French President Nicolas Sarkozy has come under fire from the opposition after the Corsican police chief was demoted. The officer had failed to prevent a demonstration at the villa of an actor -- who happens to be close friends with the president. Sarkozy with his friend Christian Clavier. The incident on Saturday had been relatively harmless. A group of Corsican nationalists had invaded the lawn of a rich French villa owner and demonstrated for an hour before heading home. The event however is having deep political repercussions, far away in Paris. The villa is owned by Christian Clavier, who happens to be a close friend of President Nicolas Sarkozy and by Monday the Corsican police chief, Dominique Rossi, had been fired. Now French opposition politicians are crying foul, accusing the president of inappropriate interference on behalf of a friend. On Saturday evening dozens of nationalists had invaded Clavier's holiday villa to protest the "colonization" of the Mediterranean island by French holidaymakers, something that they had done before. Clavier was not present but he was alerted by his staff and he ordered them to serve drinks to the demonstrators who soon left the premises.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has come under fire from the opposition after the Corsican police chief was demoted. The officer had failed to prevent a demonstration at the villa of an actor -- who happens to be close friends with the president.
Sarkozy with his friend Christian Clavier. The incident on Saturday had been relatively harmless. A group of Corsican nationalists had invaded the lawn of a rich French villa owner and demonstrated for an hour before heading home. The event however is having deep political repercussions, far away in Paris.
The villa is owned by Christian Clavier, who happens to be a close friend of President Nicolas Sarkozy and by Monday the Corsican police chief, Dominique Rossi, had been fired. Now French opposition politicians are crying foul, accusing the president of inappropriate interference on behalf of a friend.
On Saturday evening dozens of nationalists had invaded Clavier's holiday villa to protest the "colonization" of the Mediterranean island by French holidaymakers, something that they had done before. Clavier was not present but he was alerted by his staff and he ordered them to serve drinks to the demonstrators who soon left the premises.
MADRID: A judge began gathering information on Monday about people who disappeared during Spain's civil war and subsequent dictatorship, seeking to produce a reliable list of those who were killed away from the battlefield. The judge, Baltasar Garzón, issued a ruling seeking information from church leaders, mayors and other authorities about victims of General Francisco Franco's forces after his military uprising on July 17, 1936, touched off the war against the democratically elected Republican government. Atrocities were committed on both sides, although the general's victorious Fascists are generally considered to have committed the lion's share. Although Franco decreed that anyone who opposed him could face execution, there is no official record of how many people were killed by his supporters during and after the civil war. A historian said the Franco government listed 55,000 people executed or murdered by Republican sympathizers.
MADRID: A judge began gathering information on Monday about people who disappeared during Spain's civil war and subsequent dictatorship, seeking to produce a reliable list of those who were killed away from the battlefield.
The judge, Baltasar Garzón, issued a ruling seeking information from church leaders, mayors and other authorities about victims of General Francisco Franco's forces after his military uprising on July 17, 1936, touched off the war against the democratically elected Republican government.
Atrocities were committed on both sides, although the general's victorious Fascists are generally considered to have committed the lion's share.
Although Franco decreed that anyone who opposed him could face execution, there is no official record of how many people were killed by his supporters during and after the civil war. A historian said the Franco government listed 55,000 people executed or murdered by Republican sympathizers.
Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) are set to name charismatic Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier as their candidate for the chancellorship in elections next year, according to a report Tuesday. SPD federal chairman Kurt Beck, who would under normal circumstances be the candidate, had agreed to work out the party's program for the September 2009 elections with Steinmeier, the Financial Times Deutschland (FTD) reported. It added that Beck would put forward Steinmeier's name shortly after the Bavarian state elections on Sept. 28. Beck had previously indicated the decision on who would challenge incumbent Christian Democrat (CDU) Chancellor Angela Merkel would be announced "before Christmas."
SPD federal chairman Kurt Beck, who would under normal circumstances be the candidate, had agreed to work out the party's program for the September 2009 elections with Steinmeier, the
Financial Times Deutschland (FTD) reported.
It added that Beck would put forward Steinmeier's name shortly after the Bavarian state elections on Sept. 28.
Beck had previously indicated the decision on who would challenge incumbent Christian Democrat (CDU) Chancellor Angela Merkel would be announced "before Christmas."
