José Manuel Barroso was left fighting for his job as head of the European Commission last night after MEPs snubbed EU leaders and refused to endorse him for a second term. The Portuguese conservative should have been a shoo-in after winning unanimous backing from the 27 member states but the heads of the Socialist, Liberal and Green MEPs blocked plans for a vote next week in Strasbourg to agree his re-appointment. The impasse leaves Mr Barroso to sweat about his future over the summer and risks making him and the EU seem a lame duck on the eve of the G8 and in preparations for the Copenhagen climate change talks. Mr Barroso's mandate ends on October 31 and his supporters are exasperated because they can see his re-appointment dragging on for months while MEPs attempt to extract maximum concessions from the member states and European Commission.
José Manuel Barroso was left fighting for his job as head of the European Commission last night after MEPs snubbed EU leaders and refused to endorse him for a second term.
The Portuguese conservative should have been a shoo-in after winning unanimous backing from the 27 member states but the heads of the Socialist, Liberal and Green MEPs blocked plans for a vote next week in Strasbourg to agree his re-appointment.
The impasse leaves Mr Barroso to sweat about his future over the summer and risks making him and the EU seem a lame duck on the eve of the G8 and in preparations for the Copenhagen climate change talks.
Mr Barroso's mandate ends on October 31 and his supporters are exasperated because they can see his re-appointment dragging on for months while MEPs attempt to extract maximum concessions from the member states and European Commission.
MP David Davis's dramatic parliamentary move exposes treatment of terror suspectThe true depth of British involvement in the torture of terrorism suspects overseas and the manner in which that complicity is concealed behind a cloak of courtroom secrecy was laid bare last night when David Davis MP detailed the way in which one counter-terrorism operation led directly to a man suffering brutal mistreatment.In a dramatic intervention using the protection of parliamentary privilege, the former shadow home secretary revealed how MI5 and Greater Manchester police effectively sub-contracted the torture of Rangzieb Ahmed to a Pakistani intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI), whose routine use of torture has been widely documented.This is the first time that the information has entered the public domain. Previously it has been suppressed through the process of secret court hearings and, had the Guardian or other media organisations reported it, they would have exposed themselves to the risk of prosecution for contempt of court.
The true depth of British involvement in the torture of terrorism suspects overseas and the manner in which that complicity is concealed behind a cloak of courtroom secrecy was laid bare last night when David Davis MP detailed the way in which one counter-terrorism operation led directly to a man suffering brutal mistreatment.
In a dramatic intervention using the protection of parliamentary privilege, the former shadow home secretary revealed how MI5 and Greater Manchester police effectively sub-contracted the torture of Rangzieb Ahmed to a Pakistani intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI), whose routine use of torture has been widely documented.
This is the first time that the information has entered the public domain. Previously it has been suppressed through the process of secret court hearings and, had the Guardian or other media organisations reported it, they would have exposed themselves to the risk of prosecution for contempt of court.
Claud cockburn once said that nothing is true until it is officially denied. One of the tricks is to know the coded ways in which they say such things that means they say nothing actually untrue while using a from of words designed to deceive. I've read Private Eye too long.
A classic case was the way Straw denied the rendition flights even when we had the photos of the aircraft. That was the giveaway. That betrayed the tell.
So davis reveals all, about 7 years later than when it was long known and might have done some good. Big deal. This looks calculating rather than high-minded. keep to the Fen Causeway
For most people, computer problems are usually a virus that slows things down, or perhaps a document is lost when the computer crashes and we have to re-boot and re-write the document. There are, however, bigger and scarier threats out there in cyber space, be they from governments, or from rogue independent hackers. And the reality is that a lot of damage can be done by a lone individual working from one computer. One of the most important think tanks in the world when it comes to assessing cyber threats, cyber warfare or cyber terrorism, is the Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence (CCDOE) in Tallinn, Estonia.
There are, however, bigger and scarier threats out there in cyber space, be they from governments, or from rogue independent hackers. And the reality is that a lot of damage can be done by a lone individual working from one computer.
One of the most important think tanks in the world when it comes to assessing cyber threats, cyber warfare or cyber terrorism, is the Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence (CCDOE) in Tallinn, Estonia.
