednesday for a preliminary hearing at the trial of three men charged with Ms Politkovskaya's murder. CLICK HERE:Russian human rights lawyer allegedly poisoned


---

13.10.2008 London, England - EUROPE ACTS TO STRENGTHEN BANKS - Major European economies have announced multi-billion euro rescue schemes to shore up their banks. Germany has approved a package worth up to 500bn euros (£393bn; $683bn), France will spend about 350bn euros and Spain has set aside 100bn euros. The bulk of this money will be used to guarantee lending between banks - part of a plan agreed to this weekend by the 15 nations that use the euro. Meanwhile, President George W Bush said nations were taking "decisive action". Speaking with Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, he said the US was continuing to work closely with Europe. The cash injection by France, German and Spain was echoed by similar moves by Austria and Italy. Austria is to spend up to 85m euros, while the Italian government pledged to inject as much money as needed without giving any figures. France and Germany will also use the cash to take stakes in ailing banks. The announcements helped to lift investor confidence, with stock markets rising worldwide. CLICK HERE:Europe acts to strengthen banks

Brussels, Belgium - EU TO LET BELARUS LEADER TRAVEL - The European Union has decided to lift its travel ban on President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, in an attempt to encourage democratic reform. Mr Lukashenko and other officials will be able for six months to visit the EU. EU foreign ministers also ended travel sanctions, though not an arms embargo, against energy-rich Uzbekistan, but after hours of discussion, they stopped short of resuming partnership talks with Russia, which were suspended over the conflict in Georgia. The EU last week welcomed Russia's pull-out from buffer zones next to Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, but French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said "problems remain" over whether Russia is fully in compliance with a ceasefire deal. He said it would be wise to wait for the start of a peace conference in Geneva this week and for more evidence of withdrawal on the ground, before committing to a resumption of talks with Russia. CLICK HERE:EU to let Belarus leader travel

Paris, France - BRUNI BACKED RED BRIGADES WOMAN - Carla Bruni, the wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, has told how she visited a former Red Brigades militant, Marina Petrella, in hospital. The news emerged after Mr Sarkozy blocked Petrella's extradition to Italy on humanitarian grounds. Ms Bruni said the threat to Petrella's health had become "intolerable". The former left-wing militant has been receiving treatment in the psychiatric ward of a Paris hospital, and has reportedly been suicidal. Petrella, 54, was sentenced to life in absentia by a Rome court in 1992 for murder and kidnapping.CLICK HERE:Bruni backed Red Brigades woman

London, England - BARON MANDELSON OF FOY AND HARTLEPOOL OR LORD MANDELSON - Baron Mandelson of Foy and Hartlepool. New Business Secretary Peter Mandelson has taken his place in the House of Lords, being introduced to peers as Baron Mandelson of Foy and Hartlepool. Lord Mandelson, as he will be known, was supported by Baroness Jay of Paddington and the ex-lord chancellor Lord Falconer of Thoroton. He wore the traditional ermine-lined scarlet robes and swore allegiance to the Queen at the induction ceremony. Foy is a village in Herefordshire where he holidayed. He was MP for Hartlepool. Lord Mandelson was a European commissioner before his resignation earlier this month to take up Gordon Brown's offer of a cabinet job. His introduction to the Lords came as it emerged he will continue to receive taxpayer-funded EU pay worth £234,000 over three years, in addition to his annual ministerial salary of £104,386. The Conservatives said the details of the "golden goodbye" from his Brussels role would anger voters in the UK. The business secretary is entitled to the EU compensation package despite giving up his post as trade commissioner voluntarily after four years. Under EU rules, Mr Mandelson will be eligible for around £78,000 in "transitionary payments" annually for the next three years. The money - £234,000 in total, will also be subject to preferential tax rates devised for EU officials. The top-up ensures his income in his new job is the same as his £182,500 salary as a commissioner. In addition, Mr Mandelson's four-year stint in Brussels entitles him to a pension. When he reaches the age of 65, Mr Mandelson will receive a pension, starting at £31,000 and then rising in line with the cost of living. CLICK HERE:Baron Mandelson of Foy and Hartkepool


---

12.10.2008 Paris, France - EUROPEAN BANK RESCUE PLAN AGREED - European leaders meeting in Paris have agreed a plan to tackle the banking crisis, saying no big institution will be allowed to fail. They pledged to guarantee loans between banks until the end of 2009, and said they would put money into them by buying preference shares. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said they were taking unprecedented steps. World governments have been racing to throw banks a lifeline before the major markets re-open on Monday. News of the rescue plan came from Mr Sarkozy, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU, after talks between leaders of the 15 countries in the euro currency zone. UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, not a member of the eurozone club, attended parts of the talks. Britain announced a similar plan last week. Mr Sarkozy said leaders had agreed a framework in which individual countries would be able to inject capital into their own banks by means of preference shares. He said governments in Germany, France and Italy among others would be presenting their individual plans on Monday, within the agreed framework. "The crisis has over the past few days entered into a phase that makes it intolerable to opt for procrastination and a go-it-alone approach," he said. CLICK HERE:European bank rescue plan agreed

Barents Sea - FRESH RUSSIAN MISSILE LAUNCHES - Russia has test-fired another three intercontinental ballistic missiles, a day after claiming a distance record for a missile fired from a submarine. President Dmitri Medvedev, who watched two of the launches, said they proved Russia's missile defenses were strong. Two new systems were being developed, he added, giving no details. Two of the latest launches took place at either end of the country, one from the Barents Sea, east of Norway, and the other from north of Japan. A third was watched on land in north-west Russia by Mr Medvedev, who promised further launches in future. Russia said Saturday's test missile, also watched by Mr Medvedev from an aircraft carrier, travelled more than 11,500km (7,145 miles), an all-time distance record, the Kremlin claimed. Furious at US missile defence plans in eastern Europe and moves to expand the US-led Nato alliance towards Moscow's sphere of influence, the Kremlin has been flexing its military muscle. Russia is sending a naval squadron to Venezuela in November for exercizes and last year, then-President Vladimir Putin ordered the resumption of long-abandoned patrols by strategic bombers. CLICK HERE:Fresh Russian missile launches

Vilnius, Lithuania - CONSERVATIVES LEAD IN LITHUANIA ELECTIONS - Lithuania's main conservative opposition party has won most votes in the first round of general elections, exit polls suggest. The Homeland Union took 21% of the vote, a poll for the Baltic News Service indicates. However two allied populist parties, including one led by impeached ex-president Rolandas Paksas - are credited with a combined 25%. The governing Social Democrats came third with just over 13%. Final results are not due until the second round vote, set for October 26. Tough coalition talks lie ahead. Correspondents say Mr Paksas' Order and Justice Party could form a populist partnership with Russian-born millionaire Viktor Uspaskich's Labour party. Mr Uspaskich, known as Mr Gherkin because of his pickles business, is battling corruption allegations and is barred from leaving Lithuania.CLICK HERE:Conservatives lead in Lithuania elections


---

11.10.2009 Washington, DC - G/ NATIONS PLEDGE TO FIGHT CRISIS - Finance ministers from leading industrialised nations have pledged action to tackle the financial crisis. The G7 nations issued a five-point plan of "decisive action" to unfreeze credit markets, after a meeting in Washington. Widespread fears of a global recession caused Asian, European and US markets to tumble on Friday despite rate cuts and cash injections by central banks. The US also said it would invest directly in banks for the first time since the 1930s, following a UK move. As well as the Washington meeting of the G7, which comprises the US, Japan, Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Canada, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will hold talks in the US capital over the weekend. Leaders of the eurozone countries are also scheduled to meet in Paris on Sunday. CLICK HERE:G7 nations pledge to fight risis

Klagenfurth, Austria - AUSTRIA'S HAIDER KILLED IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENT - Austrian far-right politician Joerg Haider has been killed in a traffic accident, police say. Mr Haider suffered severe head and chest injuries after his car came off the road in Carinthia, his political base. Police investigating the crash said he had been driving alone. The 58-year-old was leader of the Alliance for Austria's Future, and was known for his anti-immigration and anti-EU policies. The Alliance was one of two right-wing parties which did better than expected in general elections last month, fuelling speculation of a possible role in a ruling coalition. ...He had reportedly been due to attend his mother's 90th birthday celebrations later in the day. "For us this is the end of the world," the deputy leader of Mr Haider's Alliance for Austria's Future, Stefan Petzner, told Austrian news agency, APA. Austria's President Heinz Fischer said Mr Haider's death was a "human tragedy", while Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer described him as someone who had shaped Austria's domestic and political landscape over decades, according to the Associated Press news agency. Mr Haider was a divisive figure, who gained notoriety after he became leader of the Freedom Party in 1986. In 1991, his term as governor of the province of Carinthia was interrupted, after he made comments praising employment policies of Nazi Germany, but he was re-elected in 1999 and 2003. In 2000, the EU imposed sanctions against Austria in a protest over his party's role in government. CLICK HERE:Austria's Haider killed in traffic accident


---

10.10.2008 London, England - GLOBAL STOCK MARKET SHOCK - Global stocks have fallen sharply on one of the worst days of trading in 30 years, despite continuing government efforts to tackle the crisis. The UK's FTSE 100 index ended down almost 9%, as finance ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) most-developed nations meet in Washington. In the US the main Dow Jones index lost as much as 5%, despite President George W Bush urging investors to remain calm. The fear is that the financial crisis will tip the world into a recession. France's Cac index closed down 7.7%, while Germany's Dax lost 8.4% in a day of heavy selling. ...In other major developments: The British pound tumbled to a five-year low against the US dollar to trade at $1.6902 at one point, but recovered later. It also fell against the euro to 1.245 euros. UK Chancellor Alistair Darling, attending the talks in Washington, called on the G7 countries to "do whatever it takes" to tackle the financial crisis. UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown again called on other countries to follow Britain's bank rescue package. Tokyo's shares plunged 24% during the week, double their weekly fall during the 1987 market crash. Oil prices fell to a one-year low, with US light crude dropping to $78.61. The three-month rate at which banks lend dollars to each other, known as Libor, rose to 4.8%. Moscow and Jakarta stock markets remain suspended because of excessive volatility. The Vienna stock market fell 10% on re-opening after trading was suspended on Friday morning. CLICK HERE:Global stock market shock

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA APPROVES $86 BN BANK RESCUE - Russia's lower house of parliament, the Duma, has approved a raft of measures worth $86bn (£51bn) to assist banks hit by the credit freeze. The government will make $50bn available to banks and firms that need to refinance foreign debt. The rest will be available as loans to banks. The package is designed to restore confidence in Russian banks and revive shares, which have seen steep falls. Trade on Russian stock exchanges has been suspended since Wednesday. Trading in the Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange (Micex) index and the Russian Trading System (RTS) exchange was stopped after falls of more than 10% in the first hour of trade on Wednesday. The Micex was scheduled to reopen on Friday. CLICK HERE:Russia approves $86 bn bsnk rescue

Tskhinvali, South Ossetia - EU VERIFIES RUSSIA WITHDRAWAL - Russian forces have fully withdrawn from buffer zones adjoining Georgia's breakaway regions, the EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana says. He said he was "happy to announce" that EU monitors had confirmed the withdrawal from the zones outside Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Friday was the deadline for the pull-out under a ceasefire plan. Earlier, however, France's foreign minister noted that Russian forces remained in some disputed pockets. Asked if Russia had honoured the ceasefire deal, Bernard Kouchner said: "I think so, but partly." "They had to leave the buffer zone before October 10 and they did it," he said, after touring the area with EU monitors, but he said he was aware of three disputed pockets of land, and that these would be discussed at an international conference in Geneva next week. Georgia has complained that Russian forces still occupy Akhalgori and Perevi in South Ossetia, and the Kodori Gorge in Abkhazia, areas that were under Georgian control before conflict erupted on August 7. CLICK HERE:EU verifies Russia withdrawal

Oslo, Norway - AHTISAARI WINS NOBEL PEACE PRIZE - This year's Nobel Peace Prize has been won by peace negotiator Martti Ahtisaari, the Nobel Foundation has announced in Norway's capital, Oslo. Finland's ex-president has been a UN mediator on Kosovo, helped end the conflict in Indonesia's Aceh province and aided Namibia's independence. Mr Ahtisaari told Norwegian broadcaster NRK he was "very pleased and grateful" to receive the award. The laureate wins a gold medal, diploma and 10m Swedish kronor ($1.4m). CLICK HERE:Ahtisaari wins Nobel peace prize


---

9.10.2008 Brussels, Belgium - EU SYMBOLS REVIVE FEDERALISM DISPUTE -A decision to make the EU flag and motto more prominent and play the EU anthem in the European Parliament has angered some British Euro MPs. The parliament voted by 503 to 96 in favour of the measure on Thursday, with 15 abstentions. Conservative MEP Geoffrey Van Orden reminded fellow MEPs that EU symbols were dropped from the Lisbon Treaty, which replaced the EU constitution. A Labour MEP, Richard Corbett, said the protests were "a storm in a teacup". He said former Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was among the leaders who had backed a decision on adopting EU symbols back in 1985. The anthem, based on Beethoven's Ode to Joy from his Ninth Symphony, will be performed at the opening of parliament after European elections and at formal sessions of the assembly. The flag will be displayed in all the parliament's meeting rooms and at parliament's official events. The motto "United in diversity" will appear on all the parliament's official documents....The EU symbols were enshrined in the ill-fated EU constitution, which was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005. EU leaders decided to leave out any reference to EU symbols when they negotiated the Lisbon Treaty in 2007. The parliamentary rule change backed by MEPs on Thursday also included recognition of May 9 as Europe Day, a day to celebrate the EU. CLICK HERE:EU symbols revive federalism dispute

Pristina, Kosovo - MONTENEGRO RECOGNIZES KOSOVO - Montenegro has formally recognized Kosovo as independent following its secession from Serbia in February. Serbia reacted angrily to Montenegro's decision saying it jeopardised regional stability, and announced it was expelling the Montenegrin ambassador. Meanwhile, Macedonia's parliament has called on the government to recognise the independence of its neighbor. It would leave Bosnia-Hercegovina as the only component republic of former Yugoslavia withholding recognition. Nearly 50 countries, including the US and most of the EU, have recognised Kosovo's independence so far. The BBC's Nick Thorpe in Pristina says that recognition by its neighbors brings both psychological and practical trading benefits for Kosovo. The small country of only two million inhabitants, of which 90% are Albanian, has often appeared isolated in the western Balkans, our correspondent says. CLICK HERE:Montenegro recognizes Kosovo

New York, NY - IMF TAKES ACTION TO STEM CRISIS - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has activated an emergency finance mechanism to help countries hit by the financial crisis. IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Khan said the lending procedure would allow the IMF to react quickly to support countries facing funding problems. The scheme, which was used during the Asian financial crisis in 1997, will help speed up approval of loans. He said the world was "on the cusp of recession", but could still recover. Speaking ahead of meetings of the IMF and World Bank, Mr Strauss-Khan urged countries to act "quickly, forcefully, and co-operatively" to solve the global economic problems. A day after seven central banks around the world cut interest rates in an effort to calm financial markets, the IMF chief said further co-ordinated action was necessary. "All kinds of policy co-operation are to be commended," he said, but he issued a stark warning against countries acting unilaterally to fight the crisis, referring to recent isolated moves by certain European Union member countries. "There is no domestic solution to a crisis like this one." CLICK HERE:IMF takes action to stem crisis

Pristina, Kosovo - MONTENEGRO RECOGNIZES KOSOVO - Montenegro has formally recognised Kosovo as independent following its secession from Serbia in February. Serbia reacted angrily to Montenegro's decision saying it jeopardized regional stability, and announced it was expelling the Montenegrin ambassador. Meanwhile, Macedonia's parliament has called on the government to recognise the independence of its neighbor. It would leave Bosnia-Hercegovina as the only component republic of former Yugoslavia withholding recognition. Nearly 50 countries, including the US and most of the EU, have recognised Kosovo's independence so far. The BBC's Nick Thorpe in Pristina says that recognition by its neighbours brings both psychological and practical trading benefits for Kosovo. The small country of only two million inhabitants, of which 90% are Albanian, has often appeared isolated in the western Balkans, our correspondent says. CLICK HERE:Montenegro recognizes Kosovo

London, England - UK COUNTY COUNCILS INVESTED IN ICELAND - Local authorities have not been "reckless" in investing more than £840m with Icelandic banks that have now failed, the government has said. Deposits from more than 100 councils could be at risk, the BBC has learned. Ministers have promised "case-by-case" help in England and Wales, but say in Scotland the issue will be dealt with by the Holyrood administration. Gordon Brown said he was considering "further action", but the government is not offering to guarantee the deposits. The prime minister told the BBC that the Icelandic authorities' handling of accounts had been "effectively illegal" and "completely unacceptable". The government has frozen the UK assets of Icelandic bank Landsbanki, saying local authorities will benefit from this. CLICK HERE:UK county councils invested in Iceland

Woolwich, England - MEDICAL DOCTORS SOUGHT WHOLESALE MURDER - Two National Health Scheme doctors plotted "indiscriminate and wholesale" murder with car bomb attacks on London and Glasgow Airport, Woolwich Crown Court has heard. Prosecutors say Dr Bilal Abdulla was in a car filled with explosives which rammed the terminal in June last year. He and Kafeel Ahmed, now dead, are also said to have left cars full of explosive material in central London. Dr Abdulla, 29, and Dr Mohammed Asha, 27, deny conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosions. Prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw QC told the court that the men were motivated by revenge for how they believed the UK was treating Muslims in conflicts around the world. CLICK HERE:Medical doctors sought wholesale murder


---

8.10.2008 London, England - WORLD IN FINANCIAL TURMOIL - Six of the world's biggest central banks have cut interest rates by half a percentage point in an effort to steady the faltering global economy. The US Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, the Bank of England, and the central banks of Canada, Sweden and Switzerland took the unprecedented, co-ordinated step. CHINA: China joined the interest rate offensive, cutting rates by 0.27 percentage points. AUSTRIA: Austria officially announced a guarantee for all personal bank savings, retroactive to October 1. "Deposits in Austrian banks are safe and the state is vouching for them," said Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer. UK . The government announced a £50bn ($88bn) package to prop up eight of the largest banks and building societies. In return, the government would receive shares in those institutions. A further £200bn would be made available by the Bank of England to provide the banking system with much-needed liquidity. A special company will also be set up to provide up to £250bn in loan guarantees to banks and building societies. The announcement came after UK banking shares plunged on Tuesday and the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) warned that Britain was already in a recession which could see unemployment rise by 350,000 by next year. The UK government increased its guarantee to savers from £35,000 ($62,000) to £50,000 from Tuesday. The Northern Rock bank and the mortgage lender Bradford & Bingley were nationalized earlier, and two other large groups, HBOS and Lloyds TSB, are to merge. GERMANY: State-owned savings banks in Germany reported a flood of new deposits as people look for safer accounts which are insured for 100% of their value. The country's second-biggest commercial property lender, Hypo Real Estate, was threatened with collapse last week after incurring large amounts of bad debt. The government attempted a bail-out, only for it to collapse on Sunday after a banking consortium withdrew support for the deal. A new bail-out was arranged with guarantees of 50bn euros ($68bn; £38.7bn), 15bn euros more than the first rescue attempt. The German government also announced what appeared to be unlimited guarantees for private savings. However, it said there would be no legislation to give extra protection to savers. Chancellor Angela Merkel said those financiers who did "irresponsible business" would be made accountable. ICELAND: The Prime Minister of Iceland, Geir Haarde, confirmed that negotiations were going on with Russia for a big loan to support Iceland's banking system. Mr Haarde said a delegation from Iceland would go to Moscow in the next couple of days to finalize the deal. He thanked Moscow for its offer of more than $5bn in emergency loans. Iceland's government has taken control of Landsbanki, the second largest bank by value, and has dismissed the board of directors. The bank, which also trades as the internet bank Icesave, is being taken over by the Icelandic Financial Supervisory Authority (IFSA). Customers of the Icesave have been warned they will probably have to claim compensation for money held in their savings accounts. Iceland's prime minister said he hoped to find a "mutually satisfactory solution" to the loss of UK Icesave deposits after Prime Minister Gordon Brown threatened to sue Iceland to recover the money. Iceland's parliament has passed emergency legislation giving the government wide-ranging powers to dictate banks' operations. Mr Haarde said the legislation would help the island avoid national bankruptcy. Iceland will also offer an unlimited guarantee for all savings accounts. The Icelandic krona plummeted against the dollar after the government nationalised the country's third-largest bank, Glitnir, last week. By Friday it had lost one-fifth of its value. The government has agreed measures allowing the banks to sell off some foreign assets to help shore up the financial system. BELGIUM: The Belgian government has agreed to guarantee bank deposits of up to 100,000 euros ($136,000) - an increase of 80,000 euros. The country's largest banking group, Fortis, has been in difficulty since it joined two other banks to purchase the Dutch bank ABN Amro, just before the global financial crisis began. After several failed bail-out attempts, French giant BNP Paribas agreed to buy 75% of Fortis's operations in Belgium and Luxembourg. The two governments will take a minority share of the company, while its Netherlands operation has been nationalized. IRELAND: Ireland was the first government to come to the rescue of its citizens' savings, promising on September 30 mto guarantee all deposits, bonds and debts in its six main banks for two years. The move initially prompted consternation among some European partners, but several countries have since followed suit. SPAIN: Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on Tuesday increased bank deposit guarantees to 100,000 euros ($136,000) from the current 20,000 euros. Mr Zapatero told leading banks that the government would take immediate steps to increase deposit guarantees to boost confidence in the financial system. Spain has been calling for a joint European initiative to tackle the world financial crisis. NETHERLANDS: The Netherlands trebled the amount of savers' deposits it will protect to 100,000 euros (£77,700; $136,776). GREECE: The Greek government said on Friday it would fully guarantee all bank deposits of citizens, but an official added that this was a "political commitment" and the banking system was not at risk. DENMARK : The Danish government and banks on Sunday agreed a crisis plan which removes the ceiling on savings deposit guarantees, to be funded partly by banks and partly by the taxpayer. RUSSIA :President Dmitry Medvedev announced 950 billion roubles ($36.4bn) of long term help for banks at an emergency Kremlin meeting on Tuesday. Russia's two leading stock exchanges were forced to close after suffering massive falls in value. Trading on the RTS and Micex bourses was postponed on Wednesday for a second time in less than a week after each fell by more than 10% on opening. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called for urgent international measures to combat the global financial crisis in a statement. "The crisis of the international financial system demands urgent joint action. It's absolutely obvious the time has come for new decisions," said Mr Medvedev. AUSTRALIA: Australia's central bank has cut its key interest rate from 7% to 6%, a much bigger-than-expected reduction. The Reserve Bank of Australia said that the sharp cut was justified given the prospects for growth, even though inflation is currently above target. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the move would maintain financial stability and help Australia in "tough times ahead". The cut, the bank's largest since May 1992, was well received by investors and the stock market rallied. Observers had only expected the rate to be cut to 6.5%. HUNGARY: The Hungarian government has proposed raising the guarantee on bank deposits from the current 6m to 13m forints (£40,000; 51,000 euro) following talks with the president of the Hungarian central bank. The proposal will go before parliament for approval on Monday. CLICK HERE:World in finacial turmoil

