Ad astra per aspera
Bulgarians have begun voting in parliamentary elections.The main issues in the run-up to the polls were the impact of the global economic crisis and the Socialist-led cabinet's efforts to fight corruption. Opinion polls give an opposition party, Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria, a comfortable lead over the Socialists.
Bulgarians have begun voting in parliamentary elections.
The main issues in the run-up to the polls were the impact of the global economic crisis and the Socialist-led cabinet's efforts to fight corruption.
Opinion polls give an opposition party, Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria, a comfortable lead over the Socialists.
Since communism collapsed 20 years ago, Bulgarians have been waiting for a saviour to rid the land of its plagues: corruption, nepotism and impunity for the powerful of the day. Today as the country goes to the polls, hopes are now pinned on a bodyguard-turned-politician with cropped hair, a karate black belt and the epaulettes of a general. Boiko Borisov, the straight-talking mayor of Sofia, has shot to fame on promises to clean up the Balkan country's image and put corrupt officials and crime bosses behind bars. His centre-right GERB party is set to win most votes, opinion polls show. The question on everyone's mind is whether Mr Borisov - an ex-bodyguard to the late Communist dictator Todor Zhivkov and former King Simeon - is capable and determined enough to confront corruption and the underworld.
Since communism collapsed 20 years ago, Bulgarians have been waiting for a saviour to rid the land of its plagues: corruption, nepotism and impunity for the powerful of the day. Today as the country goes to the polls, hopes are now pinned on a bodyguard-turned-politician with cropped hair, a karate black belt and the epaulettes of a general.
Boiko Borisov, the straight-talking mayor of Sofia, has shot to fame on promises to clean up the Balkan country's image and put corrupt officials and crime bosses behind bars. His centre-right GERB party is set to win most votes, opinion polls show. The question on everyone's mind is whether Mr Borisov - an ex-bodyguard to the late Communist dictator Todor Zhivkov and former King Simeon - is capable and determined enough to confront corruption and the underworld.
I just do not think it is possible. keep to the Fen Causeway
Silvio Berlusconi's domestic troubles have caused a serious headache for planners of next week's G8 summit. Normally the wife of the Prime Minister would be the host for a series of events for the spouses of the leaders -- but Mr Berlusconi's better half has filed for divorce and so Clio Napolitano, the wife of the Italian President, Giorgio Napolitano, has been asked to step into the breach. She will take Michelle Obama and Sarah Brown and the others on tours of the earthquake region around L'Aquila, host meals for them, and perform other duties expected of the hostess. "The wife was not available, the other women in his life appear to be less than suitable, the president's wife has stepped up to the plate," a summit insider said. "Protocol will be observed.".....Mrs Napolitano, at least, is likely to prove a stimulating hostess. A former labour lawyer from a left-wing family who married Mr Napolitano in 1959, she is noted for her strong social conscience and down-to-earth sense of humour. She once overheard a teenage girl exclaim, on seeing her husband: "It's the President, I feel faint!" She observed, drily: "Calm down my dear, he's hardly Brad Pitt."
Silvio Berlusconi's domestic troubles have caused a serious headache for planners of next week's G8 summit.
Normally the wife of the Prime Minister would be the host for a series of events for the spouses of the leaders -- but Mr Berlusconi's better half has filed for divorce and so Clio Napolitano, the wife of the Italian President, Giorgio Napolitano, has been asked to step into the breach.
She will take Michelle Obama and Sarah Brown and the others on tours of the earthquake region around L'Aquila, host meals for them, and perform other duties expected of the hostess. "The wife was not available, the other women in his life appear to be less than suitable, the president's wife has stepped up to the plate," a summit insider said. "Protocol will be observed."
.....
Mrs Napolitano, at least, is likely to prove a stimulating hostess. A former labour lawyer from a left-wing family who married Mr Napolitano in 1959, she is noted for her strong social conscience and down-to-earth sense of humour. She once overheard a teenage girl exclaim, on seeing her husband: "It's the President, I feel faint!" She observed, drily: "Calm down my dear, he's hardly Brad Pitt."
