EUOBSERVER / COMMENT - The recent nomination by incoming US President Barack Obama of senator Hillary Clinton as the next secretary of state and Susan Rice as the new US Ambassador to the UN confirms that more countries are choosing to appoint females to represent their countries in the international arena. Commissioner Wallstrom wants more women in EU foreign policy jobs Since Madeleine Albright became US secretary of state in 1996, the US has been represented overseas by a woman for eight years out of twelve. And in Africa, there are eight female ministers of foreign affairs. The image of Carme Chacon, Spain's defence minister, inspecting the troops while eight months pregnant crystallised this image of change. But out of 27 defence ministers in the EU, only four are women. For foreign ministers, the gender balance is even worse, with only two females. We may have accepted in principle that politics should include both women and men, but this has not been adequately applied to foreign and security policy. A recent report by Operation 1325, a Swedish umbrella organisation working for women and peace, revealed that nine out of ten civilians sent to work in conflict areas are men. Women are not regarded as having enough knowledge or competence in security questions and, as a result, European peace-making missions remain a project by and for men.
EUOBSERVER / COMMENT - The recent nomination by incoming US President Barack Obama of senator Hillary Clinton as the next secretary of state and Susan Rice as the new US Ambassador to the UN confirms that more countries are choosing to appoint females to represent their countries in the international arena.
Commissioner Wallstrom wants more women in EU foreign policy jobs
Since Madeleine Albright became US secretary of state in 1996, the US has been represented overseas by a woman for eight years out of twelve. And in Africa, there are eight female ministers of foreign affairs.
The image of Carme Chacon, Spain's defence minister, inspecting the troops while eight months pregnant crystallised this image of change. But out of 27 defence ministers in the EU, only four are women. For foreign ministers, the gender balance is even worse, with only two females.
We may have accepted in principle that politics should include both women and men, but this has not been adequately applied to foreign and security policy. A recent report by Operation 1325, a Swedish umbrella organisation working for women and peace, revealed that nine out of ten civilians sent to work in conflict areas are men. Women are not regarded as having enough knowledge or competence in security questions and, as a result, European peace-making missions remain a project by and for men.
Just out of interest, why aren't women regarded as sound on security issues ? After all, what they mean is, women aren't considered as reflexively militaristic as men, which was why Hillary had to be a democratic hawk. Frankly, I don't agree that might makes right anymore than conquest makes safe. One day, I hope our lords and masters might understand this, but I don't have the essentialist belief that it will necessarily be a woman who makes the connection. keep to the Fen Causeway
Strict new European rules on the use of pesticides are expected to be passed which could "seriously threaten" UK food production, say farmers. The British government opposes the law, expected to be passed on Tuesday, which critics say would cause rising prices. It could wipe out the carrot industry and seriously affect many other crops, the National Farmers' Union has warned. However, the Soil Association backs the EU's bid to cut the use of chemicals it says can cause cancer and infertility.
Strict new European rules on the use of pesticides are expected to be passed which could "seriously threaten" UK food production, say farmers.
The British government opposes the law, expected to be passed on Tuesday, which critics say would cause rising prices.
It could wipe out the carrot industry and seriously affect many other crops, the National Farmers' Union has warned.
However, the Soil Association backs the EU's bid to cut the use of chemicals it says can cause cancer and infertility.
Euro-MPs today backed tough new rules restricting the use of pesticides in crops - despite warnings that food prices would rise and production fall. The UK Government, which opposes the move, will now vote against the plan when it comes up for approval by EU governments. Changes in the way pesticides are assessed and authorised for use on crops are part of an EU goal to halve the use of toxic products in farming by 2013. But the scale of the plans has been attacked by the National Farmers' Union and the Crop Protection Association as too tough - threatening the UK's total carrot yield and 20 per cent of cereal production, as well as hitting everything from potatoes and onions to parsnips. Conservative MEP Robert Sturdy said: "This law will drive up the cost of the weekly food shop at the worst time for British families.
Euro-MPs today backed tough new rules restricting the use of pesticides in crops - despite warnings that food prices would rise and production fall.
The UK Government, which opposes the move, will now vote against the plan when it comes up for approval by EU governments.
Changes in the way pesticides are assessed and authorised for use on crops are part of an EU goal to halve the use of toxic products in farming by 2013.
But the scale of the plans has been attacked by the National Farmers' Union and the Crop Protection Association as too tough - threatening the UK's total carrot yield and 20 per cent of cereal production, as well as hitting everything from potatoes and onions to parsnips.
