An ugly row over who should represent Poland at Wednesday's (14 October) EU summit has ended with both Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Lech Kaczynski coming to Brussels, without a decision on who will lead the delegation or take part in top-level meetings. Mr Tusk, foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski and finance minister Jacek Rostwoski will fly to the EU capital on Tuesday evening on Poland's "Air Force One" - a Tupolev TU-154M - carrying official summit accreditation and Poland's negotiation mandate for the EU talks. President Kaczynski at a Polish folk gathering - wants to advise in the EU corridors With just three golden ID badges available for entry into the EU summit chamber and two chairs at the top table itself, the prime minister has said he wants his men beside him for the main discussions - on the financial crisis and CO2 emission cut plans. "On this I will not compromise, because it's about bigger issues than a dispute between politicians," the prime minister said on TV, after last-ditch talks in Warsaw on Monday night in which the pair reportedly called each by the Polish polite form "Mr" - a sarcastic way of indicating dislike.
An ugly row over who should represent Poland at Wednesday's (14 October) EU summit has ended with both Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Lech Kaczynski coming to Brussels, without a decision on who will lead the delegation or take part in top-level meetings.
Mr Tusk, foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski and finance minister Jacek Rostwoski will fly to the EU capital on Tuesday evening on Poland's "Air Force One" - a Tupolev TU-154M - carrying official summit accreditation and Poland's negotiation mandate for the EU talks.
President Kaczynski at a Polish folk gathering - wants to advise in the EU corridors
With just three golden ID badges available for entry into the EU summit chamber and two chairs at the top table itself, the prime minister has said he wants his men beside him for the main discussions - on the financial crisis and CO2 emission cut plans.
"On this I will not compromise, because it's about bigger issues than a dispute between politicians," the prime minister said on TV, after last-ditch talks in Warsaw on Monday night in which the pair reportedly called each by the Polish polite form "Mr" - a sarcastic way of indicating dislike.
The Republic of Ireland is braced for a budget which is predicted to be the harshest for more than a decade as its government struggles to increase the stability of its economic system. Finance minister Brian Lenihan is expected to announce in the Irish parliament today both increased taxes and spending cuts in a budget which will mark the ending of the "Celtic Tiger" period. The new mood of parsimony has led to the leader of the opposition voluntarily taking a cut in his official salary, leading to speculation that ministers may follow suit. The period which took Ireland to unprecedented levels of prosperity is now wistfully regarded as a thing of the past, with the Republic now facing into years of difficulties.
The Republic of Ireland is braced for a budget which is predicted to be the harshest for more than a decade as its government struggles to increase the stability of its economic system.
Finance minister Brian Lenihan is expected to announce in the Irish parliament today both increased taxes and spending cuts in a budget which will mark the ending of the "Celtic Tiger" period.
The new mood of parsimony has led to the leader of the opposition voluntarily taking a cut in his official salary, leading to speculation that ministers may follow suit.
The period which took Ireland to unprecedented levels of prosperity is now wistfully regarded as a thing of the past, with the Republic now facing into years of difficulties.
In a revelation that could tarnish the legacy of one of the best-known Eastern European writers, a Czech research institute published a report on Monday indicating that the young Milan Kundera told the police about a supposed spy. According to the state-backed Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes, in 1950, long before he became famous for darkly comic novels like "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" and "The Joke," Kundera, who was then 21, told the local police about a guest in a student dormitory where he lived. The police quickly arrested the man, Miroslav Dvoracek, who had defected to Germany in 1948 and was said to have been recruited by United States-backed anti-Communists as a spy against the Czech government. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison. Dvoracek narrowly escaped the death penalty, a common punishment for espionage, and eventually served a 14-year sentence, including hard labor in a uranium mine. The allegations could diminish Kundera's moral stature as a spokesman, however enigmatic, against totalitarianism's corrosion of daily life.