Tskhinvali, South Ossetia -RUSSIAN TROOPS LEAVE GEORGIA BUFFER ZONES - Russian troops have left their self-imposed buffer zones around Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia ahead of a Friday deadline. Both Georgia and Russia confirmed the move which leaves Russian troops only inside the two regions, which recently declared independence from Georgia. Moscow plans to keep nearly 8,000 soldiers stationed there. It fought a brief war to repel Georgian troops trying to regain control of South Ossetia by force in August. Russia's foreign minister said an EU mission monitoring the pull-out would be excluded from both territories. Russia recognized the regions as independent states - a move which drew strong condemnation from Georgia and Western leaders. Georgia's interior ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili said: "We can confirm that from the so-called buffer zones the withdrawal is complete." See a map of the region The head of Russian peacekeepers in South Ossetia, Maj-Gen Marat Kulakhmetov, later confirmed the withdrawal. "During the day we withdrew all six peacekeeping observation posts along with the personnel, arms, hardware and materiel from the southern border of the security zone," he said. "By so doing we performed our obligations for the withdrawal of the posts that was supposed to be completed by 10 October." Speaking earlier at an international security conference in France, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia wanted some 200 EU observers in the area to "act as guarantors" to prevent any further hostilities. On the sidelines of the gathering, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said his Russian counterpart had "kept his word" over Georgia. Mr Sarkozy, who brokered the peace deal in early August, warned that both Russia and Georgia "must now refrain from any provocation on the ground". Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the BBC that Russia "trusted" that the EU monitors would ensure security in the buffer zones. However, Mr Lavrov said that EU monitors, deployed last week, would not be allowed into the two breakaway regions where Russia plans to maintain a 7,600-strong force. "During the day we withdrew all six peacekeeping observation posts along with the personnel, arms, hardware and materiel from the southern border of the security zone," he said. "By so doing we performed our obligations for the withdrawal of the posts that was supposed to be completed by 10 October." Speaking earlier at an international security conference in France, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia wanted some 200 EU observers in the area to "act as guarantors" to prevent any further hostilities. On the sidelines of the gathering, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said his Russian counterpart had "kept his word" over Georgia. CLICK HERE:Russian troops leave Georgia buffer zones


---

7.10.2008 London, England - MARKETS MIXED IN VOLATILE TRADE - World stock markets have been volatile in Tuesday trading as investors continued to worry over the strength of financial institutions. London's FTSE 100 index rallied despite banking shares taking a hammering. However, on Wall Street stocks fell again as Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the economic outlook looked set to deteriorate further. The Dow Jones was down 244 points, or 2.5% in afternoon trade in New York after starting the day higher. The other main US index, the Nasdaq, was 1.5% lower. Having shed 7.8% on Monday, the key London index closed up 0.35% despite HBOS and Royal Bank of Scotland both losing more than 30%. France's Cac 40 index, which lost 9% the previous session, ended 0.55% higher. Earlier, Japan's Nikkei 225 index sank more than 5% before recovering slightly to close down 3%. However, Australia's financial markets rallied after the country's central bank cut its official interest rate from 7% to 6%. Fed chairman Mr Bernanke said that the US was tackling a financial crisis "of historic dimensions" and signalled that the central bank may be prepared to cut interest rates to support the economy. He said the outlook for inflation had improved as oil and other commodity prices had fallen. CLICK HERE:Markets mixed in volatile trade

Moscow, Russia - FALLS HALT RUSSIAN MARKET TRADING - Russia's two leading stock exchanges were forced to close for several hours on Tuesday, one day after suffering massive falls in value. Trading on the RTS and Micex bourses was postponed by the country's financial regulator after stocks lost nearly 20% of their value on Monday. Soon after reopening, the RTS index rose by 0.58% while Micex gained 2.16%. Meanwhile, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called for urgent action to deal with the global financial crisis. In a video clip posted on his website kremlin.ru, Mr Medvedev said: "International political issues and the crisis in the world financial system demand concerted and urgent actions." "It's absolutely clear that the time has come for new solutions." He said he would raise the issue at an international conference in France on October 8. Monday's falls on the dollar-denominated Russian Trading System (RTS) index and the rouble-denominated Micex (Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange) were the steepest declines for a market that was booming until recently. Since May, the RTS index has dropped more than 60%.CLICK HERE:Falls halt Russian market trading

Brussels, Belgium - EURO MP'S STICK TO CLIMATE TARGETS - European MPs have refused to dilute pollution reduction targets despite widespread concern about the cost to business in an era of low growth. The European Parliament's Environment Committee backed a tougher Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and plans to install carbon capture technology. MEPs say industry should buy emission permits, and not get them for free, but Poland is among several countries seeking to protect their industries from having to buy the permits. EU leaders have pledged to cut CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020. The planned reduction, compared to 1990 emission levels, will rise to 30% if an international agreement emerges embracing developing countries. As part of the plan, full auctioning of emission permits will be introduced for the power sector from 2013. CLICK HERE:Euro MP's stick to climate targets
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT (COMMENT:Who ends up footing the bill, not industry but the consumers, especially with regard to utilities, in the form of big fat flat-rates and service fees, irrespective of consumption!)


---

6.10.2008 London, England - STOCKS PLUMMET IN FINANCIAL CRISIS - World stock markets have plunged after government bank bail-outs in the US and Europe failed to stem fears of slower global economic growth. London's key UK share index lost 7.85%, its biggest percentage fall since 1987 and in Paris the Cac-40 suffered its largest fall on record. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones fell below 10,000 points for the first time since 2004. Investors fear that official action might not be enough to stem the crisis. This was despite a $700bn (£398bn) US bank bail-out being passed late last week, and efforts by several European countries including Germany and Denmark to boost confidence in their banks.... As one of the first effects of the rescue plan, the Federal Reserve announced that it would start paying interest on the reserves that banks are forced to deposit at the central bank. Analysts said that Germany's increased 50bn-euro ($68bn; £38.7bn) bail-out of Hypo Real Estate, the country's second-biggest commercial property lender, had alarmed investors. Earlier, Germany had appeared to announce an unlimited guarantee for private savings - though it later said this was not the case and it had instead given only a "political commitment" that savers would not lose deposits. However, Denmark had already moved to offer full protection, while Sweden massively increased the level of protection it offered. CLICK HERE:Stocks plummet in financial crisis

Washington, DC - EUROPEANS SOUGHT BY FBI OVER CYBER ATTACK - The FBI is seeking two Europeans alleged to have been involved in attacks on web retailers. Briton Lee Graham Walker and Axel Gembe of Germany are being sought in connection with attacks on two sellers of satellite TV equipment. The FBI said the pair carried out so-called Denial of Service attacks that knocked the web shops offline. If convicted the men face a maximum 15-year jail sentence. Both men are believed to be still at large. In the federal indictment Mr Walker of Bleys Bolton, England and Mr Gembe were accused of "one count of conspiracy and one count of intentionally damaging a computer system". The indictment is connected to another case in which two men, Jay Echouafni and Paul Ashley, were charged with conspiracy for the same attack. The FBI alleges that Mr Walker and Mr Gembe were the technical masterminds that helped knock the web shops of Mr Echouafni's rival offline. The indictment claims that Mr Walker ran the network of hijacked home computers, or botnet, that bombarded the web shops with bogus data in a bid to overwhelm them. The machines were hijacked with the aid of a virus, called Agobot, that Mr Gembe created. Mr Gembe was tried for the creation of Agobot in Germany in 2004 and received a probationary sentence. CLICK HERE:Europeans sought by FBI over cyber attack

Stockholm, Sweden - NOBEL PRIZE FOR VIRAL DISCOVERIES - The scientists who discovered HIV will share the Nobel prize for medicine with the expert who linked human papilloma virus (HPV) to cervical cancer. French team Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier were recognised for their groundbreaking work in uncovering the virus responsible for Aids. Harald zur Hausen, from Germany, received the prize for making the link between HPV and cervical cancer. More than 25 million people have died of HIV/Aids since 1981. ...Professor zur Hausen, of the University of Duesseldorf, was praised by the Nobel committee for going "against current dogma" to discover that HPV infection caused cervical cancer. HPV can be detected in 99.7% of all women with cervical cancer, and persistent infection with the virus is estimated to be responsible for more than 5% of all cancers worldwide. CLICK HERE:Nobel rpize for viral discoveries

Bamako, Mali - EU OPENS JOB CENTER IN AFRICA - The European Union has opened its first immigration centre outside Europe, in Mali's capital, Bamako. Thousands of young West Africans try to make it into Europe illegally each year and many die on the way. The EU hopes the new center will help people find legal work in Europe and cut down on illegal migration by warning about its dangers. It is also expected to encourage development within Mali, which lies at the center of key migration routes. The BBC's West Africa correspondent Will Ross says young Malians desperate for work would have hoped this new center would be a recruitment agency, but at this point the EU is stressing that no specific job vacancies will be on offer. In the future, however, European countries may recruit via the Bamako office. Spain is already doing this in Senegal by offering seasonal contracts picking fruit or working in hotels to several hundred people each year, with demand so high it is in effect a job lottery. CLICK HERE:EU opens job center in Africa


---

5.10.2008 Berlin, Germany - MERKEL VOWS TO SAVE GERMAN BANKS - Germany will do all it can to save the troubled Hypo Real Estate bank, to prevent problems spreading, says Chancellor Angela Merkel. She was speaking after an emergency meeting with the central bank and financial regulator. The bank, Germany's second biggest commercial property lender, is fighting for its survival after a 35bn euro ($48bn; £27.2bn) rescue plan collapsed. Hypo has said it will study alternative measures to fund its business. "We will not allow the distress of one financial institute to distress the entire system. For that reason, we are working hard to secure Hypo Real Estate," Ms Merkel said, but out correspondent says tax-payers must also be convinced that a bail-out would be justified. On Saturday, European leaders at a Paris summit stopped short of offering a US-style bank bail-out plan. The collapse of Hypo Real Estate will put further strain on other financial institutions in other countries, struggling against a crisis of confidence in the global financial system. Ms Merkel also said that managers at financial institutions should be held accountable for what "irresponsible behaviour". Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck said he was "appalled" that the problems had not been revealed earlier. CLICK HERE:Merkel vows to save German banks

Gori, South Ossetia - RUSSIA REMOVES A GEORGIA CHECKPOINT - Russian troops have removed a key checkpoint from Georgian territory near the breakaway province of South Ossetia, European Union observers say. The checkpoint, near the town of Gori, a gateway to the separatist region, is the first taken down by the Russians under a withdrawal pledge. Russia has agreed to pull out troops from two buffer zones within Georgia by 10 October, under EU observation. Russia and Georgia fought a 10-day conflict over South Ossetia in August. Russia has kept troops in South Ossetia, and Georgia's other breakaway region, Abkhazia, since ousting Georgian forces during the conflict. Moscow has boosted security in South Ossetia in recent days following an explosion in the region which killed eight Russian soldiers and three civilians. The chief of staff of what Russia calls its peacekeeping operation in the region was among those killed, Moscow said, accusing Georgian secret services of arranging the blast. Georgia denied the accusation. ...Some 200 EU observers from 22 nations are now on the ground overseeing the military's compliance, or otherwise, with pledges made by leaders at the Kremlin. They reported the first signs of progress on Sunday morning at a checkpoint previously manned by 20-30 Russian soldiers. "Our observers went to the checkpoint in Ali, north-west of Gori, and saw that it has been dismantled," and EU spokesman told the AFP news agency. "This is the first dismantled checkpoint." A regional police chief told Reuters the checkpoint was in the village of Nabakhtevi.CLICK HERE:Russia removes a Georgia checkpoint

The Holy See - POPE TO INITIATE COMPLETE BIBLLICAL READING- Pope Benedict XVI has opened a synod of more than 200 cardinals and bishops from around the world to examine the modern lack of interest in the Bible. The Pope lamented what he called the harmful and destructive influence of some forms of modern culture. This, he said, had decided that God was dead, and man was the sole architect of his destiny and master of creation. The synod is an advisory body of the Roman Catholic Church, which meets once every three years. The three-week long proceedings opened with a solemn Mass celebrated by the Pope at the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls. Growing indifference to religion, particularly in Europe, is a source of concern to the Pope. He visited France last month, and was clearly referring to that country when he pointed out in his homily that nations once rich in the Christian faith and in vocations for the priesthood seem to be losing their Christian identity. To mark the opening of the synod, Italian state television will be broadcasting a marathon reading of the whole Bible for the next six days and nights. The Pope himself will start off the reading with the Book of Genesis. CLICK HERE:Pope to initiate complete biblical reading
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT (COMMENT: The situation regarding the shortfall in the Catholic priesthood could be greatly relieved, if the Holy See would relax its resistence to married priests, and recind its misogynist opposition to women in the clergy. With regard to the scripture reading, many people believe that the Pontiff would appear closer to the figure of Christ, if he began with the Gospel according to St Mathew, Chapter I. The significance of Genesis in this day and age is its retrogressive character and its opposition to proven scientific fact. May we also remind that we now live in a post-Galileo world!)


---

4.10.2008 Paris, France - NO BANK BAIL-OUT FUND FOR EUROPE - Europe's biggest economies have agreed to work together to support financial institutions, but without forming a joint bail-out fund. French President Nicolas Sarkozy hosted the meeting of the leaders of Britain, Germany and Italy in Paris. They agreed to seek a relaxation of the EU rules governing the amount of money individual states could borrow. Mr Sarkozy announced a series of other measures, including unspecified action against the executives of failed banks. Speaking after the meeting at a joint news conference, he said the four had agreed that the leaders of a financial institution that had to be rescued should be "sanctioned". Mr Sarkozy added: "Each government will operate with its own methods and means, but in a co-ordinated manner." Leaders were reminded of just how serious the crisis is as talks to rescue Germany's second largest mortgage collapsed. Hypo Real Estate said the 35bn euro (£27.8bn, $51.21bn) deal had fallen apart after the banking consortium involved pulled out. The lender said it would seek to stay in business through "alternative measures". Meanwhile, Mr Sarkozy suggested EU budget rules - requiring eurozone states to keep their budget deficits below 3% and overall public debt below 60% of gross domestic product - would be adapted to deal with the current "exceptional circumstances". European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso agreed that the budget rules would be applied with "flexibility". European Central Bank chief Jean-Claude Trichet and the chairman of the eurozone group of finance ministers, Jean-Claude Juncker also attended the summit. The leaders issued a joint call for a G8 summit "as soon as possible" to review the rules governing financial markets. CLICK HERE:No bank bail-out fund for Europe

Toloso, Basque Country, Spain - EXPLOSION OUTSIDE BASQUE REGION COURTHOUSE - A bomb has exploded outside a court in Spain's north-eastern Basque region, after a warning from Eta, the armed separatist group, Spanish media report. The small blast went off at 0115 (0015 BST) in the town of Tolosa and no injuries were reported. The device was reportedly left in a rucksack on the steps of the court. The attacks come at a time of increased turbulence in Basque politics after Spanish courts banned two Basque parties over their links to Eta. Spanish public television station TVE said a man claiming to represent ETA called the Basque traffic department to warn of an imminent blast about half an hour before the explosion. Eta's four- decade campaign to set up an independent state straddling northern Spain and south-western France has led to more than 800 deaths. CLICK HERE:Explosion outside Basque region courthouse

Semdinli, Turkey - TURKISH TROOPS KILLED IN CLASHES - Kurdish rebels have killed 15 Turkish soldiers near Semdinli in the country's south-east, the military says. The soldiers died during an attack by fighters said to be from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), based over the border in northern Iraq. Generals said troops fought back, killing 23 rebels, but that two soldiers were missing after the attack. Turkey blames the PKK for a series of bomb attacks on its cities, and often targets rebels with air strikes. More than 40,000 people are thought to have been killed since 1984, when the PKK launched its campaign for a Kurdish homeland in south-eastern Turkey. The latest attack was a surprise strike on a military outpost by guerrillas using heavy weapons. CLICK HERE:Turkish troops killed in clashes


---

3.10.2008 Tskhinvali, South Ossetia - RUSSIANS KILLED IN SOUTH OSSETIA EXPLOSION - EU PLANS LONGER MATERNITY LEAVE - A blast in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia killed seven Russian soldiers, a Russian commander says. The soldiers died when a car full of explosives blew up near a Russian military base in the regional capital, Tskhinvali, local officials said. Georgia said Russia organised the explosion as a pretext to delay withdrawing troops from South Ossetia, but Russia blamed Georgia, saying it was an attempt to undermine a ceasefire agreement between the two sides. Tension remains high in the region following the conflict between Russia and Georgia over the summer. Seven other soldiers were injured in the blast, the Russian military commander in South Ossetia said. According to a statement from the South Ossetian breakaway government, Russian troops had confiscated the vehicle that blew up from an ethnic Georgian village because it was carrying weapons. Russian television footage showed a black plume of smoke rising from behind metal gates at the base. An unidentified Russian foreign ministry official said forces "striving to destabilise the situation" were behind the blast, Russian media reported. CLICK HERE:Russians killed in South Ossetia explosion

Brussels, Belgium - EU PLANS LONGER MATERNITY LEAVE - The European Commission has proposed extending fully-paid maternity leave from 14 weeks to 18 weeks. The commission, the EU's executive, also said the same maternity benefits should apply to self-employed women. The commission said longer maternity leave would encourage women to return to work after having children. Critics have said small businesses will struggle to meet the costs and that national governments should decide on such matters, not the EU. Maternity leave currently varies from 14 weeks in Germany to 18 months in Sweden, with many countries offering less than 18 weeks. The proposed new rules would guarantee that women in the 27 EU countries would not be sacked during or immediately after maternity leave. Governments would be free to offer new mothers more time off, but would have to pay them at least as much as sick leave. CLICK HERE:EU plans longer maternity leave

Amsterdam, Netherlands - NETHERLANDS TO BUY FORTIS ASSETS - The Netherlands will take full control of the Dutch operations of ailing European bank Fortis in a deal worth 16.8bn euros ($23.2bn; £13.1bn). On Sunday, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg governments injected 11.2bn euros into the bank, which has a heavy presence in all three countries. The Dutch government transaction on Friday does not affect Fortis' Belgian and Luxembourg operations. Fortis was the first European bank to fall victim to the credit crisis. Analysts say the bank's biggest mistake was joining in, along with Britain's Royal Bank of Scotland and Spain's Santander, in the 70bn euro purchase of the Dutch bank ABN Amro last year. CLICK HERE:Netherlands to buy Fortis assets