EUOBSERVER/BRUSSELS - Nato on Tuesday (7 July) launched a public consultation process aimed at clarifying the alliance's role in fighting the new range of threats that have emerged in recent years. The current strategic concept dating back to 1999 "clearly belongs to the last century," although the ground principle of collective defence still remains valid, outgoing Nato secretary general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said in his opening remarks. Anders Fogh Rasmussen will be the new face of Nato from 1 August Among his 400-strong audience was former US secretary general Madeleine Albright, the UN's anti-nuclear chief, Mohammed El Baradei, and Anders Fogh Rasmussen, due to take over Mr Scheffer's post on 1 August. Apart from globalised terrorism networks, other new threats emerged have emerged, such as cyber attacks, energy disruptions, pirates attacks on UN and commercial cargoes, as well as the race for resources and strategic influence in the Arctic.
EUOBSERVER/BRUSSELS - Nato on Tuesday (7 July) launched a public consultation process aimed at clarifying the alliance's role in fighting the new range of threats that have emerged in recent years.
The current strategic concept dating back to 1999 "clearly belongs to the last century," although the ground principle of collective defence still remains valid, outgoing Nato secretary general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said in his opening remarks.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen will be the new face of Nato from 1 August
Among his 400-strong audience was former US secretary general Madeleine Albright, the UN's anti-nuclear chief, Mohammed El Baradei, and Anders Fogh Rasmussen, due to take over Mr Scheffer's post on 1 August.
Apart from globalised terrorism networks, other new threats emerged have emerged, such as cyber attacks, energy disruptions, pirates attacks on UN and commercial cargoes, as well as the race for resources and strategic influence in the Arctic.
The Dutch national security service (AIVD) is being taken to court after mass circulation newspaper De Telegraaf discovered that it was being bugged. The paper, together with the Dutch National Journalists' Union and the Society of Editors-in-Chief, lodged a complaint against the Dutch state. They are demanding that telephone tapping and house raids of journalists stop immediately and that any material that has been confiscated be returned. The case will be heard on 16 July. Last month the home of one of the newspaper's journalists, Jolande van der Graaf, was raided by police after a former security service employee was arrested for leaking information. At the time a tearful photograph of the journalist appeared in De Telegraaf. The newspaper says not only has Ms van der Graaf's telephone been tapped, but so too have the telephones of Editor-in-Chief Sjuul Paradijs and subeditor Joost de Haas. Threat to society "Now that free reporting is at risk, national journalism is taking joint action," writes De Telegraaf on Wednesday. Chairman of the journalists' union, Huub Elzerman, says it is logical that the union supports De Telegraaf as his organisation promotes international press freedom. "This is a gross violation of source protection, now that it appears journalists are being bugged. This means that a journalist cannot guarantee the protection [of anonymity] of a whistle-blower or citizen." In a statement on its website the organisation points out that journalists often rely on anonymous sources to bring wrongdoings to light. It says that the security service practices undermine the reliability and independence of journalists. "If a country accepts that the intelligence service and police investigate and bug journalists to cover up their own failures, it is a direct threat to a constitutional society."
The Dutch national security service (AIVD) is being taken to court after mass circulation newspaper De Telegraaf discovered that it was being bugged.
The paper, together with the Dutch National Journalists' Union and the Society of Editors-in-Chief, lodged a complaint against the Dutch state. They are demanding that telephone tapping and house raids of journalists stop immediately and that any material that has been confiscated be returned. The case will be heard on 16 July.
Last month the home of one of the newspaper's journalists, Jolande van der Graaf, was raided by police after a former security service employee was arrested for leaking information. At the time a tearful photograph of the journalist appeared in De Telegraaf. The newspaper says not only has Ms van der Graaf's telephone been tapped, but so too have the telephones of Editor-in-Chief Sjuul Paradijs and subeditor Joost de Haas. Threat to society "Now that free reporting is at risk, national journalism is taking joint action," writes De Telegraaf on Wednesday. Chairman of the journalists' union, Huub Elzerman, says it is logical that the union supports De Telegraaf as his organisation promotes international press freedom. "This is a gross violation of source protection, now that it appears journalists are being bugged. This means that a journalist cannot guarantee the protection [of anonymity] of a whistle-blower or citizen." In a statement on its website the organisation points out that journalists often rely on anonymous sources to bring wrongdoings to light. It says that the security service practices undermine the reliability and independence of journalists. "If a country accepts that the intelligence service and police investigate and bug journalists to cover up their own failures, it is a direct threat to a constitutional society."