The photographs show Silvio Berlusconi grinning broadly as two young women kiss in front of him at his Sardinian estate. But the same photographs threaten to embarrass the Italian prime minister on the eve of the G8 summit of leading industrialised nations that he will host this week. After two months of allegations about his private life, including a prostitute's claim that she spent a night at Berlusconi's residence in Rome, he is keen to put the sleaze behind him and make a new start as a "can do" statesman. Several European publications are bidding for photographs by Antonello Zappadu, who took 5,000 pictures of Berlusconi's guests at Villa Certosa in Sardinia in 2007 and 2008. An informed source said the aim was to publish them just before the summit begins on Wednesday "for maximum impact". The images show Berlusconi, who was leader of the opposition at the time, with five young women in a gazebo. Two of them are sitting on his lap. He grins approvingly as Angela Sozio, 36, a red-headed former Big Brother contestant, sits on the knees of another young woman and kisses her on the lips.
The photographs show Silvio Berlusconi grinning broadly as two young women kiss in front of him at his Sardinian estate. But the same photographs threaten to embarrass the Italian prime minister on the eve of the G8 summit of leading industrialised nations that he will host this week.
After two months of allegations about his private life, including a prostitute's claim that she spent a night at Berlusconi's residence in Rome, he is keen to put the sleaze behind him and make a new start as a "can do" statesman.
Several European publications are bidding for photographs by Antonello Zappadu, who took 5,000 pictures of Berlusconi's guests at Villa Certosa in Sardinia in 2007 and 2008. An informed source said the aim was to publish them just before the summit begins on Wednesday "for maximum impact".
The images show Berlusconi, who was leader of the opposition at the time, with five young women in a gazebo. Two of them are sitting on his lap. He grins approvingly as Angela Sozio, 36, a red-headed former Big Brother contestant, sits on the knees of another young woman and kisses her on the lips.
Aftershocks have rocked the Italian town of L'Aquila, where the G8 summit is due to open this week.The tremors, which have reached 4.1 on the Richter scale, have forced the Italians to consider moving the conference and newspapers are reporting that the security concerns for leaders, including Gordon Brown and Barack Obama, could cause the summit to move to RomeIn the meantime briefing papers that have gone out to all eight leaders contain a sheet of instructions in the event of an earthquake, a British diplomat confirmed.The logistical nightmare for delegates and their security as well as the charities, observers, journalists and strategists booked to attend the summit are further complications for what is becoming the most chaotic G8 ever. It is also another credibility blow to Italy's prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, the current G8 president. His perfomances on both the world stage and in his private life have been subjected to derision.
Aftershocks have rocked the Italian town of L'Aquila, where the G8 summit is due to open this week.
The tremors, which have reached 4.1 on the Richter scale, have forced the Italians to consider moving the conference and newspapers are reporting that the security concerns for leaders, including Gordon Brown and Barack Obama, could cause the summit to move to Rome
In the meantime briefing papers that have gone out to all eight leaders contain a sheet of instructions in the event of an earthquake, a British diplomat confirmed.
The logistical nightmare for delegates and their security as well as the charities, observers, journalists and strategists booked to attend the summit are further complications for what is becoming the most chaotic G8 ever. It is also another credibility blow to Italy's prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, the current G8 president. His perfomances on both the world stage and in his private life have been subjected to derision.
The wife was not available, the other women in his life appear to be less than suitable, the president's wife has stepped up to the plate," a summit insider said.
Ofuckyou,turgid Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
So, yes, B's attitude towards women is a "relentless, senseless and absurd objectification of individuals." But what ticks me off is that there are a hell of a lot of "women" here that eagerly go for it.
As for Clio Napolitano, she is an extraordinary woman who will do a superb job of representing Italy in this unwelcome role.
The Times has noted that the torrid sexpot Mara Carfagna, Minster of "Equal Opportunities," will also represent the Italian government along with the controversial Minister of "Education" Gelmini. Both have been pointed out by the Allianza Nazionale daily, Il Secolo, as being the only women in the government who have sided with B.
According to the Argentine Clarion there is a wiretap of Carfagna asking advice on how to orally service better Mr. B. She is the author of a bill that would allow the prosecution of prostitutes' clients.
