The Croatian parliament has approved Jadranka Kosor as prime minister, making her the first woman to have the job in the country's history. Croatia's parliament elected Jadranka Kosor as the nation's first female prime minister late on Monday. The 56-year-old takes over after the sudden resignation of her predecessor, Ivo Sanader, on July 1, with the ruling coalition halfway through its four-year term. Her immediate tasks will be to take action against the country's worst economic crisis in years and pump new life into stalled EU accession talks. Croatia's bid for EU membership has been blocked by neighboring Slovenia after a border row. Kosor was born in Pakrac, and studied in Zagreb where she graduated in law. She is also a published poet and an award-winning journalist. She is fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German.
Croatia's parliament elected Jadranka Kosor as the nation's first female prime minister late on Monday.
The 56-year-old takes over after the sudden resignation of her predecessor, Ivo Sanader, on July 1, with the ruling coalition halfway through its four-year term.
Her immediate tasks will be to take action against the country's worst economic crisis in years and pump new life into stalled EU accession talks.
Croatia's bid for EU membership has been blocked by neighboring Slovenia after a border row.
Kosor was born in Pakrac, and studied in Zagreb where she graduated in law.
She is also a published poet and an award-winning journalist. She is fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German.
Italian centre-right MEP Mario Mauro has dropped his bid to become EU parliament president, leaving the path clear for Polish conservative deputy Jerzy Buzek to take up the post. Mr Mauro made the announcement on Sunday (5 July) following a congress of the centre-right EPP faction in Athens. The move is designed to avoid "unnecessary and damaging divisions" in the group, he said. Mr Buzek - the former prime minister has spent the past five years on the industry committee The EPP will formally nominate Mr Buzek as its candidate on 7 July. His appointment has to be confirmed by an EU parliament vote on 14 July. But the EPP is expected to make a deal with the socialist group, giving its man the job for the next two and a half years, followed by German centre-left MEP Martin Schulz in 2011. Poland's Mr Buzek would become the first politician from one of the ex-Iron Curtain member states to hold a senior EU post if he gets through.
Italian centre-right MEP Mario Mauro has dropped his bid to become EU parliament president, leaving the path clear for Polish conservative deputy Jerzy Buzek to take up the post.
Mr Mauro made the announcement on Sunday (5 July) following a congress of the centre-right EPP faction in Athens. The move is designed to avoid "unnecessary and damaging divisions" in the group, he said.
Mr Buzek - the former prime minister has spent the past five years on the industry committee
The EPP will formally nominate Mr Buzek as its candidate on 7 July.
His appointment has to be confirmed by an EU parliament vote on 14 July. But the EPP is expected to make a deal with the socialist group, giving its man the job for the next two and a half years, followed by German centre-left MEP Martin Schulz in 2011.
Poland's Mr Buzek would become the first politician from one of the ex-Iron Curtain member states to hold a senior EU post if he gets through.
Last week's ruling by the German Constitutional Court, coupled with demands by one conservative party for changes to the constitution, may not only jeopardize Berlin's schedule for the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. The Karlsruhe ruling also threatens future steps toward European integration. When the parliamentary group of the Christian Social Union (CSU) -- the Bavarian sister party to Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats -- met in Berlin last Thursday, they had a hero to celebrate. "You have saved our honor," said CSU representative Hans-Peter Friedrich to his party colleague and friend Peter Gauweiler. Gauweiler, a lawyer from Munich -- and a political maverick who is the enfant terrible of the conservative group in the German parliament or Bundestag -- was largely successful with the legal complaint he filed with the German Constitutional Court against the EU Lisbon Treaty. Now it's official: The ratification by the overwhelming majority of the German parliament -- including the CSU -- was negligent. In essence, the court ruled that by passing the so-called "accompanying law" to the Lisbon Treaty, which determines the rights of German parliament to participate in European legislation, the representatives had relinquished significant monitoring rights to Brussels. According to the judges, this unconstitutionally subjects the people that they represent to the whims of a bureaucracy that lacks sufficient democratic legitimacy. But the CSU cares little about past errors. Now the idea is to push ahead and "Gauweiler" them! Last Thursday, the politicians from Bavaria decided to follow up their success with a new set of demands. They want the Lisbon Treaty to be ratified only under condition that the new EU law would only be valid in Germany "in accordance with the decision by the German Constitutional Court." They are now demanding a solution that gives "maximum" parliamentary influence over future EU policy.