Conservative MEP Robert Sturdy said: "This law will drive up the cost of the weekly food shop at the worst time for British families.
Sharp restrictions on the use of pesticides, passed by the European Parliament on Tuesday (13 January), will see the use of a number of highly toxic chemicals within pesticides banned and pesticide use severely reduced. The restrictions are found in two separate bills - one that eliminates very hazardous substances from pesticides and another that tries to reduce use of all pesticides. Pesticides must be kept away from schools and hospitals The vote is the final step in the adoption of the legisation at the EU level, other than the formality of member states' approval, after three years of discussions. Around 22 substances used within pesticides that cause cancer, endanger reproduction or our genes are to be prohibited, as well as those that negatively affect our nervous, immune or hormonal systems. However, if plants are at serious risk, use of these substances may still be approved for up to five years. A positive list of permitted active substances - the key ingredients of pesticides - is to be drawn up at EU level, with the European Food Safety Authority playing a major role. New pesticides will then be licensed at national level on the basis of this list.
Sharp restrictions on the use of pesticides, passed by the European Parliament on Tuesday (13 January), will see the use of a number of highly toxic chemicals within pesticides banned and pesticide use severely reduced.
The restrictions are found in two separate bills - one that eliminates very hazardous substances from pesticides and another that tries to reduce use of all pesticides.
Pesticides must be kept away from schools and hospitals
The vote is the final step in the adoption of the legisation at the EU level, other than the formality of member states' approval, after three years of discussions.
Around 22 substances used within pesticides that cause cancer, endanger reproduction or our genes are to be prohibited, as well as those that negatively affect our nervous, immune or hormonal systems.
However, if plants are at serious risk, use of these substances may still be approved for up to five years.
A positive list of permitted active substances - the key ingredients of pesticides - is to be drawn up at EU level, with the European Food Safety Authority playing a major role. New pesticides will then be licensed at national level on the basis of this list.
A proposal to give French female ministers four months maternity leave received wide approval after justice minister Rachida Dati sparked a row in France by returning to work five days after giving birth. The proposal by higher education minister Valerie Pécresse suggests passing an "institutional reform" that would make it the norm for ministers who give birth to be replaced by a deputy for a 16-week interim period. Four months, six weeks before birth and ten afterwards, is the legal amount of paid leave entitled to working French mothers but has not applied in practice to women politicians. "In the current system, Rachida Dati didn't have the choice (to stay at home)," said Mrs Pécresse, a mother of three. "I would have done the same thing," she told Le Journal du Dimanche. The new rule, she argued, was the best way to "attract the maximum number of women to politics and avoid them having to take inhuman choices in terms of their private lives". Benoît Hamon, spokesman for the opposition Socialist party welcomed the proposal as "rather intelligent and commonsensical". It was also welcomed by members of the ruling right wing UMP party.
The proposal by higher education minister Valerie Pécresse suggests passing an "institutional reform" that would make it the norm for ministers who give birth to be replaced by a deputy for a 16-week interim period. Four months, six weeks before birth and ten afterwards, is the legal amount of paid leave entitled to working French mothers but has not applied in practice to women politicians.
"In the current system, Rachida Dati didn't have the choice (to stay at home)," said Mrs Pécresse, a mother of three. "I would have done the same thing," she told Le Journal du Dimanche.
The new rule, she argued, was the best way to "attract the maximum number of women to politics and avoid them having to take inhuman choices in terms of their private lives".
Benoît Hamon, spokesman for the opposition Socialist party welcomed the proposal as "rather intelligent and commonsensical". It was also welcomed by members of the ruling right wing UMP party.
The year-long disagreement between Athens and Skopje over Macedonia's official name is not only detrimental to the two neigbours' bilateral relations, it is also jeopardising European Union and NATO stability strategies for the western Balkans, according to a report published on Monday (12 January). Alexander the Great's ethnic origin is also part of the dispute between Greece and Macedonia. "The main NATO-EU strategy for stabilising Macedonia and the region via enlargement was derailed in 2008 by the dispute with Greece over the country's name," says the International Crisis Group (ICG) in a new paper. It explains that the EU membership perspective has been helping to unite Macedonia's two communities, the ethnic Macedonians and Albanians, especially since the end of the 2001 conflict between them. But the recent escalation of the name dispute between Greece and Macedonia - which materialised in April last year when Athens blocked Skopje's NATO bid - "puts at risk the progress achieved," according to the ICG.
