Allied leaders have been paying tribute to veterans of D-Day, as they mark the 65th anniversary of the landings at a series of events in Normandy.US President Barack Obama said the bravery and selflessness of a few changed the course of a whole century. He was speaking alongside French, Canadian and UK leaders at the American cemetery near Omaha Beach, scene of fierce fighting on 6 June 1944. The Allies suffered 215,000 casualties on D-Day and in the Normandy campaign. Germany suffered similar losses as the Allies fought desperately up the beaches and into the French countryside to form a bridgehead.
Allied leaders have been paying tribute to veterans of D-Day, as they mark the 65th anniversary of the landings at a series of events in Normandy.
US President Barack Obama said the bravery and selflessness of a few changed the course of a whole century.
He was speaking alongside French, Canadian and UK leaders at the American cemetery near Omaha Beach, scene of fierce fighting on 6 June 1944.
The Allies suffered 215,000 casualties on D-Day and in the Normandy campaign.
Germany suffered similar losses as the Allies fought desperately up the beaches and into the French countryside to form a bridgehead.
The Republic of Ireland's governing party has had a big drop in support in the local elections and two Dublin by-elections, according to exit polls.It is Brian Cowen's first poll since he became PM and Fianna Fail leader. An exit poll conducted by broadcaster RTE indicated FF will get 24% of the vote - eight points lower than in 2004. In the Dublin South by election, Fine Gael's George Lee, a former RTE economics editor, topped the poll with 53.4% of the first preference vote. He said that it was "only a matter of time until there is a change in government". His party leader Enda Kenny said that it had been a historic day for his party with its largest share of the vote since 1932.
The Republic of Ireland's governing party has had a big drop in support in the local elections and two Dublin by-elections, according to exit polls.
It is Brian Cowen's first poll since he became PM and Fianna Fail leader.
An exit poll conducted by broadcaster RTE indicated FF will get 24% of the vote - eight points lower than in 2004.
In the Dublin South by election, Fine Gael's George Lee, a former RTE economics editor, topped the poll with 53.4% of the first preference vote.
He said that it was "only a matter of time until there is a change in government".
His party leader Enda Kenny said that it had been a historic day for his party with its largest share of the vote since 1932.
The mother of murdered exchange student Meredith Kercher has said she will never get over the shock and brutality of her daughter's death.Arline Kercher, 63, told an Italian court she desperately missed and "still looked for" the 21-year-old. Prosecutors say Ms Kercher, from Coulsdon, Surrey, was killed in a violent sex attack in Perugia in 2007. Italian Raffaele Sollecito, 24, and his ex-girlfriend, American Amanda Knox, 21, deny murder. Mrs Kercher, who was accompanied by her husband John, described her daughter as a "conscientious" student
The mother of murdered exchange student Meredith Kercher has said she will never get over the shock and brutality of her daughter's death.
Arline Kercher, 63, told an Italian court she desperately missed and "still looked for" the 21-year-old.
Prosecutors say Ms Kercher, from Coulsdon, Surrey, was killed in a violent sex attack in Perugia in 2007.
Italian Raffaele Sollecito, 24, and his ex-girlfriend, American Amanda Knox, 21, deny murder.
Mrs Kercher, who was accompanied by her husband John, described her daughter as a "conscientious" student
Gordon Brown's supporters today warned would-be rebels that the Labour party was in no mood for a leadership challenge, as they sought to rally around the beleaguered prime minister.Brown, who was in Normandy for the 65th anniversary commemorations of the D-Day landings, reiterated his determination to carry on with the job, despite a fracturing of his authority and backbench calls for him to go."In these unprecedented times you are bound to have ups and downs in politics," he told reporters in France. "But you have got to stick with the policies and make sure that they come through."But a new poll of Labour activists brought further bad news for the prime minister, revealing that fewer than half of all party supporters want him to lead them into the next general election, with one in five urging him to quit now.
Gordon Brown's supporters today warned would-be rebels that the Labour party was in no mood for a leadership challenge, as they sought to rally around the beleaguered prime minister.
Brown, who was in Normandy for the 65th anniversary commemorations of the D-Day landings, reiterated his determination to carry on with the job, despite a fracturing of his authority and backbench calls for him to go.
"In these unprecedented times you are bound to have ups and downs in politics," he told reporters in France. "But you have got to stick with the policies and make sure that they come through."
But a new poll of Labour activists brought further bad news for the prime minister, revealing that fewer than half of all party supporters want him to lead them into the next general election, with one in five urging him to quit now.
Voters delivered a brutal verdict to Labour yesterday, as the party lost control of all its remaining English county councils in Thursday's voting.Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire fell out of Labour's hands for the first time in 28 years, and Lancashire for the first time since 1989 - all to the Tories.With 32 of the 34 local authority results declared, the Conservatives had control of 28 councils, and had won an additional 230 seats and nine more councils, including Devon and Somerset from the Liberal Democrats, and the previously hung Wiltshire and Warwickshire.
Voters delivered a brutal verdict to Labour yesterday, as the party lost control of all its remaining English county councils in Thursday's voting.
Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire fell out of Labour's hands for the first time in 28 years, and Lancashire for the first time since 1989 - all to the Tories.
With 32 of the 34 local authority results declared, the Conservatives had control of 28 councils, and had won an additional 230 seats and nine more councils, including Devon and Somerset from the Liberal Democrats, and the previously hung Wiltshire and Warwickshire.
Prince Charles and Gordon Brown joined the US president, Barack Obama, and his French counterpart, Nicolas Sarkozy, in Normandy today to mark the 65th anniversary of the D-day landings in the second world war.They gathered at a remembrance service amid the graves of thousands of US servicemen in Colleville-sur-Mer, France.Brown put aside the political turmoil of a chaotic cabinet reshuffle and spate of resignations to represent Britain's role in ensuring 6 June 1944 became the greatest military victory in history.France has been heavily criticised for its Franco-American focus of the 65th anniversary, overshadowing the important role played by British and Canadian forces.The prince's last-minute visit was hastily arranged following claims that the Queen had been snubbed by the French.
Prince Charles and Gordon Brown joined the US president, Barack Obama, and his French counterpart, Nicolas Sarkozy, in Normandy today to mark the 65th anniversary of the D-day landings in the second world war.
They gathered at a remembrance service amid the graves of thousands of US servicemen in Colleville-sur-Mer, France.
Brown put aside the political turmoil of a chaotic cabinet reshuffle and spate of resignations to represent Britain's role in ensuring 6 June 1944 became the greatest military victory in history.
France has been heavily criticised for its Franco-American focus of the 65th anniversary, overshadowing the important role played by British and Canadian forces.
The prince's last-minute visit was hastily arranged following claims that the Queen had been snubbed by the French.
6 June 1944 became the greatest military victory in history.
In whose history? In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
BERLIN, Jun 4 (IPS) - When U.S. President Barack Obama visits Germany this Thursday and Friday, he is likely to get a reception as warm as the demonstration of sympathy he enjoyed in July last year. And yet, Obama's high standing among Germans is likely to fall if he asks the German government to send more military personnel to Afghanistan.In July 2007, hundreds of thousands of Germans attended Obama's open-air speech in Berlin - when he was running to represent the U.S. Democratic Party at the presidential elections. That kind of support continues. According to an opinion poll conducted in April and May among about 1,000 adults by the group World Public Opinion, 89 percent Germans said they have confidence in Obama "doing the right thing in world affairs." But, according to the poll, this confidence falls over U.S. military policies in Afghanistan and elsewhere. WPO is a research group managed by the Programme on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland in the U.S. The group aims "to give voice to public opinion around the world on international issues." The poll finds that more than half of Germans (54 percent) disapprove of the recent increase of U.S. troops in Afghanistan ordered by Obama's government. Two-thirds think "the U.S. uses the threat of military force to gain advantage."
The newly-elected mayor of Doncaster has threatened to cut funding to the town's Gay Pride event as part of his pledge to fight political correctness.Peter Davies, of the English Democrats, said: "My policy on gays and lesbians is very simple. "I don't think councils should be spending money on them parading through town advertising their sexuality."
The newly-elected mayor of Doncaster has threatened to cut funding to the town's Gay Pride event as part of his pledge to fight political correctness.
Peter Davies, of the English Democrats, said: "My policy on gays and lesbians is very simple.
"I don't think councils should be spending money on them parading through town advertising their sexuality."
Who are the English democrats? Urgh. Ad astra per aspera
Anti Europe English devolutionists.
