The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman
Ukrainians hit the polls on Sunday to elect a president in a run-off between Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and opposition leader Viktor Yanukovich with analysts warning that political stability remained elusive. Sunday's presidential poll among 37 million registered Ukrainian voters follows a bitter electoral campaign during which opinion surveys were not permitted. Yanukovich won the initial round on 17 January by a ten-percent margin over Tymoshenko. Each candidate, however, has accused the other of trying to rig the vote and analysts warn that after ballot stations close late Sunday their tussle could shift to court wrangles and even street protests. Ukrainians have become largely disillusioned with politics in their country - almost six years after the euphoria of the 2004 Orange Revolution, when the telegenic Tymoshenko helped sweep the pro-Western Viktor Yushchenko into the office of president on the promise of reform.
Sunday's presidential poll among 37 million registered Ukrainian voters follows a bitter electoral campaign during which opinion surveys were not permitted.
Yanukovich won the initial round on 17 January by a ten-percent margin over Tymoshenko.
Each candidate, however, has accused the other of trying to rig the vote and analysts warn that after ballot stations close late Sunday their tussle could shift to court wrangles and even street protests.
Ukrainians have become largely disillusioned with politics in their country - almost six years after the euphoria of the 2004 Orange Revolution, when the telegenic Tymoshenko helped sweep the pro-Western Viktor Yushchenko into the office of president on the promise of reform.
The outcome of Sunday's Ukrainian run-off vote will likely improve ties between Moscow and Kiev, leaving Poland and the Czech Republic isolated in their fear of Russia. Germany holds the key to easing those concerns. It has become an annual tradition in Europe. Each winter since 2006, Russia has turned off natural gas supplies to Ukraine, which, in turn, has siphoned off gas meant for Western Europe. In each instance, Moscow has blamed the supply cuts on a pricing dispute between Gazprom, the Russian-controlled energy giant, and Ukraine, with Gazprom claiming it is owed millions in unpaid bills. Ukraine has countered that Russia is using energy as a foreign policy tool, to punish Ukraine for aspiring to closer ties with the West. This year, despite lingering disagreements over pricing, politics might have a hand in bringing this tradition to an end. Last month, Ukrainian voters selected Viktor Yanukovych, a candidate who advocates for closer ties with Russia, to face Yulia Tymoshenko in a presidential run-off election on Sunday. Tymoshenko, a leading figure in Ukraine's Orange Revolution in 2004 - the same revolution that removed Yanukovych from office - and who takes a more cautious view toward Russia, is well behind in the polls. If Yanukovych wins, Kiev's relations with Russia will be strengthened. This has begun already - last month, Russia resumed diplomatic ties with Ukraine after a five-year lull. Talk about Russian imperial ambitions, common under former president Viktor Yushchenko, will likely cease. Ukraine's possible shift toward a pro-Russia policy is troubling for Poland and the Czech Republic. Both have pointed to the Ukrainian gas disputes as evidence of Moscow's willingness to use economic resources as a foreign policy tool and of Russia's desire to reestablish its former sphere of influence. Ukraine under Yushchenko was a victim of these ambitions and an ally in lobbying the United States and NATO allies to speak more forcefully against Russia's increasingly strong rhetoric. A Ukraine under Yanukovych, or Tymoshenko, will no longer play this role.
It has become an annual tradition in Europe. Each winter since 2006, Russia has turned off natural gas supplies to Ukraine, which, in turn, has siphoned off gas meant for Western Europe. In each instance, Moscow has blamed the supply cuts on a pricing dispute between Gazprom, the Russian-controlled energy giant, and Ukraine, with Gazprom claiming it is owed millions in unpaid bills. Ukraine has countered that Russia is using energy as a foreign policy tool, to punish Ukraine for aspiring to closer ties with the West.
This year, despite lingering disagreements over pricing, politics might have a hand in bringing this tradition to an end. Last month, Ukrainian voters selected Viktor Yanukovych, a candidate who advocates for closer ties with Russia, to face Yulia Tymoshenko in a presidential run-off election on Sunday. Tymoshenko, a leading figure in Ukraine's Orange Revolution in 2004 - the same revolution that removed Yanukovych from office - and who takes a more cautious view toward Russia, is well behind in the polls.
If Yanukovych wins, Kiev's relations with Russia will be strengthened. This has begun already - last month, Russia resumed diplomatic ties with Ukraine after a five-year lull. Talk about Russian imperial ambitions, common under former president Viktor Yushchenko, will likely cease.
Ukraine's possible shift toward a pro-Russia policy is troubling for Poland and the Czech Republic. Both have pointed to the Ukrainian gas disputes as evidence of Moscow's willingness to use economic resources as a foreign policy tool and of Russia's desire to reestablish its former sphere of influence. Ukraine under Yushchenko was a victim of these ambitions and an ally in lobbying the United States and NATO allies to speak more forcefully against Russia's increasingly strong rhetoric. A Ukraine under Yanukovych, or Tymoshenko, will no longer play this role.