The year-long disagreement between Athens and Skopje over Macedonia's official name is not only detrimental to the two neigbours' bilateral relations, it is also jeopardising European Union and NATO stability strategies for the western Balkans, according to a report published on Monday (12 January).
Alexander the Great's ethnic origin is also part of the dispute between Greece and Macedonia.
"The main NATO-EU strategy for stabilising Macedonia and the region via enlargement was derailed in 2008 by the dispute with Greece over the country's name," says the International Crisis Group (ICG) in a new paper.
It explains that the EU membership perspective has been helping to unite Macedonia's two communities, the ethnic Macedonians and Albanians, especially since the end of the 2001 conflict between them.
But the recent escalation of the name dispute between Greece and Macedonia - which materialised in April last year when Athens blocked Skopje's NATO bid - "puts at risk the progress achieved," according to the ICG.
The EU's Development Commissioner says Israel is not respecting international human rights law in the Gaza Strip as the EU presidency calls for financial support to alleviate the dire humanitarian situation there. The European Union's Czech presidency has called for an international donors' conference to deal with the urgent humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg would focus his efforts on "the cessation of hostilities and the achievement of a lasting ceasefire," the presidency said in a statement. Earlier this month, Schwarzenberg led an EU mission to Gaza. The statement said he had been following the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip "with increasing concern." "(He) believes that right now is the moment to seriously consider steps to be taken as soon as a ceasefire is reached," the statement said. "Therefore, the minister believes it is necessary to call an international donors' conference that will both address the urgent humanitarian needs of the Gaza inhabitants caused by the ongoing fighting and consider the reconstruction of Gaza in a longer-term perspective." The Czech Presidency said it was prepared to assume this task as soon as possible, yet gave no precise date for the conference.
The European Union's Czech presidency has called for an international donors' conference to deal with the urgent humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg would focus his efforts on "the cessation of hostilities and the achievement of a lasting ceasefire," the presidency said in a statement.
Earlier this month, Schwarzenberg led an EU mission to Gaza. The statement said he had been following the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip "with increasing concern."
"(He) believes that right now is the moment to seriously consider steps to be taken as soon as a ceasefire is reached," the statement said. "Therefore, the minister believes it is necessary to call an international donors' conference that will both address the urgent humanitarian needs of the Gaza inhabitants caused by the ongoing fighting and consider the reconstruction of Gaza in a longer-term perspective."
The Czech Presidency said it was prepared to assume this task as soon as possible, yet gave no precise date for the conference.
Russia resumed supplies of gas to Europe as observer teams began measuring gas flows through Ukraine in an effort to mediate the ongoing standoff between Moscow and Kiev. The EU welcomed the announcement. Ukraine's Naftogaz said it had received a fax from Gazprom informing it 76 million cubic meters of gas had been sent through the pipelines "at 10 am Moscow time," news agency Itar-Tass reported. But experts say it could take up to three days for gas pumped from Siberia to reach Europe, where thousands of people have been left without heat in one of the coldest winters the continent has seen in a decade. "It is only a portion of the necessary flows," a source in the company told Itar-Tass. Russia supplies an average of 350 million cubic meters of gas to Europe in the winter months.
Ukraine's Naftogaz said it had received a fax from Gazprom informing it 76 million cubic meters of gas had been sent through the pipelines "at 10 am Moscow time," news agency Itar-Tass reported.
But experts say it could take up to three days for gas pumped from Siberia to reach Europe, where thousands of people have been left without heat in one of the coldest winters the continent has seen in a decade.
"It is only a portion of the necessary flows," a source in the company told Itar-Tass.
Russia supplies an average of 350 million cubic meters of gas to Europe in the winter months.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Zero Russian gas had reached the EU via Ukraine as of 17:00 pm Brussels time on Tuesday (13 January), as a Russian-Ukrainian transit deal began to unravel amid allegations of "blackmail" and "cynicism." "Nothing, not one drop has reached the EU," a European Commission spokesman told EUobserver. "High level [diplomatic] contact has resumed and the situation is changing every minute. But there is no gas so far." Firewood: people in eastern Europe are turning to more basic ways to heat their homes Russia says it restarted EU supplies at 8:30 am Brussels time on Tuesday morning, with a 22-man team of EU monitors in Moscow, Kiev and remote pumping stations reporting a slight increase in pressure in the morning followed by decline. The latest problem is linked to "technical gas" - the residual gas in Ukrainian pipelines required to enable transportation of Russian gas to the EU. Under an agreement between Kiev and Moscow, Ukrainian state-owned gas company Naftogaz is obliged to provide the technical gas but has not done so.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Zero Russian gas had reached the EU via Ukraine as of 17:00 pm Brussels time on Tuesday (13 January), as a Russian-Ukrainian transit deal began to unravel amid allegations of "blackmail" and "cynicism."