In a revelation that could tarnish the legacy of one of the best-known Eastern European writers, a Czech research institute published a report on Monday indicating that the young Milan Kundera told the police about a supposed spy.
According to the state-backed Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes, in 1950, long before he became famous for darkly comic novels like "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" and "The Joke," Kundera, who was then 21, told the local police about a guest in a student dormitory where he lived.
The police quickly arrested the man, Miroslav Dvoracek, who had defected to Germany in 1948 and was said to have been recruited by United States-backed anti-Communists as a spy against the Czech government. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison. Dvoracek narrowly escaped the death penalty, a common punishment for espionage, and eventually served a 14-year sentence, including hard labor in a uranium mine.
The allegations could diminish Kundera's moral stature as a spokesman, however enigmatic, against totalitarianism's corrosion of daily life.
Or, modify its perception as one coloured by own guilt. (A parallel: the case of film director István Szabó, see The Mephisto Behind Mephisto and its update.) *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
Several thousand Montenegrins, angry at their government's recognition of Kosovo's independence from Serbia, held a rally Monday evening. About 30 people were injured and 35 arrested after the protests turned violent. Opposition parties organized a rally in the Montenegrin capital of Podgorica to protest the government's recognition of Kosovo. Opposition leaders demanded that Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic's cabinet revoke recognition of the breakaway Serbian region and demanded a referendum on the topic, according to the daily newspaper Vijesti. Toward the end of the protests, some demonstrators began throwing stones and flares at police officers guarding the parliament building. Police reacted by using teargas, according to the newspaper's Tuesday edition. The crowd dispersed within 20 minutes, but clashes in side streets continued over the next hour, Vijesti said. Belgrade media on Tuesday claimed rubber bullets were also fired.
Opposition parties organized a rally in the Montenegrin capital of Podgorica to protest the government's recognition of Kosovo.
Opposition leaders demanded that Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic's cabinet revoke recognition of the breakaway Serbian region and demanded a referendum on the topic, according to the daily newspaper Vijesti.
Toward the end of the protests, some demonstrators began throwing stones and flares at police officers guarding the parliament building. Police reacted by using teargas, according to the newspaper's Tuesday edition.
The crowd dispersed within 20 minutes, but clashes in side streets continued over the next hour, Vijesti said. Belgrade media on Tuesday claimed rubber bullets were also fired.
Sarkozy confirmed that Carla Bruni-Sarkozy had personally delivered the news to Petrella. Sarkozy said that Petrella's hunger strike needed to be stopped and he thought that the news could put an end to it. "My wife was there for a very simple reason: I asked her to do it," Sarkozy told a news conference in Paris. "I asked her to go because Ms Petrella was in danger of dying." But Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, the first lady's sister, said she had asked Bruni-Sarkozy to go to the president and urge him to block the extradition. Bruni-Tedeschi said she and her sister had together broken the news to Petrella last Wednesday. "I just felt that it would be a terrible thing for her to die," Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi reportedly told Europe 1 radio. Petrella had been convicted of plotting to murder a senior Rome police officer and to kidnap a judge. She had been living in France since 1993.
Sarkozy confirmed that Carla Bruni-Sarkozy had personally delivered the news to Petrella. Sarkozy said that Petrella's hunger strike needed to be stopped and he thought that the news could put an end to it.
"My wife was there for a very simple reason: I asked her to do it," Sarkozy told a news conference in Paris. "I asked her to go because Ms Petrella was in danger of dying."
But Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, the first lady's sister, said she had asked Bruni-Sarkozy to go to the president and urge him to block the extradition. Bruni-Tedeschi said she and her sister had together broken the news to Petrella last Wednesday.
"I just felt that it would be a terrible thing for her to die," Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi reportedly told Europe 1 radio.
Petrella had been convicted of plotting to murder a senior Rome police officer and to kidnap a judge. She had been living in France since 1993.
