LONDON, Jul 21, 2010 (IPS) - German Chancellor Angel Merkel's weekend visit to China has put a positive spin on the increasingly complex economic relations between China and the European Union, but the flurry of deals signed has not disguised the fact that Beijing faces challenges over its EU policies both at home and abroad.Beijing's stated commitment to continue investing in euro-denominated assets is being challenged by a vocal lobby of domestic critics who clamour China's piles of foreign exchange reserves should be put to better use. And the government's ambitions to nurture national champion companies coupled with restrictions placed on foreign businesses in China are now receiving daily attacks from Western politicians and executives. Displeasure over China's post-crisis policies towards foreign businesses was voiced long before Merkel arrived in Beijing. First it was U.S. President Obama who took up the issue by calling for a level-playing field for U.S. business operating in China. Last week British Foreign Secretary William Hague pressed the matter when meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi. Hague said businesses in the European Union were increasingly worried over the way Chinese officials were enforcing regulations and the way indigenous innovation rules were impeding market entry for foreign companies.
A UN war crimes court has ordered the former prime minister of Kosovo to face a retrial two years after he was acquitted on charges of murder, torture and rape. The president of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugolsavia (ICTY) said the original trial of Ramush Haradinaj was hampered by witness intimidation.
The president of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugolsavia (ICTY) said the original trial of Ramush Haradinaj was hampered by witness intimidation.
The exhumation follows a request from Ceausescu's family, who have questioned whether the couple were really buried in the Ghencea cemetery in Bucharest. Nicolae Ceausescu ruled Romania from 1965 until he was toppled in the 1989 revolution. He was caught and executed with his wife after the couple tried to flee.
Nicolae Ceausescu ruled Romania from 1965 until he was toppled in the 1989 revolution.
He was caught and executed with his wife after the couple tried to flee.
A Bosnian court has jailed a man for 10 years for taking part in the massacre of 8,000 people at Srebrenica in 1995. Marko Boskic, 46, was found guilty of crimes against humanity after confessing his role in the killings. Prosecutors said in mitigation that he gave "important information" that will help in prosecuting others.
Marko Boskic, 46, was found guilty of crimes against humanity after confessing his role in the killings. Prosecutors said in mitigation that he gave "important information" that will help in prosecuting others.
Angela Merkel adopted her most relaxed and friendly manner when speaking to the press on Wednesday, fielding questions on a variety of subjects in her traditional pre-summer holiday press conference. Despite terrible opinion poll ratings - if elections were held this week, the governing coalition of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) would receive only 34 percent of the vote - Merkel drew positive conclusions from the government's first ten months in office.
Despite terrible opinion poll ratings - if elections were held this week, the governing coalition of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) would receive only 34 percent of the vote - Merkel drew positive conclusions from the government's first ten months in office.
The leader of a Kurdish rebel group engaged in a guerrilla war with Turkey has told the BBC it is willing to disarm in return for greater political and cultural rights for Turkey's Kurds. The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) is designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, as well as the EU and US. If an agreement were reached, it would bring an end to a 26-year-old conflict.
The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) is designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, as well as the EU and US.
If an agreement were reached, it would bring an end to a 26-year-old conflict.
The deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, was under pressure today after a series of gaffes in the House of Commons forced the government to issue clarifications on Iraq and immigration policy.Downing Street distanced itself from Clegg's stance on the invasion of Iraq after the Liberal Democrat leader declared it "illegal" at prime minister's questions.In a further blow to the deputy PM, the Home Office was forced to clarify remarks he made about the future of the Yarl's Wood detention centre.
The deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, was under pressure today after a series of gaffes in the House of Commons forced the government to issue clarifications on Iraq and immigration policy.
Downing Street distanced itself from Clegg's stance on the invasion of Iraq after the Liberal Democrat leader declared it "illegal" at prime minister's questions.
In a further blow to the deputy PM, the Home Office was forced to clarify remarks he made about the future of the Yarl's Wood detention centre.