The EU's signal to Russia might seem harmless at first sight, but it's tougher than it looks, says DW's Ingo Mannteufel. At their emergency meeting on the Cacasus conflict, EU leaders decided to continue their negotiations with Russia about a partnership agreement only after Russian troops have been withdrawn from the Georgian heartland. Considering the sanctions against Russia that had been discussed and called for by some EU states ahead of the meeting, this decision seems like a relatively harmless reprimand. But it isn't. It's a harsh and equally sensible reaction. Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Ingo Mannteufel The EU's course of action is sensible, because the bloc has avoided escalating the charged atmosphere between Russia and Europe even further. Sanctions would have simply escalated the situation, which would have been harmful for Russia and Europe. The EU, in its entirety, did not continue the "war of words" waged by Georgia, Russia and some European countries. But the EU's decision is also harsh, as heads of state and government basically presented Russian President Medvedev with the choice of burying a political partnership with the EU or suffering a serious setback domestically.
At their emergency meeting on the Cacasus conflict, EU leaders decided to continue their negotiations with Russia about a partnership agreement only after Russian troops have been withdrawn from the Georgian heartland. Considering the sanctions against Russia that had been discussed and called for by some EU states ahead of the meeting, this decision seems like a relatively harmless reprimand. But it isn't.
It's a harsh and equally sensible reaction.
Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Ingo Mannteufel
The EU's course of action is sensible, because the bloc has avoided escalating the charged atmosphere between Russia and Europe even further. Sanctions would have simply escalated the situation, which would have been harmful for Russia and Europe. The EU, in its entirety, did not continue the "war of words" waged by Georgia, Russia and some European countries.
But the EU's decision is also harsh, as heads of state and government basically presented Russian President Medvedev with the choice of burying a political partnership with the EU or suffering a serious setback domestically.
Russia has welcomed the "responsible" outcome of an EU crisis summit that condemned the country's intervention in Georgia but did not impose sanctions. Russia's foreign ministry said it regretted the bloc's accusation of a "disproportionate" response in Georgia. But it said that most EU countries had shown they wanted to continue partnerships with Russia. EU leaders agreed to suspend talks on a strategic pact with Russia until its troops were withdrawn from Georgia. But Russia expressed merely "regret" over this decision, classing it as the latest in a long line of blockages to a much-delayed agreement.
Russia has welcomed the "responsible" outcome of an EU crisis summit that condemned the country's intervention in Georgia but did not impose sanctions.
Russia's foreign ministry said it regretted the bloc's accusation of a "disproportionate" response in Georgia.
But it said that most EU countries had shown they wanted to continue partnerships with Russia.
EU leaders agreed to suspend talks on a strategic pact with Russia until its troops were withdrawn from Georgia.
But Russia expressed merely "regret" over this decision, classing it as the latest in a long line of blockages to a much-delayed agreement.
THE gloves are finally off. Russia and the West are not partners but competitors. And despite the diplomatic-speak that bordered on gushing at times, they always were. Speculation as to whether a new Cold War lurks on the horizon is over with the talk having gloomily turned to the specter of a major conflict in Europe reminiscent of World War II. If Washington can form coalitions of the like-minded, Moscow can too and, in fact, it is doing so to the detriment of Western interests. Those who believe the row between Russia on the one side and the US and Europe on the other is genuinely over two Georgian breakaway enclaves are naïve. At the core of this argument is a global power play based largely on the control of energy and the routes of pipelines that deliver it. Georgia's usefulness to Washington and Brussels is not linked to shared democratic values. It rather revolves around Georgia's role as a secure oil conduit and its geography enabling the NATO to camp out on Russia's borders.The Russians have long been concerned about the $4 billion Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline conceived by the US to deliberately cut Russia out of the supply chain as well as efforts by Western energy giants to collar oil and gas from the Caucasus and the Caspian. In addition to its military and economic prowess, Moscow is aware that its own energy resources as well as control over those of its neighbors provides Russia with the global clout it's been seeking ever since the end of the Cold War. It will not relinquish its influence a second time by falling for Western promises that until now have been consistently reneged upon. Examples of these include America's unilateral trashing of the ABM Treaty and promises made to President Gorbachev that NATO would not expand beyond Germany. It's clear that Washington and its European allies were planning on coexisting with a toothless post-Soviet Russia -- a poor relation guaranteed not to murmur even when its economic interests were trampled upon in Iraq. But then they didn't foresee oil prices breaking the $140 a barrel glass ceiling causing Moscow's coffers to overflow along with its newly reborn national pride.