Paris, France - RECESSION A REAL RISK FOR FRANCE - France's economy risks shrinking for the second quarter in a row, according to the finance minister Christine Lagarde. There was a 'real risk' of negative growth this autumn, she said. The economy has already contracted by 0.3% in the second quarter of 2008. If that were to happen, it would meet the usual definition of a recession - two quarters of negative growth. However the minister deliberately avoided using the word 'recession'. In a statement Ms Lagarde said: "The risk of negative growth in autumn for the second consecutive quarter is now real." Her comments came as France's national statistics bureau, INSEE, said it expected the economy to shrink by 0.1% in the third and fourth quarters of the year. CLICK HERE:Recession a real risk for France -

Frankfurt, Germany - EUROZONE SERVICES SIGNAL SLOWDOWN - Service activity in the eurozone failed to grow in September, a further sign that the 15-member region is seeing a slowdown, figures suggest. The Eurozone Services Purchasing Managers Index showed a reading of 48.4 last month, slightly down from a reading of 48.5 in August. The index covers everything from airlines to finance firms. Anything less than 50 denotes contraction. A day earlier the European Central Bank opted to leave interest rates on hold. While the bank resisted pressure to lower rates from 4.25% on Thursday, the ECB's head, Jean Claude Trichet, suggested the bank would consider a rate cut. CLICK HERE:Eurozone services signal slowdown

London, England - MANDELSON BACK IN THE CABINET FOR THIRD TIME - Peter Mandelson has said he is surprised but "proud" that Gordon Brown has drafted him back into the cabinet as business secretary. The EU trade commissioner was twice forced to resign from Tony Blair's cabinet, speaking in Downing Street he joked it was "third time lucky". The PM said he needed "serious people for serious times" and Mr Mandelson had unrivalled experience in global trade. In other moves, John Hutton replaces Des Browne as defence secretary. At a press conference Mr Brown said he wanted to "reinvent government" to cope with the new challenges of financial instability, oil price rises and food price rises, and it was in the "national interest" to bring in people like Mr Mandelson, who has spent the past four years as EU trade commissioner. "He has built up a reputation over the last few years as someone who can get things done," said Mr Brown. Pressed on his long feud with Mr Mandelson, he said: "It's incredible how big decisions about the economy are reduced to a question about one or two personalities." CLICK HERE:Mandelson back in the cabinet for third time


---

2.10.2008 Paris, France - EUROPEAN SUMMIT ON FINANCE CRISIS - A European financial summit to discuss the current global crisis will take place in Paris on Saturday, the French President's office has announced. Leaders from Britain, Germany and Italy, together with the president of the European Commission and European Central Bank chief, will be attending. President Nicolas Sarkozy hopes it will lead to a world summit later this year. Rumors of a 300bn euros (£237bn, $417bn) US-style bail out package have been denied by Sarkozy's office. Calls for European action follow the bail-out of both Bradford and Bingley, which cost the UK government around £14bn, and Fortis Bank, which cost the governments of Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands around £9bn. European leaders are keen to agree a co-ordinated response ahead of next week's meeting of the G8 finance ministers and central bank governors in Washington. CLICK HERE:Europan summit on finance crisis

Dublin, Ireland - NO ADVANTAGE FOR IRISH BANKERS - Irish banks will not get a competitive advantage under the 100% savings guarantee scheme, an Irish finance department source told the BBC. The government will charge banks different amounts to be in the scheme, pushing up their costs. It could also limit advertising of the scheme. A political row is developing over Irish government's decision. This is because other countries fear the 100% guarantee makes Irish bank accounts more attractive to savers. The Irish government agreed on Thursday to introduce legislation that would eventually ensure savers' deposits were totally safe for two years if a bank collapsed, but the terms and conditions governing the scheme are still to be finalised by Finance Minister Brian Lenihan. "A bank will not obtain a competitive advantage because of the charge for administering the scheme," the source said. CLICK HERE:No advantage for Irish bankers

London, England -BRITAIN'S TOP POLICEMAN RESIGNS - Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair has announced his resignation, blaming a lack of support from London mayor Boris Johnson. Sir Ian has faced controversies since taking the job in 2005 but said he was not going because of any failures. Mr Johnson, who took over as chairman of the police authority on Wednesday, praised his service but said the Met would benefit from "new leadership". The prime minister said he had made a "huge" contribution to the UK's safety. Gordon Brown went on to pay tribute to Sir Ian's leadership at the time of the July 2005 suicide bomb attacks on London's transport system. Jacqui Smith's letter to Sir Ian Blair Jacqui Smith's letter to Mayor Boris Johnson. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said deputy commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson would take over as acting head of the Met should no successor be found by 1 December. Ms Smith added: "I pay tribute to Sir Ian for the massive reductions in crime that his leadership of the Met has overseen and his continuing efforts to tackle gun, gang and knife crime. CLICK HERE:Britain's top policeman resigns

Brussels, Belgium - EU FORCE TO FIGHT SOMALI PIRATES - The European Union has agreed to establish an anti-piracy security operation off the coast of Somalia. French Defense Minister Herve Morin said at least eight countries have agreed to take part. The deal follows the seizure of a ship laden with 33 tanks, a $20m (£11m) ransom is wanted for its release. Meanwhile, authorities in Kenya have charged a maritime official who said that the battle tanks were destined for southern Sudan, rather than Kenya. Andrew Mwangura, the spokesman for the Kenyan chapter of the Seafarers Assistance Program, was charged on Thursday with making alarming statements. Mr Mwangura was also accused of illegal possession of drugs. He denies both charges. Police want to hold Mr Mwangura for five days, saying he has vital information they want to question him about, the BBC's Joseph Odhiambo reports from Kenya. The claim that the tanks on board the Ukrainian ship were going to South Sudan has been strongly denied by Kenyan and Ukrainian authorities, but Western sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the BBC that the tanks on board the ship were bound for the autonomous government of South Sudan, in possible contravention of a peace accord. CLICK HERE:EU force to fight Somali pirates

Frankfurt, Germany - EU RATES ON HOLD AT 4.25 % - The European Central Bank has kept its key interest rate on hold at 4.25%, resisting pressure for a rate cut. Eurozone inflation fell to 3.6% in September, but it is still well above the 2% target. ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet said that a quarter-point interest rate cut had been considered, but there had been a unanimous vote against it. He added that the risk to economic growth had increased and that economic activity was weakening. Mr Trichet said that the effects of the banking crisis had yet to feed through into economic data. CLICK HERE:EU rates on hold at 4.25%

St Petersburg, Germany - MEDVEDEV - US DOMINANCE IS OVER - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said that the era of US global economic dominance is over. Speaking after talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in St Petersburg, Mr Medvedev said the world needed a "more just" financial system. Mrs Merkel's visit is seen as an effort to ease tensions between Moscow and the West over the war in Georgia. Russia is backing two breakaway regions there, but Georgia's territorial integrity "is non-negotiable," Mrs Merkel insisted. Mrs Merkel, like other Western leaders, has criticized Moscow's actions in Georgia in August. In the brief war Russian troops pushed well beyond the borders of breakaway South Ossetia and Abkhazia. On Thursday Mrs Merkel called Russia's intervention in Georgia "disproportionate". The talks come a day after European Union observers began patrolling in Georgia to oversee a withdrawal of Russian forces from "buffer zones" around the breakaway regions. CLICK HERE:Medvedev - US dominance is over


---

1.10.2008 Kiev, Ukraine - KING OF SWEDEN VISITS UNEASY UKRAINE - Published 1.10 2008 - (Transl.: webmaster@euronewsclip)First on the days agenda were talks with president Viktor Yuschenko as king CarlXVI Gustav commenced his four-day long state visit in the Ukraine. The visit is taking place while simultaneously Yuschenko is embroiled in a severe political crisis...But the question is very sensitive and especially interesting for foreign minister Carl Bildt, who is accompanying on the trip. Bildt has great interest in this part of Europe and has met Viktor Yuschenko in New York last week. "From the Swedish side we have continually expressed our support for Ukraine's right to choose its own way. Ukraine is presently engaged in preliminary negotiations on an association with the EU and protracted cooperation. The Swedish state visit marks the importance we place in relations with Ukraine and the point in time is exceptionally suitable," Carl Bildt writes in his blog.CLICK HERE:Swedish king visits uneasy Ukraine

Tbilisi, Georgia - EU MONITORS BEGIN GEORGIA PATROLS - The first European Union observers have entered the buffer zone around South Ossetia, as they begin monitoring a ceasefire between Georgia and Russia. However, some monitoring teams were turned back by Russian troops for what were called "security reasons". More than 200 observers are to oversee a Russian troop pullout from the buffer zones near South Ossetia and Georgia's other breakaway region of Abkhazia. Russia has kept troops there since ousting Georgian forces in August. Moscow says it will complete its troop pullout from the buffer zones by October 10. CLICK HERE:EU monitors begin Georgia patrols

Dublin, Ireland - EU IN IRELAND TALKS OVER BANK MOVE - The European Commission has said it is 'in close contact' with the Irish government over its decision to guarantee all bank deposits. Concerns have been raised that Dublin's move may give Irish banks an unfair advantage over foreign competitors. The commission has also called for stronger central supervision of government-led guarantee schemes. Separately, the EU has cleared the UK government's nationalisation of British bank Bradford & Bingley. The Irish government said on Tuesday that it would safeguard all deposits, bonds and debts in the Republic of Ireland's six biggest banks and building societies for two years. The institutions covered are Allied Irish, Bank of Ireland, Anglo Irish Bank, Irish Life and Permanent, Irish Nationwide Building Society and the Educational Building Society. CLICK HERE:EU in talks over Ireland bank move

Moscow, Russia -GORBACHEV FORMS NEW PARTY - Ex-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev is forming a new political party, according to a Russian tycoon who says he will team up with the Nobel winner. Billionaire Alexander Lebedev said the Independent Democratic Party will be a new opposition movement for economic and legal reform and independent media. Organizers hope the new party will take part in the 2011 elections. Mr Gorbachev, who stepped down in 1991, last ran in the 1996 presidential election but won barely 1% of votes. Mr Gorbachev could not be reached for comment but Mr Lebedev issued a statement on his website saying the new party was the 77-year-old former Soviet leader's idea. "The initiative belongs to President Gorbachev. He gave our people freedom, but we have not learned how to use it," said Mr Lebedev. CLICK HERE:Gorbachev forms new party

Madrid, Spain - SPAIN HOLDS 121 ON CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES - Spanish police have arrested 121 people in what they described as the country's largest ever operation against internet child pornography. Millions of images that show child sex abuse were seized in a series of nationwide raids, which uncovered a network spanning 75 countries. Police say two of those held were using their own children to make pornography. A further 96 people have been charged with possession and distribution of child pornography. The arrests, made over the past seven days, were part of a long-term operation which began in July last year with the help of Brazilian police. Those detained include bank clerks, porters and airline pilots, and some are foreigners resident in Spain. About 800 officers were involved in conducting 210 searches in 42 different provinces that "seized millions of archives of videos and photographs some of which show extremely harsh abuse of minors", police said. CLICK HERE:Spain holds 121 on child pornography charges


---

30.09.2008 Munich, Germany - BAVARIAN CONSERVATIVE LEADER QUITS - The head of Bavaria's governing Christian Social Union, Erwin Huber, is resigning after the party's worst election performance in decades. The CSU got just 43.4% in the state election, its worst result since 1954. The party had enjoyed an absolute majority in Bavaria for 46 years. The result is a blow to Chancellor Angela Merkel whose Christian Democrats are allied with the CSU nationally. Mr Huber said his departure would give the CSU the chance for a fresh start. He said he would step down on 25 October at a CSU congress. He has led the party for only a year. He is likely to be replaced by the party vice-chairman and federal agriculture minister Horst Seehofer, party members said. Correspondents say the CSU's performance in the Bavaria poll is a worrying development for conservative forces in Germany in the run-up to a national election in a year's time. Social Democratic Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is expected to challenge Mrs Merkel for the post of chancellor in national elections in September 2009. CLICK HERE:Bavrian conservative leader quits

Brussels, Belgium - SECOND BELGIAN BANK RECEIVES BAIL-OUT - Dexia has become the latest European bank to be bailed out as the deepening credit crisis shakes the banks sector. After all-night talks the Belgian, French and Luxembourg governments said they would put in 6.4bn euros ($9bn; £5bn) to keep it afloat. Shares in the Belgian-French bank fell 30% on Monday before being suspended on Tuesday as the bail-out was announced. It is the second bank rescue in days by Belgium and its neighbours. On Sunday Fortis bank was partly nationalised. This latest move by European governments to shore up another bank under pressure came as global stock markets plunged after the US House of Representatives rejected the White House's planned $700bn bail-out package. CLICK HERE:Second Belgian bank receives bail-out

London, England - LEHMAN EUROPE CIUTS 750 JOBS - The administrators of Lehman Brothers' European division have cut 750 jobs at the firm with immediate effect. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, said the move came "despite exhausting all avenues" to save the posts. The vast majority of the cuts will be made in London, where the firm employed about 5,000 people. Lehman Brothers, the fourth-largest investment bank in the US, filed for bankruptcy as it was hit by the credit crunch and could not be rescued. The jobs will go from the firm's European fixed income and personal investment management units, after a buyer could not be found. CLICK HERE:Lehman Europe cuts 750 jobs

Dublin, Ireland - COWEN DEFNDS IRISH BANKS MOVE - Ireland's prime minister has defended a radical 400bn euro (£318m) state move to shore up its financial system. Brian Cowen said the government had to make the move, which safeguards all deposits, bonds and debts in six banks and building societies for two years. "The option of doing nothing, of not making a move would put at risk the entire stability of the Irish financial system," he told the Irish parliament. Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said the banks had been handed a blank cheque. Mr Cowen insisted: "I have not handed over any money to any bank. CLICK HERE:Cowen defends Irish banks move

London, England - UK CONFIRMS ECONOMY AT A STANDSTILL - The UK economy saw no growth in the second quarter of 2008, while the gap in the current account widened to its highest level in almost a year. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed economic output remained the same as in the first quarter, confirming previous estimates. Growth was 0% in the second quarter - which was even lower than the 0.3% figure for the first quarter of 2008. Some analysts think the Bank of England may cut interest rates as a result. Output was revised up to 1.5% from a previous estimate of 1.4% year-on-year. The new data takes into account improved methodology and was revised back to 1961. This adds £19.5bn to the 2007 gross domestic product (GDP) figures. CLICK HERE:UK confirms economy at a standstill

Helsinki, Finland - FINLAND TIGHTENS GUN LAW - Finland has introduced stricter rules on gun permits, following a school shooting in which 11 people died. Handgun permits would no longer be granted to first-time applicants, the interior ministry said. Instead, they must train for at least a year at a gun club before being allowed to apply for a permit. All applicants must also provide a note from a doctor about their mental health and sit an interview with police. The new rules cover pistols and revolvers. The new guidelines were issued to police on Monday. CLICK HERE:Finland tightens gun law

Gran Canaria, Spain - SPAIN FINDS LARGEST MIGRANT BOAT - Spanish coastguards have rescued 230 Africans - in what is thought to be the largest single boatload of illegal immigrants to reach Spain. Coastguards brought the migrants ashore after the open-top fishing vessel was spotted by a rescue plane 80km (50 miles) off the Canary Islands. Spanish officials believe the migrants spent four days at sea, after setting out from Mauritania in West Africa. Thousands of Africans try the perilous sea crossing to the Canaries each year. CLICK HERE:Sain finds largest migrant boat


---

29.09.2008 Wall Street, NY, NY - The Dow Jones index registers a fall of over 700 points, the greatest fall in one day ever.

Vienna, Austria - AUSTRIA'S RIGHT WINS 29%- The leaders of Austria's two far-right parties have hailed the results of snap general elections, which saw their support doubling since the 2006 polls. The Freedom Party and the Alliance for the Future of Austria took nearly 29% of the vote, preliminary results show. The Social Democrats won the polls with 30%. But they, and the conservative People's Party, with 26%, suffered their worst results since 1945. The shape of a possible coalition will now be hard to predict, experts say. A total of 183 parliamentary seats were up for grabs in Sunday's election. The early polls were called after the grand coalition between the Social Democrats and the People's Party collapsed this summer amid internal fights and personal feuds. CLICK HERE:Austria's right wins 29%

Minsk., Belarus - OSECE: BELARUS ELECTION FLAWED - Parliamentary polls in Belarus, in which the opposition failed to win a seat, "fell short" of international standards, European monitors say. However, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe said there were "minor improvements" during Sunday's elections. All 110 seats went to pro-government candidates, electoral officials said. The opposition says the vote was not legitimate, but President Alexander Lukashenko says it was free and fair. OSCE monitors said in a statement that the vote was "generally well conducted, but the process deteriorated considerably during the vote count". They said they were denied full access to more than one-third of polling stations for the count and found "several cases of deliberate falsification of results" at other locations. The OSCE deployed some 450 monitors in the former Soviet republic. CLICK HERE:OSCE:Belarus election flawed


---

28.09.2008 Vienna, Austria - FAR RIGHT GAINS IN AUSTRIAN ELECTION - Austria's Social Democrats won the most votes in the country's early election but far right parties made significant gains, the interior ministry has said. Preliminary official results from Sunday's poll show Social Democrats with 29.7% of the vote, but the country's two far right parties made large gains, winning a total vote share of 29% between them. The conservative People's Party, which was in a faltering coalition with the Social Democrats, won 25.6%. The interior minister, Maria Fekter, said the far right Freedom Party had won 18.01% percent of the vote and the Alliance for the Future of Austria had 10.98%. The elections were called after Austria's 18-month-old coalition collapsed. The BBC's Bethany Bell, in Vienna, described the far right gains as a "slap in the face" to the centrist parties. Full official results will not be known until absentee and postal ballots, making up about 10% of the votes, are counted. CLICK HERE:Far right gains in Austrian election

Munich, Germany - BAVARIAN STATE ELECTION WORST RESULT FOR 46 YEARS FOR RULING CSU - Exit poll estimation: CSU: 43.0; SPD: 18.7; Greens: 9.2; Free Voters: 10.3; FDP: 8.1; Left: 4.7; Others: 6.0 CLICK HERE:Bavrian state election worst result for ruling CSU for 46 years
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT(COMMENT: In einer Demokratie fressen die Wähler den Frass, den denen vorgeschmissen wird!) (In a democracy the voters feed on the grub that is thrown in front of them!)