Ukraine under Yushchenko was a victim of these ambitions
Oh, really, how?
Ukraine's shift east leaves Poles, Czechs alone in fear of Russia | World | Deutsche Welle | 05.02.2010
US President Barack Obama has also seemingly abdicated the United States' role of Eastern European champion.
Viktor Yanukovich, Ukraine's opposition leader, has narrowly won the presidential election against Yulia Tymoshenko, the prime minister, exit polls said.The National Exit Poll, a consortium partly funded byWestern embassies, said Yanukovich had secured48.7 per cent of Sunday's vote against Tymoshenko's 45.5 per cent. Another exit poll by ICTV said Yanukovich won 49.8 per cent of the vote against Tymoshenko's 45.2 per cent.The victory by Yanukovich, if confirmed by official results, marks a remarkable comeback by the 59-year-old ex-mechanic who was disgraced in 2004 by the "Orange Revolution" mass street protests which Tymoshenko led.
Viktor Yanukovich, Ukraine's opposition leader, has narrowly won the presidential election against Yulia Tymoshenko, the prime minister, exit polls said.The National Exit Poll, a consortium partly funded byWestern embassies, said Yanukovich had secured48.7 per cent of Sunday's vote against Tymoshenko's 45.5 per cent.
Another exit poll by ICTV said Yanukovich won 49.8 per cent of the vote against Tymoshenko's 45.2 per cent.The victory by Yanukovich, if confirmed by official results, marks a remarkable comeback by the 59-year-old ex-mechanic who was disgraced in 2004 by the "Orange Revolution" mass street protests which Tymoshenko led.
The Catholic church in Germany has vowed to probe new reports that claim the extent of sexual abuse by some of its clerics may have been much higher than previously admitted. German news magazine Der Spiegel reported over the weekend that at least 10 church employees currently face accusations of sexual abuse. The magazine said more than 94 clerics and laymen have been suspected of sexual abuse since 1995. But only 30 of those suspects had actually been prosecuted, the report said, because of legal time constraints on pursuing cases. The latest reports come amid a widening scandal of serial sex abuse by Catholic priests in Germany. Earlier this week, Berlin's elite Canisius College admitted systematic abuse of pupils by at least two Roman Catholic priests. between 1975 and 1983 who once taught there. One of them has reportedly denied doing so. Suspicions have since emerged at three other Jesuit-run schools, in Hamburg, Bonn and in the Black Forest region, also dating back to the 1970s and 80s.
German news magazine Der Spiegel reported over the weekend that at least 10 church employees currently face accusations of sexual abuse.
The magazine said more than 94 clerics and laymen have been suspected of sexual abuse since 1995. But only 30 of those suspects had actually been prosecuted, the report said, because of legal time constraints on pursuing cases.
The latest reports come amid a widening scandal of serial sex abuse by Catholic priests in Germany.
Earlier this week, Berlin's elite Canisius College admitted systematic abuse of pupils by at least two Roman Catholic priests. between 1975 and 1983 who once taught there. One of them has reportedly denied doing so.
Suspicions have since emerged at three other Jesuit-run schools, in Hamburg, Bonn and in the Black Forest region, also dating back to the 1970s and 80s.
German tax investigators are reportedly in France for negotiations with an informant to buy stolen Swiss bank data on 1,500 alleged tax evaders. The move comes amid reports of a fresh offer of data on tax cheats. German magazine Focus reported on Saturday that tax authorities would acquire the controversial data on the weekend in France. Quoting sources close to the investigation, the Munich-based magazine said the unnamed informant had insisted on a secret meeting in a neighboring country for fear of being arrested in Germany. Germany is to pay a reported 2.5 million euros ($3.4 million) for the stolen data on 1,500 German clients of a Swiss bank. Reports say the data could potentially yield at least 400 million euros in tax revenues. The decision to buy the illegally-obtained information has divided the German government and strained relations with Switzerland.
German magazine Focus reported on Saturday that tax authorities would acquire the controversial data on the weekend in France.
Quoting sources close to the investigation, the Munich-based magazine said the unnamed informant had insisted on a secret meeting in a neighboring country for fear of being arrested in Germany.
Germany is to pay a reported 2.5 million euros ($3.4 million) for the stolen data on 1,500 German clients of a Swiss bank. Reports say the data could potentially yield at least 400 million euros in tax revenues.
The decision to buy the illegally-obtained information has divided the German government and strained relations with Switzerland.