"Nothing, not one drop has reached the EU," a European Commission spokesman told EUobserver. "High level [diplomatic] contact has resumed and the situation is changing every minute. But there is no gas so far."
Firewood: people in eastern Europe are turning to more basic ways to heat their homes
Russia says it restarted EU supplies at 8:30 am Brussels time on Tuesday morning, with a 22-man team of EU monitors in Moscow, Kiev and remote pumping stations reporting a slight increase in pressure in the morning followed by decline.
The latest problem is linked to "technical gas" - the residual gas in Ukrainian pipelines required to enable transportation of Russian gas to the EU.
Under an agreement between Kiev and Moscow, Ukrainian state-owned gas company Naftogaz is obliged to provide the technical gas but has not done so.
Just hours after Russia resumed delivery of natural gas to the European Union through Ukrainian pipelines, Kiev has admitted to blocking the supplies. Ukraine is claiming that Gazprom has established "unacceptable" conditions for the transit of the gas to Europe. Calm in the gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine lasted for only a few hours on Tuesday. After six days of blocking supplies, Russia began pumping natural gas through Ukraine at 8 a.m., bound for European Union customers. A gas pumping station in Russia: The valves have been opened and energy supplies are flowing to Europe again. But before the supplies could even get to the EU, the pipelines were reportedly shut down again. European Union observers in place to monitor gas flows said they had measured "little or no gas" in Ukraine. They said it was too early to draw conclusions from the observation, but the situation "is obviously very serious and must be improved quickly." Kiev soon admitted that it had, in fact, blocked the transit of Russian gas through its territory, citing "unacceptable conditions for transit" that had been imposed by Gazprom, a spokesperson for Ukraine's state-owned Naftogaz, which manages the pipelines, told the French news agency AFP.
Just hours after Russia resumed delivery of natural gas to the European Union through Ukrainian pipelines, Kiev has admitted to blocking the supplies. Ukraine is claiming that Gazprom has established "unacceptable" conditions for the transit of the gas to Europe.
Calm in the gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine lasted for only a few hours on Tuesday. After six days of blocking supplies, Russia began pumping natural gas through Ukraine at 8 a.m., bound for European Union customers.
A gas pumping station in Russia: The valves have been opened and energy supplies are flowing to Europe again.
But before the supplies could even get to the EU, the pipelines were reportedly shut down again. European Union observers in place to monitor gas flows said they had measured "little or no gas" in Ukraine. They said it was too early to draw conclusions from the observation, but the situation "is obviously very serious and must be improved quickly."
Kiev soon admitted that it had, in fact, blocked the transit of Russian gas through its territory, citing "unacceptable conditions for transit" that had been imposed by Gazprom, a spokesperson for Ukraine's state-owned Naftogaz, which manages the pipelines, told the French news agency AFP.
Britain close to low gas alert Reserves have fallen to less than a week's supply of UK needs BRITAIN'S gas network operator is on the verge of issuing an emergency alert that could lead to cuts for industrial users and potentially affect Ireland, which takes 90% of its supply from Britain. The National Grid in Britain said it could issue the "gas balancing alert" in the next two to three days because reserves had fallen to less than a week's supply of UK needs. Suppliers were forced to dip into reserves last week after energy companies began siphoning gas out of Britain to supply other parts of Europe.
BRITAIN'S gas network operator is on the verge of issuing an emergency alert that could lead to cuts for industrial users and potentially affect Ireland, which takes 90% of its supply from Britain.
The National Grid in Britain said it could issue the "gas balancing alert" in the next two to three days because reserves had fallen to less than a week's supply of UK needs.
Suppliers were forced to dip into reserves last week after energy companies began siphoning gas out of Britain to supply other parts of Europe.