Residents of Jersey will vote on whether to scrap Greenwich Mean Time and adopt a European time zone. A referendum will ask residents whether they want to switch to Central European Time (CET), which is an hour ahead of Britain.Supporters of the move claim it would boost tourism on the island, as it would mean more sunlight in the evenings.But critics say it would damage commerce, as it would leave Jersey out of step with its main trading partner, London.Senator Jimmy Perchard, of the "Yes" campaign, said: "We have historical connections with France. Our streets have French names. The prayers in our parliament are in French.
A referendum will ask residents whether they want to switch to Central European Time (CET), which is an hour ahead of Britain.
Supporters of the move claim it would boost tourism on the island, as it would mean more sunlight in the evenings.
But critics say it would damage commerce, as it would leave Jersey out of step with its main trading partner, London.
Senator Jimmy Perchard, of the "Yes" campaign, said: "We have historical connections with France. Our streets have French names. The prayers in our parliament are in French.
scrap Greenwich Mean Time and adopt a European time zone.
Last I checked, GMT was a European time zone (which also includes Protugal and Ireland). And Jersey is not voting about "a" but one specific other timezone.
(My own thinking: geographically, it would make more sense if Spain, France and the BeNeLux states would join GMT.) *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
Definitely: Barcelona is just 2° East of the Greenwich meridian. A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith
Major tuna-fishing nations have backed calls for temporary closure of the Mediterranean tuna fishery, branded a "disgrace" by a recent expert report. The World Conservation Congress passed a motion calling for closure of the bluefin fishery until scientifically sound recovery plans are in place. Catches are estimated to be about four times higher than scientists recommend. Spain, which has the biggest quota for Mediterranean tuna, and Japan, the biggest consumer, voted in favour.
Major tuna-fishing nations have backed calls for temporary closure of the Mediterranean tuna fishery, branded a "disgrace" by a recent expert report.
The World Conservation Congress passed a motion calling for closure of the bluefin fishery until scientifically sound recovery plans are in place.
Catches are estimated to be about four times higher than scientists recommend.
Spain, which has the biggest quota for Mediterranean tuna, and Japan, the biggest consumer, voted in favour.
Yes, that means fisheries will go broke and a lot of people will have to be compensated, but right now they have a choice between something that draconian or a sea full of jellyfish in 20 years. keep to the Fen Causeway
BRUSSELS: Relief over the success of Europe's intervention in the banking crisis will give way Wednesday to discord over climate change, with nations battling over whether a looming recession makes European Union carbon-reduction targets unaffordable. After two weeks of crisis diplomacy over the banking meltdown, European leaders will gather in Brussels for a two-day summit meeting that probably will be dominated by the impact of the economic turbulence and expectations of a sharp downturn. On the eve of the meeting, Franco Frattini, the Italian foreign minister and former European commissioner, called for "flexibility" over the EU's ambitious plans to reduce planet-warming emissions by 20 percent by 2020, pointing out that such measures would cost 1.14 percent of his country's gross national product. Speaking in Rome, Frattini called for the proposals to be accompanied by an "impact study on the real economy," the news agency Ansa reported. Germany is arguing for protection against foreign competition for sectors like steel, cement and aluminum, and Poland says it should have to shoulder less of the burden of combating global warming. The dispute is one example of how the financial crisis has changed Europe's political landscape in several respects.
BRUSSELS: Relief over the success of Europe's intervention in the banking crisis will give way Wednesday to discord over climate change, with nations battling over whether a looming recession makes European Union carbon-reduction targets unaffordable.
After two weeks of crisis diplomacy over the banking meltdown, European leaders will gather in Brussels for a two-day summit meeting that probably will be dominated by the impact of the economic turbulence and expectations of a sharp downturn.