Den deutschen Finanzbehörden ist eine weitere Steuer-CD mit Angaben über deutsche Kunden einer Liechtensteiner Bank angeboten worden. Sie wurde bereits vor Monaten der schleswig-holsteinischen Finanzverwaltung offeriert und soll die Daten von Hunderten mutmaßlichen Steuerhinterziehern tragen, die bei der Liechtensteinischen Landesbank (LLB) ihr Geld vor dem Fiskus versteckt hatten. Das gespeicherte Anlagevolumen soll etwa eine halbe Milliarde Euro betragen. Die Datensammlung aus dem zweitgrößten Liechtensteinischen Geldhaus soll aus jüngerer Zeit stammen. Kiel will die CD nach einer Stichproben-Analyse angeblich kaufen. Dies ist bereits mit dem Bundesfinanzministerium besprochen worden. Die endgültige Zusage zum Kauf steht noch aus.
Das gespeicherte Anlagevolumen soll etwa eine halbe Milliarde Euro betragen. Die Datensammlung aus dem zweitgrößten Liechtensteinischen Geldhaus soll aus jüngerer Zeit stammen. Kiel will die CD nach einer Stichproben-Analyse angeblich kaufen. Dies ist bereits mit dem Bundesfinanzministerium besprochen worden. Die endgültige Zusage zum Kauf steht noch aus.
Strage di pecore e capre in Val d'Ultimo, in Alto Adige, ad opera di un lupo e di un orso sconfinati dal Trentino. In particolare, nella zona piu' prossima alla val di Rabbi un lupo avrebbe attaccato e ucciso negli ultimi giorni 11 pecore e 2 capre, valutazione confermata dai guardacaccia di Merano. Sui monti sopra San Pancrazio si muove invece un orso, che avrebbe ucciso non meno di 3 pecore, mentre altri ovini sono ancora dispersi. Numerosi anche gli alveari distrutt
This story of Italian wolves filtering into France has been gaining momentum for a few years now. The stories, and one presumes, the wolves. As I understand it, the French tend to leave their sheep and goats un-sheded at night, more than the Italians do.
We're in the lower hills and see plenty of foxes, and suspect bigger animals in the shadows sometimes. This month I saw a cub of some type that looked to big to be a fox.
French Wolves, Rebounding From Extinction, Threaten Sheep Herds
``French shepherds have gotten so used to the wolves' absence they have forgotten how to guard their flocks,'' Englebert said in a telephone interview from the National Park of the Queyras in the Alps. ``It's a sector that can't survive without government subsidies and they are using the wolf to mask their other problems.''
Living with the big bad alpine wolf - SwissInfo
"According to the Swiss Wolf Project, the number of wolves will progress 20-30 per cent per year," he said. "The population wants to know if there are five wolves in the region and ten next year, and how we are going to manage and pay for that. There is a total lack of transparency. We want the truth." "You have the impression that politicians are scared when people talk about wolves " Wolf expert Jean-Marc Landry Taboo Wolf expert Jean-Marc Landry agreed that national monitoring of packs and young cubs could be improved.
"The population wants to know if there are five wolves in the region and ten next year, and how we are going to manage and pay for that. There is a total lack of transparency. We want the truth."
"You have the impression that politicians are scared when people talk about wolves " Wolf expert Jean-Marc Landry Taboo Wolf expert Jean-Marc Landry agreed that national monitoring of packs and young cubs could be improved.
Frank Delaney ~ Ireland
the French tend to leave their sheep and goats un-sheded at night,
Sheep in the summer in the high alpage (where the wolves may attack) cannot be shedded, there are just no facilities for it. The flocks run into the thousands (of sheep per flock).
siegestate:
How French shepherds could possibly remember how to guard their flocks against wolves beats me, since wolves died out in France many generations ago. The problem is created by the return of the wolves, not by the shepherds. As for the cheap shot about subsidies, all farming in Europe (or almost) is subsidised. So are the activities of the wolf and bear promoters.
(Disclaimer: I have nothing against wolves and bears. Just bullshitters).
Also, Queyras is not a National Park, only Regional.
