Topolánek, Paroubek discuss government crisis, latter calls for quick agreement Political leaders entered into a further round of negotiations to solve the ongoing government crisis on Friday, with Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek and the head of the opposition Social Democrats Jiří Paroubek meeting for talks. Neither party would say what had been discussed after the meeting, though Mr Paroubek said later at a press conference that he wanted a solution to the government crisis before the week was out. Mr Paroubek also spoke with the head of the Communists Vojtěch Filip on Friday morning. The Civic Democrats and Social Democrats have tentatively agreed to form a caretaker cabinet, comprising ministers from both parties and potentially also the Communists, to tide the Parliament over until early elections.
Political leaders entered into a further round of negotiations to solve the ongoing government crisis on Friday, with Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek and the head of the opposition Social Democrats Jiří Paroubek meeting for talks. Neither party would say what had been discussed after the meeting, though Mr Paroubek said later at a press conference that he wanted a solution to the government crisis before the week was out. Mr Paroubek also spoke with the head of the Communists Vojtěch Filip on Friday morning. The Civic Democrats and Social Democrats have tentatively agreed to form a caretaker cabinet, comprising ministers from both parties and potentially also the Communists, to tide the Parliament over until early elections.
Rob was a predictably tedious anarchist, with tediously predictable views. Standing beneath a hanged effigy of Sir Fred Goodwin, he explained how the police work. "They aren't here for us, they're here for the bankers," he told me. "But mainly, they are here for a fight." Having just watched protesters smash up the Royal Bank of Scotland, I was not in the mood. Not only was Rob wrong, I told him, he was the worst kind of wrong -- a clichéd wrong. Seven hours later -- seven hours of detention without food or water -- I had come to believe that I was the one who had been naive.
Having just watched protesters smash up the Royal Bank of Scotland, I was not in the mood. Not only was Rob wrong, I told him, he was the worst kind of wrong -- a clichéd wrong. Seven hours later -- seven hours of detention without food or water -- I had come to believe that I was the one who had been naive.
Wednesday's police operation against G20 protesters was, by most accounts, a success. Minimal violence, stoical police, and London back up and running a few hours later. But there is another story. It is the story of how a largely peaceful protest that happily coexisted with a Starbucks and an HSBC -- each just one brick arc from anti-capitalist destruction -- eventually turned violent. Most of all, it is the story of how the police wilfully criminalised and alienated 4,000 innocent people.
[Murdoch Alert]
That's when things cold get very hairy. If people have nothing to gain with non-violent resistance cos it's treated the same as terrorism then the govt and the police have lost. I'm really not sure that's where they want to go, yet it's exactly where they're headed. keep to the Fen Causeway
Now where's the fun in that! - Megatron
Belgian lawmakers have voted overwhelmingly to lodge a formal protest with the Vatican over the Pope's controversial stance on condom use for tackling the spread of AIDS. The pope said last month that condoms "aggravate the problem".
AFP - An EU-Ukraine plan to modernise gas pipelines in the ex-Soviet republic was crafted with no input from chief supplier Russia and is "unfeasible," Gazprom head Alexei Miller said Friday, Interfax reported. Speaking at a meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Miller said he had talks with counterparts from E.ON Ruhrgaz AG of Germany, ENI of Italy and Gaz de France and said they too took a dim view of the EU-Ukraine deal. "We have a united view -- this document was put together without participation of the main players in Europe's gas market; Russia, as supplier, and European firms that are the main consumers of Russian gas," Miller said.
(Yes, this does appear to not belong to the Economy section.) *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
Members of France's lower house of parliament have adopted the principal and most contested provision of a new anti-piracy bill, which grants state agencies the right to cut off a Web user's Internet access in case of illegal downloads.
France 24 | Amnesty report decries French laxity on police brutality | France 24
Human rights watchdog group Amnesty International published a report on Thursday denouncing the lack of disciplinary measures France has taken against certain members of its police force who have committed human rights violations. ...The watchdog highlighted the case of Abdelhakim Ajimi, who died on May 9, 2008 of asphyxiation after having been knocked to the ground by police at the time of his arrest. The responsible parties were not charged. Amnesty also criticised French authorities of having "very slow" penal procedures, often marked by "the lost or disappearance of files or proof."
...The watchdog highlighted the case of Abdelhakim Ajimi, who died on May 9, 2008 of asphyxiation after having been knocked to the ground by police at the time of his arrest. The responsible parties were not charged.
Amnesty also criticised French authorities of having "very slow" penal procedures, often marked by "the lost or disappearance of files or proof."
I've seen how police behave. Due to my "training" in pedestrian crossing guerilla fighting, I know how to never give the other side the slightest whiff of a pretext to turn violent on me: I'm always scrupulously polite and calm, I don't shout, even if I don't give in an inch.
Of course, I'm also white, male, usually in a suit, and in a nice part of Paris. But sometimes it's amazing how you see they're that close from just "letting it rip" - just because someone is standing up to them, even if properly. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The French National Assembly finally passed the much-contested `three-strikes' bill to combat internet piracy late on Thursday (2 April) evening. In a reduced chamber, all but one of the governing UMP voted in favour of the legislation, a centrist deputy abstained and the Socialist opposition voted against. The so-called Creation and Internet law introduces a `graduated response' to illegal downloading that cuts off access to the internet for those believed to be repeatedly flouting the law. Under the legislation, those accused of such activities are first sent an email warning them of their infraction by a new government agency. They are subsequently sent a warning letter in the post. If after this second warning they continue to illegally download copyrighted content - the `third strike' - the internet service provider will cut off access to the internet for between two months and a year.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The French National Assembly finally passed the much-contested `three-strikes' bill to combat internet piracy late on Thursday (2 April) evening.
In a reduced chamber, all but one of the governing UMP voted in favour of the legislation, a centrist deputy abstained and the Socialist opposition voted against.
The so-called Creation and Internet law introduces a `graduated response' to illegal downloading that cuts off access to the internet for those believed to be repeatedly flouting the law.
Under the legislation, those accused of such activities are first sent an email warning them of their infraction by a new government agency. They are subsequently sent a warning letter in the post.
If after this second warning they continue to illegally download copyrighted content - the `third strike' - the internet service provider will cut off access to the internet for between two months and a year.
How many UMP deputies walked out on their own government's law to avoid having to vote against or hold their nose? Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith
