Mr Zapatero will not want the first full-time president to overshadow his six months in the spotlight. This may rule out Spanish support for Mr Blair or another big personality - with the possible exception of Felipe González, the former Spanish premier who, like Mr Zapatero, is a man of the left. Remember, too, that Mr Zapatero, in contrast to Mr Blair, opposed the Iraq war.
Two Bosnian Serb commanders have been found guilty of war crimes, including burning women and children alive, during the Bosnian civil war.Cousins Milan and Sredoje Lukic were members of a paramilitary group called the White Eagles, or the Avengers. They were accused of murder, persecution, extermination and other inhumane acts against Bosnian Muslims near Visegrad between 1992 and 1994. Judges at The Hague jailed Milan Lukic for life, and Sredoje to 30 years.
Two Bosnian Serb commanders have been found guilty of war crimes, including burning women and children alive, during the Bosnian civil war.
Cousins Milan and Sredoje Lukic were members of a paramilitary group called the White Eagles, or the Avengers.
They were accused of murder, persecution, extermination and other inhumane acts against Bosnian Muslims near Visegrad between 1992 and 1994.
Judges at The Hague jailed Milan Lukic for life, and Sredoje to 30 years.
The UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague will deliver its verdict Monday on two Serb cousins who are accused in the deaths of some 150 Muslim civilians during Bosnia's 1992-1995 war. Milan and Sredoje Lukic went on trial on July 9 last year. The UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague will deliver its verdict Monday on two Serb cousins who are accused in the deaths of some 150 Muslim civilians during Bosnia's 1992-1995 war. Milan and Sredoje Lukic, who went on trial on July 9 last year, face 21 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes for their alleged actions as members of a paramilitary group in the small south-eastern Bosnian town of Visegrad. The prosecution is calling for them to spend the rest of their lives in prison for their part in "one of the most notorious campaigns of ethnic cleansing in the conflict... designed to permanently rid the town of its Bosnian Muslim population", according to the indictment. Milan, 41, was allegedly a founding member of the group known as the "White Eagles" or "Avengers" that worked with police and military units between 1992 and 1994 to terrorise Muslim communities. His cousin, 48, joined later.
The UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague will deliver its verdict Monday on two Serb cousins who are accused in the deaths of some 150 Muslim civilians during Bosnia's 1992-1995 war. Milan and Sredoje Lukic, who went on trial on July 9 last year, face 21 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes for their alleged actions as members of a paramilitary group in the small south-eastern Bosnian town of Visegrad. The prosecution is calling for them to spend the rest of their lives in prison for their part in "one of the most notorious campaigns of ethnic cleansing in the conflict... designed to permanently rid the town of its Bosnian Muslim population", according to the indictment. Milan, 41, was allegedly a founding member of the group known as the "White Eagles" or "Avengers" that worked with police and military units between 1992 and 1994 to terrorise Muslim communities. His cousin, 48, joined later.
Sixty million Europeans will need priority vaccination against swine flu, EU health commissioner Androulla Vassiliou has said, warning that "there won't be vaccinations for everyone." Speaking to Portuguese news agency Lusa after her visit to a health centre by the Portuguese town of Estoril, the Cypriot commissioner pointed out that the number of people across the EU most at risk from the new type of flu, A (H1N1), had been estimated at 60 million by Brussels' experts, according to AFP. The new H1N1 flu virus emerged in Mexico and has spread to 136 countries, according to WHO Health ministers from the 27 member states are due to meet in October to decide on the practical details of the vaccination programme against swine flu which has infected almost 95,000 people in 136 countries since April, according to official figures by World Health Organisation published on 6 July. Although the new virus has most lead to less severe health problems than ordinary flu, the WHO has reported 429 deaths from the disease.
Sixty million Europeans will need priority vaccination against swine flu, EU health commissioner Androulla Vassiliou has said, warning that "there won't be vaccinations for everyone."
Speaking to Portuguese news agency Lusa after her visit to a health centre by the Portuguese town of Estoril, the Cypriot commissioner pointed out that the number of people across the EU most at risk from the new type of flu, A (H1N1), had been estimated at 60 million by Brussels' experts, according to AFP.
The new H1N1 flu virus emerged in Mexico and has spread to 136 countries, according to WHO
Health ministers from the 27 member states are due to meet in October to decide on the practical details of the vaccination programme against swine flu which has infected almost 95,000 people in 136 countries since April, according to official figures by World Health Organisation published on 6 July.
Although the new virus has most lead to less severe health problems than ordinary flu, the WHO has reported 429 deaths from the disease.
It's not the mortality rate that makes it scary. The peak-to-trough part of the business cycle is an outlier. Carnot would have died laughing.
The UK's death toll so far is 30 - out of tens of thousands, and possibly millions of cases.
Turkish Cypriots are celebrating the 35th anniversary of the arrival of Turkish troops in Cyprus, an event which led to its effective partition.Turkey invaded the north of Cyprus in response to a Greek-backed military coup aimed at union with Greece. Some 35,000 troops remain stationed in northern Cyprus, which is still shunned by the international community. Correspondents say talks about the reunification of the island show no signs of reaching an early conclusion.
Turkish Cypriots are celebrating the 35th anniversary of the arrival of Turkish troops in Cyprus, an event which led to its effective partition.
Turkey invaded the north of Cyprus in response to a Greek-backed military coup aimed at union with Greece.
Some 35,000 troops remain stationed in northern Cyprus, which is still shunned by the international community.
Correspondents say talks about the reunification of the island show no signs of reaching an early conclusion.
The BNP is to funnel tens of thousands of pounds in taxpayers' money to its chosen causes, as the far-right party attempts to boost its support in the run-up to the next election.Nick Griffin and Andrew Brons, the party's two MEPs, will skim off part of their expenses and salaries to fund a party-controlled "community chest", they told the Daily Telegraph.People in their European constituencies - North-West England and Yorkshire & The Humber - will then be able to apply for the money in order to fund "worthwhile" local projects, including St George's Day celebrations.
Nick Griffin and Andrew Brons, the party's two MEPs, will skim off part of their expenses and salaries to fund a party-controlled "community chest", they told the Daily Telegraph.
People in their European constituencies - North-West England and Yorkshire & The Humber - will then be able to apply for the money in order to fund "worthwhile" local projects, including St George's Day celebrations.
Centre-right politicians from Germany's Christian Social Union (CSU) have spoken out against Iceland's bid to join the European Union. "The EU cannot play saviour to Iceland's economic crisis," Markus Ferber, head of the CSU's members of the European parliament, told Suedduetsche newspaper over the weekend. Iceland's parliament last week narrowly voted in favour of pursuing EU membership "We should discuss the structure of the EU before we discuss expanding it," said Alexander Dobrindt, General Secretary of the CSU, which is the smaller sister party to German chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union. The newspaper reports that the manifesto for both parties for the 27 September general election will indirectly oppose further EU enlargement, with the exception of Croatia.
Centre-right politicians from Germany's Christian Social Union (CSU) have spoken out against Iceland's bid to join the European Union.
"The EU cannot play saviour to Iceland's economic crisis," Markus Ferber, head of the CSU's members of the European parliament, told Suedduetsche newspaper over the weekend.
Iceland's parliament last week narrowly voted in favour of pursuing EU membership
"We should discuss the structure of the EU before we discuss expanding it," said Alexander Dobrindt, General Secretary of the CSU, which is the smaller sister party to German chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union.
The newspaper reports that the manifesto for both parties for the 27 September general election will indirectly oppose further EU enlargement, with the exception of Croatia.
And if I was in turkey or the Balkans I'd be wondering if there wasn't a bit of "bleached white privilege" going on. keep to the Fen Causeway
Iceland can join when the Lisbon Treaty has entered into force. Maybe also when it doesn't. Germany will not do the least to stop them - their only potential problems were the UK and the Netherlands, and they've smoothed those out.
