Ad astra per aspera
The EU's new ambassador to the US, Joao Vale de Almeida, has underlined the new powers conferred on EU envoys by the Lisbon Treaty while taking up his post in Washington. In a series of interviews to US-based press on Tuesday (10 August), the ambassador noted that he is empowered to speak on behalf of EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy, EU Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso and EU member states.
The EU's new ambassador to the US, Joao Vale de Almeida, has underlined the new powers conferred on EU envoys by the Lisbon Treaty while taking up his post in Washington.
In a series of interviews to US-based press on Tuesday (10 August), the ambassador noted that he is empowered to speak on behalf of EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy, EU Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso and EU member states.
An anti-terrorism radio ad calling on Britons to report their neighbours if they keep their curtains closed or pay for things in cash has been banned by the UK advertising watchdog. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the ad would cause "serious offence" to ordinary law-abiding citizens. The ad, which can still be heard on the Metropolitan Police website (mp3), describes a man who "likes to keep himself to himself", doesn't have a bank card and keeps his curtains closed. At the end, the voice advises that "this may mean nothing, but together it could all add up to you having suspicions," before urging listeners to call the police if they have the slightest concern.
The US didn't give a rat's arse about money laundering regulations until somebody flew a couple of planes into a couple of prominent buildings...
Then again, the call to "report your neighbour" is troubling, but the UK is a country where as a result of IRA bombing campaigns there were no rubbish bins on the streets in Central London and airport announcements tell you that unattended baggage "will be removed and may be destroyed"... 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
Germany's women's shelters have joined the country's largest single parents' organization in opposing increased rights for unmarried fathers. Until now, the fathers of children born out of wedlock in Germany had no legally guaranteed custody rights. Mothers had the right to withhold joint custody, leaving the father to sue the mother for visitation rights. But Edith Schwab, head of Germany's Association of Single Mothers and Fathers, says the Federal Constitutional Court's decision last week to grant custody rights to unwed fathers is bad news for single mothers, who themselves will now have to fight to keep unfit fathers from raising their children.
Germany's women's shelters have joined the country's largest single parents' organization in opposing increased rights for unmarried fathers.
Until now, the fathers of children born out of wedlock in Germany had no legally guaranteed custody rights. Mothers had the right to withhold joint custody, leaving the father to sue the mother for visitation rights.
But Edith Schwab, head of Germany's Association of Single Mothers and Fathers, says the Federal Constitutional Court's decision last week to grant custody rights to unwed fathers is bad news for single mothers, who themselves will now have to fight to keep unfit fathers from raising their children.
On August 3, Germany's Constitutional Court ruled that "the current legal situation excessively encroached on paternity rights for fathers of children born out of wedlock, because they could only take part in raising the child with the mother's consent," according to spokeswoman Judith Blohm.The constitutional court ruled that fathers should have the same rights as mothers Blohm said that until now "the fathers also didn't have the right to have a court determine what arrangement was in the best interest of the child."
The constitutional court ruled that fathers should have the same rights as mothers
Blohm said that until now "the fathers also didn't have the right to have a court determine what arrangement was in the best interest of the child."
So what's wrong with this decision?
to fight to keep unfit fathers from raising their children
What about unfit mothers? "Ce qui vient au monde pour ne rien troubler ne mérite ni égards ni patience." René Char
In these cases, a judicial decision (by the foreign authorities) to give the father rights was overruled by the german court. A free fox in a free henhouse!
when the biological parent with the most wealth is the father, that could empower him to intimidate and manipulate the mother via legal processes
Or so the story goes on some solicitors' websites... 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
The German Interior Ministry has bought two full-body scanners to be used for tests at Hamburg airport in September. The devices come from a subsidiary of the US L3 Communications company, which according to a survey by the IKV PAX Christi aid organization, is one of seven firms that still produces cluster ammunition. The deal has come under pressure because Germany is a signatory to the Convention of the Banning of Cluster Munitions which came into force on August 1. At a news conference in Berlin on Monday, ministry spokesman Philipp Spauschus had a hard time justifying the deal.
The German Interior Ministry has bought two full-body scanners to be used for tests at Hamburg airport in September. The devices come from a subsidiary of the US L3 Communications company, which according to a survey by the IKV PAX Christi aid organization, is one of seven firms that still produces cluster ammunition.
The deal has come under pressure because Germany is a signatory to the Convention of the Banning of Cluster Munitions which came into force on August 1. At a news conference in Berlin on Monday, ministry spokesman Philipp Spauschus had a hard time justifying the deal.
Belarus has traditionally been one of Russia's closest partners - indeed the two countries have flirted for years with the idea of forming a political union. But one wouldn't have known that necessarily in the summer of 2010, as squabbles broke out over natural gas, a customs union and the geopolitics of the Caucasus. The sniping came to a head when Russian TV ran a documentary about President Alexander Lukashenko entitled "The Godfather," claiming to reveal criminal activities by the Belarusian leader.