On the eve of the meeting, Franco Frattini, the Italian foreign minister and former European commissioner, called for "flexibility" over the EU's ambitious plans to reduce planet-warming emissions by 20 percent by 2020, pointing out that such measures would cost 1.14 percent of his country's gross national product. Speaking in Rome, Frattini called for the proposals to be accompanied by an "impact study on the real economy," the news agency Ansa reported.
Germany is arguing for protection against foreign competition for sectors like steel, cement and aluminum, and Poland says it should have to shoulder less of the burden of combating global warming.
The dispute is one example of how the financial crisis has changed Europe's political landscape in several respects.
EU leaders meeting in Brussels this week have lots on their plate with a financial crisis raging, soured relations with Russia, and questions about the bloc's future after Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon Treaty. At the top of the agenda in Brussels will be the issue of how the EU can work to restore confidence in financial markets traumatized by the worst declines in almost 80 years. Ahead of the summit, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said that Europe and the rest of the world must rethink financial regulation and supervisory rules, including for hedge funds and private equity, once the crisis subsides. He said he was encouraged by stock market surges following Sunday's adoption of a coordinated 2.2 trillion euro ($3,023 billion) rescue plan for banks in eurozone countries. "Once we have put financial markets back on their feet, we must ensure that in the future, they function properly for the benefit of citizens and businesses, rather than themselves," Barroso said. German news agency DPA has reported that diplomats expect the EU summit to throw its weight behind the euro-group decision rather than proposing new measures.
At the top of the agenda in Brussels will be the issue of how the EU can work to restore confidence in financial markets traumatized by the worst declines in almost 80 years.
Ahead of the summit, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said that Europe and the rest of the world must rethink financial regulation and supervisory rules, including for hedge funds and private equity, once the crisis subsides.
He said he was encouraged by stock market surges following Sunday's adoption of a coordinated 2.2 trillion euro ($3,023 billion) rescue plan for banks in eurozone countries.
"Once we have put financial markets back on their feet, we must ensure that in the future, they function properly for the benefit of citizens and businesses, rather than themselves," Barroso said.
German news agency DPA has reported that diplomats expect the EU summit to throw its weight behind the euro-group decision rather than proposing new measures.
The European Union should strengthen its fight against global warming, not weaken it in the face of the financial crisis, the head of the EU's executive said on Tuesday, Oct. 13 ahead of a major EU summit in Brussels. "Of course we understand that in financially difficult moments governments become defensive, but it is our duty to call the attention of governments and the public to responsibility," European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso told journalists. The EU has been "driving" the global climate debate, but there will be a "real problem of credibility for Europe at a time when we expect others to come closer to our position" if the bloc weakens its own targets, he warned. In March 2007 EU leaders pledged to cut the bloc's emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2, the gas most linked with global warming) to 20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020. In January, the European Commission proposed laws detailing how this should be done.
"Of course we understand that in financially difficult moments governments become defensive, but it is our duty to call the attention of governments and the public to responsibility," European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso told journalists.
The EU has been "driving" the global climate debate, but there will be a "real problem of credibility for Europe at a time when we expect others to come closer to our position" if the bloc weakens its own targets, he warned.
In March 2007 EU leaders pledged to cut the bloc's emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2, the gas most linked with global warming) to 20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020. In January, the European Commission proposed laws detailing how this should be done.
PM calls for EU-wide financial coordination Says climate change targets will not relaxed International institutions 'must be overhauled'
LONDON -- With his brooding aspect and sagging poll numbers, Prime Minister Gordon Brown had seemed to personify the bleak mood of a world traumatized by collapsing house prices, lost jobs and banks that would not lend. But that was last week.After devising a bank rescue plan that has now been endorsed by European and American officials -- and has sent global stocks soaring -- he is being celebrated worldwide and has revived a political career that the "commentariat," as Mr. Brown disdainfully refers to the chattering classes, had predicted would soon be at an end. While Mr. Brown, 57, has moved up in the polls, he still trails his younger conservative rival, the fresh-faced David Cameron, 42, whose months of deft parliamentary jabs helped define Mr. Brown as a leaden, out of touch leader. But for all the troubles of the British economy, and after a 10-year apprenticeship as chancellor of the Exchequer under Prime Minister Tony Blair, Mr. Brown is suddenly in his element, proudly pointing to his long experience. "Now is not the time," he said in a pointed jab at Mr. Cameron, "for a novice."