Bernard-Henri Lévy, the French philosopher, has decribed the country's Socialist party as 'dead'. France's demoralised Socialists have been plunged into deeper gloom after one of the Left's most emblematic supporters called for the party to be disbanded. Asked by the newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche if he thought the Socialist Party, or PS, was dying, Mr Lévy answered: "No - it is already dead.
France's demoralised Socialists have been plunged into deeper gloom after one of the Left's most emblematic supporters called for the party to be disbanded.
Asked by the newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche if he thought the Socialist Party, or PS, was dying, Mr Lévy answered: "No - it is already dead.
Parents whose children drink in public or are caught in possession of alcohol are to be fined up to €900 (£777) under an emergency law designed to thwart binge drinking in Italy. As it announced the move, Milan city council revealed that 34 per cent of 11-year-olds in the city had "problems with alcohol". Letizia Moratti, the centre-right Mayor of Milan, said that the measure, the first of its kind in Italy, was in "response to an emergency". "This is not a punitive measure," she said. "It is a message to young people and their families that alcohol is bad for you and that alcohol abuse and dependence lead to negative consequences." An Italian law already bans the sale of alcohol to those under 16 in bars and discos but is rarely enforced. Many youngsters buy vodka or rum from supermarkets and shops and mix it with fruit juice.
Parents whose children drink in public or are caught in possession of alcohol are to be fined up to €900 (£777) under an emergency law designed to thwart binge drinking in Italy.
As it announced the move, Milan city council revealed that 34 per cent of 11-year-olds in the city had "problems with alcohol". Letizia Moratti, the centre-right Mayor of Milan, said that the measure, the first of its kind in Italy, was in "response to an emergency".
"This is not a punitive measure," she said. "It is a message to young people and their families that alcohol is bad for you and that alcohol abuse and dependence lead to negative consequences."
An Italian law already bans the sale of alcohol to those under 16 in bars and discos but is rarely enforced. Many youngsters buy vodka or rum from supermarkets and shops and mix it with fruit juice.
Rivalry between Paris and London could jeopardise Europe's competitiveness in the vast "over-the-counter" derivatives markets, France's stock market regulator has warned.Jean-Pierre Jouyet, chairman of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers, the French regulator, told the FT that disagreement between the two countries over how to regulate trading in these complex products could hinder a European solution and drive business to the US."In the US they have seen the threat. They are creating centralised clearing houses. But in Europe we are not there because there is disagreement between Paris, London and Frankfurt," he said. London had "to accept that Paris has a role" in clearing trades in euro-denominated derivatives, while Frankfurt was more neutral in the debate.
Jean-Pierre Jouyet, chairman of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers, the French regulator, told the FT that disagreement between the two countries over how to regulate trading in these complex products could hinder a European solution and drive business to the US.
"In the US they have seen the threat. They are creating centralised clearing houses. But in Europe we are not there because there is disagreement between Paris, London and Frankfurt," he said. London had "to accept that Paris has a role" in clearing trades in euro-denominated derivatives, while Frankfurt was more neutral in the debate.
We don't, they're just concern-trolling... The peak-to-trough part of the business cycle is an outlier. Carnot would have died laughing.
These trades will continue. Since that is the case, they should have a mechanism for avoiding the dangerous parts of them, making them more transparent and making certain that the parties involved can't rig the system.
Having a clearing mechanism seems to fit part of these requirement. I don't know enough to say whether this is true or not, but it seems a good start.
It seems that London hesitates to put any dampers on the freewheeling, while Paris insists that something needs to be done, and Frankfort wouldn't give enough support to either to break the deadlock ...meaning that nothing has been done ...and meaning that traders will go through the now sanctified and user-cuddly trade mechanisms of the US.
If your argument is that there should be no derivatives or trade in them, that's a different argument I suppose...in which I would stand on your side. Never underestimate their intelligence, always underestimate their knowledge.
Frank Delaney ~ Ireland