Minsk, Belarus - VOTING ENDS IN BELARUS ELECTION - People in Belarus have voted in a parliamentary election which President Alexander Lukashenko says he expects to lead to better relations with the West. Past polls have been seriously flawed, and Mr Lukashenko has been condemned by the US as the last dictator in Europe. In a bid to appease his critics, the president ordered some opponents to be freed from prison and allowed around 70 opposition candidates to stand, but opposition groups said they were not allowed to monitor voting properly. The leader of the Communist Party, Sergei Kalyakin, said advance voting which began on Tuesday had also given the government an opportunity to cheat. The chairwoman of the Central Election Commission, Lidziya Yarmoshyna, denied the accusations and said turnout had reached 59.7% by Sunday afternoon. The first unofficial results are expected early on Monday. CLICK HERE:Voting ends in Belarus election


---

27.09.2008 Vienna, Austria - AUSTRIA TO VOTE IN EARLY ELECTIONS - Voters in Austria are set to go to the polls in an early general election that opinion polls suggest could result in a surge from the far right. The elections were called after a coalition between the Social Democrats and the conservative People's Party fell apart after just 18 months. Polls hint that has opened the door for the Freedom Party and the Alliance for the Future of Austria to gain strength. Voters appear disenchanted with the center left and center right. The People's Party and the Social Democrats are battling for first place in Sunday's election, but opinion polls suggest the mood in the country could give a boost to Heinz-Christian Strache's Freedom Party and Joerg Haider's Alliance for the Future of Austria. CLICK HERE:Austria to vote in early elections

Rostov-on-Don, Russia - CARGO SHIP SINKS IN BLACK SEA - A cargo ship, believed to be Ukrainian or Russian, sank in stormy waters off the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria with 10 crew members aboard, authorities say. The 5,000 metric tons Tolstoy, carrying scrap metal, did not send out a distress call, said Nikolai Apostolov, head of the Bulgarian maritime office. Bulgarian authorities were alerted by a Russian satellite center, he said. News agencies report that the ship's crew, believed to be Ukrainian with a Russian captain, are all missing. Rescue helicopters and ships were searching the waters 20 kilometres (12 miles) off Cape Emine on Bulgaria's northern Black Sea coast, but their efforts were hampered by rough weather. The ship sank at about 0400 (0100 GMT). The Tolstoy, which sailed under a North Korean flag, departed from the southern Russian port city of Rostov-on-Don on September 21 and was destined for Turkey. CLICK HERE:Cargo ship sinks in Black Sea


---

26.09.2008 London, England - MORE CASH INJECTED INTO BANKS - Central banks are taking co-ordinated action to lend extra cash to banks. The Bank of England, US Federal Reserve, European Central Bank and Swiss National Bank will be involved. The Bank of England will be lending an extra $30bn (£16bn) for a one week period, $10bn overnight and $40bn in three-month loans. The Bank of England had been holding auctions of three-month loans once a month but will be holding them once a week for at least the next three weeks. The central banks said that the extra cash was intended to help banks as they approach the end of the financial third quarter next week. Banks have been turning to their central banks for funding because they have been struggling to borrow from each other as they would usually do. One of the reasons they have been reluctant to lend to each other has been the fear of further bank failures and the news that Washington Mutual has become the biggest US bank to fail will do nothing to help that situation. CLICK HERE:More cash injected into banks

Cologne, Germany - TERROR SUSPECTS HELD ON KLM FLIGHT - Police in Germany have arrested two terrorism suspects on a plane preparing to take off from Cologne-Bonn airport. The two men, both in their early 20s and of Somali origin, were under surveillance for months, police say. They were said to be "possibly planning attacks" and had left suicide notes at their flats expressing their wish to die in a "holy war". The KLM airliner, which was bound for Amsterdam, was eventually allowed to take off after a luggage search. Police boarded flight KL1804 at 0655 (0455 GMT), police spokesman Frank Scheulen said. "The police did not storm the plane - it was done by ordinary police, special forces were not used," he added, contradicting earlier reports by KLM staff that commandos had made the arrests. He said the suspects, a 23-year-old Somali and a 24-year-old Somali-born German citizen, were "under suspicion of participating in a jihad [holy war] action and of possibly planning attacks". The remaining passengers were ordered off the aircraft for a baggage inspection. CLICK HERE:Terror suspects held on KLM flight

Moscow, Russia - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has announced plans to build a "guaranteed nuclear deterrent system", to be in place by 2020. He said he wanted military chiefs to submit plans by December. He called for a program to build new nuclear submarines as well as "a system of aerospace defense". The announcement comes just weeks after Russia accused the US of starting a new arms race by siting part of its missile defence shield in Poland. "We must guarantee nuclear deterrence under various political and military conditions by 2020," Mr Medvedev told military commanders. He said it was necessary to build "new types of armaments" and to "achieve dominance in airspace", according to quotes carried by the Itar-Tass news agency...."We plan to start serial production of warships, primarily nuclear-powered submarines carrying cruise missiles and multifunctional submarines," Mr Medvedev said. "We will develop an aerospace defence system, as well," he added. Russia's move would not change the balance of power, said US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. She told Reuters: "The balance of power in terms of nuclear deterrence is not going to be affected by those measures." She said the US nuclear deterrent was "capable" and "robust". Moscow has repeatedly criticized the US for going ahead with plans for a missile defense shield, using rockets based in Poland and radar in the Czech Republic, saying it destabilizes the strategic balance and builds "a ring of steel" around Russia. Russia warned it would be "forced to react". CLICK HERE:Russia to upgrade nuclear systems

Brussels, Belgium - MEP'S STAND BY AUTOMOBILE EMISSION LIMITS - European car makers face tough new targets for cutting carbon emissions after MEPs rejected industry pleas for more time to produce greener cars. The parliament voted for compulsory cuts of around 17% within 4 years. They also set a tough target of cutting CO2 pollution by 60% compared with current levels within 12 years. The package, which is still to be formally approved, is part of wider EU efforts to reduce emissions by 20% from 1990 levels by 2020. The vote went against recommendations from the parliament's industry committee early this month. Environmental group Greenpeace said the law change could become "the first effective EU law to limit our impact on the climate", but manufacturers have insisted the goals are unrealistic. European carmakers association, the ACEA, said the vote threatened the future of car production in Europe. CLICK HERE:MEP's stand by automobile emission limits

Madrid, Spain - SPANISH HOUSE SALES DROP SHARPLY - Spanish house sales slumped by 26.3% in the year to July, according to official figures. Mortgage lending plunged by 33.2% to 10.2bn euros ($14.9bn; £8.1bn), said Spain's National Statistics Institute. The credit crunch has led to a property slump in Spain and many economists say it is on the verge of recession. The property market has been the main driver of economic growth over the past decade, but analysts say Spanish house prices are still up to 30% overvalued. The July figures were slightly better than those for June, when the year-on-year declines for both house sales and mortgage lending were even steeper. Spanish house prices declined 0.3% between April and June, according to official figures from the country's housing ministry. However, estate agents estimate prices have slipped by about 5% this year. CLICK HERE:Spanish house sales drop sharply

Calais, France / Dover, England - ONE-MAN JETWING FLIES ACROSS CHANNEL-Swiss man has become the first person to fly solo across the English Channel using a single jet-propelled wing. Yves Rossy landed safely after the 35.4 km (22-mile) flight from Calais to Dover, which had been twice postponed this week because of bad weather. The former military pilot took less than 10 minutes to complete the crossing and parachute to the ground. The 49-year-old flew on a plane to more than 8,200ft (2,500m), ignited jets on a wing on his back, and jumped out. Mr Rossy had hoped to reach speeds of 200 km/h (125mph). It felt "great, really great", said Mr Rossy: "I only have one word, thank you, to all the people who did it with me." He said weather conditions on Friday had been perfect and his success signalled "big potential" for people to fly "a little bit like a bird" in the future. Known as "Fusionman," he was aiming to follow the route taken by French airman Louis Blériot 99 years ago when he became the first person to fly across the English Channel in a plane. In Dover, Mr Rossy flew past South Foreland lighthouse, which the building's manager Simon Ovenden said Blériot used as a target during his pioneering flight, and looped onlookers before landing in a field. CLICK HERE:One-man jetwing flies across the channel


---

25.09.2009 Brussels, Belgium - EU AGREES ON IMMIGRATION PACT - EU ministers have agreed on a sweeping new EU immigration pact, aimed at curbing illegal migration while easing conditions for highly-skilled workers. The pact, set to be approved by EU leaders next month, will make it harder for member states to grant mass amnesties for illegal migrants. It will also introduce an EU "blue card" scheme to attract workers in demand, such as engineers and nurses. The plan is a priority for France, the current holder of the EU presidency. Only this week, six people are believed to have died in the Mediterranean trying to reach Europe's shores, and boats carrying almost 400 others were intercepted heading for Italy. This year, EU patrol boats have stopped more than 20,000 people trying to cross the Mediterranean from Africa, with record numbers reaching Malta and Sicily. The new European pact on immigration and asylum warns that the EU does not have the resources to decently receive all the migrants hoping to find a better life in Europe. The French Immigration Minister Brice Hortefeux, who chaired the meeting, said the pact would ensure Europe "is neither a bunker nor a sieve". CLICK HERE:EU agrees on immigration pact

London, England - NON-EU FOREIGN NATIONAL ID CARD - Anti-forgery measures include colour changes when tilted, embedded ultra-violet design and other features visible only from certain angles The first identity cards from the government's controversial national scheme have been unveiled. The biometric card will be issued from November, initially to non-EU students and marriage visa holders. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said the cards would allow people to "easily and securely prove their identity". Critics say the roll-out to some immigrants is a "softening up" exercise for the introduction of identity cards for everyone. The card will also include information on holders' immigration status. "We want to be able to prevent those here illegally from benefiting from the privileges of Britain," she said. Employers and colleges want to be confident people are who they say they are, she said, and immigration and police officers want to verify identity and detect abuse. "We all want to see our borders more secure, and human trafficking, organised immigration crime, illegal working and benefit fraud tackled. ID cards for foreign nationals, in locking people to one identity, will deliver in all these areas," she added. The UK Border Agency will begin issuing the biometric cards to the two categories of foreign nationals who officials say are most at risk of abusing immigration rules - students and those on a marriage or civil partnership visa. Both types of migrants will be told they must have the new card when they ask to extend their stay in the country. The cards partly replace a paper-based system of immigration stamps - but will now include the individual's name and picture, their nationality, immigration status and two fingerprints. Immigration officials will store the details centrally and, in time, they are expected to be merged into the proposed national identity register. The card cannot be issued to people from most parts of Europe because they have the right to move freely in and out of the UK. The Conservatives oppose the UK's identity card scheme but say they support the use of biometric information in immigration documents.CLICK HERE:Non-EU foreign national ID card

Brussels, Belgium - EU LIMITS IMPORT OF CHINESE FOOD - The European Commission is imposing a ban on EU imports of Chinese baby food that contains any traces of milk, while other Chinese food will undergo tests. The measures come amid a health scare over milk products contaminated in China with the chemical melamine. It has caused several deaths there. The commission says all imported products from China containing more than 15% milk powder will be tested. Random testing will be done on all such products already on sale in the EU. The EU does not import milk or other dairy produce from China, but processed foods such as biscuits and chocolates might have traces of milk powder, commission health spokeswoman Nina Papadoulaki told the BBC. Experts from the 27 EU member states are discussing the potential risk to consumers on Thursday. Ms Papadoulaki said no food contaminated with melamine had been found in the EU so far. In China the tainted milk has made 53,000 children ill and killed four. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said on Thursday that there could be a risk for children who consumed above-average amounts of biscuits and chocolate contaminated with melamine. Applying a Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) of 0.5 mg/kg body weight for melamine, the EFSA said that in "worst case scenarios" children could potentially exceed the TDI by more than three times. CLICK HERE:EU limits imported Chinese food

Jokela, Finland - FINNISH MASSACRES MAY BE LINKED - Finnish investigators say they are a studying a possible link between this week's massacre at a college and another l ess than 12 months before. On Tuesday, Matti Juhani Saari, aged 22, shot 10 people in Kauhajoki, before turning his gun on himself. Last year, Pekka-Eric Auvinen, 18, shot eight people and himself in Jokela. Investigators say the two killers had bought their guns in Jokela, possibly even at the same shop. They also could have been in contact with each other. "Their actions seem so similar that I would consider it a miracle if we did not find some connecting link," chief investigator Jari Neulaniemi was quoted as saying by Finland's STT news agency on Wednesday. Mr Neulaniemi also said the two shooters' gun licences indicated that the weapons had been bought at the same store in Jokela. Investigators declined to provide any further details. The new information adds to the growing list of similarities between the two shootings: both men posted threatening clips on YouTube before the attacks; both were fascinated by the 1999 Columbine school shooting in the US; both shot themselves in the head. However, investigators have so far not established a direct link between the two gunmen. CLICK HERE:Finnish massacres may be linked


---

24.09.2008 London, England - EDF TO OWN 27% OF UK ENERGY PRODUCTION - French energy firm EDF has unveiled plans to build four new nuclear reactors in the UK after it agreed to buy British Energy in a £12.5bn deal. Subject to shareholder and regulatory approval, EDF, 85% owned by the French government, will take over British Energy's eight UK nuclear power plants. In addition, British Gas owner Centrica said it was in talks to take 25% of the power generated by the enlarged group. British Energy power plants generate about one sixth of UK energy supply, but its reactors are old and many are due to be shut within 15 years. The management of both firms said the tie-up was a "good fit" with little overlap. See how much of UK electricity is generated by foreign-owned firms Pierre Gadonneix, EDF chairman and chief executive, said the purchase of British Energy and investment in Britain's nuclear future would help EDF to stick to its commitment of reducing carbon emissions by 2020. He said: "This investment will help to secure less volatile energy prices for our customers for the long term." CLICK HERE:EDF to own 27% of UK energy production

Kauhajoki, Finland - FINNISH GUN LAWS TO BE TIGHTENED - Finland's prime minister has called for gun laws to be tightened after a school shooting that left 11 people dead. Matti Vanhanen said Finland should consider banning private handguns. On Tuesday Matti Juhani Saari shot nine students and a teacher at a college in the western town of Kauhajoki, before turning his gun on himself. He had been questioned by police a day earlier after posting on the internet a video clip of himself at a shooting range, but was not detained. An investigation will now be launched into police actions prior to the shootings, prosecutors say. Flags are flying at half-mast across Finland in a day of national mourning for the victims of the shooting. In Kauhajoki, grieving residents placed candles and flowers outside the college as police started lifting some of the cordons. Mr Vanhanen visited the town to offer support to a small quiet community, shell-shocked by what had happened. CLICK HERE:Finnish gun laws to be tightened

Manchester, England - UK SUSPECT KEY-AL QAEDA MEMBER - A British Muslim man was an important member of al-Qaeda with a terrorist contacts book that had sections written in invisible ink, a court has heard. Raingzieb Ahmed, 33, of Manchester, denies directing terrorism and being a member of al-Qaeda. The prosecution at Manchester Crown Court alleged he was assisted by Habib Ahmed, 28, a city taxi driver. It is alleged Habib Ahmed, who denies all charges, travelled to Pakistan to receive terrorist training. The trip is also said to have included explosives training, and the prosecution claims that Habib Ahmed's wife, Mehreen Haji, 27, sent £4,000 to fund his training. She is accused of two counts of arranging funding for the purposes of terrorism. All three deny the charges against them. The trial is expected to last for three months. CLICK HERE:UK suspect key-al Qaeda member


---

23.09.2008 Trelins, France - MORE ETA SUSPECTS HELD IN FRANCE - Police in France have arrested two suspected members of the Basque separatist group Eta. Eight have now been held in the past two days. The arrests followed three weekend car bombs blamed on the group, one of which killed a Spanish army officer, Conde de la Cruz. His funeral was held on Tuesday, attended by the Spanish prime minister. Spain's interior minister said the weekend attacks were apparently planned and prepared in France. It is not clear if Tuesday's arrests, in the village of Trelins, in the Loire region, were directly linked to the bomb attacks. The detainees, a man and a woman, both in their 30s, had apparently been trying to steal a car, police said. They were armed with handguns and had false identity papers, police added. On Monday, police in south-west France detained six suspected Basque militants following an investigation into the financing of terror attacks. Eta has traditionally used France as a base for its activities, and the Spanish Interior Minister, Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, said on Monday that appeared to be the case with the weekend's car bombings. "We are working on the hypothesis that the three cars that exploded were stolen, loaded [with explosives] and prepared in France," he said. Police last year discovered a bomb-making factory in the southern French town of Cahors, and in December a Spanish civil guard was shot dead by suspected Eta members while conducting a reconnaissance mission in France. CLICK HERE:More Eta suspects held in France

Kauhajoki, Finland - FINNISH COLLEGE GUNMAN KILLS 10 - A gunman has killed 10 people at a college in the town of Kauhajoki in Finland before shooting himself and later dying in hospital. Media reports named the gunman as Matti Juhani Saari, 22, a trainee chef at the vocational college. The suspect posted a video of himself on the internet last week firing a gun. As a result of this, police interviewed him on Monday but decided they did not have enough evidence to revoke his licence, the interior minister said. The minister, Anne Holmlund, said an investigation would now try to determine whether mistakes were made. Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen said this was a "tragic day" for Finland. CLICK HERE:Finnish college gunman kills ten

Brussels, Belgium - 20 YEARS JAIL FOR POLISH MP3 KILLER - A Polish man has been sentenced to 20 years in jail over the death of a Belgian teenager whose stabbing in 2006 sparked protests by tens of thousands. Joe Van Holsbeeck, 17, was stabbed a number of times in the chest when he refused to hand over his MP3 player at Brussels central station in April 2006. A Brussels court found Adam Giza guilty of "violent theft leading to death". The victim's mother said the failure to convict Giza, who was 17 at the time, of murder was "treason". Giza was extradited from Poland on condition he serve any sentence in his homeland. CLICK HERE:20 years jail for Polish MP3 killer

Manchester, England - BROWN DELIVERS HIS PATY CONFERENCE SPEECH - Gordon Brown has staked his claim to be the only man to steer Britain through tough economic times saying: "This is no time for a novice." In a speech to Labour's conference, he said the Tories could not be trusted to run the economy and vowed Labour would not stop fighting for a "fair society".... The prime minister was under pressure to reassert his authority over the party and bury talk of a leadership challenge. He told Labour rebels it was their "duty" to focus on the challenges facing the country rather than internal party rows. The theme running through the speech was fairness and he pledged to create "a Britain of fair chances for all and fair rules applied to all". He repeated his plan to extend free nursery places for all two-year-olds over the next 10 years, and he pledged to enshrine in law Labour's promise to end child poverty. He highlighted a £300m plan to offer free computers and internet access for more than a million children from low income families to boost their chances in the jobs market. And he said that in addition to free prescriptions for people with cancer, charges would also be waived for anyone suffering from a long-term illness. Mr Brown also hailed Labour's latest crackdowns on benefit cheats and crime. CLICK HERE:Brown delivers his Party Conference speech
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT(COMMENT:Sitting in the front row at the Manchester Conference Center were the Brabant brothers, Ed and David.)


---

22.09.2008 Tbilisi, Georgia - EU PREPARES GEORGIA OBSERVER ROLE - The German head of the EU's observer mission in Georgia says his team is due to deploy by October 1 around Russian-held Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Hansjoerg Haber said most of his team would arrive in Georgia this week, Reuters news agency reported. At least 200 EU observers are expected to monitor a Russian troop withdrawal, though some reports say the EU contingent may total as many as 350. Russia plans to keep nearly 8,000 troops in Georgia's breakaway regions. Moscow recognized the two regions as independent following a brief but intense conflict with Georgia last month. The EU wants its unarmed civilian observers to have access to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but Russia is refusing to allow that. Initially their role is to monitor a Russian military withdrawal from buffer zones around the two disputed regions, in line with an EU-brokered ceasefire deal. Most of the 27 EU member states are contributing personnel to the mission. Last week talks broke down between Russia and the European security organisation, the OSCE, over the planned deployment of 80 more OSCE ceasefire monitors in Georgia. The OSCE currently has 28 observers in Georgia. CLICK HERE:EU prepares Georgia observer role

Santona, Basque Country, Spain - ETA BOMB KILLS SPANISH OFFICER - A third car bomb in 24 hours has hit northern Spain, killing an army officer and injuring several others. Basque separatist group Eta gave a telephone warning before the latest blast, near a military academy in the town of Santona, in Cantabria region. Earlier, three policemen were among 11 people injured in an explosion outside a police station in Ondarroa, and another bomb exploded in the outskirts of the Basque regional capital Vitoria, but no-one was hurt. Eta also gave a telephone warning before the Vitoria blast. Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero condemned the bombings, saying that "Spanish society will never submit to the dictates of the criminal gang". Correspondents say the attacks come at a time of increased turbulence in Basque politics. Spain's Supreme Court recently declared two Basque nationalist parties illegal because of their links to Eta. CLICK HERE:Eta bomb kills Spanish officer

Paris, France - FRANCE TO BEEF UP AFGHAN MISSION - France will reinforce its military presence in Afghanistan, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon has said. He told MPs, who later voted in support of the mission, that 100 extra troops plus helicopters and drones would back up its 2,600-strong force. He admitted that France had "learned the lessons" of a Taleban ambush last month in which 10 French soldiers died. A Canadian newspaper said a Nato report described the French as "woefully unprepared" for that attack. France's defense minister said the report was not an official Nato document, but one officer's version of events written "in the heat of the moment". The ambush near Kabul on 18 August was one of the deadliest attacks on foreign troops in Afghanistan, and has sparked a debate over President Nicolas Sarkozy's decision earlier this year to boost France's Afghan contingent. "We have learned the lessons of the murderous ambush," Mr Fillon told lawmakers on Monday. "The French did not have enough bullets, radios and other equipment" a report cited in Globe and Mail newspaper. "We have decided to strengthen our military means in the areas of air mobility, intelligence and support," the prime minister said. The French Senate has approved the reinforcements and Mr Fillon said they would be in place within weeks. CLICK HERE:France to beef up Afghan mission

Ljubliana, Slovenia - OPPOSITION LEADING IN SLOVENIA ELECTION - Slovenia's opposition is holding a razor-thin lead over the ruling party of PM Janez Jansa, near-complete results from parliamentary polls show. With 99% of the votes counted, the Social Democrats had 30.5% of the vote against 29.3% for the center-right Slovenian Democrats, officials said, but a strong performance by the Social Democrats' allies gives the center-left 43 seats in the 90-strong parliament. Final results are due next week after votes cast abroad are counted. Slovenia, the richest of the former Yugoslav states, is a member of the European Union and Nato. CLICK HERE:Opposition leading in Slovenia election