THE gloves are finally off. Russia and the West are not partners but competitors. And despite the diplomatic-speak that bordered on gushing at times, they always were. Speculation as to whether a new Cold War lurks on the horizon is over with the talk having gloomily turned to the specter of a major conflict in Europe reminiscent of World War II.
If Washington can form coalitions of the like-minded, Moscow can too and, in fact, it is doing so to the detriment of Western interests. Those who believe the row between Russia on the one side and the US and Europe on the other is genuinely over two Georgian breakaway enclaves are naïve. At the core of this argument is a global power play based largely on the control of energy and the routes of pipelines that deliver it. Georgia's usefulness to Washington and Brussels is not linked to shared democratic values. It rather revolves around Georgia's role as a secure oil conduit and its geography enabling the NATO to camp out on Russia's borders.
The Russians have long been concerned about the $4 billion Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline conceived by the US to deliberately cut Russia out of the supply chain as well as efforts by Western energy giants to collar oil and gas from the Caucasus and the Caspian. In addition to its military and economic prowess, Moscow is aware that its own energy resources as well as control over those of its neighbors provides Russia with the global clout it's been seeking ever since the end of the Cold War. It will not relinquish its influence a second time by falling for Western promises that until now have been consistently reneged upon. Examples of these include America's unilateral trashing of the ABM Treaty and promises made to President Gorbachev that NATO would not expand beyond Germany. It's clear that Washington and its European allies were planning on coexisting with a toothless post-Soviet Russia -- a poor relation guaranteed not to murmur even when its economic interests were trampled upon in Iraq. But then they didn't foresee oil prices breaking the $140 a barrel glass ceiling causing Moscow's coffers to overflow along with its newly reborn national pride.
While the upstarts and old guard battle it out as to how best to handle their gargantuan neighbor, Moscow has clinched a new pipeline that will carry natural gas from Turkmenistan to Russia, much to Washington's irritation, and signed a contract that will give it virtual control over Turkmenistan's gas exports. Russia has also put out feelers for the establishment of a global gas cartel, an idea that it has discussed with Venezuela, and which is certain to put cartel members on a collision course with the White House. Venezuela has also invited three prominent Russian companies to take over from their American counterparts Exxon Mobil and Conoco Philips. Further, according to China Daily, it has agreed with Beijing on an energy initiative that would involve Russian oil and gas heading away from Europe toward Asia. Famous the world over for its chess players, Russia is becoming adept at petrocarbon politics, a game it appears to be winning. However, in this "game" the stakes are even higher than who gets what at which price. Russia is developing closer military and economic ties with China as well as military-technical ties with Syria. Moscow is also negotiating with Iran to set up a minimum of two military bases on its soil -- one in Eastern Azerbaijan and the other on an Island in the Gulf -- in return for accepting Iran into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which would guarantee Iran's security in the face of external aggression. Such an alliance would not only threaten Western interests, but the fragile regional power balance would be substantially altered. Indeed, it is rumored that Russia has agreed to supply Tehran with the cutting edge S-300 missile system to help protect its nuclear facilities from airstrikes -- particularly irksome for Israeli hawks. Lastly, Russia has signaled it's keen to restore military, economic and intelligence ties with Cuba and is thought to be seeking a naval base in Vietnam. With the benefit of hindsight it's hard to believe that European leaderships don't regret disrespecting Russia at a time it was emerging from decades of darkness and could easily have been incorporated into the EU, NATO and the WTO.
The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe has denied that it strongly censured Tblisi for the South Ossetian conflict in August, following the publication of articles in the German press that internal reports from the regional security organisation had attacked the Georgian leadership. The OSCE is a regional security organisation whose members stretch across the northern hemisphere An article in Monday's edition of Der Spiegel describes documents from the OSCE leaked to the German centre-left weekly that accuse Georgian President Mikheil Sakaashvili of ordering the assault on Tskhinvali in advance of Russian tanks entering the Roki Tunnel - the road linking Russia to South Ossetia, and not afterwards, as the Georgian government has insisted. If true, the OSCE reports would effectively blame Georgia for starting the conflict. However, speaking to the EUobserver, OSCE spokesperson Martin Nesirky called the article in Der Spiegel "ludicrous", lamenting their appearance in a magazine he described as "normally very trustworthy".
