The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman
Germany's beleaguered Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg has rejected reports claiming he wrongly forced the resignations of two top officials linked to a controversial airstrike in Afghanistan believed to have killed civilians. Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg told Bild am Sonntag weekly that the officials had withheld crucial information regarding the airstrike on September 4 in Kunduz. "For that the two gentlemen have taken responsibility," he said. The two men - the head of Germany's armed forces, General Wolfgang Schneiderhahn and Deputy Defense Minister Peter Wichert - stepped down last month over the affair which has sparked a heated political controversy in Germany.But Germany's Der Spiegel news magazine and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung refuted the minister's account, reporting that the two officials had given Guttenberg an account of all available reports about the airstrike when he inquired about it.> The latest controversy comes after media reports on the weekend said the target of the airstrike was a group of Taliban leaders, not a pair of hijacked tanker trucks as originally reported by the German government.
Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg told Bild am Sonntag weekly that the officials had withheld crucial information regarding the airstrike on September 4 in Kunduz.
"For that the two gentlemen have taken responsibility," he said.
The two men - the head of Germany's armed forces, General Wolfgang Schneiderhahn and Deputy Defense Minister Peter Wichert - stepped down last month over the affair which has sparked a heated political controversy in Germany.
But Germany's Der Spiegel news magazine and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung refuted the minister's account, reporting that the two officials had given Guttenberg an account of all available reports about the airstrike when he inquired about it.
> The latest controversy comes after media reports on the weekend said the target of the airstrike was a group of Taliban leaders, not a pair of hijacked tanker trucks as originally reported by the German government.
...and new revelations are flowing in:
Could the media bring down Guttenberg in the end?
It's possible of course, but I'm reminded of the Kießling Affair. If Merkel remains true to her mentor she'd have no problems with damaged goods in her cabinet. The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman
Laws forcing the 11 million people who help out in schools and nurseries to undergo criminal record checks to prove they are not paedophiles are to be dropped following a massive outcry.In a major government U-turn, Ed Balls, the schools secretary, has bowed to public opinion and will announce tomorrow that the controversial vetting and barring scheme, due to be introduced next July, will be dramatically watered down.His decision follows a storm of protest over the summer, when it emerged that parents who take children to sports events or drive them around on behalf of scout groups would be among those subject to checks.Leading children's authors who visit schools, including Philip Pullman, also joined the protests after discovering they would be asked to prove that they had no record of paedophilia.
Laws forcing the 11 million people who help out in schools and nurseries to undergo criminal record checks to prove they are not paedophiles are to be dropped following a massive outcry.
In a major government U-turn, Ed Balls, the schools secretary, has bowed to public opinion and will announce tomorrow that the controversial vetting and barring scheme, due to be introduced next July, will be dramatically watered down.
His decision follows a storm of protest over the summer, when it emerged that parents who take children to sports events or drive them around on behalf of scout groups would be among those subject to checks.
Leading children's authors who visit schools, including Philip Pullman, also joined the protests after discovering they would be asked to prove that they had no record of paedophilia.
David Cameron said today he believed 25 March was a "likely date" for voters to be called to the polls as speculation grew about a snap general election.The chance of a early election has been boosted by Labour gains in recent polls. A YouGov poll in the Sunday Times today revealed a narrowing of the Conservatives' lead, putting Labour on 31%, nine points behind the Tories on 40%, with the Liberal Democrats falling two points to 16%.Last weekend, the Conservatives appeared to be in a significantly more comfortable position, with a 13-point lead.The prime minister, Gordon Brown, can call a general a general election at any time before June next year, but had been expected to choose 6 May, the first Thursday of the month.
David Cameron said today he believed 25 March was a "likely date" for voters to be called to the polls as speculation grew about a snap general election.
The chance of a early election has been boosted by Labour gains in recent polls. A YouGov poll in the Sunday Times today revealed a narrowing of the Conservatives' lead, putting Labour on 31%, nine points behind the Tories on 40%, with the Liberal Democrats falling two points to 16%.
Last weekend, the Conservatives appeared to be in a significantly more comfortable position, with a 13-point lead.
The prime minister, Gordon Brown, can call a general a general election at any time before June next year, but had been expected to choose 6 May, the first Thursday of the month.
Chancellor Angela Merkel has held crisis talks this Sunday with members of her Christian Democratic Union party who are opposed to her plans to slash taxes in order to boost the economy. The crucial talks in Berlin were seen as a last-ditch effort to win support for Angela Merkel's first major tax cuts package. Merkel's second term as chancellor since her re-election at the end of September has not been as agreeable as she may have hoped. The short period since the new coalition government - led by her conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), with the Free Democrats (FDP) as junior partners - took office in late October has been marked by squabbles over how best to boost the economy. A controversial airstrike in Afghanistan has also forced the resignation of a minister. At the heart of the coalition's roadmap to recovery after Germany's worst recession since World War II, is a program of tax cuts aimed at putting more money in consumers' pockets and cutting recession-hit firms some slack.
The crucial talks in Berlin were seen as a last-ditch effort to win support for Angela Merkel's first major tax cuts package.
Merkel's second term as chancellor since her re-election at the end of September has not been as agreeable as she may have hoped.