---

21.09.2008 Moscow, Russia - PUTIN DEFIANT ON CAUCASUS TROOPS - Russia will not consult Western nations or Georgia when deciding how many troops to post in the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said the decision was down to Russia and the "states" involved. Moscow recognised the two regions as independent following a brief conflict with Georgia last month. The comments seem to disregard pledges made by Russia in the ceasefire agreement that ended that conflict. As part of the deal Russia agreed that its troops should return to pre-conflict positions. Moscow has already announced plans to keep about 8,000 troops in the regions, far more than were there previously, and analysts say the comments from Mr Putin, who was speaking after meeting French Prime Minister Francois Fillon, appear once again to disregard the agreement. "As you know, we recognized South Ossetia's and Abkhazia's independence in the same way as many European countries recognized Kosovo's independence," he told Russian TV. "The question of our armed forces' presence on these territories will be agreed on bilateral basis, in line with international law and on the basis of agreements between Russia and the states in question."CLICK HERE:Putin defiant on Caucasus troops

Vitoria, Basque Country, Spain - TWO CAR BOMBS EXPLODE IN BASQUE COUNTRY - At least 11 people have been injured in an early morning car bombing outside a police station in Ondarroa, in the Basque region of northern Spain. Three policemen were among those hurt. Earlier, another car bomb exploded in the outskirts of the regional capital Vitoria but no-one was injured. Basque separatist group Eta phoned in a warning before the Vitoria blast. The attacks come at a time of increased turbulence in Basque politics, the BBC's Steve Kingstone, in Madrid, says. Spain's supreme court recently declared two Basque nationalist parties illegal because of alleged links to Eta. The first car bomb exploded next to the headquarters of the Caja Vital Kutxa bank near the Basque regional capital, Vitoria, a regional Interior Ministry official said. It caused damage but no-one was injured. In the early hours of Sunday morning another car bomb went off outside a police station in the port town of Ondarroa. Three police officers and four civilians were treated for minor injuries, including cuts and ear damage. Officials said two suspected bombers had parked the car close to the outside wall of the station, threw a Molotov cocktail to attract attention and then detonated about 100kg of explosives. The explosion caused serious damage to the building and nearby cars, scattering debris across a radius 400 metres. Eta's four-decade campaign to set up an independent state straddling northern Spain and south-western France has led to more than 800 deaths. CLICK HERE:Two car bombs explode in Basque Country

London, England - LEHMAN ADMINISTRATOR SEEKS $8 BILLION - The European administrators of failed US investment bank Lehman Brothers have filed a court order in New York demanding $8bn (£4.4bn) is returned from the US to London. A PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) spokesman said the money was needed to pay creditors, salaries, property bills and other day-to-day expenses. Lehman's European headquarters, where 4,500 staff worked, is based in London. PwC is currently trying to find buyers for various parts of Lehman Europe. Before it went into administration last Monday, Lehman Europe frequently transferred money from its London HQ to its parent company in New York, said the BBC's Joe Lynam. "The money was usually kept overnight, earning interest, before being sent back to London," but, as the bank neared its end last Sunday, that did not happen and Lehman Europe found itself down by $8bn, having formally requested the money earlier in the week, our reporter said. PwC also said it was hopeful of finding a single buyer of Lehman's (European) equities group and investment banking businesses, which employ 1000 specialist staff. CLICK HERE:Lehman administrator seeks $8 billion


---

20.09.2008 Cologne, Germany - STREET CLASHES ERUPT IN COLOGNE - Thousands of left-wing demonstrators gathered to protest against an extreme right-wing rally have clashed with police in the Germany city of Cologne. Police said about 3,000 protesters threw stones at officers, while some tried to steal their weapons. Violence erupted after the protesters tried to halt an "anti-Islamification" rally, which police eventually banned. The extreme-right Pro-Koeln group had sought to protest against plans to build one of Europe's biggest mosques. The police said the decision to ban the rally was a matter of public safety. Some 3,000 police had been drafted in and part of the old city was sealed off as authorities appealed for peaceful protests against a two-day congress called by the Pro-Koeln (Pro-Cologne) group. Pro-Koeln had hoped 1,500 people would attend the rally in the city centrer to oppose the mosque and what they say is an "immigrant invasion" of Europe. CLICK HERE:Street clashes erupt in Cologne


---

19.09.2008 London, England - SHARES SURGE ON US BAIL-OUT PLAN - The London stock market ended a week of turmoil with its biggest one-day gain after the US government unveiled a plan to bail out the financial system. The FTSE 100 closed 8.8% up at 5311.3. Wall Street rebounded and the French and German markets also rose. The surge came as the US government said it planned to spend billions of dollars to mop up bad debts fuelling the global financial crisis. Washington will set out further details of the rescue plan next week. US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said the bad debts were "clogging up" the financial system. "To restore confidence in our markets and our financial institutions, so they can fuel continued growth and prosperity, we must address the underlying problem," Mr Paulson said. Financial stocks have gained the most from the rise in confidence on the markets. In London, the Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS rose as much as 50%. Moves to restrict short-selling in the US and UK also helped to boost financial shares. CLICK HERE:Shares surge on US bail-out plan

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA WARNS OF NEW IRON CURTAIN - President Dmitri Medvedev has accused the West of trying to push Russia behind a new "Iron Curtain". "This is not our path. For us there is no sense going back to the past," the Russian leader said in Moscow. He also blamed Nato for provoking last month's fighting between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia. His comments come a day after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Russia was becoming increasingly aggressive abroad. In a strongly-worded speech, Ms Rice said Moscow was on a "one-way path to isolation and irrelevance". Diplomatic relations between the US and its European allies, on one side, and Russia on the other, have been strained by the Georgian conflict. "We are in effect being pushed down a path that is founded not on fully-fledged, civilized partnership with other countries, but on autonomous development, behind thick walls, behind an Iron Curtain," President Medvedev said. CLICK HERE:Russia warns pof new Iron Curtain

Naples, Italy - RIOTS AFTER AFRICANS SHOT IN ITALY - Immigrants in a southern Italian town have rioted after six Africans were killed in a suspected mafia attack outside a shop. People smashed windows and threw rocks in Castelvolturno, north-west of the city of Naples. The six men from Ghana, Liberia and Togo were shot dead late on Thursday. Police say the attack may be linked to a row between the Casalesi clan of the regional Camorra mafia and immigrants involved in drug-trafficking. Two other men were injured in the shooting. Television footage showed men wielding metal bars and forcing traffic to stop on Friday. In a separate incident in Castelvolturno, a man, believed to be an Italian national, was gunned down near a local games hall. Police are now investigating if the two shootings were linked. They say the murders may be connected to drugs-trafficking in the town, where African immigrants have recently begun dealing autonomously, the Italian news agency Ansa says. The Casalesi clan, one of the most feared groups in the Camorra, is believed to control drug-trafficking and prostitution in the region. CLICK HERE:Riot after Africans shot in Italy

Cologne, Germany - CONFRONTATION OVER GERMAN MOSQUE - Stone-throwing protesters have disrupted the opening of a right-wing conference against the building of a giant mosque in Cologne, Germany. The demonstrators blocked two leaders of the Pro-Cologne movement from entering the conference venue, pursuing them as they sought refuge on a boat. The "anti-Islamification" event has drawn speakers from across Europe. Its main event is a march on Saturday. But opponents are predicting a massive counter-demonstration. German nationalist leaders had hoped to give a press conference at a building in Cologne, but were barracked by a crowd of dozens, and turned away by a city official on orders from the mayor. They sought refuge on a boat on the Rhine river, which demonstrators then pelted with stones and paintballs. Police arrested several of them, the Associated Press reported. The Pro-Cologne group said it was trying to build a "European, patriotic, populist right-wing movement", and said it expected politicians from Belgium, Austrian and Italy to attend its conference. CLICK HERE:Confrontation over German mosque


---

18.09.2008 Rome, Italy - CONSORTIUM WITHDRAWS ALITALIA BIDA consortium of investors proposing to rescue airline Alitalia has withdrawn its takeover offer, raising fears the carrier may go into liquidation. The Italian group, called CAI, dropped its bid after unions failed to back the deal before a 1400GMT deadline. While four of Alitalia's unions had supported the deal, five had objected because of plans to cut 3,000 jobs. Italy's flag-carrier has already warned that it is running out of funds to buy all the aviation fuel it needs. Making its announcement, CAI said it expressed "profound disappointment". "Further concessions would inevitably have put the realization of the plan at risk," it said. Italian Labor Minister Maurizio Sacconi said before the deadline that the future of Alitalia was "hanging by a thread". CLICK HERE:Consortium withdraws Alitalia bid

Moscow, Russia - MOSCOW TRIES TO STEM MARKET PANIC - Moscow's stock markets are to remain closed until Friday, as the government tries to stem a plunge in share prices and restore confidence in the economy. Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said 60bn roubles (£1.3bn) would be pumped into Russia's three largest banks to help bolster the financial markets. President Dmitry Medvedev said supporting the financial system was the government's "most important priority" The crash has brought back memories of Russia's financial crisis of 1998. Then the rouble was devalued, the country defaulted on its debts, and many banks failed. While the country's economy as a whole is now in far better shape, there is still great uncertainty over what is around the corner, leading to a collapse in confidence, says the BBC's James Rodgers in Moscow. Financial regulators halted trading on Wednesday after stocks fell to the lowest level in nearly three years. "Obviously, the crisis on the world financial floors is more profound than the most pessimistic earlier forecasts" President Dmitry Medvedev said. Russia was not alone. Markets around the world have dived this week as several big banking names have gone under due to the effects of the credit crunch, but it has shocked a stock market which was hitting record highs as recently as May this year, helped by an economy riding high on record oil and gas prices. While the global turmoil and a slide in the price of Russia's abundant oil are some of the causes, analysts also point to investors fleeing Russia in the aftermath of its war with Georgia. About £20bn has been pulled out of Russia since early August, Reuters estimates. The executive board of Micex, one of Russia's two main exchanges, called the situation "extraordinary". In a bid to support the banking sector, the finance ministry has pledged billions of dollars of loans. Facing a liquidity squeeze, central bank officials on Thursday cut the reserves banks were allowed to hold, forcing them to release billions of rubles. CLICK HERE:Moscow tries to stem market panic

Moscow, Russia - RICE CRITCIZES ISOLATED RUSSIA CONCEPT -Russia is becoming increasingly authoritarian at home and aggressive abroad, says the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. In a strongly worded speech, Ms Rice said Moscow was on a "one-way path to isolation and irrelevance". Diplomatic relations between the US and Russia have been strained by the recent conflict in Georgia. Earlier, Russia's president said the two nations should not risk established ties over "trivial matters." Dmitri Medvedev said it would be "politically short-sighted" if Washington and Moscow were to endanger their political and economic ties. Russia is also telling the US that its cooperation is needed over issues like Iran and North Korea, says the BBC's Kim Ghattas in Washington, and many in Washington feel the Russians have a point. However, Ms Rice suggested that following the conflict in Georgia, Russia's bid to join the World Trade Organisation had been put in doubt, and the US has already shelved a civilian nuclear deal with Russia.Speaking at an event organized by the German Marshall Fund in Washington, Ms Rice acknowledged that Georgia had fired the first shots in the breakaway region of South Ossetia. CLICK HERE:Rice criticizes isolated Russia concept

London, England - GEORGIA AND UKRAINE SHOULD NOT JOIN NATO? - In a potentially significant swing of expert Western opinion, a leading British think tank has urged that Nato membership should not be granted to Georgia or Ukraine. "The policy of Nato enlargement now would be a strategic error," said Dr John Chipman, Director General of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). "There is no case for accelerating membership for Georgia and Ukraine. There is a strong case for a pause," he said in remarks introducing the IISS's annual review of world affairs, the Strategic Survey. Current Nato policy, decided at a summit meeting in Bucharest in April, is that both countries should become members eventually but no timetable has been set. The IISS intervention shows that following the war in Georgia, a debate is growing about whether a confrontational approach to Russia is the best one. The IISS is highly critical of Georgian actions, in contrast to the support Georgia has received from the US and some European countries, notably Britain. Naturally, if Georgia is faulted, then less blame can be put on Russia, whatever its reaction or, as some hold, its over-reaction. Dr Chipman said that the "balance of evidence suggests that Georgia started this war". Georgia has claimed that Russian forces had already started to enter South Ossetia by the time it acted. Russia has said that it responded to a Georgian attack. CLICK HERE:Georgia and Ukraine should not join NATO

Berlin, Germany - GERMANY LISTS HOLOCAUST VICTIMS - The federal archive in Berlin has for the first time compiled a list of some 600,000 Jews who lived in Germany up to 1945 and were persecuted by the Nazis. The names and addresses, which took four years to compile, will be made available to Holocaust groups to help people uncover the fate of relatives. By the time of the Nazis' defeat, only some 20,000 Jews remained in Germany, most in displaced persons camps. Six million Jews across Europe were murdered under Adolf Hitler's regime. Archive officials from the Remembrance, Responsibility and Future Foundation said the list was not yet definitive and would require further work. It will not be released to the public because of Germany's privacy laws, but will be passed on to museums and institutions, including Israel's national Holocaust memorial, Yad Vashem. CLICK HERE:Germany lists Holocaust victims

Copenhagen, Denmark - JAIL FOR DANISH TERROR T-SHIRT MANUFACTURER - Six people have been convicted in Denmark of raising funds for extremist groups by selling T-shirts with their logos on. A seventh was acquitted. Two of the defendants wnd bars, wrs and Lovers firm made and sold garments bearing the logos of the Palestinian PFLP and Colombia's Farc. Part of the proceeds were to be sent to the groups, which the EU says are terrorist organizations. Danish law says anyone involved in the direct or indirect financing of terrorist organizations is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. In December a lower court acquitted all seven defendants, after finding that the two organizations were "not really terrorist" groups, but an appeal court on Thursday overruled that decision, declaring Farc and the PFLP "terrorist organiszations that have committed acts aimed at destabilising a state or a government and have attacked civilian targets". CLICK HERE:Jail for Danish terror T-shirt manufacturer


---

17.09.2008 Tbilisi, Georgia - RUSSIA IN GEORGIA SEPARATIST PACT /Russia has signed friendship treaties with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, sealing diplomatic ties with the breakaway Georgian regions. The accords include a pledge of military assistance from Russia. They were signed in the Kremlin by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and the separatist leaders, in a televised ceremony on Wednesday. Russian troops ousted Georgian forces from both regions during intense fighting which erupted on August 7. The treaties grant Russia the right to build and improve military bases in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the Itar-Tass news agency reports, but "the contracting parties shall conclude separate agreements on military co-operation", the treaties said. Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili told the BBC he was "deeply troubled" by the treaties, calling Russia's move "classic invasion and annexation". Russia plans to keep 3,800 troops in Abkhazia and the same number in South Ossetia. Russia recognised the independence of the two breakaway regions on 26 August. So far, Nicaragua is the only other country to have done so. In response to the treaty signings, the US reiterated calls for Russia to respect Georgia's territorial integrity and withdraw its forces to positions occupied before the conflict, in line with an EU-brokered ceasefire deal. "Our position in support of Georgia's territorial integrity is unchanged," said White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe. He said the US expected Russia "to live up to the commitments" in the truce agreement. Mr Medvedev said the new treaties would mean that Russia and the breakaway regions will take "joint necessary measures to eliminate the threat to peace, address problems in this sphere and resist acts of aggression". "We will show each other all necessary support, including military support," he said, flanked by South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity and Abkhaz leader Sergei Bagapsh. Earlier on Wednesday, Russia condemned a two-day visit to Georgia this week by Nato representatives from all 26 member nations. During the visit, Nato Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said the door was still open for Georgia to join Nato. CLICK HERE:Russia in Georgia separatist pact

London, England - INVESTORS NERVOUS AS US STOCKS FALL - US stock markets sank on fears the bailout of insurance giant AIG would not be enough to dispel the gloom engulfing the financial world. Finance firms slumped with Goldman Sachs 24% lower while Morgan Stanley saw shares 32% down in afternoon trade. Investors were unnerved by recent dramatic events, including Lehman Brothers' demise, leading European indexes to end down. The Dow Jones industrial average shed more than 300 points, or 3%. The FTSE 100 closed 2.2% lower while France's Cac 40 shed 2.1% and Germany's Dax shed 1.7%. It has been a tumultuous week on financial markets, with significant changes in the financial landscape. Key events on Wednesday included: Beleaguered HBOS in merger talks with Lloyds TSB after a steep fall in its share price; US insurance giant AIG being bailed out by the US government; Volatile stock markets as global investors remain nervous; Trading on the Russian stock exchange being suspended; Barclays snapping up key assets from Lehman Brothers after its bankruptcy. CLICK HERE:Investots nervous as US stocks fall
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT (COMMENT:The well-meaning act of desperation on the part of the UK Treasury has created a dubious precedent, namely a banking monopoly, contrary to all the basic rules of the free market economy.)

Moscow, Russia - TRADING IN RUSSIAN SHARES HALTED - Trading on Russia's main stock exchanges has been suspended following steep falls in shares prices this week. The shock developments on Wall Street this week spurred a sell-off in Russian shares, which on Tuesday sank to levels not seen since December 2005. Following a plunge of 6%, the dollar-denominated RTS index halted trading on Wednesday until further notice. It is down almost 60% since its May peak. Trading on the ruble-denominated Micex was also suspended. This comes after shares on the Micex slumped by almost 18% on Tuesday to 888.17 points, its largest one-day decline since Russia's financial system collapsed in 1998. "There is certainly a level of fear about the risks to the Russian economy not seen since the crisis of 1998, but the driving forces now are quite different," said Tom Mundy, a strategist at Renaissance Capital in Moscow. CLICK HERE:Trading in Russian shares halted

The Hague, Netherlands - KARADZIC FACES FRESH INDICTMENT - UN war crimes prosecutors at The Hague are due to file a revised indictment against Bosnian Serb ex-leader Radovan Karadzic by Monday. The announcement was made during a hearing which ended without setting a date for Mr Karadzic's trial. A new hearing could be held within a month. Mr Karadzic faces 11 counts relating to the Bosnian civil war in the 1990s. A not-guilty plea to all charges was entered on his behalf after he refused to enter any plea himself. Mr Karadzic was arrested in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, in July after 13 years on the run and living under a false name. The charges against Mr Karadzic include what is regarded as Europe's worst massacre since World War II - the killing of up to 8,000 men and youths in the enclave of Srebrenica. Addressing the tribunal, prosecutor Alan Tieger said the revised indictment would be filed by Monday, without giving details. CLICK HERE:Karadzic faces fresh indictment


---

16.09.2008 Kiev, Ukraine - UKRAINE'S GOVERNMENT FALLS APART - Ukraine's ruling pro-Western coalition has officially collapsed, the speaker of the Ukrainian parliament says. President Yushchenko has been involved in a long-running dispute with Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. The president's Our Ukraine bloc left the coalition earlier this month. Parliament now has 30 days to try to form a new ruling coalition. If those efforts fail, Mr Yushchenko can dissolve parliament and call a snap election. The Our Ukraine party pulled out of the coalition on 3 September after the Tymoshenko Bloc sided with the pro-Moscow opposition Party of Regions to pass several laws that Mr Yushchenko saw as a threat to his presidential powers. "I officially declare the coalition of democratic forces... in Ukraine's parliament dissolved," parliament speaker Arseny Yatsenyuk announced on Tuesday. "This has been long expected, but for me it is extremely sad," he told the chamber. "I would not call this a political apocalypse, though it is true that it is another challenge of democracy. I hope we can overcome it." Mr Yushchenko and Ms Tymoshenko led the 2004 Orange Revolution, which overturned the fraudulent presidential election victory of a pro-Moscow candidate, Viktor Yanukovych. But since then the two former allies have become bitter rivals, vying for power ahead of the 2010 presidential election. CLICK HERE:Ukraine's government falls apart

New York, NY - PHONE TAPS ALLEGEDLY PROVE GEORGIA CASE - The Georgian government has released what it says is phone tap evidence that proves its assault on South Ossetia was sparked by Russian troop reinforcement. It has previously claimed that heavy armor crossed from Russia into the breakaway region by the Roki Tunnel. It has now provided recordings of what it says is a South Ossetian border guard reacting to the deployment. There is no verification of the tapes. Russia has said any troop movements were routine peacekeeping activities. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko dismissed the Georgian claim as "not serious". The conflict in the region began late on August 7 when Georgia tried to retake its breakaway region of South Ossetia by force after a series of lower-level clashes. Russia launched a counter-attack and the Georgian troops were ejected from both South Ossetia and a second breakaway region, Abkhazia. Georgia has said its actions were provoked by Russia pouring forces into South Ossetia. Russia says it was taken by surprise when Georgia bombarded the South Ossetian capital, Tskhinvali. The New York Times says it has been provided by Georgia with audio files of the intercepts along with English translations, and that it also carried out its own translation. The Associated Press news agency also said it had been played the tapes. Georgia said the conversation between an Ossetian border guard and his superior officer at headquarters took place at 0352 on August 7, hours before hostilities suddenly escalated. "Listen, has the armor arrived or what?" the guard is asked. "The armor and people," he replied. Asked if they had passed through the tunnel he said: "Yes, 20 minutes ago; when I called you, they had already arrived." Shota Utiashvili, an intelligence director at the Georgian interior ministry, told the New York Times: "These intercepted recordings show that Russia moved first and that we were defending ourselves." The paper said it had shown the recordings to senior American officials, who said they appeared credible, if not conclusive as to the scale of any Russian deployment. They also said the issue of who started the conflict was still being debated in Washington. CLICK HERE:Phone taps allegedly prove Georgia case

