The Polish government will let Polish President Lech Kaczynski go alone to Friday's (7 November) EU summit, to avoid another fiasco over chairs at the top table. But it will give him a hard to digest pro-euro and pro-Lisbon treaty mandate. Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Tuesday his decision to stay home, saying he did not want a repeat of the October summit, when a rogue Mr Kaczynski chartered his own plane and gatecrashed the EU meeting, causing protocol havoc and making Poland a figure of fun in European media. Mr Kaczynski (r) will go to Brussels with an awkward task The government's negotiating mandate - which Mr Kaczynski is obliged to follow under the Polish constitution - will force the president to put forward Poland's plan to join the euro in 2012 and call on all EU states to ratify the Lisbon treaty, placing him in an awkward position. The eurosceptic Mr Kaczynski last week said quick euro entry will cause inflation and has himself refused to sign off on Lisbon in support of the Irish No vote in June. Mr Tusk said the mandate was not drafted out of "spite," but because Polish euro entry and broader EU integration will help keep Poland safe amid the financial crisis.
The Polish government will let Polish President Lech Kaczynski go alone to Friday's (7 November) EU summit, to avoid another fiasco over chairs at the top table. But it will give him a hard to digest pro-euro and pro-Lisbon treaty mandate.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Tuesday his decision to stay home, saying he did not want a repeat of the October summit, when a rogue Mr Kaczynski chartered his own plane and gatecrashed the EU meeting, causing protocol havoc and making Poland a figure of fun in European media.
Mr Kaczynski (r) will go to Brussels with an awkward task
The government's negotiating mandate - which Mr Kaczynski is obliged to follow under the Polish constitution - will force the president to put forward Poland's plan to join the euro in 2012 and call on all EU states to ratify the Lisbon treaty, placing him in an awkward position.
The eurosceptic Mr Kaczynski last week said quick euro entry will cause inflation and has himself refused to sign off on Lisbon in support of the Irish No vote in June.
Mr Tusk said the mandate was not drafted out of "spite," but because Polish euro entry and broader EU integration will help keep Poland safe amid the financial crisis.
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 "neutralise" 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.
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 "neutralise" 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.
The Russian president said in his address: - Georgia's military offensive on South Ossetia was a consequence of policies unilaterally followed by the U.S. administration - Russia will push for reforms to global political and economic systems ... - urged a switch to the ruble in payments for gas and oil supplies
- Georgia's military offensive on South Ossetia was a consequence of policies unilaterally followed by the U.S. administration - Russia will push for reforms to global political and economic systems ... - urged a switch to the ruble in payments for gas and oil supplies
will that have an effect on the dollar? ~Government budget deficits are not nearly as dangerous as the deficits we have created in vital and complex natural systems.~ Naomi Klein.
Trade is in US$ and euros, plus for existing long term contracts and for private companies government can not set trade currency guidelines/conditions; but for new deals negotiated on the government level it makes sense to switch to rubles and counterparty's currency.
It will not affect dollar materially, as entire annual Russian exports are only at 350+ bln $ and a small fraction of this amount is going to be affected several years into the future. Moreover, it is being read as an anti-US move, which it is not, just one of the moves towards better convertibility of the ruble.
Might it be that Obama thinks he has to act "bad ass" in order to not appear weak on foreign policy?
Thus Obama may be worse for the Russians than Bush. And I'll give my consent to any government that does not deny a man a living wage-Billy Bragg
Medvedev's omission could be a serious sign. Russia might be comfortable enough with continuation of Bush's power doctrines. How much will Obama dare?
Capitalism searches out the darkest corners of human potential, and mainlines them.
However, it is interesting to think, how much racist shades Russian rulers may have.
Early guesses for Obama are that he is going to continue misguided US policies in the region: Biden is raving against Russia as it demonstrates his "toughness", and with people like McFaul and Brzezinski advising Obama, there is little hope for a change here.
Not a single world leader is mentioned by name. Why make exception for Obama?
It's, actually, a longstanding official Russian position - Russia will work with whoever is a recognized authority in a particular country. After Jan 21st, Obama will be the recognized US President, and Russia will work with him. What else should be said?
just sayin' ~Government budget deficits are not nearly as dangerous as the deficits we have created in vital and complex natural systems.~ Naomi Klein.
Turkey has a lot in its favor, but the country still has much work to do on political and human rights if it wants to join the European Union, the European Commission said. In its annual report card on membership readiness, the European Commission, the EU's executive body, said Turkey has proven itself to be a reliable international partner and a key energy transit route. But Brussels warned the country must work harder on political and human-rights reforms. "Turkey's geo-strategic position gives the country a vital role in the EU's energy security, particularly diversification of energy sources," the European Commission said. "Closer energy cooperation between the EU (and) Turkey ... is essential."