Belarus has traditionally been one of Russia's closest partners - indeed the two countries have flirted for years with the idea of forming a political union. But one wouldn't have known that necessarily in the summer of 2010, as squabbles broke out over natural gas, a customs union and the geopolitics of the Caucasus.
The sniping came to a head when Russian TV ran a documentary about President Alexander Lukashenko entitled "The Godfather," claiming to reveal criminal activities by the Belarusian leader.
(Reuters) - Britain's coalition sought to shift the blame for looming spending cuts to Labour Party on Wednesday, accusing the last government of "criminal" mishandling of the public finances. Conservative Party Chairman Sayeeda Warsi said Labour was guilty of "wild and reckless" spending during 13 years in office that helped to create the biggest peacetime budget deficit.The Labour Party, which says the coalition's cuts threaten the economic recovery, dismissed her comments as "posturing" during parliament's traditionally quiet summer break.
(Reuters) - Britain's coalition sought to shift the blame for looming spending cuts to Labour Party on Wednesday, accusing the last government of "criminal" mishandling of the public finances.
Conservative Party Chairman Sayeeda Warsi said Labour was guilty of "wild and reckless" spending during 13 years in office that helped to create the biggest peacetime budget deficit.
The Labour Party, which says the coalition's cuts threaten the economic recovery, dismissed her comments as "posturing" during parliament's traditionally quiet summer break.
The threat of Tube travel chaos has increased after members of the RMT transport union voted overwhelmingly for industrial action in a row over jobs and safety. Of those taking part in a ballot, 76% voted for strike action and 88% for action short of a strike. The RMT will now liaise with sister transport union TSSA - which will announce its own ballot result next week - on the next course of action. Both unions are upset at what they fear could be the loss of 800 jobs and the scrapping of around 140 ticket offices on London Underground (LU). RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "Less than two weeks after the Potters Bar (rail crash) inquest delivered the damning verdict that cuts to maintenance works, staffing and inspection frequencies create the lethal conditions that lead to avoidable loss of life, LU management have clearly learned nothing and are burning up safety agreements almost by the day in the dash for cuts.
The threat of Tube travel chaos has increased after members of the RMT transport union voted overwhelmingly for industrial action in a row over jobs and safety.
Of those taking part in a ballot, 76% voted for strike action and 88% for action short of a strike.
The RMT will now liaise with sister transport union TSSA - which will announce its own ballot result next week - on the next course of action.
Both unions are upset at what they fear could be the loss of 800 jobs and the scrapping of around 140 ticket offices on London Underground (LU).
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "Less than two weeks after the Potters Bar (rail crash) inquest delivered the damning verdict that cuts to maintenance works, staffing and inspection frequencies create the lethal conditions that lead to avoidable loss of life, LU management have clearly learned nothing and are burning up safety agreements almost by the day in the dash for cuts.
He is in danger of crying wolf once too often. keep to the Fen Causeway
however Bob Crow is in danger of exhausting that sympathy by keep going to the well when it isn't really the problem. He may think it's a good tactic, but it's becoming a failing strategy and that makes it bad politics. keep to the Fen Causeway
Summer wildfires sweeping Portugal blazed in three natural parks Wednesday with around 1,500 firefighters called in to battle nearly 30 significant fires, the civil defence agency said. Strong winds whipped up fires that have swept through Portugal since late July with two firefighters killed this week, including a 21-year-old woman who became encircled by flames. By late Wednesday, 28 "significant" fires were burning, mostly in the north and centre of the country, and 1,500 firefighters were mobilised to put them out, the civil defence agency said on its website.
Strong winds whipped up fires that have swept through Portugal since late July with two firefighters killed this week, including a 21-year-old woman who became encircled by flames.
By late Wednesday, 28 "significant" fires were burning, mostly in the north and centre of the country, and 1,500 firefighters were mobilised to put them out, the civil defence agency said on its website.
Racism in France is undergoing a "significant resurgence" and the authorities lack the political will to deal with the problem, according to a report by UN experts. The findings are part of a 90-page report on racism in France by 18 international experts. The group of experts, named by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination, looked into how traveller communities are treated, including the Roma. Last month, French President Nicolas Sarkozy ordered the evacuation of Roma communities in France following instances of urban violence. Critics called this move an official way to stigmatise the Roma community. One of the UN committee members said that the attitudes and practices of the current French government is reminiscent of France's Vichy government, which collaborated with the Nazi German occupying forces during World War II.
The group of experts, named by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination, looked into how traveller communities are treated, including the Roma.
Last month, French President Nicolas Sarkozy ordered the evacuation of Roma communities in France following instances of urban violence. Critics called this move an official way to stigmatise the Roma community.
One of the UN committee members said that the attitudes and practices of the current French government is reminiscent of France's Vichy government, which collaborated with the Nazi German occupying forces during World War II.