London, England - STOCKS VOLATILE AMID UNCERTAINTY - Stock markets were volatile after the collapse of the fourth-largest US investment bank, Lehman Brothers, which has filed for bankruptcy protection. The Dow Jones industrial average shed 100 points in late afternoon trade, after the Federal Reserve said it would leave interest rates unchanged at 2%. Before the announcement the benchmark index has risen slightly. Elsewhere leading indexes ended lower with the UK's FTSE 100 3.4% lower, the Cac-40 1.9% down and the Dax down 1.6%. Banking shares were badly hit with HBOS losing about 35% at one point. Lehman Brothers, which may be about to sell its core assets to Barclays, became the latest victim of the global credit crunch on Monday. Lehman's collapse has continued to reverberate: Central banks around the globe have pumped funds into the money markets, including $50bn (£28bn) from the US Federal Reserve, £20bn from the Bank of England and 70bn euros ($100bn; £56bn) from the European Central Bank; US insurer AIG saw its shares slump by more than 70% at one point amid continued uncertainty over its future; Global stock markets fell heavily for a second consecutive day. CLICK HERE:Stocks volatile amid uncertainty

London, England - MINISTER QUITS IN BROWN PROTESTScotland Office minister David Cairns has resigned from the government, saying the time has come to "allow a leadership debate to run its course". The Inverclyde MP is the first minister to resign since rebel MPs began calling for a leadership contest. He told the BBC he was not part of a plot but felt it was time to "clear the air" and have a leadership debate. Gordon Brown said he was "disappointed" by the MP's decision but warned this was not a time for "internal debate". In a letter to Mr Cairns, the prime minister said: "As you know, the world is facing a time of economic upheaval. I believe it is vital that we as a government, and as a country, stand together in the face of these difficult times and concentrate all our efforts on helping the British people to come through them. "I am therefore disappointed by your decision to leave the government, and I do not agree with you that this is the time at which the Labour Party should be focused on internal debates." The prime minister has appointed the Glasgow North MP Ann McKechin to replace Mr Cairns as Scotland minister. CLICK HERE:Minister quits in Brown protest


---

15.09.2008 London, England / Frankfurt, Germany - US MARKETS JOIN GLOBAL SHARE FALL - Leading US shares fell sharply in the midst of the financial turmoil caused by the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers. The benchmark Dow Jones industrial average was 271.37 points, or 2.38% lower at 11,150.62 in late afternoon trading in New York. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index and the Nasdaq Composite index were also lower. Earlier in the day, the UK's FTSE 100 index had closed 3.92% down, while France's Cac 40 index shed 3.78% and Germany's Dax lost 2.74%. Earlier, Asian markets were hit by the news with Australian shares down 1.8%. Several of Asia's major stock exchanges - in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Seoul - were closed for holidays, but in Singapore the STI dropped 3.3% to hit a two-year low, and in Taiwan, the benchmark share index closed down 4%, and in India share prices fell by more than 3.35%. In markets that were trading, banking, insurance and financial sectors suffered most after Lehman Brothers, the fourth-largest investment bank in the US, said it would file for bankruptcy protection. CLICK HERE:US markets join global share fall

Tbilisi, Georgia - NATO RESTATES BACKING FOR GEORGIA - Nato's secretary general has said he hopes for Georgia's "accelerated" integration with Nato, and condemned Russia's conduct in August's conflict. However Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, speaking in Tbilisi at the first meeting of the Nato-Georgia Commission, did not say when Georgia might join the alliance, and he emphasized that the country still had to make democratic progress. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili welcomed the visit as a "powerful signal" of solidarity. "Your presence sends a... signal to the world that Georgia, together with its friends and allies, does not stand alone," Mr Saakashvili told Mr de Hoop Scheffer and the ambassadors of the 26 Nato countries gathered in Tbilisi. "Russia's use of force was disproportionate and Russia must now comply with all elements of the six-point plan," Mr de Hoop Scheffer said, referring to the EU-brokered ceasefire deal that calls for all forces to withdraw to positions occupied before the conflict. "At the same time, despite the difficult situation, we expect Georgia to firmly stay the course of democracy and reform," the Nato chief added. Earlier he said the post-conflict situation was "difficult to swallow", since Russia appeared intent on maintaining troops in Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. "If the Russians are staying in South Ossetia with so many forces, I do not consider this as a return to the status quo," he told the Financial Times. CLICK HERE:Progress in move to save Alitalia

Rome, Italy - PROGRESS IN MOVE TO SAVE ALITALIA - Alitalia will cut 3,000 jobs under a new agreement reached with Italy's four main union organizations, Labour Minister Maurizio Sacconi has said. "The job cuts... they're around 3,000," Mr Sacconi told an Italian television program on Monday. The four unions have signed a deal with CAI, a consortium prepared to invest in a new national Italian airline, but five other unions oppose the deal. Those opposed to the deal include pilots and cabin crews. Traffic at the main international airports in Rome and Milan was normal as of Monday afternoon, airport officials said, despite warnings it may have to cease operations because of lack of fuel. The new Alitalia will employ about 12,500 people including 1,500 pilots, 3,300 cabin staff and 7,650 technicians, workers and managerial staff, the Ansa news agency said. CLICK HERE:Progress in move to save Alitalia

Budapest, Hungary - EU LAUNCHES NEW HIGH-TECH INSTITUE -The governing board of a new European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has held its inaugural meeting in the Hungarian capital Budapest. The European Union is providing initial funding of more than 300m euros (£238m) for the institute, aimed at generating more European technological advances. The EIT hopes to pool the expertise of universities, research bodies and businesses in new partnerships. Renewable energy and new-generation IT projects are among the priority areas. The EIT is part of an overall EU strategy to promote jobs, growth and competitiveness in the EU. "Until now, higher education has notoriously been the absent member of innovation partnerships," the European Commission says. The EIT is to involve universities in new public-private partnerships called "Knowledge and Innovation Communities" (KICs), to create new commercial opportunities by bringing researchers and business entrepreneurs together. CLICK HERE:EU launches new high-tech institute

The Hague, Netherlands - THE HAGUE JAILS EX-BOSNIAN ARMY CHIEF - Former Bosniak Muslim army chief Rasim Delic has been jailed for three years for war crimes at The Hague. The UN's war crimes tribunal convicted Delic over the "cruel treatment" of Serb soldiers by troops under his command during the 1992-1995 war. However, Delic was acquitted of three other counts of murder and cruelty. Croats and Serbs in Bosnia have both criticised the short sentence given to Delic, one of the most senior Bosniak leaders tried at The Hague. His predecessor as chief of the command staff of the Bosniak army, Sefer Halilovic, was acquitted at the end of his trial in 2005. Delic was found guilty by a majority verdict of "failing to take the necessary and reasonable measures to prevent and punish the crimes of cruel treatment" committed by foreign fighters, or "mujahideen", under his command in the "El Mujahed" unit. The unit was mostly made up of volunteer Arab fighters, including veterans of the conflict in Afghanistan, who rapidly acquired a reputation for battlefield brutality. CLICK HERE:The Hague jails ex-Bosnian Army Chief


---

14.09.2008 Perm, Russia - RUSSIA AIR CRASH BLAMED ON ENGINE FAILURE - Russian federal investigators believe an engine fault probably caused the crash of a Russian airliner near the city of Perm with the loss of 88 lives. The Boeing-737-500, which belonged to Aeroflot subsidiary Aeroflot Nord, caught fire in mid-air as it came in to land on a flight from Moscow. Lead investigator Alexander Bastrykin linked the crash to "technical failure and a fire in the right engine". The plane's flight recorders have been found and will be analysed. Giving his preliminary opinion, Mr Bastrykin, head of the federal prosecutors' Investigative Committee, told Russian media there was "much evidence" for the engine fault theory. Russia's Transport Minister, Igor Levitin, said he had no information to suggest the cause of the crash had been a terrorist attack, or that the plane had exploded in mid-air. Relatives of some of the dead have arrived in Perm and are being looked after by the local authorities. There were 82 passengers on board, including seven children, and six crew. Those killed include Gen Gennady Troshev, a former commander of Russian forces in Chechnya, and 21 foreign citizens - nine people from Azerbaijan, five from Ukraine and one person each from France, Switzerland, Latvia, the United States, Germany, Turkey and Italy. CLICK HERE:Russia air crash blamed on engine failure

Lourdes, France - POPE HOLDS HUGE MASS IN LOURDES - Pope Benedict XVI has told tens of thousands of pilgrims in the southern French town of Lourdes that love can be stronger than all the world's evil. The 81-year-old pontiff gave the homily during an open-air Sunday Mass at the highly-revered Roman Catholic shrine. Benedict is in Lourdes to mark the 150th anniversary of what many Roman Catholics believe was a vision of the Virgin Mary by a young local girl. On Saturday, he also celebrated an outdoor Mass in the capital, Paris. More than 200,000 pilgrims made the trip to Lourdes for Benedict's first papal Mass at the shrine. The pontiff is making a three-day pilgrimage to the sanctuary, which is visited each year by six million believers. CLICK HERE:Pope holds huge mass in Lourdes


---

13.09.2008 Folkestone / Calais - CHANNEL TRAINS RESUME AFTER FIRE - The Channel Tunnel has reopened to trains after Thursday's fire, with some lorry shuttles and a reduced Eurostar passenger service operating. Trains are running in one of two tunnels that normally carry traffic. The other remains closed while the French authorities investigate. Car shuttle services have not resumed, with Eurotunnel giving priority to lorry shuttles and Eurostar. The fire broke out on a freight train seven miles from France on Thursday. The Channel Tunnel carries Eurostar express trains between London, Paris and Brussels, and freight and passenger shuttles between Folkestone and Calais. Eurostar said 12 trains were expected to run on Saturday in each direction between Paris and London, and up to six trains in each direction between Brussels and London. This represents about half the normal traffic. CLICK HERE:Channel trains resume after fire

London, England - VICE CHAIR FIRED IN LABOUR DISPUTE - An MP has been sacked as Labour's vice chair after publicly joining calls for a leadership election. Joan Ryan and four other Labour MPs, Fiona Mactaggart, Siobhain McDonagh, George Howarth and Janet Anderson, have asked for nomination forms. And fellow MPs Graham Stringer, Gordon Prentice and John McDonnell have called for a leadership contest. However, 71 MPs would have to nominate a challenger to Mr Brown to force a leadership contest. Ms Ryan, MP for Enfield North and a former Home Office minister, has also been sacked as Mr Brown's Cyprus envoy - a position she was given when he entered Number 10 in June last year. On Friday, junior whip Ms McDonagh was fired for calling for a debate on Gordon Brown's leadership. CLICK HERE:Vice chair fired in Labour dispute

Edinburgh, Scotland - IAN GRAY BECOMES SCOTTISH LABOUR PARTY LEADER - The former Scottish enterprise minister beat off competition from Andy Kerr and Cathy Jamieson, who also served in previous Scottish Government cabinets. Mr Gray, the MSP for East Lothian, will take over from Wendy Alexander, who resigned from the leadership in June. MSP Johann Lamont was chosen as Mr Gray's deputy. Parliamentarians, party members and unions voted. Mr Gray said Labour, which lost last year's Scottish Parliament elections, was going through a difficult period. He said: "This election is the beginning of a new conviction in Scottish Labour, united around our shared values and moving forward with common purpose. "Labour is best when we look outwards and align our values with the people's aspirations. Not just listening but hearing." Mr Gray promised a "fresh start" for the party. CLICK HERE:Ian Gray becomes Scotland's Labour Party leader

Rome, Italy - ALITALIA RUNNING OUT OF FUEL - Italy's national airline, Alitalia, may have to cancel some flights because of a lack of funds to buy fuel, a top official has warned. Augusto Fantozzi, Alitalia's bankruptcy administrator, made the comments as he called unions to emergency talks a day after the latest session broke down. The unions earlier quoted him as saying flights could not be "guaranteed" because we cannot "get fuel". Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi blamed "political" motives for the failure. He said he would do all he could to save Alitalia from collapse. "The executive is always ready... to give all the possible support to get to the only solution possible to avoid the airline going bust," he said. Alitalia later issued a note it said was sent by Mr Fantozzi, which said: "There are difficulties relating to the supply of fuel which could put some flights at risk," Reuters news agency said. Italian investment consortium CAI, which was poised to take over the company's profitable parts, walked away from talks with the unions on Friday, accusing them of intransigence. CAI chief executive Rocco Sabelli said on Saturday it was not ready to make any further concessions.CLICK HERE:Alitalia running out of fuel

London, England - RUSSIANS LEAVE POTI - Russian troops have withdrawn from the Georgian port of Poti on the country's Black Sea coast. Trucks and armoured vehicles had left the town and other bases in western Georgia and were seen heading towards the separatist territory of Abkhazia. Russia has agreed to an EU-backed truce requiring it to withdraw troops from bases inside the undisputed territory of Georgia. The bases were set up after a five-day war with Georgia in August. Russian troops are expected to remain in the disputed territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Separately on Saturday, Georgian officials said a policeman had been shot dead near the border with Abkhazia. Moscow says it has established formal diplomatic ties with the administrations in the two regions, following its "irrevocable" decision to recognise them as independent last month. ...Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier this week that Moscow needed to maintain a presence in the regions to ensure security. CLICK HERE:Russians leave Poti

Paris, France - POPE CELEBRATES HUGE PARIS MASS - Around 250,000 worshippers have turned out to hear Pope Benedict XVI celebrate an open-air mass in Paris. Many people spent the night at the Invalides complex, south of the river Seine in the French capital, waiting to hear him speak. It is the pontiff's first visit to France since his election in 2005. Later, the Pope will fly to the pilgrimage site of Lourdes, where the faithful believe the Virgin Mary appeared to a young girl 150 years ago. France is a Roman Catholic country, but Sunday Mass attendance is now below 10% and strict laws separate church and state. The Pope told the crowds he was delighted to be in their country, before going on to condemn what he described as a modern-day plague in the passion for power, possessions and money. CLICK HERE:Pope celebrates huge Paris mass


---

12.09.2008 London, England - THOUSANDS STRANDED AFTER XL FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY - The collapse of the UK's third largest package holiday group has left tens of thousands of Britons stranded abroad. The decision to place XL Leisure Group into administration has also left thousands of staff facing the axe. Chairman Phil Wyatt said he was "totally devastated" by the failure which has grounded XL's 21 planes. The company flies to about 50 destinations. There are 67,000 stranded who booked directly with XL, and another 23,000 who booked via other companies. The Civil Aviation Authority(CAA) also said the firm had 200,000 advance bookings. XL Companies: XL Leisure Group ; XL Airways UK; Excel Aviation; Explorer House; Aspire Holidays; Freedom Flights; Freedom Flights (Aviation); The Really Great Holiday Company; Medlife Hotels; Travel City Flights; Kosmar Villa Holidays. CAA Emergency Helpline: Customers abroad: +44 (0) 2891 856547; Customers in the UK with advance bookings: 0870 5900927. CLICK HERE:Thousands stranded after XL airline files for bankruptcy

London, England - LABOUR WHIP FIRED AFTER BROWN LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE CALL - A junior member of the government has been sacked after breaking ranks to call for a challenge to Prime Minister Gordon Brown as Labour leader. Assistant whip Siobhain McDonagh said she wanted a debate about the party's future and a "huge number" of other Labour MPs also wanted a contest. A government spokesman said she had always been "anti-Gordon" but the Tories said Labour was in "civil war". She has been replaced in the whips office by Brent South MP Dawn Butler. Ms McDonagh, who was the only member of the government not to nominate Mr Brown for the party leadership last year - said she wanted a debate about the future of the party and the country. The Mitcham and Morden MP said "everybody" in government was talking about the leadership issue and she wanted such discussions to be out in the open. CLICK HERE:Labour whip fired after Brown leadership challenge call
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT(COMMENT:The imminent Labour Conference may well become a defining moment in Gordon Brown's leadership. The people witness both loss of basic freedoms and personal financial loss.)

London, England - BROWN ATTACKED ON PENSIONER DEAL - Gordon Brown is under fire after he said all pensioners would get free home insulation that will only go to over 70s or those on benefits. The PM made his promise on Thursday when he unveiled a £910m energy saving plan agreed with the power giants. But when a 60-year-old woman called the government's helpline she was told Mr Brown had made a mistake. The Tories said Mr Brown's much-touted energy package was "unravelling" but the government said the deal was clear. Unveiling the package of help for energy consumers on Thursday, Mr Brown said: "All lower income and all pensioner households will be eligible for free loft and cavity wall insulation and other energy saving measures that could save them up to £300 a year in their energy bills." CLICK HERE:Brown attacked on pensioner deal
Moscow, Russia - GEORGIA'S ATTACK IS RUSSIA'S 9/11 - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has described Georgia's assault on South Ossetia as Russia's 9/11. He said the world had learnt lessons from the attacks in the US on September 11, 2001 and hoped the same would happen after events in the Caucasus. Reports say Russian troops are showing signs of preparing to pull back from inside Georgia. This is in line with a ceasefire deal brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Monday. However, a Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman cast doubt on the preparations, saying: "There has been no sign of a withdrawal." Mr Medvedev was speaking to a group of foreign policy experts when he likened events in South Ossetia last month to the attacks on New York and Washington in 2001. "Russia has zones where it has its interests. It is senseless to deny this, because we will defend our interests and the interests of Russian citizens," he said. CLICK HERE:Georgia's attack is Russia's 9/11

Folkestone / Calais - FURTHER TUNNEL DISRUPTION - Both the tunnel operator Eurotunnel and Eurostar have said passengers with travel plans for Friday night and the weekend should find alternative routes. The tunnel was closed after fire broke out on a freight train about seven miles from Calais on Thursday. Thirty-two people on board were led to safety. Fourteen had suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation. The 16-hour blaze was put out on Friday morning. Passengers were still arriving at St Pancras International in London on Friday hoping services to the Continent would resume, but later on Friday Eurotunnel said services remained suspended for Saturday and Sunday. CLICK HERE:Further tunnel dispuption

Paris, France - POPE BEGINS FIRST VISIT TO FRANCE - The Pope has arrived in France for his first visit there since he took office. He was met at Paris's Orly airport by President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni. During his four days in the country, the Pope will celebrate an open-air Mass in Paris and travel to the shrine of Lourdes. In a country that has strict laws on secularism, Pope Benedict XVI is also due to give a speech about the role of religion in society. "I love France, France's great culture, French art," he told reporters while on his way to Paris. He said he was coming to France as a "messenger of peace and brotherhood" CLICK HERE:Pope begins first visit to France

Warsaw, Poland - FORMER POLISH LEADER ON TRIAL - Poland's last communist leader, General Wojciech Jaruzelski, has gone on trial accused of committing a crime by imposing martial law in 1981. Eight other former officials will also be tried for the clampdown against the opposition Solidarity movement, during which dozens of people were killed. Gen Jaruzelski, who is now 85 and in poor health, says he had to act to prevent a Soviet invasion of Poland. If found guilty he faces up to 10 years in prison. Although there is little public clamour in Poland to send Mr Jaruzelski to prison, a crowd of journalists and members of the public packed the courtroom as the trial began. Gen Jaruzelski and three of his co-defendants were identified before a panel of judges. Four of the eight accused men were absent, citing poor health. CLICK HERE:Former Polish leader on trial


---

11.09.2008 Folkestone / Calais - CHANNEL TUNNEL CLOSED AFTER FIRE - The Channel Tunnel has been closed after a fire broke out on a freight train about seven miles from Calais. Thirty-two people on board were led to safety, 14 of whom had suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation. The blaze broke out on a truck on board the shuttle train at about 1400 GMT, about 11km (7 miles) from the French entrance, the operator Eurotunnel said. The blaze has been contained but all trains have been suspended and thousands of passengers are stranded. The fire was detected about four-fifths of the way through the 50km-long north tunnel on a freight shuttle travelling from Folkestone to Calais. The French Interior Ministry said the lorry, which is understood to have overturned on the train, was carrying the chemical phenol, a toxic product used by the pharmaceutical industry. The incident resulted in "minor injuries" but no-one was seriously hurt, Eurotunnel officials said. "A train is now on its way from France to pick up the people from the service tunnel and take them back to France," a UK police spokesman said. The French state train company SNCF said services would not resume until Friday. It is understood that no trains are stuck in the tunnel. The tunnel carries Eurostar express trains between London, Paris and Brussels, as well as freight and passenger shuttles between Folkestone and Calais. CLICK HERE:Channel Tunnel closed after fire