Last week's ruling by the German Constitutional Court, coupled with demands by one conservative party for changes to the constitution, may not only jeopardize Berlin's schedule for the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. The Karlsruhe ruling also threatens future steps toward European integration.
When the parliamentary group of the Christian Social Union (CSU) -- the Bavarian sister party to Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats -- met in Berlin last Thursday, they had a hero to celebrate. "You have saved our honor," said CSU representative Hans-Peter Friedrich to his party colleague and friend Peter Gauweiler.
Gauweiler, a lawyer from Munich -- and a political maverick who is the enfant terrible of the conservative group in the German parliament or Bundestag -- was largely successful with the legal complaint he filed with the German Constitutional Court against the EU Lisbon Treaty. Now it's official: The ratification by the overwhelming majority of the German parliament -- including the CSU -- was negligent. In essence, the court ruled that by passing the so-called "accompanying law" to the Lisbon Treaty, which determines the rights of German parliament to participate in European legislation, the representatives had relinquished significant monitoring rights to Brussels. According to the judges, this unconstitutionally subjects the people that they represent to the whims of a bureaucracy that lacks sufficient democratic legitimacy.
But the CSU cares little about past errors. Now the idea is to push ahead and "Gauweiler" them! Last Thursday, the politicians from Bavaria decided to follow up their success with a new set of demands. They want the Lisbon Treaty to be ratified only under condition that the new EU law would only be valid in Germany "in accordance with the decision by the German Constitutional Court." They are now demanding a solution that gives "maximum" parliamentary influence over future EU policy.
when one reads this tripe:
According to the judges, this unconstitutionally subjects the people that they represent to the whims of a bureaucracy that lacks sufficient democratic legitimacy.
Many Social Democrats doubt their candidate Frank-Walter Steinmeier can beat Chancellor Angela Merkel in September's general election. And some are already looking around for a new figure to lead the party to a future victory. Berlin's cocky Mayor Klaus Wowereit, is right at the top of the list. The setting couldn't have been more symbolic. To the left, the Bosporus Strait, that magical spot where Europe and Asia meet, and in the background the glowing dome of the Blue Mosque. Somewhat surprisingly, three sections of the Berlin Wall -- albeit sections made from Styrofoam -- complete the scene. The pieces of the "fake" Berlin Wall are on display in Berlin's sister city, the Turkish capital Istanbul. In a couple of weeks they and a thousand others that have been sent around the world to be painted by artists and students will be returned to the German capital where, on Nov. 9, in a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Wall, they will all be knocked over like dominoes. But first, someone has to paint these pieces. And Berlin's Mayor Klaus Wowereit, is on hand to make the first few brushstrokes.
Many Social Democrats doubt their candidate Frank-Walter Steinmeier can beat Chancellor Angela Merkel in September's general election. And some are already looking around for a new figure to lead the party to a future victory. Berlin's cocky Mayor Klaus Wowereit, is right at the top of the list.
The setting couldn't have been more symbolic. To the left, the Bosporus Strait, that magical spot where Europe and Asia meet, and in the background the glowing dome of the Blue Mosque. Somewhat surprisingly, three sections of the Berlin Wall -- albeit sections made from Styrofoam -- complete the scene.
The pieces of the "fake" Berlin Wall are on display in Berlin's sister city, the Turkish capital Istanbul. In a couple of weeks they and a thousand others that have been sent around the world to be painted by artists and students will be returned to the German capital where, on Nov. 9, in a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Wall, they will all be knocked over like dominoes. But first, someone has to paint these pieces. And Berlin's Mayor Klaus Wowereit, is on hand to make the first few brushstrokes.