LONDON -- With his brooding aspect and sagging poll numbers, Prime Minister Gordon Brown had seemed to personify the bleak mood of a world traumatized by collapsing house prices, lost jobs and banks that would not lend.
But that was last week.
After devising a bank rescue plan that has now been endorsed by European and American officials -- and has sent global stocks soaring -- he is being celebrated worldwide and has revived a political career that the "commentariat," as Mr. Brown disdainfully refers to the chattering classes, had predicted would soon be at an end.
While Mr. Brown, 57, has moved up in the polls, he still trails his younger conservative rival, the fresh-faced David Cameron, 42, whose months of deft parliamentary jabs helped define Mr. Brown as a leaden, out of touch leader.
But for all the troubles of the British economy, and after a 10-year apprenticeship as chancellor of the Exchequer under Prime Minister Tony Blair, Mr. Brown is suddenly in his element, proudly pointing to his long experience.
"Now is not the time," he said in a pointed jab at Mr. Cameron, "for a novice."
DemCurious What the Hell? Brown, who removed the Bank of England's role as a regulator? Brown, who sold off the UK's gold reserves at an historic low? Brown, who helped steer HMS British Economy into a Post Industrial phase where it makes nothing, imports everything, and has a balance of trade deficit of $9 billion a month? Brown, who sat on his hands and declared, McSame-like, that the Fundamentals of the Economy are Strong, then dithered while the banks teetered towards collapse? Brown, who just told the bailed-out banks that as a condition of getting their handouts that they have to restore mortgage and personal lending to 2007 levels - the very same levels that caused
Brown, who removed the Bank of England's role as a regulator?
Brown, who sold off the UK's gold reserves at an historic low?
Brown, who helped steer HMS British Economy into a Post Industrial phase where it makes nothing, imports everything, and has a balance of trade deficit of $9 billion a month?
Brown, who sat on his hands and declared, McSame-like, that the Fundamentals of the Economy are Strong, then dithered while the banks teetered towards collapse?
Brown, who just told the bailed-out banks that as a condition of getting their handouts that they have to restore mortgage and personal lending to 2007 levels - the very same levels that caused
neroden: Credit to him for doing the bleeding obvious Brown copied the Swedish plan -- with the full backing of the LibDems and the Tories. It was the bleeding obvious thing to do. It was already recommended by most economists. Any half-brain who read the newspapers could have figured out that it was the correct plan to restore confidence. The reason it looks good is simply that nobody else in power seems to have done the bleeding obvious thing! Which is sort of horrifying.
Brown copied the Swedish plan -- with the full backing of the LibDems and the Tories. It was the bleeding obvious thing to do. It was already recommended by most economists. Any half-brain who read the newspapers could have figured out that it was the correct plan to restore confidence.
The reason it looks good is simply that nobody else in power seems to have done the bleeding obvious thing! Which is sort of horrifying.
to which I added:
a man that has pretented, together with his pal Blair, that center-right, or fully rightwing policies spun in leftish-tinted discourse was the only future for the left, thus helping move the Overton window right?; a man whose only constituency for the past 10 years was the City Of London (the bankers, the hedge funds) and the billionaires of the world, whom he enticed to London via extravagant tax breaks? a man who has shown nothing but contempt for Europe now saying that coordination is a necessary thing?
a man whose only constituency for the past 10 years was the City Of London (the bankers, the hedge funds) and the billionaires of the world, whom he enticed to London via extravagant tax breaks?
a man who has shown nothing but contempt for Europe now saying that coordination is a necessary thing?