Gordon Brown has thrust the issue of Tory party donations to the centre of the election campaign by declaring that the secrecy surrounding its biggest financial backer - Lord Ashcroft - is "a scandal".In an exclusive interview with the Observer, in which he spoke at length of the need to restore faith in politics following the controversy over MPs' expenses, the prime minister attacked the lack of transparency over the peer's financial links to the Tories, saying it was profoundly wrong.Delivering his strongest comments yet on the "Ashcroft question", Brown said it was now the duty of journalists and opposition politicians to "press these people for answers". "It's a scandal that we haven't had proper answers about where the [Ashcroft] money has come from and what the status of this person is."The comments came as Brown, buoyed by last week's deal on the devolution of policing and justice in Northern Ireland and a narrowing of the Tory lead in recent opinion polls, predicted Labour could still win the next election - even with an overall majority. "I'm not complacent, but Labour can still win it," he said. "I'm absolutely sure of that."He said that, as the economy emerged from recession, people would consider which party had made the right choices during the economic crisis. "I think people will look very carefully at us again and I think they'll make a decision. I've got faith in the good sense of the British people," he said.
Gordon Brown has thrust the issue of Tory party donations to the centre of the election campaign by declaring that the secrecy surrounding its biggest financial backer - Lord Ashcroft - is "a scandal".
In an exclusive interview with the Observer, in which he spoke at length of the need to restore faith in politics following the controversy over MPs' expenses, the prime minister attacked the lack of transparency over the peer's financial links to the Tories, saying it was profoundly wrong.
Delivering his strongest comments yet on the "Ashcroft question", Brown said it was now the duty of journalists and opposition politicians to "press these people for answers". "It's a scandal that we haven't had proper answers about where the [Ashcroft] money has come from and what the status of this person is."
The comments came as Brown, buoyed by last week's deal on the devolution of policing and justice in Northern Ireland and a narrowing of the Tory lead in recent opinion polls, predicted Labour could still win the next election - even with an overall majority. "I'm not complacent, but Labour can still win it," he said. "I'm absolutely sure of that."
He said that, as the economy emerged from recession, people would consider which party had made the right choices during the economic crisis. "I think people will look very carefully at us again and I think they'll make a decision. I've got faith in the good sense of the British people," he said.
The way he has been spending money to buy the election, putting tens of thousands of pounds into the conservative organization in marginals year upon year, is legal but really shouldn't be. The US may not like the recent USSC ruling that corporates can own the political process, but it's absolutely legal here. keep to the Fen Causeway
Most Conservative MPs, including at least six members of the shadow cabinet, are sceptical about their party's continued focus on climate change policies, it has been claimed.The recent furore around "Climategate" has hardened the views of Tory MPs, many of whom were already unconvinced by the scientific consensus, and has led to increasing calls for the issue to be pushed down the priority list.Tim Montgomerie, founder and editor of the ConservativeHome website, said climate change had the potential to be as divisive for the party as Europe once was. "You have got 80% or 90% of the party just not signed up to this. No one minded at the beginning, but people are starting to realise this could be quite expensive, so opinion is hardening."Montgomerie said that while some MPs simply did not believe the science, others felt it would harm the economy too much to focus on policies to reduce emissions. "Some think, 'What is the point in taking all these decisions if India and China and others row ahead?' Nigel Lawson makes the point that 30% of Indian people have no electricity and the Indian government has to give that to them. The cheapest way to do that is fossil fuels."
Most Conservative MPs, including at least six members of the shadow cabinet, are sceptical about their party's continued focus on climate change policies, it has been claimed.
The recent furore around "Climategate" has hardened the views of Tory MPs, many of whom were already unconvinced by the scientific consensus, and has led to increasing calls for the issue to be pushed down the priority list.
Tim Montgomerie, founder and editor of the ConservativeHome website, said climate change had the potential to be as divisive for the party as Europe once was. "You have got 80% or 90% of the party just not signed up to this. No one minded at the beginning, but people are starting to realise this could be quite expensive, so opinion is hardening."
Montgomerie said that while some MPs simply did not believe the science, others felt it would harm the economy too much to focus on policies to reduce emissions. "Some think, 'What is the point in taking all these decisions if India and China and others row ahead?' Nigel Lawson makes the point that 30% of Indian people have no electricity and the Indian government has to give that to them. The cheapest way to do that is fossil fuels."
News Europe Serbia seeks to boost weapons trade Serbia is trying to promote itself as a major international weapons exporter, hoping to boost revenues to $500m this year. Middle Eastern countries, including Iraq, Egypt and Algeria, are among its biggest clients. In the past, Serbian arms dealers broke UN sanctions and sold weapons to Saddam Hussein, the deposed Iraqi leader.
Serbia is trying to promote itself as a major international weapons exporter, hoping to boost revenues to $500m this year.
Middle Eastern countries, including Iraq, Egypt and Algeria, are among its biggest clients.
In the past, Serbian arms dealers broke UN sanctions and sold weapons to Saddam Hussein, the deposed Iraqi leader.
Eine frühere Tochtergesellschaft der Liechtensteiner Fürstenbank LGT muss einem deutschen Steuersünder 7,3 Millionen Euro Entschädigung zahlen. Ein entsprechendes Urteil fällte das Fürstliche Landgericht in Liechtensteins Hauptstadt Vaduz. Es befand, dass die damalige LGT-Treuhand AG den Kläger zu spät darüber informiert habe, dass seine Kundendaten und die von mehreren hundert anderen Bundesbürgern gestohlen worden waren.