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA TELLS US TO RETHINK ALLIES - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said the US should join Russia in combating terrorism, rather than supporting "rotten regimes". Speaking on the anniversary of 9/11, Mr Medvedev pledged full co-operation with the US on anti-terrorism, but he said the US should reconsider its ties with regimes that "conduct military adventures", in a clear reference to Georgia's government. He said Russia would focus on rearming after the Georgian conflict last month. Russia and Georgia clashed briefly over the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. After five days of fighting a ceasefire was agreed - but each side has accused the other of breaching the accord. Russia, which has backed self-declared governments in the nominally Georgian regions for years, recently infuriated the West by recognizing their independence. CLICK HERE:Russia tells US to rethink allies

Kiev, Ukraine - UKRAINE PM QUESTIONED OVER POISONING - Ukraine's prime minister is being questioned as a witness by prosecutors investigating the unsolved poisoning of President Viktor Yushchenko in 2004. The suspected dioxin poisoning in the run-up to the presidential election made Mr Yushchenko seriously ill, and left his face disfigured. PM Yulia Tymoshenko said it was a shame his health had become politicized. She hinted her summons was political maneuvering before the 2010 elections, when she may run for the presidency. Once allies in the so-called "Orange Revolution" in 2004, the prime minister and president are now at odds despite sharing pro-Western political goals. The coalition government, in which Mr Yushchenko and Ms Tymoshenko were partners, collapsed earlier this month. Viktor Yushchenko has threatened to dissolve parliament and call snap elections. CLICK HERE:Ukraine PM questioned over poisoning

Warsaw, Poland WARSAW HOSTS TENSE RUSSIA TALKS - Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, has reiterated Moscow's opposition to a US missile system, during a visit to Poland. "We cannot fail to see the risks emerging as a result of US strategic forces coming closer to our borders," he said. The system will include interceptor missiles based in Poland. Russia has threatened to target the bases, but Poland and Russia said they wanted to improve their strained relations. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski stressed the need for confidence-building measures. Mr Lavrov admitted that Russia did not feel threatened by Poland itself, but added: "We are certain this system in Europe can have no other target for a long time to come but Russia's strategic forces." Washington says the system is designed to knock out long-range missile strikes launched from countries like Iran, and is not aimed at Russia. Russia's commander of strategic missile forces, Gen Nikolai Solovtsov said on Wednesday: "I cannot exclude that if such decisions are taken by our top military-political leadership, the missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic and other such objects could be chosen as designated targets for some of our inter-continental ballistic missiles". CLICK HERE:Warsaw hosts tense Russia talks

Rennes, France - FRANCE HOLDS 5 TERROR SUSPECTS - Five men have been arrested in Rennes in France in connection with a suspected Islamist attack plot, authorities say. They are all French, of North African origin, a source told the AFP agency. The arrests came as the interior minister warned, on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in the US, that the threat in France remained high. Michele Alliot Marie also warned that Islamic radicals were using French prisons as recruitment bases. "I have just suggested to my European colleagues that we create a manual on Islamism in prisons, to better inform security professionals on how to detect and prevent this kind of recruitment," she said in an interview with French daily Le Figaro. CLICK HERE:Franc holds 5 terror suspects

Brussels, Belgium - EU IN BIOFUEL RETHINK - European Union lawmakers have voted to set a limit on targets to increase the use of road transport biofuels. Campaigners say that biofuels from grains and food crops contribute to food price inflation. The original EU target that 10% of all road transport fuel should come from renewable sources by 2020 did not set limits for crop biofuels. A committee of the European Parliament has now voted to limit such fuels to 6% of the 10% target. At least 4% of the total will have to be achieved using electricity or hydrogen from renewable sources, or from second-generation biofuels from waste or non-food crops. ... The panel also approved a mid-term goal of 5% of road transport fuel from renewable sources by 2015, of which one fifth should not be food crop-based biofuels. CLICK HERE:EU in biofuel rethink


---

10.09.2008 Geneva, Switzerland - BIG BANG EXPERIMENT STARTS WELL - Scientists have hailed a successful switch-on for an enormous experiment which will recreate the conditions a few moments after the Big Bang. They have now fired two beams of particles called protons around the 27km-long tunnel which houses the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The £5bn machine on the Swiss-French border is designed to smash protons together with cataclysmic force. Scientists hope it will shed light on fundamental questions in physics. The first clockwise beam completed its first circuit of the underground tunnel at just before 0930 BST. The second anti-clockwise beam successfully circled the ring after 1400 BST.... The currently favored model involves a particle called the Higgs Boson, dubbed the "God Particle". According to the theory, particles acquire their mass through interactions with an all-pervading field carried by the Higgs. The latest astronomical observations suggest ordinary matter - such as the galaxies, gas, stars and planets - makes up just 4% of the Universe. The rest is dark matter (23%) and dark energy (73%). Physicists think the LHC could provide clues about the nature of this mysterious "stuff". CLICK HERE:Big Bang experiment starts well
.
Tbilisi, Georgia - EU ACCUSED OF GEORGIA DUPLICITY - Russia has accused the EU of signing a deal with Georgia on the deployment of ceasefire monitors that contradicts one agreed hours earlier with Moscow. Russia's foreign minister said it would not permit EU monitors in South Ossetia or Abkhazia but that the deal signed by the EU with Georgia allowed this. Georgia's breakaway regions have been recognized as independent by Russia. The EU said it was not discussed with Moscow whether the observers could go into the separatist breakaway regions, but EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said he hoped EU monitors would eventually be deployed in any part of Georgian territory. CLICK HERE:EU accused of Georgia duplicity

Brussels, Belgium - UK, GERMANY, SPAIN TO FALL INTO RECESSION - The UK, Germany and Spain will fall into recession in 2008, the European Commission has predicted. Brussels said the three countries would see two negative quarters of economic growth in a row, which is the technical definition of a recession. In its latest economic forecast, the commission also downgraded its outlook for eurozone growth again. It said the 15-nation euro bloc would now grow by 1.3% this year, against previous projections of 1.7%. Earlier this month, data showed the region's economy shrank by 0.2% between April and June, the bloc's first decline since its creation in 1999. The contraction was driven by a slowdown in exports and consumer spending, but high inflation in the region led policy makers at the European Central Bank to keep interest rates at 4.25% at its latest meeting, allowing no relief for the eurozone's slowing economies. CLICK HERE:UK, Germany, Spain to fall into recession

Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA'S WARNING OVER MISSILE SITES - A senior Russian general has warned that Moscow could target Poland if it goes ahead with plans to host parts of a US missile defense shield. The commander of strategic missile forces, Gen Nikolai Solovtsov, said Russia could direct nuclear missiles against strategic targets in Poland. Poland has signed a deal with the US to build and host 10 missile interceptors. Russian officials have repeatedly voiced anger at the move, which they see as an effort to surround Russia. "I cannot exclude that if such decisions are taken by our top military-political leadership, the missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic and other such objects could be chosen as designated targets for some of our inter-continental ballistic missiles," Gen Solovtsov said. CLICK HERE:Russia's warning over missile sites


---

9.09.2008 Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA TO KEEP TROOPS IN GEORGIA - Russia says it will keep 7,600 troops in Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia after withdrawing from the rest of the country. On Monday, Russia agreed to withdraw its troops from positions within Georgia, taken up during the recent conflict, by mid-October. The first troops were seen abandoning a checkpoint near Abkhazia, at the Black Sea town of Ganmukhuri, witnesses said, but Russia says it will set up military bases in both disputed regions. It also says it has established formal diplomatic ties with their administrations. The move followed a decision, condemned by the US and EU but defined as "irrevocable" by Moscow, to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said troops were expected to remain in the two regions "for the foreseeable future". "Russian troops will remain on the territory of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on request of their leaders in parliament," Mr Lavrov said from Moscow. "They will be there a long time. This is absolutely necessary, so as not to allow a repeat of armed actions," he added. CLICK HERE:Russia to keep troops in Georgia

Belgrade, Serbia - SERBIAN MPs ENDORSE KEY EU DEAL- Serbia's parliament has ratified a key EU document, in a major step on the path to joining the bloc. The Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) was backed by 139 deputies, with 26 voting against. However, it still has to be backed by all 27 EU countries, some of whom are still not fully satisfied with Serbia's co-operation on war crimes issues. Meanwhile, MPs also backed a deal with Moscow that would give Russia's Gazprom control over Serbia's state oil firm. The EU has been a divisive issue in Serbia, partly causing the collapse of the last government earlier this year. In subsequent elections, however, pro-EU parties were voted in with a substantial majority. CLICK HERE:Serbian MPs endorse key EU deal

Kiev, Ukraine - EU OFFERS REASSURANCE TO UKRAINE - Ukraine's territorial integrity is "non-negotiable", France's Nicolas Sarkozy has affirmed at the end of an EU summit with the country in Paris. Mr Sarkozy's reassurance comes after rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine over its Crimea region. Ukraine has also been offered an association agreement with the EU, to be signed next year. The accord represents cautious support for possible eventual EU membership for Ukraine. "In the eyes of Europe, [territorial integrity] is absolutely non-negotiable," Mr Sarkozy said in a response to a question from reporters in Paris. He underlined that the accord left the path for future membership of the 27-member state bloc open, saying: "This association accord does not close any avenues." Ahead of the summit, Ukraine's president had sought a strong signal that the country belongs within Europe, diplomats said, to deter Moscow from intervening as it did in Georgia, but the BBC's Emma-Jane Kirby, in Paris. CLICK HERE:EU offers reassurance to Ukraine

Moscow, Russia - GASPROM PREDICTS RECORD EU GAS PRICES - Russian gas producer Gazprom has said it expects record export revenues exceeding $65bn (£36.8bn) as European prices edge towards an all-time high. It had predicted 2008 sales of $64bn, but has revised the forecast as it sees European gas prices touching $500 per 1,000 cubic metres by the end of 2008. Gazprom also hopes to conclude an asset swap with BP's Russian joint venture TNK-BP before the year has ended. State-owned Gazprom is the world's largest gas producer. It also supplies about a quarter of Europe's gas needs. The announcement highlights the upward spiral of gas prices. CLICK HERE:GASPROM predicts record EU gas prices

Berlin, German - GLOBAL SLUMP HITS GERMAN EXPORTS - Exports of German goods were 1.7% lower in July than in June as a slowing global economy hit demand from the country's main trading partners. Exports totalled 84.4bn euros($120bn:£67bn) and imports rose to a record 72.6bn euros, official data showed. As a result, Germany's trade surplus shrank to 11.8bn euros in June. Exports have traditionally been a bright spot for Germany's economy but a weak US economy is hurting demand for luxury cars and other German goods. "These are definitely worryingly weak numbers, especially considering that exports fell very sharply, " said Stefan Schilbe, an analyst at HSBC Trinkhaus. "It's a sign that the global slowdown is slowly but surely making itself felt in Germany." Europe is at risk of its first recession since the single currency was introduced in 1999. CLICK HERE:Global slump hits German exports

London, England - UK HOME SALES AT LOWEST FOR 30 YEARS - The slump in the UK property market continued in August, with some estate agents selling fewer than one home per week in the past three months. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) said sales were at their lowest level since its monthly survey started in 1978. It said the fall in prices slowed, for the fourth month in a row, but they were still much lower than a year ago. Rics said the continued shortage of mortgage funds was "stifling" buyers."A lack of mortgage liquidity is the key issue which is keeping the housing market from showing any real sign of recovery," said Rics spokesperson Jeremy Leaf. CLICK HERE:UK home sales at lowest for 30 years


---

8.09.2009 Moscow, Russia - RUSSIA AGREE RUSSIA DEADLINE - Russia has conditionally agreed to remove its forces from Georgian land, excluding Abkhazia and South Ossetia, by the second week of October. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the pull-out would happen once 200 EU monitors deployed to South Ossetia. Speaking after meeting French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Mr Medvedev said the withdrawal was dependent on guarantees that Georgia would not use force again, but he made no mention of withdrawing troops from South Ossetia or Abkhazia, and he defended Russia's controversial decision to recognize the independence of both breakaway regions, saying the move was "irrevocable". Among the measures announced after the Moscow talks, Mr Medvedev said there would be international talks on the conflict, which would take place in Geneva on October 15 and Russia agreed to remove a key checkpoint from near the port of Poti within a week. CLICK HERE:Russians agree Georgia deadline

Woolwich, England - THREE GUILTY OF BOMB CONSPIRACY - Three men have been found guilty of a massive terrorist conspiracy to murder involving home-made bombs. Abdulla Ahmed Ali, Assad Sarwar and Tanvir Hussain's convictions follow a huge terrorism inquiry, which led to sweeping airport restrictions. The three, and a further five men, were not convicted on charges of plotting to bomb transatlantic airliners. Seven men admitted plotting to cause a public nuisance. An eighth man was cleared at Woolwich Crown Court. The group had been accused of plotting to bring down transatlantic airliners with home-made liquid explosives disguised as soft drinks. CLICK HERE:Three guilty of bomb conspiracy


---

7.09.2008 Berlin, Germany - STEINMEIER AND MÜNTFERING TO LEAD GERMANY'S SPD IN THE GENERAL ELECTIONS - (Transl.: euro-news-clip) Like the beat of a kettledrum the SPD-leader Kurt Beck has passed on the leadership of the party to foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Franz MünteferingAfter a dramatic SPD-party convention at Schielow Lake in Brandenburg Steinmeier announced his chancellor canditature for the federal elections in 2009 asimultaneously the unexpected resignation of Beck from the office of party leader. At a extraordinary party convention Müntefering is to be chosen as his successor. CDU general-secretary Ronald Pofalla declared, a change of leadership "solves none of the problems of the SPD". With regard to the 2009 elections Steinmeier presented himself in fighting spirit. "I am not entering the race to be an also ran. I am entering my canidature, so that a social democrat again leads Germany." CLICK HERE:Steinmeier and Müntefering to lead Germany's SPD in the general elections

Roquetas de Mar, Spain - AFRICAN IMMIGRANTS RIOT IN SPAIN - African immigrants have rioted in Spain after a Senegalese man was stabbed to death in the street of a southern town. Police said the rampage began in the early hours of Sunday, and led to houses and cars being set on fire. After the 28-year-old man was killed in a fight in Roquetas de Mar, an angry gathering "degenerated into violence and public disorder", a statement said. Police said they did not know what led to the attack, but they were looking for a local man. A witness said the man was killed as he tried to intervene in a dispute between Senegalese and Roma (Gypsy) families in the area, Reuters reported. Rioters set fire to two homes of relatives of the man suspected of the killing, police said. They also said rioters attacked firefighters with stones, and clashed with police. There are a high proportion of immigrants in , in the province of Almeria, many of whom work in the agricultural sector. CLICK HERE:African immigrants riot in Spain

Belgrade, Serbia - SERB OPPOSITION LEADER RESIGNS - The head of the main opposition party in Serbia has resigned after senior colleagues refused to back the country's efforts to join the EU. Tomislav Nikolic had recently persuaded his Serbian Radical Party to approve the ratification of an important agreement with the European Union, but there was a party revolt over the issue, with critics saying it meant abandoning Serbia's claim to Kosovo. Kosovo unilaterally declared itself independent from Serbia this year. The BBC's Nick Thorpe in Belgrade says Mr Nikolic had steered his party towards the center of Serbian politics, focusing on social issues such as unemployment and poverty, rather than the militant nationalism of the past. Mr Nikolic is officially the deputy president of the party as its leader, Vojislav Seselj is facing charges at the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague. CLICK HERE:Serb opposition leader resigns
:

---

6.08.2008 Warsaw, Poland - POLISH AGENTS TELL OF CIA JAILS - Polish intelligence sources have for the first time confirmed that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) ran a secret prison facility on Polish soil. The admission comes after a report found the CIA had operated prisons for terror suspects in Poland and Romania. Polish and Romanian officials denied the claims, but last month Warsaw launched a new inquiry into the matter. In 2006, US President George W Bush admitted the CIA had held suspects in secret jails but he did not say where. Two anonymous intelligence officers made the claims about facilities being located in Poland in the daily Dziennik. One of them states that between 2002 and 2005 the CIA held terror suspects inside a military intelligence training base in Stare Kiejkuty in north-eastern Poland. The officer says only the CIA had access to the isolated zone, which was used because it was a secure site far from major towns and was close to a former military airport. Both the then Prime Minister, Leszek Miller, and President, Aleksander Kwasniewski, knew about the base, the newspaper reports. However the officer says it was unlikely either man knew if the prisoners were being tortured because the Poles had no control over the Americans' activities. Both leaders have always denied the existence of any such base. Last year a Council of Europe report quoted unnamed CIA sources as saying that "high-value detainees", including Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks on the US in 2001, had been interrogated in Poland. The current Polish government says it has no knowledge of the base but it has sanctioned a new investigation into the claims.CLICK HERE:Polish egents tell of CIA jails


---

5.08.2008 Kiev, Ukraine - UKRAINE MUST LIVE WITHOUT FEAR - US Vice-President Dick Cheney has said Ukraine has the right to live without fear of invasion, adding that the US stands by its bid for Nato membership. Mr Cheney met both the prime minister and president in Kiev, the last stop of a tour aimed at underlining support for US allies in the former Soviet Union. Mr Cheney reassured the president that the US had a "deep and abiding interest" in Ukraine's security. Analysts fear Ukraine could be the next flashpoint between Russia and the West. "We believe in the right of men and women to live without the threat of tyranny, economic blackmail or military invasion or intimidation," Mr Cheney said, in an apparent reference to Russia's military intervention in Georgia. CLICK HERE:Ukraine must live wihout fear

Poti, Georgia - US DELIVERS AID TO GEORGIAN PORT -A US Navy warship carrying humanitarian aid has arrived in the Georgian port of Poti, where Russian troops are still deployed. The USS Mount Whitney is the third US ship to deliver aid to Georgia since its conflict with Russia last month, but the first to dock at Poti. Poti was bombed by Russian forces when they entered Georgia, and several ships in the port were sunk. Russian said such a large warship was not suited delivering aid. The USS Mount Whitney, flagship of the US Sixth Fleet, is the latest of three vessels sent by the US to deliver blankets, hygiene kits, baby food and other supplies to Georgia after its brief war with Russia. "I can confirm it has arrived in Poti. Anchoring procedures are still ongoing but it has arrived," said a US naval official quoted by the AFP news agency. CLICK HERE:US delivers aid to Georgian port

Moscow, Russia - INVESTOR CONFIDENCE AND RUBLE PLUNGE - After further falls on Friday, the Russian stock market has plunged more than 30% since the country's invasion of Georgia last month. Investor confidence has been hit hard by the conflict. Some international banks estimating that between up to $20bn (£11bn)in foreign capital has been pulled out of Russia in the last month alone. Since the invasion the value of the ruble has slumped, reportedly leading to the central bank stepping in. So whereas Russia may have got away with a slap on the wrist from Europe for its invasion, Moscow is being punished much more directly by international investors. Analysts in Moscow say Russia is now seen as a risky place to invest and it will be a long time before confidence returns, but Russia is not in any danger of imminent economic crisis. More than $1bn a day flows in from oil and gas exports and Russia is sitting on foreign exchange reserves of more than half a trillion dollars, the third largest in the world, but the financial fall out from Russia's Georgian adventure may now be giving the Kremlin reason to pause for thought. CLICK HERE:Investor confidence and ruble plunge
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT (COMMENT: Russia's economic highwater mark?)