In its annual report card on membership readiness, the European Commission, the EU's executive body, said Turkey has proven itself to be a reliable international partner and a key energy transit route.
But Brussels warned the country must work harder on political and human-rights reforms.
"Turkey's geo-strategic position gives the country a vital role in the EU's energy security, particularly diversification of energy sources," the European Commission said. "Closer energy cooperation between the EU (and) Turkey ... is essential."
MOSCOW: Georgian military forces fired more cluster munitions during the August war with Russia than originally thought, and some of these weapons may have malfunctioned, causing civilian casualties when they fell short of targets and hit Georgian villages, according to new research by Human Rights Watch, a New York-based rights group. Georgia has denied the findings, which Human Rights Watch presented at the Convention on Conventional Weapons held in Geneva on Tuesday. The group found that both Georgia and Russia extensively used cluster munitions during the war. After Georgia launched a massive artillery bombardment against South Ossetia, a breakaway Georgian enclave, Russian invaded large swaths of Georgian territory. Though Russia endured the brunt of international outrage for its conduct during and after the war, Georgia's actions in the conflict have come under increasing scrutiny, and the new report adds to a growing body of evidence of Georgian atrocities during the fighting.
MOSCOW: Georgian military forces fired more cluster munitions during the August war with Russia than originally thought, and some of these weapons may have malfunctioned, causing civilian casualties when they fell short of targets and hit Georgian villages, according to new research by Human Rights Watch, a New York-based rights group.
Georgia has denied the findings, which Human Rights Watch presented at the Convention on Conventional Weapons held in Geneva on Tuesday.
The group found that both Georgia and Russia extensively used cluster munitions during the war. After Georgia launched a massive artillery bombardment against South Ossetia, a breakaway Georgian enclave, Russian invaded large swaths of Georgian territory.
Though Russia endured the brunt of international outrage for its conduct during and after the war, Georgia's actions in the conflict have come under increasing scrutiny, and the new report adds to a growing body of evidence of Georgian atrocities during the fighting.
Though researchers found evidence of Russian and Georgian cluster munitions in over a dozen towns and villages in the conflict zone, Human Rights Watch said that Russian weapons caused most of the civilian casualties.
HRW keeps claiming that Russia used cluster bombs without any supporting evidence, and any evidence they provided before about RBK-50 use turned out to be debris of Western-made cluster bombs. Given the fact that they can not provide a single documented case of the use of Russian cluster ammunition, I doubt they can claim that this ammunition "caused most of the civilian casualties".
Could be because their "expert" is directly from Pentagon and former chief of high-value targeting during the Iraq war in 2003 and the same human rights activist than opined in July this year:
"In their deliberate targeting, the Air Force has all but eliminated civilian casualties in Afghanistan," said Marc Garlasco, senior military analyst with Human Rights Watch. "They have very effective collateral damage mitigation procedures."
I guess that with experts like this and repeated false claims HRW does not care anymore about its own credibility.
More on HRW false claims here. b at moonofalabama been saying from the beginning of September that all HRW provided pictures of ordinance are Western-provided ammunition and not Russian as HRW identifies them. Could it be that Marc Garlasco is filling PsyOps position for Pentagon at HRW?
The Queen, whose personal fortune is estimated to have fallen £25 million in the credit crunch, has demanded to know why no one saw the financial crisis coming. During a briefing by academics at the London School of Economics on the turmoil on the international markets the Queen asked: "Why did nobody notice it?"Professor Luis Garicano, director of research at the London School of Economics' management department, had explained the origins and effects of the credit crisis when she opened the £71 million New Academic Building.The Queen, who studiously avoids controversy and never gives away her opinions, then described the turbulence on the markets as "awful".Prof Garicano said: "She was asking me if these things were so large how come everyone missed it." He told the Queen: "At every stage, someone was relying on somebody else and everyone thought they were doing the right thing."
During a briefing by academics at the London School of Economics on the turmoil on the international markets the Queen asked: "Why did nobody notice it?"
Professor Luis Garicano, director of research at the London School of Economics' management department, had explained the origins and effects of the credit crisis when she opened the £71 million New Academic Building.
The Queen, who studiously avoids controversy and never gives away her opinions, then described the turbulence on the markets as "awful".
Prof Garicano said: "She was asking me if these things were so large how come everyone missed it." He told the Queen: "At every stage, someone was relying on somebody else and everyone thought they were doing the right thing."
The Duke of Edinburgh gave another foot-in-mouth display when he asked a Tamil priest about any links to the militant fighters the Tamil Tigers, during a visit to a Hindu temple with the Queen on her Golden Jubilee tour. Such gaffes have become the prince's trademark while going about his official duties.