Bulgaria's center-right opposition party is gearing up for coalition talks after beating the ruling Socialists in the country's first parliamentary elections since joining the European Union two years ago. Bulgaria's next prime minister is expected to be Sofia mayor and former bodyguard Boiko Borisov, who has been nicknamed 'Batman' for his tough talk on the country's endemic corruption. Borisov, whose Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party (GERB) won just under half of the 240 seats up for grabs in Sunday's elections, says he wants to form a coalition that will prioritise the fight against corruption and boost the ailing economy. GERB is widely expected to enter negotiations with the Blue Coalition, a group of rightist parties that collectively picked up 16 seats. `Batman' Borisov has also pledged to work towards the eradication of ethnic tensions in Bulgaria.
Bulgaria's next prime minister is expected to be Sofia mayor and former bodyguard Boiko Borisov, who has been nicknamed 'Batman' for his tough talk on the country's endemic corruption.
Borisov, whose Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party (GERB) won just under half of the 240 seats up for grabs in Sunday's elections, says he wants to form a coalition that will prioritise the fight against corruption and boost the ailing economy.
GERB is widely expected to enter negotiations with the Blue Coalition, a group of rightist parties that collectively picked up 16 seats.
`Batman' Borisov has also pledged to work towards the eradication of ethnic tensions in Bulgaria.
The rancour and mistrust of Bush-era relations between Russia and the US were cast aside yesterday when presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev signed an agreement on nuclear weapons that could prove historic. The two leaders agreed to work towards a treaty to replace the 1991 Start-1 pact which expires in December and to reduce their stockpiles of nuclear warheads to between 1,500 and 1,675 each. In a further sign of its willingness to repair fractured relations, Russia offered its airspace to US planes flying weapons and troops to Afghanistan. This will shorten flying time and save the US more than $100m (£62m) a year.Mr Obama announced that he intended to host a global nuclear summit next year to combat nuclear proliferation, the biggest threat to global security, and said he and Mr Medvedev had discussed a plan for Russia to reciprocate by hosting a follow-up meeting.
The rancour and mistrust of Bush-era relations between Russia and the US were cast aside yesterday when presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev signed an agreement on nuclear weapons that could prove historic.
The two leaders agreed to work towards a treaty to replace the 1991 Start-1 pact which expires in December and to reduce their stockpiles of nuclear warheads to between 1,500 and 1,675 each. In a further sign of its willingness to repair fractured relations, Russia offered its airspace to US planes flying weapons and troops to Afghanistan. This will shorten flying time and save the US more than $100m (£62m) a year.
Mr Obama announced that he intended to host a global nuclear summit next year to combat nuclear proliferation, the biggest threat to global security, and said he and Mr Medvedev had discussed a plan for Russia to reciprocate by hosting a follow-up meeting.
Nuclear disarmament is one of the main issues Barack Obama is addressing during his visit to Russia this week. In a SPIEGEL ONLINE interview, Munich Security Conference head Wolfgang Ischinger argues that the dream of a nuclear arms-free world need not remain an illusion. Hiroshima, Japan, after the world's first attack with a nuclear bomb in 1945: Is a world free of nuclear weapons possible? SPIEGEL ONLINE: US President Obama is in Moscow right now for his first formal summit with Russian President Medvedev. At the close of the trip, an agreement on further nuclear disarmament is expected. How important are these talks if you take into account the fact that the current nuclear threats are more likely to come from other corners of the world? Ischinger: The negotiations between the USA and Russia over a successor treaty to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) are of great importance. The two countries possess 96 percent of the world's nuclear weapons. Russia has 2,700 deployable nuclear warheads; the US has 2,200. I assume that this summit will set the course for a dramatic reduction of these weapons.
Nuclear disarmament is one of the main issues Barack Obama is addressing during his visit to Russia this week. In a SPIEGEL ONLINE interview, Munich Security Conference head Wolfgang Ischinger argues that the dream of a nuclear arms-free world need not remain an illusion.
Hiroshima, Japan, after the world's first attack with a nuclear bomb in 1945: Is a world free of nuclear weapons possible?