EUOBSERVER/BRUSSELS - The incoming Obama administration will step up its calls on Europe to close legal loopholes allowing Iran to pursue its nuclear activities, outgoing US ambassador to Brussels Kristen Silverberg said on Tuesday (13 January). "Iran is still taking advantage of their economic ties here in Europe," Ms Silverberg said at a conference organised by the European Policy Centre, a Brussels-based think-tank. President Barack Obama will not shy from being tough on Europe regarding Iran The Obama administration is expected to raise the problem of Europe's loopholes in its sanctions regime, including "transport companies involved in supporting proliferation sensitive activities," stopping export credits to Iran and all financial assistance, she said. Ms Silverberg, a political appointee of the outgoing Bush administration, has been in office for less than six months and will leave her posting next Monday, a day before the inauguration of incoming president Barack Obama. She stressed that the president-elect had endorsed a bill in the Senate providing for very tough sanctions against Iran and that he called on Americans to pressure companies to cut their financial ties with Iran.
EUOBSERVER/BRUSSELS - The incoming Obama administration will step up its calls on Europe to close legal loopholes allowing Iran to pursue its nuclear activities, outgoing US ambassador to Brussels Kristen Silverberg said on Tuesday (13 January).
"Iran is still taking advantage of their economic ties here in Europe," Ms Silverberg said at a conference organised by the European Policy Centre, a Brussels-based think-tank.
President Barack Obama will not shy from being tough on Europe regarding Iran
The Obama administration is expected to raise the problem of Europe's loopholes in its sanctions regime, including "transport companies involved in supporting proliferation sensitive activities," stopping export credits to Iran and all financial assistance, she said.
Ms Silverberg, a political appointee of the outgoing Bush administration, has been in office for less than six months and will leave her posting next Monday, a day before the inauguration of incoming president Barack Obama.
She stressed that the president-elect had endorsed a bill in the Senate providing for very tough sanctions against Iran and that he called on Americans to pressure companies to cut their financial ties with Iran.
The number of passengers travelling on Channel Tunnel high-speed Eurostar trains rose more than 10 per cent to a record high last year. The increase came despite a serious fire on board a Eurotunnel freight shuttle train in the tunnel last September - an incident that badly disrupted services. The knock-on effect of the fire means that a full Eurostar service is still not running through the tunnel, but Eurostar chief executive Richard Brown said today that a full timetable should be in operation by early spring. Eurostar, which runs trains from St Pancras in London to Paris and Brussels, carried 9.1 million passengers last year - 10.3 per cent more than in 2007. Ticket sales in 2008 rose 10.9 per cent to £664 million and 92.4 per cent of trains ran on time or early during 2008. Last year was the first full year of operation of High Speed 1 - the fast rail link running from London to the tunnel's opening at Folkestone in Kent.
The increase came despite a serious fire on board a Eurotunnel freight shuttle train in the tunnel last September - an incident that badly disrupted services.
The knock-on effect of the fire means that a full Eurostar service is still not running through the tunnel, but Eurostar chief executive Richard Brown said today that a full timetable should be in operation by early spring.
Eurostar, which runs trains from St Pancras in London to Paris and Brussels, carried 9.1 million passengers last year - 10.3 per cent more than in 2007.
Ticket sales in 2008 rose 10.9 per cent to £664 million and 92.4 per cent of trains ran on time or early during 2008.
Last year was the first full year of operation of High Speed 1 - the fast rail link running from London to the tunnel's opening at Folkestone in Kent.
A protest against economic reforms that drew thousands to Latvia's capital turned violent Tuesday as small pockets of rioters clashed with police and attacked government buildings.Police responded by charging the crowd and shooting pepper spray as the rioters threw chunks of ice and rocks.Three officers were seriously injured and 126 protesters were detained, Interior Ministry spokeswoman Sigita Pildava said. Emergency medical worker Vija Grigala told Leta news agency that 32 protesters were injured.About 10,000 people participated in the demonstration, police said, the largest protest since Latvia became independent in 1991.Tuesday's demonstration was focused against the government's tough reforms, including tax increases, to cope with growing economic problems that have led to rising unemployment.
A protest against economic reforms that drew thousands to Latvia's capital turned violent Tuesday as small pockets of rioters clashed with police and attacked government buildings.
Police responded by charging the crowd and shooting pepper spray as the rioters threw chunks of ice and rocks.
Three officers were seriously injured and 126 protesters were detained, Interior Ministry spokeswoman Sigita Pildava said. Emergency medical worker Vija Grigala told Leta news agency that 32 protesters were injured.
About 10,000 people participated in the demonstration, police said, the largest protest since Latvia became independent in 1991.
Tuesday's demonstration was focused against the government's tough reforms, including tax increases, to cope with growing economic problems that have led to rising unemployment.
Some videos can be found here. Quite a wild stuff.