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - European competition commissioner Neelie Kroes turned to Shakespeare on Wednesday (8 July) to describe anti-competition practices being widely used by pharmaceutical companies throughout the European union. "Overall it is indeed a conclusion that there is something rotten in the state," she said, paraphrasing comments made by the character Marcellus in Act I of the British playwright's famous work, Hamlet. The commission report points to widespread collusion between European drug makers Ms Kroes made the statement following the publication of a final inquiry report on Europe's pharmaceutical sector - a document that points to widespread collusion between drug companies producing original products and others producing generic copies. According to the report, a considerable number of generic drug producers have accepted payments to delay the release of medicines that are on average 40 percent cheaper than the original product two years after its initial release.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - European competition commissioner Neelie Kroes turned to Shakespeare on Wednesday (8 July) to describe anti-competition practices being widely used by pharmaceutical companies throughout the European union.
"Overall it is indeed a conclusion that there is something rotten in the state," she said, paraphrasing comments made by the character Marcellus in Act I of the British playwright's famous work, Hamlet.
The commission report points to widespread collusion between European drug makers
Ms Kroes made the statement following the publication of a final inquiry report on Europe's pharmaceutical sector - a document that points to widespread collusion between drug companies producing original products and others producing generic copies.
According to the report, a considerable number of generic drug producers have accepted payments to delay the release of medicines that are on average 40 percent cheaper than the original product two years after its initial release.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Graham Watson, the liberal challenger for post of European Parliament president, is set to pull out of the race after the job was split between the two biggest groups in the assembly. Rumours flew around the parliament on Tuesday evening (7 July) that he had already formally withdrawn his candidacy after the head of the centre-right EPP, Joseph Daul, told a meeting of his group that Mr Watson was no longer in the running. The parliament will vote on its next president on 14 July However, his cabinet and spokespeople immediately denied the rumour, and insisted Mr Watson still intends to take part in an organised debate later on Wednesday between himself and the other declared candidate for the job, the centre-right Pole Jerzy Buzek. Mr Watson's attempt at getting the presidency - largely a ceremonial role - was scuppered by the traditional carve-up of power between the EPP and the Socialists, confirmed on Tuesday.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Graham Watson, the liberal challenger for post of European Parliament president, is set to pull out of the race after the job was split between the two biggest groups in the assembly.
Rumours flew around the parliament on Tuesday evening (7 July) that he had already formally withdrawn his candidacy after the head of the centre-right EPP, Joseph Daul, told a meeting of his group that Mr Watson was no longer in the running.
The parliament will vote on its next president on 14 July
However, his cabinet and spokespeople immediately denied the rumour, and insisted Mr Watson still intends to take part in an organised debate later on Wednesday between himself and the other declared candidate for the job, the centre-right Pole Jerzy Buzek.
Mr Watson's attempt at getting the presidency - largely a ceremonial role - was scuppered by the traditional carve-up of power between the EPP and the Socialists, confirmed on Tuesday.
The Hague tribunal has rejected the argument by former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic that he should not be prosecuted because of an immunity deal.Mr Karadzic said the former US peace envoy Richard Holbrooke had promised him immunity from prosecution if he gave up politics. Mr Holbrooke has repeatedly denied there was any such deal. The UN court said even if there was, it did not have legal standing, and that Mr Karadzic's trial should go ahead. Mr Karadzic, 64, faces 11 charges including genocide.
The Hague tribunal has rejected the argument by former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic that he should not be prosecuted because of an immunity deal.
Mr Karadzic said the former US peace envoy Richard Holbrooke had promised him immunity from prosecution if he gave up politics.
Mr Holbrooke has repeatedly denied there was any such deal.
The UN court said even if there was, it did not have legal standing, and that Mr Karadzic's trial should go ahead.
Mr Karadzic, 64, faces 11 charges including genocide.
The Taoiseach has announced that the re-run of the Lisbon Treaty referendum will be held, as expected, on October 2nd. Brian Cowen made the announcement in the Dail this morning. The second referendum is being arranged following the decision by EU leaders to give Ireland legal guarantees on issues like abortion, military neutrality and taxation.
The Taoiseach has announced that the re-run of the Lisbon Treaty referendum will be held, as expected, on October 2nd.
Brian Cowen made the announcement in the Dail this morning.
The second referendum is being arranged following the decision by EU leaders to give Ireland legal guarantees on issues like abortion, military neutrality and taxation.