SPIEGEL ONLINE: US President Obama is in Moscow right now for his first formal summit with Russian President Medvedev. At the close of the trip, an agreement on further nuclear disarmament is expected. How important are these talks if you take into account the fact that the current nuclear threats are more likely to come from other corners of the world?
Ischinger: The negotiations between the USA and Russia over a successor treaty to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) are of great importance. The two countries possess 96 percent of the world's nuclear weapons. Russia has 2,700 deployable nuclear warheads; the US has 2,200. I assume that this summit will set the course for a dramatic reduction of these weapons.
Even now in the UK we know we cannot afford the new generation of nuclear missile, we know there is no need for it, we know there is no possible enemy to justify it, yet still our pols demand that it remain essential to Britain's defence. What they really mean is they are necessary to shore up the belief systems that sustains their sense of importance. keep to the Fen Causeway
US President Barack Obama has praised Vladimir Putin's "extraordinary work" as Russia's president and prime minister, while Putin said Russia was pinning its hopes on Obama to revive ties between the two countries. AFP - Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said Russia was pinning its hopes on US President Barack Obama to revive ties with the United States as the two leaders met for the first time. The pair sought at their breakfast meeting at Putin's country residence to emphasise a cordial atmosphere after the US president caused controversy last week by saying Putin as had "one foot" in the past. Obama praised Putin -- seen by most as Russia's de facto leader -- for his "extraordinary work" as president between 2000-2008 and now in his new post as prime minister.
AFP - Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said Russia was pinning its hopes on US President Barack Obama to revive ties with the United States as the two leaders met for the first time. The pair sought at their breakfast meeting at Putin's country residence to emphasise a cordial atmosphere after the US president caused controversy last week by saying Putin as had "one foot" in the past. Obama praised Putin -- seen by most as Russia's de facto leader -- for his "extraordinary work" as president between 2000-2008 and now in his new post as prime minister.
I always think Israel does well by convincing US pols that Israel's interests are more important than those of the US. It's a neat trick. keep to the Fen Causeway
US President Barack Obama said the US wanted a strong, prosperous but also democratic Russia, as he set out his vision of the US relationship with its former Cold-War era foe, in a long-awaited speech at the end of his two-day visit to Moscow. AFP - President Barack Obama said Tuesday the United States wanted a strong, prosperous but also democratic Russia, as he set out his vision of the US relationship with its former Cold-War era foe. In the most eagerly awaited address of his two-day visit to Moscow, Obama reached out to Russia by emphasising its place as a "great power" but also did not shy away from the differences between the two countries. The speech to students graduating from the progressive New Economic School came as Obama sought to revive ties with Russia bruised by a string of crises over the last decade.
AFP - President Barack Obama said Tuesday the United States wanted a strong, prosperous but also democratic Russia, as he set out his vision of the US relationship with its former Cold-War era foe. In the most eagerly awaited address of his two-day visit to Moscow, Obama reached out to Russia by emphasising its place as a "great power" but also did not shy away from the differences between the two countries. The speech to students graduating from the progressive New Economic School came as Obama sought to revive ties with Russia bruised by a string of crises over the last decade.
VENICE -- Days before his country, Sweden, took over the presidency of the European Union, Carl Bildt was sipping a postprandial espresso, enjoying the sun and the waterfront vista stretching toward St. Mark's. But, as befits a foreign minister with verve and unusually broad experience of many corners of Europe, his mind was elsewhere. Mr. Bildt, 59, rummaged through papers. With the boyish manner he has retained despite three decades in politics, he lighted with glee upon a satellite photograph of the harbor of Sevastopol in Crimea, but was crestfallen at being unable to retrieve a similar picture of Novorossiysk, a Russian port on the eastern coast of the Black Sea. Few -- if any -- European foreign ministers could discuss in this detail the fate of Russia's Black Sea fleet, stationed in Sevastopol by agreement with Ukraine until 2014.
VENICE -- Days before his country, Sweden, took over the presidency of the European Union, Carl Bildt was sipping a postprandial espresso, enjoying the sun and the waterfront vista stretching toward St. Mark's.
But, as befits a foreign minister with verve and unusually broad experience of many corners of Europe, his mind was elsewhere.