As for the dogs making it farther inside France, even getting to the Massif Central seems a tall proposition as it requires crossing the Rhone valley. Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères
Die Höllenfahrten in überhitzten ICE-Zügen waren womöglich noch schlimmer als geschätzt: Interne Messungen der Bahn sollen Temperaturen von mehr als 70 Grad ergeben haben. Bei der kürzlichen Klimaanlagen-Panne hat die Deutsche Bahn einem Medienbericht zufolge in ihren ICE-Zügen Temperaturen von bis zu über 70 Celsius gemessen. Dies gehe aus einer "internen Störfallanalyse" des Konzerns hervor, berichtet das ZDF-Magazin Frontal 21 in seiner heutigen Sendung.
Bei der kürzlichen Klimaanlagen-Panne hat die Deutsche Bahn einem Medienbericht zufolge in ihren ICE-Zügen Temperaturen von bis zu über 70 Celsius gemessen. Dies gehe aus einer "internen Störfallanalyse" des Konzerns hervor, berichtet das ZDF-Magazin Frontal 21 in seiner heutigen Sendung.
An officer who was filmed apparently pushing a man to the ground during the G20 protests will not face charges over his death. Ian Tomlinson, 47, died minutes after being caught up in the clashes on 1 April 2009 in the City of London. Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer said the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) concluded that "there was no realistic prospect of conviction". The incident and its aftermath was caught on amateur video. Mr Starmer said that there was a "sharp disagreement between the medical experts" about the cause of death, which led to three post-mortem examinations being conducted on Mr Tomlinson.
An officer who was filmed apparently pushing a man to the ground during the G20 protests will not face charges over his death.
Ian Tomlinson, 47, died minutes after being caught up in the clashes on 1 April 2009 in the City of London.
Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer said the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) concluded that "there was no realistic prospect of conviction".
The incident and its aftermath was caught on amateur video.
Mr Starmer said that there was a "sharp disagreement between the medical experts" about the cause of death, which led to three post-mortem examinations being conducted on Mr Tomlinson.
The BNP leader's invitation to the Royal event had caused controversy with many of his critics claiming he should never have been invited. Now, the Palace has issued a statement barring the far right politician for "overtly using his personal invitation for party political purposes". A spokeswoman said the decision to deny him access was taken this morning. It is understood the Queen decided to withdraw his ticket after he posted a blog calling for suggestions on what he should say to Her Majesty. Mr Griffin described the decision as "an outrage" and "thoroughly anti-British".
The BNP leader's invitation to the Royal event had caused controversy with many of his critics claiming he should never have been invited.
Now, the Palace has issued a statement barring the far right politician for "overtly using his personal invitation for party political purposes".
A spokeswoman said the decision to deny him access was taken this morning.
It is understood the Queen decided to withdraw his ticket after he posted a blog calling for suggestions on what he should say to Her Majesty.
Mr Griffin described the decision as "an outrage" and "thoroughly anti-British".
The International Court of Justice has found that Kosovo's declaration of independence did not violate international law. The top UN court began the announcement of its advisory opinion at 3pm today, and it is expected to conclude its remarks at 6pm. Earlier today two well placed sources told Balkan Insight that nine out of 14 judges considering the International Court of Justice's case on whether Kosovo's declaration of independence was legal voted in favour of the view that the move `does not run counter to international law'. Four from the 15-strong panel, which includes the chairman, voted against and one abstained, according to two diplomats working for different international organisations in Pristina. One source told Balkan Insight that Belgrade had been informed yesterday. Balkan Insight has been unable to independently verify this information.
Earlier today two well placed sources told Balkan Insight that nine out of 14 judges considering the International Court of Justice's case on whether Kosovo's declaration of independence was legal voted in favour of the view that the move `does not run counter to international law'.
Four from the 15-strong panel, which includes the chairman, voted against and one abstained, according to two diplomats working for different international organisations in Pristina.
One source told Balkan Insight that Belgrade had been informed yesterday.
Balkan Insight has been unable to independently verify this information.
As for Moldova, there doesn't seem to be much appetite fore reunification with Romania. Oh, wait, you were talking about Transdnistria... It gets so confusing... By laying out pros and cons we risk inducing people to join the debate, and losing control of a process that only we fully understand. - Alan Greenspan