Why do "first ladies" take part in this theatre summit after summit? A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds; a man of deeds and not of words is like a garden full of turds — Anonymous
She does not address the fact that she did receive € 1000 from Giampi Tarantini for her first evening with B.
The original video was published by El Pais. Subtitles in Spanish.
A close call. Sarkozy's party only got 4% of the votes in the first round, and called to vote for the left against the National Front. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Russia will seek assurances from President Barack Obama tomorrow that Washington will cease pressing for the former Soviet states of Georgia and Ukraine to join Nato -- a policy that was aggressively pursued by George W Bush. On his first visit to Russia as president, Obama is due to hold nine hours of talks with President Dmitry Medvedev and share a breakfast with prime minister Vladimir Putin. Russian sources say both men will warn him about a risk of repeating last year's war in Georgia. Russia strongly opposes Georgia and Ukraine joining Nato as this would extend the alliance's reach to its borders. Obama is said to be less enthusiastic than Bush about putting pressure on them to join. Russian military analysts say that in return, Moscow could make concessions over Iran, such as banning future arms sales to the Islamic republic and agreeing more robust UN sanctions to help curb its nuclear programme. Russia has signalled its readiness to open supply routes for American forces fighting in Afghanistan. The deal could be signed this week and would see up to 10 flights a day crossing Russia, so boosting the war against the Taliban. Both sides are keen for the meetings to "reset" relations between their countries -- at their lowest ebb since the end of the cold war, in the wake of the Georgia conflict.
Russia will seek assurances from President Barack Obama tomorrow that Washington will cease pressing for the former Soviet states of Georgia and Ukraine to join Nato -- a policy that was aggressively pursued by George W Bush.
On his first visit to Russia as president, Obama is due to hold nine hours of talks with President Dmitry Medvedev and share a breakfast with prime minister Vladimir Putin. Russian sources say both men will warn him about a risk of repeating last year's war in Georgia.
Russia strongly opposes Georgia and Ukraine joining Nato as this would extend the alliance's reach to its borders. Obama is said to be less enthusiastic than Bush about putting pressure on them to join. Russian military analysts say that in return, Moscow could make concessions over Iran, such as banning future arms sales to the Islamic republic and agreeing more robust UN sanctions to help curb its nuclear programme.
Russia has signalled its readiness to open supply routes for American forces fighting in Afghanistan. The deal could be signed this week and would see up to 10 flights a day crossing Russia, so boosting the war against the Taliban. Both sides are keen for the meetings to "reset" relations between their countries -- at their lowest ebb since the end of the cold war, in the wake of the Georgia conflict.
The new centre-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party (GERB) of Sofia mayor Boyko Borisov won Bulgaria's general elections with 39.7 percent support, official results showed, with 99.88 percent of the ballots counted. ... The outgoing Socialists of Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev suffered a stinging defeat, garnering only 17.72 percent support. They had won the last election in 2005 with 33.98 percent.The Turkish minority MRF party, a junior coalition partner in the last government, won 14.47 percent. The ultra nationalist Ataka party came fourth with 9.37 percent.Two other right-wing parties also entered parliament -- the Blue Coalition with 6.73 percent and the newly-formed Order, Lawfulness, Justice party with 4.13 percent. ... The centist NMSP party of former king Simeon Saxe Coburg, that formed a cabinet in 2001 and was the third partner in the outgoing cabinet, failed to pass the four-percent threshold to enter the legislature. It had come out second in 2005 with 21.83 percent.
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The outgoing Socialists of Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev suffered a stinging defeat, garnering only 17.72 percent support. They had won the last election in 2005 with 33.98 percent.
The Turkish minority MRF party, a junior coalition partner in the last government, won 14.47 percent. The ultra nationalist Ataka party came fourth with 9.37 percent.
Two other right-wing parties also entered parliament -- the Blue Coalition with 6.73 percent and the newly-formed Order, Lawfulness, Justice party with 4.13 percent.
The centist NMSP party of former king Simeon Saxe Coburg, that formed a cabinet in 2001 and was the third partner in the outgoing cabinet, failed to pass the four-percent threshold to enter the legislature. It had come out second in 2005 with 21.83 percent.