The short period since the new coalition government - led by her conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), with the Free Democrats (FDP) as junior partners - took office in late October has been marked by squabbles over how best to boost the economy. A controversial airstrike in Afghanistan has also forced the resignation of a minister.
At the heart of the coalition's roadmap to recovery after Germany's worst recession since World War II, is a program of tax cuts aimed at putting more money in consumers' pockets and cutting recession-hit firms some slack.
The government faces legal action for failing to protect people from discrimination at work, throwing doubt on any proposals for a new law on equality.The European commission has said parts of UK law, including provisions on sexual orientation and disability, are inadequate. It could refer the situation to the European court of justice.The claim, set out in two reasoned opinions sent to the government last month, includes a warning that the law that applies to faith-based organisations, schools and adoption agencies allows too much scope for discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation."This could be difficult for the government," said Robin Allen QC, head of Cloisters chambers. "The extent to which religious organisations are exempt from the rules of sexual orientation discrimination is a particularly difficult issue. The government will certainly resist any strengthening to the current law in an election year."Other parts of UK law singled out by the EU's equal opportunities commissioner include the lack of a ban on "instructions to discriminate", where a person is discriminated against because of the actions of a third party, and the lack of clear provisions for class actions.
The government faces legal action for failing to protect people from discrimination at work, throwing doubt on any proposals for a new law on equality.
The European commission has said parts of UK law, including provisions on sexual orientation and disability, are inadequate. It could refer the situation to the European court of justice.
The claim, set out in two reasoned opinions sent to the government last month, includes a warning that the law that applies to faith-based organisations, schools and adoption agencies allows too much scope for discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation.
"This could be difficult for the government," said Robin Allen QC, head of Cloisters chambers. "The extent to which religious organisations are exempt from the rules of sexual orientation discrimination is a particularly difficult issue. The government will certainly resist any strengthening to the current law in an election year."
Other parts of UK law singled out by the EU's equal opportunities commissioner include the lack of a ban on "instructions to discriminate", where a person is discriminated against because of the actions of a third party, and the lack of clear provisions for class actions.
Following a Friday ruling from a Turkish court banning a Kurdish political party, lawmakers from the party are boycotting parliament as clashes erupt in the country. Friday's decision by the Turkish constitutional court to ban a Kurdish party linked with separatist guerrillas from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has sparked a boycott. The banned Democratic Society Party (DTP) held a meeting on Saturday to determine its next move and members ended up carrying out an initial plan to boycott parliament if their party were banned. "Our (parliamentary) group has effectively pulled out from parliament as of today. It will not participate in any work there," said Ahmet Turk, the party's co-chair. The DTP has 19 remaining members of parliament left after Turk and another deputy were stripped of their seats as a result of the ban. The political unrest in the country threatens to set back the efforts by Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to improve relations with the Kurdish minority in the country. The European Union and the United States have expressed concern over the DTP's ban.
Friday's decision by the Turkish constitutional court to ban a Kurdish party linked with separatist guerrillas from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has sparked a boycott.
The banned Democratic Society Party (DTP) held a meeting on Saturday to determine its next move and members ended up carrying out an initial plan to boycott parliament if their party were banned.
"Our (parliamentary) group has effectively pulled out from parliament as of today. It will not participate in any work there," said Ahmet Turk, the party's co-chair.
The DTP has 19 remaining members of parliament left after Turk and another deputy were stripped of their seats as a result of the ban.
The political unrest in the country threatens to set back the efforts by Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to improve relations with the Kurdish minority in the country. The European Union and the United States have expressed concern over the DTP's ban.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has reportedly been struck in the face after leaving a meeting in Milan.He was reportedly left bleeding from the mouth. It was not clear whether the injury was caused by a punch or an object thrown by a protester.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has reportedly been struck in the face after leaving a meeting in Milan.
He was reportedly left bleeding from the mouth. It was not clear whether the injury was caused by a punch or an object thrown by a protester.
Berlusconi's minions appear at set intervals to denounce the climate of hate created by the Left and politicized judges that armed the hand of the aggressor.
From the hospital Berlusconi declared that he was saved by a miracle for he almost lost an eye.
From Repubblica: Sales of replicas of the Duomo up:
Sono molti i curiosi che prendono d'assalto bancarelle ed edicole in Piazza del Duomo a Milano per vedere, fotografare e comprare la statuetta che ieri sera ha colpito in faccia il presidente del Consiglio
Previous discussion here. En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma
a margin of 230 - 190
The new bishop to the armed forces has apologised over comments he made about how the Taliban could be admired for their "conviction to their faith".The Right Reverend Dr Stephen Venner said his words had been taken out of context by the Daily Telegraph. "I'm not trying to support the Taliban," he told the BBC. "At the moment what they are doing is evil."
The new bishop to the armed forces has apologised over comments he made about how the Taliban could be admired for their "conviction to their faith".
The Right Reverend Dr Stephen Venner said his words had been taken out of context by the Daily Telegraph.
"I'm not trying to support the Taliban," he told the BBC. "At the moment what they are doing is evil."
The Rt Rev Stephen Venner acknowledged that his comments in a newspaper interview appeared ''incredibly insensitive'' and stressed his support for British troops in Afghanistan.