The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe has denied that it strongly censured Tblisi for the South Ossetian conflict in August, following the publication of articles in the German press that internal reports from the regional security organisation had attacked the Georgian leadership.
The OSCE is a regional security organisation whose members stretch across the northern hemisphere
An article in Monday's edition of Der Spiegel describes documents from the OSCE leaked to the German centre-left weekly that accuse Georgian President Mikheil Sakaashvili of ordering the assault on Tskhinvali in advance of Russian tanks entering the Roki Tunnel - the road linking Russia to South Ossetia, and not afterwards, as the Georgian government has insisted.
If true, the OSCE reports would effectively blame Georgia for starting the conflict.
However, speaking to the EUobserver, OSCE spokesperson Martin Nesirky called the article in Der Spiegel "ludicrous", lamenting their appearance in a magazine he described as "normally very trustworthy".
Last week, some European Union members talked of levying sanctions on Moscow. On Monday evening in Brussels, however, German and French-style diplomacy won out. French President Nicolas Sarkozy was visibly relaxed when he appeared before the press in the Justus Lipsius building, headquarters of the European Council, in Brussels. But before he addressed the issue at hand -- namely the ongoing Georgia-Russia crisis -- he held a quick history lesson. The EU, he pointed out, had held an extraordinary summit once before. It was February 2003, just before the beginning of the Iraq War. It was a time of disunity, Sarkozy said. "We weren't listened to." Sarkozy was referring to "we Europeans." Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel were intent on diplomacy in Brussels on Monday. It was an historical comparison that was meant to put Sarkozy, who currently holds the rotating EU presidency, in a positive light. Every summit has to somehow be seen as a success and now, five and a half years after the last extraordinary summit, the EU wants above all to demonstrate unity. That is the message sent on Monday night by the 27 European leaders gathered in Brussels. Sarkozy spoke of a "great readiness for unity despite varying sensitivities." Not long later, German Chancellor Angela Merkel echoed her French counterpart, saying the EU was sending a "signal of unity and resolve." The two leaders were referring to the 11-point declaration passed by the European Council on Monday evening. Despite differences among the 27 EU member-states, the bloc was able to agree on a document that once again emphasized the territorial integrity of Georgia and referred to Russia's reaction as being "disproportionate."
Last week, some European Union members talked of levying sanctions on Moscow. On Monday evening in Brussels, however, German and French-style diplomacy won out.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy was visibly relaxed when he appeared before the press in the Justus Lipsius building, headquarters of the European Council, in Brussels. But before he addressed the issue at hand -- namely the ongoing Georgia-Russia crisis -- he held a quick history lesson. The EU, he pointed out, had held an extraordinary summit once before. It was February 2003, just before the beginning of the Iraq War. It was a time of disunity, Sarkozy said. "We weren't listened to." Sarkozy was referring to "we Europeans."
Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel were intent on diplomacy in Brussels on Monday. It was an historical comparison that was meant to put Sarkozy, who currently holds the rotating EU presidency, in a positive light. Every summit has to somehow be seen as a success and now, five and a half years after the last extraordinary summit, the EU wants above all to demonstrate unity. That is the message sent on Monday night by the 27 European leaders gathered in Brussels.
Sarkozy spoke of a "great readiness for unity despite varying sensitivities." Not long later, German Chancellor Angela Merkel echoed her French counterpart, saying the EU was sending a "signal of unity and resolve."
The two leaders were referring to the 11-point declaration passed by the European Council on Monday evening. Despite differences among the 27 EU member-states, the bloc was able to agree on a document that once again emphasized the territorial integrity of Georgia and referred to Russia's reaction as being "disproportionate."
'Stop! Or We'll Say Stop Again!' FROM TODAY'S WALL STREET JOURNAL EUROPE With apologies to comedian Robin Williams, that's the line that comes to mind when weighing the European Union's declaration yesterday on Russia's continued occupation of Georgia. At a special meeting in Brussels, EU national leaders told Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to abide by the terms of a French-brokered cease-fire, including a pullback of Russian troops to their preconflict positions. If he doesn't do so, they warned, they will hold another meeting. That's all.
With apologies to comedian Robin Williams, that's the line that comes to mind when weighing the European Union's declaration yesterday on Russia's continued occupation of Georgia.
At a special meeting in Brussels, EU national leaders told Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to abide by the terms of a French-brokered cease-fire, including a pullback of Russian troops to their preconflict positions. If he doesn't do so, they warned, they will hold another meeting.
That's all.
I read somewhere that the EU accepted to include the word "disproportionate" at Poland's request, but put it after "reaction", thus suggesting that it accepted the notion that Georia had started it... In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Georgian Premier Lado Gurgenidze thanked the European Union for its support Tuesday and called for closer ties with Brussels. Russian officials on the other hand had had a mixed reaction to the emergency summit. "What Georgia needs is to consolidate the gains we have made through tightened integration (with the EU)," Gurgenidze said after talks in Brussels with the EU's external affairs commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner. "The free trade and the visa facilitation are indeed important pillars, although we are hoping for a comprehensive discussion on how this tightened integration (with the EU) can be achieved," Gurgenidze said. The premier also raised his estimate on the number of Georgians needing long-term resettlement as a result of Russia's military intervention from 20,000 to 30-35,000.
"What Georgia needs is to consolidate the gains we have made through tightened integration (with the EU)," Gurgenidze said after talks in Brussels with the EU's external affairs commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
"The free trade and the visa facilitation are indeed important pillars, although we are hoping for a comprehensive discussion on how this tightened integration (with the EU) can be achieved," Gurgenidze said.
The premier also raised his estimate on the number of Georgians needing long-term resettlement as a result of Russia's military intervention from 20,000 to 30-35,000.
Most remarkable of all is an op-ed in the Financial Times by Kishore Mahbubani, a senior academic in profoundly pro-Western Singapore. Mahbubani says that 10% of the world is united in condemning Russia, and the other 90% "is bemused by western moralising on Georgia." He says Mao Zedong was right in one thing - the distinction between the primary contradiction and the secondary contradictions with which one must always compromise. "Russia is not close to becoming the primary contradiction the west faces." He ends by saying that it is Western "flawed (strategic) thinking" that is causing the world to be a more dangerous place. The United States is not yet ready to listen to the sage counsel of its own friends in the non-Western world. Western Europe is grappling its way to understanding what's at stake for them. NATO cannot survive the irrelevance of its strategic activity in what Mahbubani calls the "post cold-war era."
The United States is not yet ready to listen to the sage counsel of its own friends in the non-Western world. Western Europe is grappling its way to understanding what's at stake for them. NATO cannot survive the irrelevance of its strategic activity in what Mahbubani calls the "post cold-war era."
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Parts of the Lisbon Treaty might be passed by the Irish lower chamber without a referendum, said Prime Minister Brian Cowen on Monday night (1 September) while in Brussels for an EU summit on the Georgia crisis. Mr Cowen sees this as an option for his government after the No vote on the Lisbon Treaty in June. But he rejected as "speculation" any discussion at this stage on how the government will proceed, according to the Irish Independent newspaper. Prime Minister Cowen believes parts of the Lisbon Treaty can be passed without a referendum "The advice to government was that a referendum was required. We put the usual, general question to people and it was rejected," Cowen said while speaking to reporters, adding that his government was putting together plans for cross-party discussions on the future of the treaty. The Irish premier and his foreign affairs minister also informed some of their European counterparts present at the EU summit that the Irish government was set to receive the results of its research on the referendum defeat, results that would be reported back to the European Council in October.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Parts of the Lisbon Treaty might be passed by the Irish lower chamber without a referendum, said Prime Minister Brian Cowen on Monday night (1 September) while in Brussels for an EU summit on the Georgia crisis.
Mr Cowen sees this as an option for his government after the No vote on the Lisbon Treaty in June. But he rejected as "speculation" any discussion at this stage on how the government will proceed, according to the Irish Independent newspaper.
Prime Minister Cowen believes parts of the Lisbon Treaty can be passed without a referendum
"The advice to government was that a referendum was required. We put the usual, general question to people and it was rejected," Cowen said while speaking to reporters, adding that his government was putting together plans for cross-party discussions on the future of the treaty.
The Irish premier and his foreign affairs minister also informed some of their European counterparts present at the EU summit that the Irish government was set to receive the results of its research on the referendum defeat, results that would be reported back to the European Council in October.
PARIS, Sept 2 (Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy wants Europe to play a stronger role in international financial markets regulation to strengthen governance rules and boost confidence, his office said in a statement on Tuesday. "The president supported the idea that political authorities should look into questions of regulation and financial stability at the highest level," it said in a statement after Sarkozy received a report on financial market stability. It said Europe should build up contacts with the United States, Japan and emerging economies "to assure coordination in approaches to regulation and supervision and to progress towards a convergence of norms and practices at the global level". Sarkozy asked Economy Minister Christine Lagarde to present the report, by the former head of the International Federation of Accountants Rene Ricol, to her European Union colleagues at a meeting of EU finance ministers in Nice next week.
Liberal and conservative MEPs in a key committee in the European Parliament have combined to recommend a dilution of proposed rules on capping carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) from cars. Late Monday evening (1 September), the parliament's industry committee recommended that emission curbs on vehicles be applied only to 60 percent of a company's fleet of cars in 2012, rising to cover a company's entire fleet in 2015. One car would count as three cars in the case of zero-emissions vehicles The European Commission had originally proposed that the imposition of the cap apply to all new cars across the board as of 2012. The delay would not be the first won by the car lobby. Earlier plans, set in 1995, proposed a deadline of 2005. New cars must cut CO2 emissions to an average of 130 grammes per kilometre, down from a current average of 158 grammes. Firms that do not meet the target were to be fined €95 per gram per kilometre over the limit, according to the EU executive's earlier proposals.
Liberal and conservative MEPs in a key committee in the European Parliament have combined to recommend a dilution of proposed rules on capping carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) from cars.
Late Monday evening (1 September), the parliament's industry committee recommended that emission curbs on vehicles be applied only to 60 percent of a company's fleet of cars in 2012, rising to cover a company's entire fleet in 2015.
One car would count as three cars in the case of zero-emissions vehicles
The European Commission had originally proposed that the imposition of the cap apply to all new cars across the board as of 2012. The delay would not be the first won by the car lobby. Earlier plans, set in 1995, proposed a deadline of 2005.
New cars must cut CO2 emissions to an average of 130 grammes per kilometre, down from a current average of 158 grammes. Firms that do not meet the target were to be fined €95 per gram per kilometre over the limit, according to the EU executive's earlier proposals.
The UK economy is likely to fall into recession this year, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The Paris-based think tank predicts that the UK economy will shrink at an annual rate of 0.3% in the third quarter, and by 0.4% in the fourth. According to the latest official figures, the UK economy did not grow at all in the second quarter of 2008. The working definition of a recession is two quarters of negative growth. The gloomy outlook for the UK economy has pushed the pound sterling to its lowest level for two years against the euro.
The UK economy is likely to fall into recession this year, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The Paris-based think tank predicts that the UK economy will shrink at an annual rate of 0.3% in the third quarter, and by 0.4% in the fourth.
According to the latest official figures, the UK economy did not grow at all in the second quarter of 2008.
The working definition of a recession is two quarters of negative growth.
The gloomy outlook for the UK economy has pushed the pound sterling to its lowest level for two years against the euro.
Even the BBC falls for that. 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
Ten million French children returned to the classroom yesterday to find their lessons crammed into a four-day week -- a revolution that delighted families but drew criticism from experts. In a scheme decreed by President Sarkozy, all primary and junior secondary children are being spared the unpopular tradition of Saturday morning classes. Since most schools are closed on Wednesdays, the majority will enjoy three days off school every week. No other Europeans, except for a small minority in Germany and Luxembourg, follow a four-day week. French Lycée (senior secondary) pupils continue with Saturday classes. Children will still spend as much time in the classroom as the European average, but educators say that their learning faces disruption by being squeezed into two blocks of two days. "They took no account of scientific research," said François Testu, a lecturer at Tours university and the author of Life Rhythms and School Rhythms. "Children need a rhythm and the four-day week creates breaks. It is doubtless a decision that pleases parents but they do not realise the damaging consequences," he said.
Ten million French children returned to the classroom yesterday to find their lessons crammed into a four-day week -- a revolution that delighted families but drew criticism from experts.
In a scheme decreed by President Sarkozy, all primary and junior secondary children are being spared the unpopular tradition of Saturday morning classes. Since most schools are closed on Wednesdays, the majority will enjoy three days off school every week.
No other Europeans, except for a small minority in Germany and Luxembourg, follow a four-day week. French Lycée (senior secondary) pupils continue with Saturday classes. Children will still spend as much time in the classroom as the European average, but educators say that their learning faces disruption by being squeezed into two blocks of two days.