Mr. Bildt, 59, rummaged through papers. With the boyish manner he has retained despite three decades in politics, he lighted with glee upon a satellite photograph of the harbor of Sevastopol in Crimea, but was crestfallen at being unable to retrieve a similar picture of Novorossiysk, a Russian port on the eastern coast of the Black Sea.
Few -- if any -- European foreign ministers could discuss in this detail the fate of Russia's Black Sea fleet, stationed in Sevastopol by agreement with Ukraine until 2014.
Senior police officers are receiving "off-book payments" and secret perks totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds, including private school fees and cars for their spouses. The Times has discovered that one chief constable heading a force of just 1,700 officers was paid a £74,000 top-up on his salary last year. Sean Price, of the Cleveland force, was paid a £50,000 "retention package" and an "honorarium" of £24,000, raising his income to £200,000. The private deals, sometimes referred to as debentures or supplements, are negotiated with police authorities behind closed doors and paid over and above salaries agreed in national negotiations. The incentives include generous relocation packages, satellite TV, home security and even "lifestyle coaching". They are legal but largely hidden from the public. The Times has uncovered the scale of the practice.
Senior police officers are receiving "off-book payments" and secret perks totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds, including private school fees and cars for their spouses.
The Times has discovered that one chief constable heading a force of just 1,700 officers was paid a £74,000 top-up on his salary last year. Sean Price, of the Cleveland force, was paid a £50,000 "retention package" and an "honorarium" of £24,000, raising his income to £200,000.
The private deals, sometimes referred to as debentures or supplements, are negotiated with police authorities behind closed doors and paid over and above salaries agreed in national negotiations.
The incentives include generous relocation packages, satellite TV, home security and even "lifestyle coaching". They are legal but largely hidden from the public. The Times has uncovered the scale of the practice.
Eurostar Tuesday said it notched a 22% rise in passenger traffic between London and Amsterdam, following the full reopening of the Channel Tunnel in February. Eurostar said its service on-time performance since then was 96%. The statement coincided with an announcement Tuesday from both Belgian National Railways (SNCB) and the Netherlands' NS Hispeed that additional high speed rail service linking Brussels and Amsterdam will begin next year.
The statement coincided with an announcement Tuesday from both Belgian National Railways (SNCB) and the Netherlands' NS Hispeed that additional high speed rail service linking Brussels and Amsterdam will begin next year.
He has already played host to showgirls, hostesses, a teenage model and a prostitute. For once, however, there was no question over the suitability of Silvio Berlusconi's latest round of female guests. The official party of first ladies, including Michelle Obama and Sarah Brown, is expected to arrive today for a three-day visit to Rome and the earthquake-stricken city of L'Aquila. The traditional gathering of leaders' spouses has come under scrutiny this year after Veronica Lario, Mr Berlusconi's wife, announced in May that she was seeking a divorce, partly because she could not stay with a man "who frequents minors". An online petition by four Italian academics also urged the spouses to boycott the summit on account of Mr Berlusconi's "offensive" behaviour towards women.Carla Bruni, the Italian-born wife of the French President, who has a history of clashes with Mr Berlusconi, announced yesterday that she would not be attending the official G8 events in Rome. She will, however, visit the summit venue of L'Aquila.
He has already played host to showgirls, hostesses, a teenage model and a prostitute. For once, however, there was no question over the suitability of Silvio Berlusconi's latest round of female guests.
The official party of first ladies, including Michelle Obama and Sarah Brown, is expected to arrive today for a three-day visit to Rome and the earthquake-stricken city of L'Aquila.
The traditional gathering of leaders' spouses has come under scrutiny this year after Veronica Lario, Mr Berlusconi's wife, announced in May that she was seeking a divorce, partly because she could not stay with a man "who frequents minors".
An online petition by four Italian academics also urged the spouses to boycott the summit on account of Mr Berlusconi's "offensive" behaviour towards women.
Carla Bruni, the Italian-born wife of the French President, who has a history of clashes with Mr Berlusconi, announced yesterday that she would not be attending the official G8 events in Rome. She will, however, visit the summit venue of L'Aquila.