---

4.09.2008 Hamburg, Germany / Copenhagen, Denmark - DANISH-GERMAN BRIDGE LINK AGREED - Denmark and Germany have signed an agreement to build a 20km (12 mile) bridge between their two countries over a stretch of the Baltic Sea. At the moment, traffic between Copenhagen and Hamburg has to use ferries to cross the Fehmarn strait. Work on the 4.2bn euros (£3.4bn, $6.2bn) road and rail link should begin in 2012 and be finished by 2018. However, German environmental groups and some local authorities are strongly opposed to the plan. The bridge will stretch from Rodbyhavn, on the Danish island of Lolland, to Puttgarden on the German island of Fehmarn. The project will be financed almost entirely by Denmark and the cost recouped through tolls. Germany will only pay for linking the bridge to its existing road and rail system. The agreement was signed by German Transport Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee and his Danish counterpart Carina Christensen in Copenhagen on Wednesday. "This is a good day for the strengthening of communication routes across Europe," Mr Tiefensee said. "This is northern Europe's biggest construction project. When we expand Europe, we also have to build bridges." A group of Germans opposed to the bridge staged a peaceful protest near where the signing took place. Their spokesman, Juergen Boos, said the six-year construction would hurt Fehmarn's tourism industry and would be a threat to some 20 million birds along Fehmarn's coasts. The German Nature Protection Federation has said it will exhaust all legal possibilities to try to stop the project. Michael Cramer, a Green member of the European Parliament, said Denmark and Germany had made "a multi-billion-euro mistake". The project "is among the most expensive single projects in the [European Union] Trans-European Networks plan and also one of the most dispensable," he said. However, Carina Christensen dismissed the criticism saying the link would mean a reduction in greenhouse gases compared with the ferries that presently cross the strait.CLICK HERE:Danish-German bridge link agreed
"euro_news_clip" COMMENT(COMMENT: The constructors should make sure the new bridge will have a two-way bicycle path.)

London, England / Frankfurt, Germany - ECB AND BANK OF ENGLAND PLACE INTEREST RATES ON HOLD -The European Central Bank (ECB) has left interest rates unchanged at 4.25% amid faltering economic growth and rising inflation in the eurozone. ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet weighed up rising inflation and more evidence that some eurozone nations are on the brink of recession. A report by ECB staff predicted higher-than-expected inflation and lower economic growth this year and next. Analysts said they expect rates to remain on hold for the rest 2008. Earlier on Thursday, the Bank of England left the cost of borrowing in the UK unchanged at 5%. CLICK HERE:ECB and Bank of England place interest rates on hold

Kiev, Ukraine - CHENEY SEEKS TO BOLSTER UKRAINE - US Vice-President Dick Cheney is in Ukraine on the last stop on his tour of the region aimed at showing support for US allies in the former Soviet Union. He flew to Kiev from Georgia, where he condemned Russia's "illegitimate" attempt to change Georgia's borders. Mr Cheney said that Russia's actions during the recent conflict with Georgia had cast doubt on its reliability as an international partner. Before Georgia, Mr Cheney also stopped in oil-rich Azerbaijan. In Kiev, the vice-president is expected to hold talks with President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on Nato, energy pipelines and support for Georgia. The Ukraine president has warned that his country is a hostage in a war waged by Russia against countries in the old Soviet bloc. CLICK HERE:Cheney seeks to bolster Ukraine


---

3.09.2008 Baku, Azerbaijan - CHENEY IN EX-SOVIET ENERGY CALL - US Vice-President Dick Cheney has said the US wants to work with Azerbaijan on additional routes for exporting the region's oil reserves to the West. He also pledged support for US allies in the former Soviet Union. A BBC correspondent says the US sees the states as key allies in protecting access to the region's energy supplies. Mr Cheney, who will also visit Georgia and Ukraine, spoke as US officials revealed President Bush was to announce a $1bn (£0.5bn) aid package to Georgia. Flanked by Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, Mr Cheney said: "We've met this evening in the shadow of the recent Russian invasion of Georgia." ...He said he was bringing "a clear and simple message for the people of Azerbaijan and the entire region: the United States has a deep and abiding interest in your well-being and security". CLICK HERE:

Tbilisi, Georgia - US GIVES 1 $BN TO REBUILD GEORGIA - The US has announced $1bn (£564m) of aid to Georgia for reconstruction after the conflict with Russia. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the aid would be used to rebuild houses and infrastructure - but not for military purposes. Georgia has requested $2bn in funding from the international community. CLICK HERE:US gives 1 $bn to rebuilt Georgia

Edinburgh, Scotland - COUNCIL TAX IN SCOTLAND TO END 2009 - The Scottish Government has set out its plans for the next year, including scrapping the council tax in favour of a local income tax of 3p in the pound. First Minister Alex Salmond also outlined plans to ban under-21s from buying alcohol from off-licences and to restrict the shop display of tobacco. Mr Salmond said the government was responding to the many challenges Scotland faced. Speaking at the Scottish Parliament, he announced 15 pieces of new legislation. They took in a wide range of areas, including criminal justice, the environment and public service reform. ...The first minister said it was time to replace the "unfair" council tax with an alternative, based on ability to pay, which he said would lift 85,000 people from poverty and save the average Scottish family between £350 and £535 per year. The local income tax legislation is likely to be introduced in 2009, but there is no certainty it would get as far as a Holyrood vote before the next summer recess. "I have no doubt Scotland will judge harshly any MSP who votes to keep the council tax in the face of the overwhelming benefit that would flow to millions of ordinary Scots," added the first minister. CLICK HERE:Council tax in Scotland to go in 2009

London, England - LABOUR'S CLARKE: LABOUR'S DESTRUCTION IS NIGH - Labour is "destined to disaster" and "utter destruction" at the next election if it does not change, former home secretary Charles Clarke has said, but there was not any "Blairite plot" to oust Prime Minister Gordon Brown, he writes in the New Statesman magazine. He says comments by Foreign Secretary David Miliband had been misrepresented by the "Brown political briefing team". Mr Clarke, sacked as home secretary 2006, said there was a "deep and widely shared concern" among Labour MPs. In his article in this week's New Statesman, he calls Mr Brown's decision - in his last Budget as chancellor in 2007, to abolish the 10p rate of income tax "disastrous and unfair". The comment comes after the government announced several new economic policies - dubbed by many as the start of a "relaunch" for the prime minister. Mr Clarke, MP for Norwich South, said Tony Blair had been an "outstanding" prime minister, but added: "Blairism as a concept offers little by way of rescue. It is certainly not a guide to action. CLICK HERE:Labour's Clarke: Labour's destruction is nigh

Kiev, Ukraine - UKRAINE IN SNAP ELECTION WARNING - Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has threatened to dissolve parliament and call elections after the collapse of the country's ruling coalition. Mr Yushchenko's supporters walked out in protest on Tuesday night following new laws to trim presidential powers. The laws were introduced by the pro-Russian opposition and backed by Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's party. Former allies, the prime minister and president are now at odds despite sharing pro-Western political goals. All but one of 12 ministers from Mr Yushchenko's party boycotted Wednesday's cabinet meeting. "A political and constitutional coup d'etat has started in the parliament," Mr Yushchenko said in a televised speech. "I will use my right to dissolve parliament and decree early elections if a new coalition is not formed within 30 days," he said. CLICK HERE:Ukraine in snap election warning

Yerevan, Armenia - TURKISH PRESIDENT VISITS ARMENIA - The Turkish President, Abdullah Gul, is to attend a football match in Armenia, his office says, signalling an apparent thaw in relations. The Turkish and Armenian teams will face each other for the first time in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday. The two countries have no official ties and their shared border remains closed. Turkey has rejected Armenia's campaign for the killings of some 1.5m of its citizens, by Ottoman Turks between 1915 and 1917, to be classified as genocide. More than a dozen countries, various international bodies and many Western historians have recognised the killings as genocide. Turkey admits that many Armenians were killed but it denies any genocide, saying the deaths were a part of World War I. CLICK HERE:Turkish prEsident visits Armenia


---

2.09.2008 Moscow, Russia - MEDVEDEV: EU SHOWS COMMON SENSE - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has described his Georgian counterpart as a "political corpse", saying Moscow does not recognise him as president. "President Saakashvili no longer exists in our eyes. He is a political corpse," he told Italy's Rai television. He said US support for Mr Saakashvili had helped provoke the crisis, which has seen Russian troops invade Georgia. He said Russia did not fear isolation by Western countries that have condemned the Russian intervention. Fighting between Russia and Georgia began on August 8 after the Georgian military tried to retake the breakaway region of South Ossetia by force. Russian forces launched a counter-attack and the conflict ended with the ejection of Georgian troops from both South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russia has since recognized the independence of both regions, though no other country has. The Russian president blamed the US for helping provoke the crisis by supporting Mr Saakashvili. "Unfortunately, at a certain point they gave Saakashvili carte blanche for any actions, including military," said Mr Medvedev in the Rai interview. In a broadside aimed at international calls for Russia's isolation, he said Moscow did not fear being expelled from the G8 group of rich nations nor did it fear Nato cutting ties with his country. He said Nato had more to lose than Russia by a severing of relations. Earlier, Mr Medvedev had mixed praise for the European Union, which on Monday decided to suspend talks on a strategic pact with Russia until its troops were withdrawn from Georgia, but declined to impose sanctions. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who stepped down as president earlier this year, praised the European Union's "common sense", but he warned that Moscow would respond to the growing presence of Nato warships in the Black Sea, where Russia's navy fleet has a huge presence. CLICK HERE:Medvedev: EU shows common sense

Ankara, Turkey - RUSSIA TO CONTROL BOSPORUS VIA ECONOMIC PRESSURE ON ANKARA - Turkey has threatened to retaliate against new Russian import controls that are seen as an attempt to punish Turkey for allowing U.S. warships carrying aid to Georgia to pass through the Turkish straits, that connect the Mediterranean to the Black Sea.The extra import checks for Turkish goods have resulted in hundreds of Turkish trucks being held up at Russian border posts. Turkey's trade minister has said Turkey would impose more stringent trade restrictions on Russian goods, but Cemil Cicek, the deputy prime minister, told reporters Monday that Turkey favored resolving the issue through dialogue. Russia is Turkey's top trading partner and supplier of two-thirds of its natural gas. Lavrov and Turkey's Foreign Minister Ali Babacan were also to discuss a Turkish plan for a regional group to stabilize the Caucasus region following the war between Russia and Georgia. Turkey tried to mediate a peaceful solution to the Russia-Georgia conflict, but the proposal did not receive immediate backing from Georgia. Georgian Foreign Minister Eka Tkeshelashvili said last week Georgia would consider joining such a group only after Russian forces leave her country. CLICK HERE:Russia to control Boporos via enonomic pressure on Turkey

Madrid, Spain - SPAIN TO PROBE FRANCO-ERA MISSING - Spain has begun its largest inquiry into the fate of thousands of people who went missing during the 1936-39 civil war and rule of Francisco Franco. Judge Baltasar Garzon has petitioned the Roman Catholic Church and local councils to send him the records they hold about people who disappeared. About 30,000 bodies lie unidentified in mass graves around the country. The aim of the census is to determine if the high court has jurisdiction to prosecute killers who are still alive. Many Spaniards were executed during the civil war seven decades ago or murdered afterwards by the nationalist forces of Gen Franco, who governed Spain until 1975. During the transition to democracy in the 1970s, Spain's political parties agreed not to hold anyone to account for crimes committed during and after the civil war. CLICK HERE:Spain to probe Franco-era missing

London, England - STERLING STRUGGLING AGAIN - The pound has fallen to two-and-half-year low against the US dollar and record low against the euro amid fears about the health of the UK economy. Sterling fell as low as $1.7850, and was trading at 81.62 pence per euro. Measured against a basket of currencies used by major trading partners, the pound is now at a 12-year low. Sterling has fallen sharply over the past month, in mid-July one pound bought two dollars, as fears increased the UK was heading for a recession. At the same time, the dollar has been helped by a fall in the price oil. The US currency has been gaining ground in recent weeks and on Tuesday the euro fell to a seven-month low versus the dollar, dipping below $1.45. CLICK HERE:Sterling struggling again


---

1.09.2008 Brussels, Belgium - EU SUSPENDS TALKS ON RUSSIA PACT - European Union leaders have agreed to suspend talks on a new partnership agreement with Moscow until Russian troops have withdrawn from Georgia. EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said it was clear it could not "continue as if nothing had happened", after an emergency summit in Brussels. The EU also condemned Russia's move to recognise the independence of Georgia's regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russia has warned further support for Georgia would be a "historic" mistake. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also called for an embargo on arms supplies to Georgia until a different government was in place there....The EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, meanwhile said it was prepared to send hundreds of civilian monitors to Georgia to check if Russia was abiding by the EU-brokered ceasefire agreement. Fighting between Russia and Georgia began on August 7 after the Georgian military tried to retake South Ossetia by force. Russian forces launched a counter-attack and the conflict ended with the ejection of Georgian troops from South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Speaking after EU leaders met in Brussels to discuss the crisis, Mr Barroso and French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced they had agreed to postpone talks on an EU-Russia partnership deal. CLICK HERE:EU suspends talks on Russia pact -

Nasran, Ingushetia - ANGER AT DEATH OF KREMLIN CRITIC - Opposition leaders in Russia's volatile Ingushetia region have condemned the killing of the owner of a website critical of the Kremlin. Magomed Yevloyev was arrested and later shot after getting off the same flight as the local, Kremlin-backed leader. Russian prosecutors say they have opened a criminal investigation into the case, but opposition leaders say the killing is part of Russia's policy of "open genocide" towards the Ingush people. "The policy of double standards, which is pursued by the Russian leadership, and the open genocide of the Ingush people make us take cardinal decisions," they said comments published on Mr Yevloyev's website, Ingushetiya.ru. Opposition leaders said such actions increased the backing for those seeking secession from Russia. A posting on the site urged "all those who are not indifferent" to his killing to gather for a demonstration in the regional capital, Nazran. According to a lawyer close to the website, Mr Yevloyev was detained by police after landing at Nazran airport late on Sunday. They took him away in a car, Reuters reports. "As they drove he was shot in the temple... They threw him out of the car near the hospital," Kaloi Akhilgov said. The website owner was taken to hospital but died from his injuries. CLICK HERE:Anger at death of Kremlin critic


---

FOR NASA WEBSITE CLICK HERE:Nasa Mars rovers


---

-LINKS TO NEWS AGENCIES-(Point and Click!)TO TOP OF PAGE

EUROPEAN UNION

• European Union Press ReleasesEU News(At EU Website choose language and click!)
• Delegation of the EU in RussiaEU Delegation in Russia
• Delegation of the EU in the WorldEU Delegation in the World

FRANCE

• Agence France Presseafp
• Press+Press+
• Reuters FranceReuters France

BELGIUM

• BelgaBelganews

GERMANY

• Agence France PresseAgence France Presse
• Deutsche Presse Agenturdpa
• News Aktuellnewsaktuell
• Pressebureaupressebureau

SWEDEN

• TTTT
• Wighs NewsWighs

NORWAY

• ntbntb

DENMARK

• Onlinedr

SPAIN

• Europapresseuropapress

GREAT BRITAIN

• Independt Radio NewsIndependent Radio News
• Reutersreuters
• upiupi

CANADA

• Canada News WireCanada News Wire
• Canadian PressCanadian Press<>
• Clarinet PressClarinet Press
• Reuters CanadaReuters Canada

USA

• American News ServiceAmerica Bn News Service
• The Associated PressAssoc Press
• Capitol News WireCapitol News Wire
• Federal News ServiceFederal News Service
• Future Events News ServiceFuture Events News Service
• News Broadcast NetworkNews Broasdcast Network
• Reutersreuters
• Scripps Howard News ServiceCripps Howard News Service

RUSSIA

• Interfaxinterfax Russian + English
• Interfaxinterfax
• ITAR-TASSitar-tass
• TASS Info Werktass

JAPAN

• Kyodo Newskyodo


PR CHINA 1.10.1999 The 50th Anniversary! (16.06.2002: So sorry... but carry on!)

• Xinhua News AgencyXinhua News Agency
  
  -CNN NEWS LINKS-(Point and Click!)TO TOP OF PAGE
  
  

  CNN

  • CNN InternationalCNN
  • CNN auf deutschCNN auf deutsch
  • CNN en españolCNN en espanol
  • CNN en portuguésCNN en portugues
  • CNN på svenskaCNN på svenska
  • CNN NorgeCNN Norge
  • CNN DanmarkCNN Danmark
  • CNN ItaliaCNN Italia
  • CNN JapanCNN Japan
  • CNN EuropeCNN Europe
  • CNN ArabicCNN Arabic

  ---

  -ADDITIONAL INTERNATIONAL TV NEWS LINKS- (Point and Click!)TO TOP OF PAGE
  
  

  • ABC NewsABC News
  • BBC NewsBBC News
  • EURO NEWSEuro News
  • Sky NewsSky News
  • Fox NewsFox News
  • N-TV NewsN-TV(NEW)
  • Phoenix TVPhoenix TV LIVE transmissions from European Parliament
  • Europe by SatelliteEbSLIVE transmissions from European Parliament also via Internet

  
  

  ---

  
  -EUROPEAN NATIONAL TV LINKS- (Point and Click!)TO TOP OF PAGE
  FRANCE
  
  

  • TF1TF1
  • France2france2
  • France3france3

  
  
  GERMANY
  
  

  • ARDARD
  • ZDFZDF
  • RTL News OnlineRTL News

  
  
  SPAIN
  

  • Radio Television EspanolaRadio TV Espanola

  
  
  SWEDEN
  
  

  • Sveriges TelevisionSVT

  
  
  DENMARK
  
  

  • TV Danmarktv danmark
  • TV2 DKTV2 Danmark
  • TV3 DKTV3 Danmark

  
  
  NORWAY
  
  

  • nrk1nrk1
  • nrk2nrk2
  • tv norgetv norge

  ---

  
  UNIVERSAL NOTICE:BEWARE OF COMPUTER / COMPUTER ACCESS BUGGING DEVICE "SPECTOR 2.1" DOWNLOADABLE IN 5 MINUTES AT:"http://www.spectorsoft.com/" INVISIBLE PROGRAM WHICH WHEN INSTALLED RECORDS EVERY KEY-TOUCH! 29.01.2001

  ---

  
  ANTI-EU / ANTI-EURO LINKS:
  
  "Keep the Pound" CLICK HERE:Keep the Pound
  "No to euro" CLICK HERE:No to euro
  "Conservatives Against a Federalist Europe" CLICK HERE:CAFE
  "The European Foundation" Website of Bill Cash, MP, CLICK HERE:New Alliance
  "The UK Independence Party EU Parliament" CLICK HERE:UKIP
  "Campaign for an Independent Britain" CLICK HERE:"CIB"
  "Eurosceptic Web-Ring" CLICK HERE:euro-sceptic ring
  "Swedish Eurosceptics" CLICK HERE:Swedish Eurosceptics
  "Daily Telegraph" CLICK HERE:Daily Telegraph
  "Daniel Hannan - Conservative Eurosceptic-MEP" CLICK HERE:Daniel Hannan-MEP
  
  MILITANT ANTI-EU ORGANIZATIONS:
  
  1."AfA" CLICK HERE:AfA
  
  2."Attac" CLICK HERE:Attac
  The following groups which participated in violent demonstrations in Genoa may be considered as militant anti-EU:
  GENOA SOCIAL FORUM - Italian-based controlling organizer of Genoa protests and alternative forum. For LINK CLICK HERE:Forum soziale
  
  ATTAC - French-based antiglobalization group for financial transaction tax to release Third World debts. For LINK CLICK HERE: Attac
  
  DROP THE DEBT - British-based group for Third World debt cancellation. For LINK CLICK HERE:Drop the Debt
  
  YA BASTA! Italian radical anti-globalization group. For LINK CLICK HERE:Ya Basta!
  
  GLOBALIZE RESISTANCE - British-based socialist anti-corporate power group. For LINK CLICK HERE:globalize resistance
  
  INDYMEDIA - Independent media organization. Demonstration on-site free-lance journalism and webcasting with news photos. For LINK CLICK HERE:IMC
  For IMC news clips and radio CLICK HERE:fsitv
  TUTE BIANCHI - (Translated: WHITE OVERALLS) A present-day Communist International organization. LINK CLICK HERE:bianchi
  
  FREIE ARBEITER/INNEN UNION - German-language Swiss-based global anarchist "schwarzer Block" network. For LINK CLICK HERE: fau
  

  ---

  
  You choose this week's news topic number one in Europe:TO TOP OF PAGE

  
  
  News topic number one you chose last week:

  ---

  
  OUR TRANSLATION SERVICE "EUROTEXT" CLICK HERE: "Eurotext" Translation Service

  ---

  OTHER TRANSLATION SERVICES

  • ENGLISH - www.translators.co.ukUK Translators
  • GERMAN - www.bdue.deBDÜ
  • GERMAN - www.sprachmittler.comTranslator/Int.List
  • GERMAN - www.dolmetscher.netDolmetscher net
  • GERMAN - www.translation.deTranslation GE
  • FRENCH - www.sft.frsft
  • SWEDISH - www.kammarkollegiet.seSwedish
  • TRANSLATION SERVICE OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION - europa.eu.int/comm/sdt/en/index.htmSdT
    
    OUR WEBSITE URL:http://www.geocities.com/Eureka/Meeting/4872
    
    or briefer form:http://www.geocities.com/euro_news_clip
    
    You may even find us on certain search machines simply under:"euro-news-clip"
    
    TO TOP OF PAGE:TO TOP OF PAGE
    
    

    ---

    
    COUNTER: