Italian police have arrested a man over the killing of six African immigrants near Naples last week. Investigators say they believe the killings, which sparked a riot by local immigrants, were the work of the local mafia, known as the Camorra. They believe the arrested man was part of a gang that allegedly fired on the immigrants. His family say he had nothing to do with the attack. Police are still looking for two other people in connection with the killings.
Investigators say they believe the killings, which sparked a riot by local immigrants, were the work of the local mafia, known as the Camorra.
They believe the arrested man was part of a gang that allegedly fired on the immigrants. His family say he had nothing to do with the attack.
Police are still looking for two other people in connection with the killings.
The camorra group presumed responsible for the murder spree are linked to the Bidognetti clan recently disseminated by arrests, heavy prison sentences and supergrassos. It is rumoured that the head of the clan had become a state witness thus provoking not only a war of succession but a policy of burnt earth around anyone who goes state witness through the massacre of their family members.
The political referents of the Bidognetti clan have recently been outed in a series (second article) of scoops by l'Espresso weekly. According to the scoops prominent Campania political figures in Berlusconi's entourage had key roles in the garbage racket for nearly two decades. They are the same individuals who "cleaned" up Naples.
Francois Fillon, France's prime minister, has said Paris will strengthen its mission in Afghanistan with more helicopters, drones, intelligence-gathering equipment and about 100 extra troops. He made the announcement during a debate in the lower house of the French parliament in which members voted to keep French troops stationed in Afghanistan despite an attack there last month in which 10 soldiers were killed. The parliament, which is dominated by the party of Nicolas Sarkozy, France's president, voted 343 to 210 in favour of continuing the Nato mission which involves 2,600 French troops. The vote is the first under a constitutional amendment approved in July that requires politicians to vote on any foreign military operation lasting more than four months.
Francois Fillon, France's prime minister, has said Paris will strengthen its mission in Afghanistan with more helicopters, drones, intelligence-gathering equipment and about 100 extra troops.
He made the announcement during a debate in the lower house of the French parliament in which members voted to keep French troops stationed in Afghanistan despite an attack there last month in which 10 soldiers were killed.
The parliament, which is dominated by the party of Nicolas Sarkozy, France's president, voted 343 to 210 in favour of continuing the Nato mission which involves 2,600 French troops.
The vote is the first under a constitutional amendment approved in July that requires politicians to vote on any foreign military operation lasting more than four months.
Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper said it stands by its account of a NATO report that described Taliban forces as better-armed than French soldiers targeted in a deadly ambush last month. Both NATO and the French military have denied the substance and the existence of any such report, saying the newspaper was referring to a leaked e-mail by an officer who gave a partial account of the incident. But the Toronto daily said the article was well-sourced and based on a confidential report, not an e-mail. "The Globe and Mail obtained the report from a trusted source, and checked its authenticity with other sources," Philippe Devos, assistant foreign editor at the Toronto daily, told AFP in an e-mail. Marked "NATO/ISAF SECRET," the report bears the four pointed blue star symbol for NATO and the green emblem of the International Security Assistance Force, the newspaper said. The paper on Saturday quoted the report on the deadly August 18 ambush as saying the paratroopers had run out of ammunition after only 90 minutes and had one radio that was quickly knocked out, leaving them unable to call for air support. Ten French soldiers were killed in the assault. The mountain ambush east of Kabul was the deadliest ground attack on international troops since they were sent to Afghanistan in 2001 to oust the hardline Taliban regime.
Both NATO and the French military have denied the substance and the existence of any such report, saying the newspaper was referring to a leaked e-mail by an officer who gave a partial account of the incident.
But the Toronto daily said the article was well-sourced and based on a confidential report, not an e-mail.
"The Globe and Mail obtained the report from a trusted source, and checked its authenticity with other sources," Philippe Devos, assistant foreign editor at the Toronto daily, told AFP in an e-mail.
Marked "NATO/ISAF SECRET," the report bears the four pointed blue star symbol for NATO and the green emblem of the International Security Assistance Force, the newspaper said.
The paper on Saturday quoted the report on the deadly August 18 ambush as saying the paratroopers had run out of ammunition after only 90 minutes and had one radio that was quickly knocked out, leaving them unable to call for air support.
Ten French soldiers were killed in the assault. The mountain ambush east of Kabul was the deadliest ground attack on international troops since they were sent to Afghanistan in 2001 to oust the hardline Taliban regime.
PARIS: One month after ten French soldiers died in a Taliban ambush in Afghanistan, the government announced Monday that it would reinforce its presence there, sending more troops and better equipment despite the outpouring of anguish over the deaths. There have been several reports - in the media and from leftist opposition politicians - that French troops were poorly equipped for their deployment in the rugged mountains east of Kabul. But Prime Minister François Fillon said during a debate in Parliament on the Afghan deployment that the government was more determined than ever to stay. "The president of the republic and government have learned the lesson from this murderous ambush," Fillon said in the National Assembly. "We have decided to strengthen our military means. "Not acting would leave the Afghans at the mercy of the Taliban and Al Qaeda, would re-expose us to the risk of terrorism and would leave our allies to fight for us alone."
PARIS: One month after ten French soldiers died in a Taliban ambush in Afghanistan, the government announced Monday that it would reinforce its presence there, sending more troops and better equipment despite the outpouring of anguish over the deaths.
There have been several reports - in the media and from leftist opposition politicians - that French troops were poorly equipped for their deployment in the rugged mountains east of Kabul. But Prime Minister François Fillon said during a debate in Parliament on the Afghan deployment that the government was more determined than ever to stay.
"The president of the republic and government have learned the lesson from this murderous ambush," Fillon said in the National Assembly. "We have decided to strengthen our military means.
"Not acting would leave the Afghans at the mercy of the Taliban and Al Qaeda, would re-expose us to the risk of terrorism and would leave our allies to fight for us alone."
This could get interesting. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Fast-forward to 2006: Iraq war was used against Republicans running for re-election.
The closer we get to 2012, the more nervous UMP MPs will be... Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.
Airlines and coalmines may not be quite the same thing, yet this week could turn out to be Silvio Berlusconi's Thatcher moment. The Italian rightwing prime minister and media tycoon has been desperately trying to keep Alitalia flying. But all his latest salvage efforts for his country's stricken flag carrier have been blocked by the intransigence of a relatively small group of hardcore unions interested above all in protecting their power and privileges.These unions, including one representing about 1,000 highly paid pilots, have little public support - not unlike Britain's old National Union of Mineworkers when Margaret Thatcher decided to take them on. The confrontation between the Conservative prime minister of the day and the miners turned into a seminal moment for British labour relations. Mr Berlusconi has the opportunity to do the same in Italy.
Airlines and coalmines may not be quite the same thing, yet this week could turn out to be Silvio Berlusconi's Thatcher moment.
The Italian rightwing prime minister and media tycoon has been desperately trying to keep Alitalia flying. But all his latest salvage efforts for his country's stricken flag carrier have been blocked by the intransigence of a relatively small group of hardcore unions interested above all in protecting their power and privileges.
These unions, including one representing about 1,000 highly paid pilots, have little public support - not unlike Britain's old National Union of Mineworkers when Margaret Thatcher decided to take them on. The confrontation between the Conservative prime minister of the day and the miners turned into a seminal moment for British labour relations. Mr Berlusconi has the opportunity to do the same in Italy.
But all his latest salvage efforts for his country's stricken flag carrier have been blocked by the intransigence of a relatively small group of hardcore unions interested above all in protecting their power and privileges.
Mr. Bell does a good job of translating into English Berlusconi's position which has been accepted by the general public thanks to a perfectly tuned media machine.
Alitalia was already on the point of being salvaged by Air France under far better conditions than those offered by Berlusconi's "Italian" group of bigwig crony impresarios with outrageous conflicts of interest.
The "small group of hardcore unions" amounts to the CGIL, the largest representative union in Italy together with the small unions that represent specific categories. In the words of Epifani, head of the CGIL, you don't negotiate with a pistol pointed at your temple- nor at the last minute. Mr. Berlusconi evidently takes his queues from watching Don Vito Corleone who managed business relations by "making offers that can't be refused."
For a breakdown of union representation see the following article (in Italian). When the tally is made that "small group of hardcore unions" happens to represent the majority of Alitalia workers. Mr. Bell's assertion
Most of Alitalia's unions finally accepted, albeit reluctantly, to a restructuring involving some 3,000 job cuts to allow the rescue to take off.
By following the Thatcher example and calling the unions' bluff, he would burst the abscess of 30 years of irresponsible and damaging Italian labour relations. That could turn out to be a far more valuable long-term legacy than saving the national flag carrier.
Alitalia pilots are paid less and have less "privileges" than their European colleagues. Further they did offer to reduce these so-called "privileges" such as being bussed to the airport.
Pilots effectively do have power- and responsibilities. They fly aircrafts.
Alitalia may likely be grounded on Thursday. Berlusconi's cronies will walk off with the choice slices. The Italians that pay taxes will pick up Alitalia's debts and gleefully continue to vote for their saviour who, as we all know, is sacrificing himself for the superior good of the motherland.
These unions, ........, have little public support - not unlike Britain's old National Union of Mineworkers when Margaret Thatcher decided to take them on.
We might quiestion the tactics of the miner's leadership and the bullyboy behaviour that unnecessarily reduced public sympathy, but to say they had little support is to indulge in historical revisionism of Winston Smith proportions keep to the Fen Causeway
The German head of the EU's observer mission in Georgia says his team is due to deploy by 1 October around Russian-held Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Hansjoerg Haber said most of his team would arrive in Georgia this week, Reuters news agency reported. At least 200 EU observers are expected to monitor a Russian troop withdrawal, though some reports say the EU contingent may total as many as 350. Russia plans to keep nearly 8,000 troops in Georgia's breakaway regions. Moscow recognised the two regions as independent following a brief but intense conflict with Georgia last month.
The German head of the EU's observer mission in Georgia says his team is due to deploy by 1 October around Russian-held Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Hansjoerg Haber said most of his team would arrive in Georgia this week, Reuters news agency reported.
At least 200 EU observers are expected to monitor a Russian troop withdrawal, though some reports say the EU contingent may total as many as 350.
Russia plans to keep nearly 8,000 troops in Georgia's breakaway regions.
Moscow recognised the two regions as independent following a brief but intense conflict with Georgia last month.
Response to Washington's multibillion-dollar Wall Street bailout has involved a lot of skeptical grumbling in Germany and the UK. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the Bush administration has mishandled Wall Street, and that its refusal to adopt stricter rules led to the current crisis. German Chancellor Angela Merkel: "That cannot be allowed in the international sphere." The United States government is campaigning around the world for support for its multibillion-dollar Wall Street rescue package. The reaction has been skeptical at best -- and in Europe the plan has been met with bareknuckled criticism. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has accused the US government of serious failures which she believes contributed to the current credit crisis. In particular she blamed Washington for resisting stricter regulation. On Monday she also said the crisis could hurt the German economy. "The whole thing is going to set the pace for the economy in the coming months and perhaps years," Merkel said at a meeting of her party, the conservative Christian Democrats.
Response to Washington's multibillion-dollar Wall Street bailout has involved a lot of skeptical grumbling in Germany and the UK. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the Bush administration has mishandled Wall Street, and that its refusal to adopt stricter rules led to the current crisis.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel: "That cannot be allowed in the international sphere." The United States government is campaigning around the world for support for its multibillion-dollar Wall Street rescue package. The reaction has been skeptical at best -- and in Europe the plan has been met with bareknuckled criticism.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has accused the US government of serious failures which she believes contributed to the current credit crisis. In particular she blamed Washington for resisting stricter regulation.
On Monday she also said the crisis could hurt the German economy. "The whole thing is going to set the pace for the economy in the coming months and perhaps years," Merkel said at a meeting of her party, the conservative Christian Democrats.
Germany said on Monday it sees no need to create a US-style financial sector bailout of its own as Chancellor Merkel renewed calls for tighter regulation of the financial sector. Germany has no plans to join in the massive US bailout operation for financial institutions that have run into difficulties with risky mortgage debt, officials said Monday, Sept 22. The six Group of Seven economic powers aside from the United States do not plan any measures comparable to a US package to support the banking sector, German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck said on Monday. Ulrich Wilhelm, a spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel, too said the government saw no need for such an undertaking in Germany.
Germany has no plans to join in the massive US bailout operation for financial institutions that have run into difficulties with risky mortgage debt, officials said Monday, Sept 22.
The six Group of Seven economic powers aside from the United States do not plan any measures comparable to a US package to support the banking sector, German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck said on Monday.
Ulrich Wilhelm, a spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel, too said the government saw no need for such an undertaking in Germany.
The UK and Germany believe that a new international system regulating the financial sector must be constructed to prevent a repeat of global banking crisis in the future. Peter Steinbrueck, Germany's Social-Democrat finance minister, raised on Sunday (21 September) the idea of "an international authority that will make the traffic rules for financial markets," while speaking to German radio, Reuters reports. One government alone cannot deal with the consequences of globalisation Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown is to outline proposals for just such a body, run under the authority of the International Monetary fund, in a speech to the Labour Party conference on Monday, as well as domestic plans to crack down on "irresponsible" bonuses handed out in the City, London's financial quarter. "I think what people haven't appreciated is we've now got global financial systems but we've only got national regulators to cover them," Mr Brown told the BBC ahead of the speech, adding that he had been trying to convince his international counterparts for years of the need for "a global system of financial regulation."
The UK and Germany believe that a new international system regulating the financial sector must be constructed to prevent a repeat of global banking crisis in the future.
Peter Steinbrueck, Germany's Social-Democrat finance minister, raised on Sunday (21 September) the idea of "an international authority that will make the traffic rules for financial markets," while speaking to German radio, Reuters reports.
One government alone cannot deal with the consequences of globalisation
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown is to outline proposals for just such a body, run under the authority of the International Monetary fund, in a speech to the Labour Party conference on Monday, as well as domestic plans to crack down on "irresponsible" bonuses handed out in the City, London's financial quarter.
"I think what people haven't appreciated is we've now got global financial systems but we've only got national regulators to cover them," Mr Brown told the BBC ahead of the speech, adding that he had been trying to convince his international counterparts for years of the need for "a global system of financial regulation."
It's not a bad idea though, no?
He's also therefore avoiding having to announce anything concrete that will damage his relationships with his chums in the City. After all he may be in need of a directorship or two in the near future. keep to the Fen Causeway
i) postponing any decisions for a couple of years, ie after the election so he doesn't have to worry about it. A deferred policy change is as good as no policy change.
ii)by the time they come to a decision, all of the fallout will be over and, if still in power, he can portray it as an unwarranted intrusion of the EU into the profitability of the City institutions that makes Britain a world leader blah blah.
Basically, he gets to be seen to be supporting the idea of change whilst whole-heartedly resisting it. There's a whole lot of lobbying, parties, favours, golf trips and bribes from deep deep pockets to be done before "decisions" are made. Just remember how effective Mandelson is at ensuring that all regulations and controls on trade reflect Anglo-American priorities rather than protecting the european public from the rapacious scum preying upon them. keep to the Fen Causeway
And anyone who thinks any of these bastards have really learnt their lesson need only remember that Barclays are gonna pay $2.5 billion worth of bonuses to Lehmans staff for driving their company into bankrupcy. they're very sorry for 5 minutes and then when everybody's backs are turned they'll be at it again and regulation will be the enemy of "innovation", profits and bonuses; same as it ever was. keep to the Fen Causeway
That's only $10,000 to 250,000 people for a half year of house payments or health insurance perhaps.
One the other hand, 2.5 billion is only 250 x 10 million dollar yachts. Yachts that size are actually the tiny 30 meter ones. But think of all the employment that will bring. The skilled builders and painters and repair engineers flying all over, and a few of crew around all year and more for those few weeks and all those weekends that the owner is actually aboard.
Monaco Yacht Show starts tomorrow. Come on down. Never underestimate their intelligence, always underestimate their knowledge.
Frank Delaney ~ Ireland
British and European banks could be excluded from Washington's $700 billion (£382 billion) bailout amid a backlash over the financial burden on the US taxpayer. While Hank Paulson, the US Treasury Secretary, wants to allow foreign banks to benefit from the scheme, some Democrats in Washington and others on Wall Street are angry that taxpayer funds may be used to prop up overseas businesses. Uncertainty for banks such as UBS, the Swiss financial group, Deutsche Bank, the biggest bank in Germany, and HSBC comes two days after Mr Paulson and President Bush urged lawmakers in Washington to push through the largest financial intervention package since the Great Depression to avoid the meltdown of America's banking system. As Mr Paulson held meetings with Republicans and Democrats over the weekend to persuade them to nod through the package, dissent broke out over the terms. Chris Dodd, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, acknowledged yesterday that the crisis demanded quick action, but made it clear that Democrats would not rubber-stamp the Administration's proposal. It is believed that bankers from Deutsche Bank and UBS approached America's central bank and other Washington agencies at the weekend to seek assurances they would be included in the bailout.
British and European banks could be excluded from Washington's $700 billion (£382 billion) bailout amid a backlash over the financial burden on the US taxpayer.
While Hank Paulson, the US Treasury Secretary, wants to allow foreign banks to benefit from the scheme, some Democrats in Washington and others on Wall Street are angry that taxpayer funds may be used to prop up overseas businesses.
Uncertainty for banks such as UBS, the Swiss financial group, Deutsche Bank, the biggest bank in Germany, and HSBC comes two days after Mr Paulson and President Bush urged lawmakers in Washington to push through the largest financial intervention package since the Great Depression to avoid the meltdown of America's banking system.
As Mr Paulson held meetings with Republicans and Democrats over the weekend to persuade them to nod through the package, dissent broke out over the terms. Chris Dodd, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, acknowledged yesterday that the crisis demanded quick action, but made it clear that Democrats would not rubber-stamp the Administration's proposal. It is believed that bankers from Deutsche Bank and UBS approached America's central bank and other Washington agencies at the weekend to seek assurances they would be included in the bailout.
A US diplomat has denounced the controversial Baltic natural gas pipeline as "a special arrangement between Germany and Russia." His remarks have ruffled feathers in Berlin and highlighted growing US-German tensions over relations with Russia. A gas flare in Russia. Michael Wood, 61, is an athletic man. He has an impressively low golf handicap of 12. The former corporate executive has often gone mountain biking with US President George W. Bush, a connection that may have helped him acquire his current position. Wood has been the US ambassador to Sweden for the past two years. He is not, however, very well versed in the art of diplomacy. At the end of the week before last, the Swedish daily newspaper Svenska Dagbladet published an op-ed article by the ambassador that set down some unmistakable ground rules. According to Wood, when the Swedish government evaluates the proposed Baltic natural gas pipeline project over the coming months, it should examine more than just environmental aspects. He wrote that the pipeline represents "a special arrangement between Germany and Russia" that "bypasses the Baltic States and Poland," which are "potential customers." Wood calls for the EU to speak "with a single voice to counteract the power of Russia's energy weapon." The article alarmed the German government. Rüdiger von Fritsch, head of economic affairs at the German Foreign Ministry, promptly called up the American embassy in Berlin and demanded an explanation. Von Fritsch said the German government was "annoyed" by this highly "unusual" approach.
A US diplomat has denounced the controversial Baltic natural gas pipeline as "a special arrangement between Germany and Russia." His remarks have ruffled feathers in Berlin and highlighted growing US-German tensions over relations with Russia.
A gas flare in Russia. Michael Wood, 61, is an athletic man. He has an impressively low golf handicap of 12. The former corporate executive has often gone mountain biking with US President George W. Bush, a connection that may have helped him acquire his current position. Wood has been the US ambassador to Sweden for the past two years.
He is not, however, very well versed in the art of diplomacy. At the end of the week before last, the Swedish daily newspaper Svenska Dagbladet published an op-ed article by the ambassador that set down some unmistakable ground rules. According to Wood, when the Swedish government evaluates the proposed Baltic natural gas pipeline project over the coming months, it should examine more than just environmental aspects. He wrote that the pipeline represents "a special arrangement between Germany and Russia" that "bypasses the Baltic States and Poland," which are "potential customers." Wood calls for the EU to speak "with a single voice to counteract the power of Russia's energy weapon."
The article alarmed the German government. Rüdiger von Fritsch, head of economic affairs at the German Foreign Ministry, promptly called up the American embassy in Berlin and demanded an explanation. Von Fritsch said the German government was "annoyed" by this highly "unusual" approach.
On the other end of the line, Deputy Chief of Mission John Koenig said that he was surprised by the ambassador's statements. He underscored that the US position remains unchanged: Washington will issue no comment on the private pipeline deal. Koenig suggested that the article may have been insufficiently screened in Washington -- a PR mishap, so to speak. The two experienced diplomats agreed to avoid a "public scuffle." However, von Fritsch made one condition: Nothing like the Wood article must be allowed to happen again.
The two experienced diplomats agreed to avoid a "public scuffle." However, von Fritsch made one condition: Nothing like the Wood article must be allowed to happen again.
Huh. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
Martin Schulz, the leader of the Social Democrat parliamentary group in the European Parliament, even sees the Wood article as a "helpful" indicator of "what the Americans aim to do, namely destabilize Europe."
Cool! Now let's hear something as strong on the issue of visas and airline passenger lists, too. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
"The Baltic Sea pipeline would not lead to a one-sided dependency on Russia, which would in fact be dangerous," says CDU foreign policy spokesman Eckart von Klaeden. "After all, the enormous Russian investments have to be paid off."
There is an increasingly long list of topics on which Germany is standing firm to the US. Which makes France's position (up Bush's ass) all the more annoying. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Russia's invasion of Georgia could be followed by a Kremlin effort to mend ties with the West. But the EU has to pull the Russian elite closer without losing sight of its own values, according to fallen oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovksy. "It's fashionable to say the 'five day war' and Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia is a major blow to Russo-European relations and the prospect of liberalisation in Russia. I'm not convinced," Mr Khodorkovksy said in a rare interview in Le Figaro this weekend. "This crisis could push the Kremlin to take steps to improve relations with the West. If those steps don't undermine Russia's geopolitical position." Moscow: not necessarily on a collision course with the EU Russia's one-time richest man sent in his statements from a jail cell in Siberia, having spent five years in prison after the break-up of his oil firm, Yukos, over politically-motivated fraud charges. Mr Khodorkovksy praised France for handling the Georgia crisis with understanding for the "nuances" of Russia's post-imperial problems, urging the EU not to try and dominate Russia but not to lapse into value-free realpolitik either.
Russia's invasion of Georgia could be followed by a Kremlin effort to mend ties with the West. But the EU has to pull the Russian elite closer without losing sight of its own values, according to fallen oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovksy.
"It's fashionable to say the 'five day war' and Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia is a major blow to Russo-European relations and the prospect of liberalisation in Russia. I'm not convinced," Mr Khodorkovksy said in a rare interview in Le Figaro this weekend. "This crisis could push the Kremlin to take steps to improve relations with the West. If those steps don't undermine Russia's geopolitical position."
Moscow: not necessarily on a collision course with the EU
Russia's one-time richest man sent in his statements from a jail cell in Siberia, having spent five years in prison after the break-up of his oil firm, Yukos, over politically-motivated fraud charges.
Mr Khodorkovksy praised France for handling the Georgia crisis with understanding for the "nuances" of Russia's post-imperial problems, urging the EU not to try and dominate Russia but not to lapse into value-free realpolitik either.
BBC NEWS | Business | EU to slash more mobile charges
EU to slash more mobile charges Using a phone abroad should become even cheaper Proposals to slash the cost of using mobile phones abroad, for text, data and voice calls, could become law next July following a vote in Brussels. The European Parliament is to vote on whether roaming costs for text messages should be capped. The cost of sending a message is expected to eventually fall by 60% from an average of 23 pence to 9 pence. Voice calls would fall from 36 to 27 pence a minute and customers would be able to set limits on data downloads. A reluctant mobile phone industry first had limits on its roaming charges imposed by the EU in September 2007. However, those applied only to voice calls, not those for texting or browsing the internet.
Proposals to slash the cost of using mobile phones abroad, for text, data and voice calls, could become law next July following a vote in Brussels.
The European Parliament is to vote on whether roaming costs for text messages should be capped.
The cost of sending a message is expected to eventually fall by 60% from an average of 23 pence to 9 pence.
Voice calls would fall from 36 to 27 pence a minute and customers would be able to set limits on data downloads.
A reluctant mobile phone industry first had limits on its roaming charges imposed by the EU in September 2007.
However, those applied only to voice calls, not those for texting or browsing the internet.
Or is that unfair gouging of poor struggling companies that will once more erode Europe's attractiveness for investment?
This is soooo confusing. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080923/wl_nm/us_france_economy_sarkozy Hey, Grandma Moses started late!
A gunman opened fire at a catering college in Kauhajoki, Finland, the nation's second school shooting in a year. The attack left several people dead and more were injured, state broadcaster YLE said, citing police. The gunman later shot himself, YLE said, and is being treated by paramedics, YLE said, citing the police at Kauhajoki. It didn't give details. ``There has been shooting at the Kauhajoki Home Economics and Catering School,'' police sergeant Jussi Muotio said in a phone interview from Kauhajoki, about 330 kilometers from Helsinki. ``There are casualties, but we don't know yet how many.''
The gunman later shot himself, YLE said, and is being treated by paramedics, YLE said, citing the police at Kauhajoki. It didn't give details.
``There has been shooting at the Kauhajoki Home Economics and Catering School,'' police sergeant Jussi Muotio said in a phone interview from Kauhajoki, about 330 kilometers from Helsinki. ``There are casualties, but we don't know yet how many.''
There will not be any kind of total ban called for - Finland is still largely forest and arable, and hunting is an old tradition (and a method of culling). The laws are actually quite strict - it is the application of them that is lax.
What we may see called for is a raising of the age at which a license can be issued, and restrictions on the types of guns that can be purchased and licensed. You have to remember that there is still compulsory national service, so most young guys over 21 are familiar with weapons. (except for those who choose civil service or are medically excused). I do not know if the young man in this tragedy had completed his national service. I suspect not. A macabre fascination with guns does not usually survive military training in Finland.
But there have been a number of incidents in the past year outside of professional crime. So a tightening up of regulation and monitoring is likely. You can't be me, I'm taken
The gunman, Pekka-Eric Auvinen, posted a video on YouTube as a preview of his attack, pledging to "eliminate" those he saw as "unfit".
Ms Holmlund said police questioned the man about the YouTube video, which showed him shooting at a firing range. On the video, the gunman says "you die next" before firing three times at the camera. Ms Holmlund said: "Police were aware of this and spoke to him on Monday, September 22. However, the police officer on duty decided there was no need to terminate his gun licence."
On the video, the gunman says "you die next" before firing three times at the camera.
Ms Holmlund said: "Police were aware of this and spoke to him on Monday, September 22. However, the police officer on duty decided there was no need to terminate his gun licence."
Gun crime and gun insanity including school shootings might be the most serious problem in the USA, and the rate of gun ownership (especially ownership of guns for personal safety) might be the highest there, but Europe has a gun problem, too.
In countries like France and Germany, it's chielfy the hunting lobby that retains too many loopholes. Switzerland is a special case with its home-stored military guns. But the worst are Austria and Finland, with relatively high gun ownership and mad gun lobbies, which even forced the respective countries to block EU-level regulation a feww years back.
Back to Finland, now or right after the nationwide mourning, what needs to be campaigned for is not simply stricter controls: sports shooters shouldn't be allowed to take a gun home (they should be kept at the club), and a rule for weapons not for persnal safety (including hunting guns) to be stored in disassembled state. If not, the next shooting comes, surely. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