Such gaffes have become the prince's trademark while going about his official duties.
This is in a house designed so that every single light can be ignited by a single switch at the entrance. This is good for returning drunks - staggering around reaching under shades of Bernard Leach lamps is tricky. The main thing is to keep as horizontal as possible and play the part. You can't be me, I'm taken
</ chnnel Alf Garnet> Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
I really could not believe that German sailing clubs would regard such items as useful permanent fixtures behind the Herren door. You can't be me, I'm taken
QUESTIONS FOR JAMES K. GALBRAITH - The Populist Do you find it odd that so few economists foresaw the current credit disaster? Some did. The person with the most serious claim for seeing it coming is Dean Baker, the Washington economist. I saw it coming in general terms. But there are at least 15,000 professional economists in this country, and you're saying only two or three of them foresaw the mortgage crisis? Ten or 12 would be closer than two or three.
Do you find it odd that so few economists foresaw the current credit disaster?
Some did. The person with the most serious claim for seeing it coming is Dean Baker, the Washington economist. I saw it coming in general terms.
But there are at least 15,000 professional economists in this country, and you're saying only two or three of them foresaw the mortgage crisis?
Ten or 12 would be closer than two or three.
In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
MINSK, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Belarus is ready to liberalise its economic policies as it seeks a $2 billion cushion against the impact of the global financial crisis from the International Monetary Fund, an official said on Wednesday. The talks with the ex-Soviet state follow a preliminary agreement between the IMF and Ukraine on a $16.5 billion standby loan and a "substantial financing package" with Hungary. Iceland and Serbia are among others who have turned to the Fund. Belarus' deputy central bank head Vasily Matyushevsky told reporters he was optimistic about the loan as an IMF mission held talks with top Belarussian officials in Minsk. "Our macro goal is for this credit not to be used at all. In the current situation we don't need this money... But we don't know how deep the global crisis is," he said. "Belarus is asking for the loan, but it is not in crisis."
The talks with the ex-Soviet state follow a preliminary agreement between the IMF and Ukraine on a $16.5 billion standby loan and a "substantial financing package" with Hungary. Iceland and Serbia are among others who have turned to the Fund.
Belarus' deputy central bank head Vasily Matyushevsky told reporters he was optimistic about the loan as an IMF mission held talks with top Belarussian officials in Minsk.
"Our macro goal is for this credit not to be used at all. In the current situation we don't need this money... But we don't know how deep the global crisis is," he said. "Belarus is asking for the loan, but it is not in crisis."
"Belarus is asking for the loan, but it is not in crisis."
Belarus could be in good position in regard to credit, but if credit squeeze takes hold in Russia, neighboring countries, especially Ukraine and Belarus, are going to get a bad case of cold due to contracting exports to Russia. Belarus heavy machinery exports can be hit hard; still, looks like the country is better prepared for the crisis compared to Ukraine where pro-Western (tm) president failed to use good times to modernize economy.
Germany's trains tend to arrive relatively punctually, but plans to partially privatize the rail service have been postponed for the second time. The government blames global economic instability for the delay. The partial sale of the state-owned German rail system will eventually go ahead, but for now government officials have delayed the process for an undisclosed period of time. Some senior officials have said the stock flotation could be put off until after general elections in September. The sale of just under 25 percent of Deutsche Bahn Mobility Logistics, a unit operating passenger and freight trains, had initially been set for last week, but it was called off because of the global financial crisis.
The partial sale of the state-owned German rail system will eventually go ahead, but for now government officials have delayed the process for an undisclosed period of time. Some senior officials have said the stock flotation could be put off until after general elections in September.
The sale of just under 25 percent of Deutsche Bahn Mobility Logistics, a unit operating passenger and freight trains, had initially been set for last week, but it was called off because of the global financial crisis.
UK interest rates slashed to 3% The Bank of England has cut interest rates in the UK by one-and-a-half percentage points to 3%, its lowest since 1955, in a shock move. Last month it cut rates from 5% to 4.5% in an emergency move co-ordinated with other central banks. There had been widespread calls from industry for a major cut as the country begins to face up to the prospect of a deep recession. It is the most dramatic cut since a two percentage point reduction in 1981.
The Bank of England has cut interest rates in the UK by one-and-a-half percentage points to 3%, its lowest since 1955, in a shock move.
Last month it cut rates from 5% to 4.5% in an emergency move co-ordinated with other central banks.
There had been widespread calls from industry for a major cut as the country begins to face up to the prospect of a deep recession.
It is the most dramatic cut since a two percentage point reduction in 1981.