"They took no account of scientific research," said François Testu, a lecturer at Tours university and the author of Life Rhythms and School Rhythms. "Children need a rhythm and the four-day week creates breaks. It is doubtless a decision that pleases parents but they do not realise the damaging consequences," he said.
Italy on Sunday announced it will pay Libya USD 5 billion as compensation for its thirty year occupation of the country, which ended in thirty-year. The compensation package would involve construction projects, student grants and pensions for Libyan soldiers who served with the Italians during World War II. Indeed, this had all along been the material and emotional spirit from African leaders and academics during the fall of the last century in recognition of the mistakes that colonialism did to Africa since 19th century. The Libyan success in getting monetary compensation for the exploitation of her resources by a colonial master has definitely raised the issue of whether other African countries should also not initiate a process of demanding adequate compensation from Britain, France, Portugal and distantly also from Germany and Arab slave traders for decades of colonial subjugation spanning the period 1914 to 1960.
cui bono? i wonder what contractors will profit off this huge new highway, italian ones maybe? The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it. Chinese Proverb.
Ukraine to increase rent for Russian Fleet by up to 25 times From January 1, 2009, the Ukrainian leadership is planning to put up the rent for the Crimean territories where Russia's Black Sea Fleet is stationed, according to Russia's Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper. It claims the corresponding documents are being prepared by Ukraine's Ministries of Foreign Relations and Defence. The rent price was calculated in 1997 and defined in the treaty of disposition of Russia's Black Sea Fleet on the territory of Ukraine. The calculations took into consideration the Ukraine's debt to Russia, which at the time was $US 2 billion, and the cost of renting port facilities was agreed at $US 98 million. Currently, Ukrainian debt to Russia is estimated at $US 1.3 billion. Nevertheless, Ukraine's former Defence Minister and now a member of parliament Anatoly Gritsenko says the country should pay off the debt and put up the rent - to $US 1 billion a year at least. His colleague Yury Kostenko believes the price should be $US 2.5 billion. The ministries are facing the difficulty of deciding the exact market price as they have no list of objects the Black Sea Fleet is exploiting. According to the treaty of disposition of Russia's Black Sea Fleet on the territory of Ukraine, concluded by Russia and Ukraine on May 28, 1997, Russia's Fleet is to stay in the Crimea until May 28, 2017. On August 13, 2008, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko signed a decree to introduce `a permissive mechanism' for crossing the Ukrainian border by Russia's Black Sea Fleet. The decree announces that the fleet must inform the Ukrainian General Staff no later than 72 hours before the prospective crossing of the country's border. It must also present a register of staff, armaments, equipment, ammunition and explosives which the fleet is carrying, the types of ships, any aircraft and the point and date of crossing the border. It seems that the Ukrainian leadership is interested in creating the most uncomfortable conditions for Russia's Black Sea Fleet as its stationing in the Crimea may hinder the country's joining the NATO.
The rent price was calculated in 1997 and defined in the treaty of disposition of Russia's Black Sea Fleet on the territory of Ukraine. The calculations took into consideration the Ukraine's debt to Russia, which at the time was $US 2 billion, and the cost of renting port facilities was agreed at $US 98 million.
Currently, Ukrainian debt to Russia is estimated at $US 1.3 billion.
Nevertheless, Ukraine's former Defence Minister and now a member of parliament Anatoly Gritsenko says the country should pay off the debt and put up the rent - to $US 1 billion a year at least. His colleague Yury Kostenko believes the price should be $US 2.5 billion.
The ministries are facing the difficulty of deciding the exact market price as they have no list of objects the Black Sea Fleet is exploiting.
According to the treaty of disposition of Russia's Black Sea Fleet on the territory of Ukraine, concluded by Russia and Ukraine on May 28, 1997, Russia's Fleet is to stay in the Crimea until May 28, 2017.
On August 13, 2008, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko signed a decree to introduce `a permissive mechanism' for crossing the Ukrainian border by Russia's Black Sea Fleet.
The decree announces that the fleet must inform the Ukrainian General Staff no later than 72 hours before the prospective crossing of the country's border.
It must also present a register of staff, armaments, equipment, ammunition and explosives which the fleet is carrying, the types of ships, any aircraft and the point and date of crossing the border.
It seems that the Ukrainian leadership is interested in creating the most uncomfortable conditions for Russia's Black Sea Fleet as its stationing in the Crimea may hinder the country's joining the NATO.
