Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
The Greek parliament has voted in favour of a drastic package of austerity measures intended to save the country from defaulting on its debts. The proposed tax hikes and spending cuts have been deeply unpopular with the Greek public. A nationwide 48-hour strike is under way and violent clashes are continuing in the streets of the capital, Athens. Greece is heavily in debt and the package is needed to win the latest tranche of a 110bn-euro (£98bn) loan.
The Greek parliament has voted in favour of a drastic package of austerity measures intended to save the country from defaulting on its debts.
The proposed tax hikes and spending cuts have been deeply unpopular with the Greek public.
A nationwide 48-hour strike is under way and violent clashes are continuing in the streets of the capital, Athens.
Greece is heavily in debt and the package is needed to win the latest tranche of a 110bn-euro (£98bn) loan.
Independent - Iason Athanasiadis - The result of 20 years of corruption, tax evasion and ignoring reality
[....]Today, there is a parallel to that self-destructive behaviour in the blame-game unfolding on Constitution Square as Greeks curse their democratically elected politicians for "lulling" them into two decades of easy credit, soft corruption, tax evasion and overspending. But they selectively ignore that they consented to an unwritten social pact whereby demonstrably corrupt politicians conjured up a higher level of living in return for no questions asked. But if people didn't know that Greece fiddled statistics to get into the European Union, then over-borrowed to fund the exaggerated lifestyles of corrupt politicians, many knew, perhaps only subconsciously, that foul play was afoot. Now that the cat's out of the bag, many Greeks have opted for blaming the West for their travails instead of shouldering the blame. Global banks, the International Monetary Fund, Zionism and assorted scarecrows are infinitely preferable targets than facing up to our silent, corroding collusion. [....] Today, although some blame must be apportioned to international institutions for encouraging Greece's addiction to debt, almost no voices ask why Greeks knowingly lived beyond their means.
But they selectively ignore that they consented to an unwritten social pact whereby demonstrably corrupt politicians conjured up a higher level of living in return for no questions asked. But if people didn't know that Greece fiddled statistics to get into the European Union, then over-borrowed to fund the exaggerated lifestyles of corrupt politicians, many knew, perhaps only subconsciously, that foul play was afoot.
Now that the cat's out of the bag, many Greeks have opted for blaming the West for their travails instead of shouldering the blame. Global banks, the International Monetary Fund, Zionism and assorted scarecrows are infinitely preferable targets than facing up to our silent, corroding collusion. [....] Today, although some blame must be apportioned to international institutions for encouraging Greece's addiction to debt, almost no voices ask why Greeks knowingly lived beyond their means.
this sounds like the sensible kid at the teenagers party who talks to the parents about how more mature he is compared with the rabble downstairs. But he isn't, he's still a juvenile who doesn't understand where things went wrong..
He describes a political system where democracy is a sham, where rich connected people take advantage of a system that is their creation and entirely theirs to control. The rest of the country have no real say and simply get to change who controls the small trickle of largesse which flows down to the rest of the country.
It sounds exactly like the US. Increasingly it sounds like the UK. A plutocracy is not a democracy; voting has to have the power to change things for a democratic mandate to be meaningful. Instead it is oligarchy, one step from feudalism.
I didn't break Britain, The City, aided and abetted by a self-selecting political class, did. The American people didn't break America, Wall St, aided and abetted by a plutocratic political class, did.
And the Grecian people did not break Greece. This is just victim blaming. keep to the Fen Causeway
Well, The West was always a relative term, not a geographical-political entity.
Police are urgently reviewing the cases of thousands of suspects after a court ruling restricted their powers to bail them for further questioning. The ruling - in a case involving Greater Manchester Police - means that suspects can be released on police bail for no more than 96 hours (four days). At present, suspects can be released on bail pending further inquiries for weeks, or even months, in some cases. Home Secretary Theresa May said it was a matter of "great concern". The fresh guidance to police custody officers in England and Wales followed a ruling in the Hookway case by Mr Justice McCombe in the High Court in May.
Police are urgently reviewing the cases of thousands of suspects after a court ruling restricted their powers to bail them for further questioning.
The ruling - in a case involving Greater Manchester Police - means that suspects can be released on police bail for no more than 96 hours (four days).
At present, suspects can be released on bail pending further inquiries for weeks, or even months, in some cases.
Home Secretary Theresa May said it was a matter of "great concern".
The fresh guidance to police custody officers in England and Wales followed a ruling in the Hookway case by Mr Justice McCombe in the High Court in May.
Some civil servants have begun industrial action as part of a strike involving hundreds of thousands in protest at changes to their pensions. Some UK Border Agency staff began strike action at 1800 BST. About 600,000 teachers and civil servants are striking on Thursday over planned pension changes they say will mean working longer and paying more. Prime Minister David Cameron told MPs it was unfair of the strikers to cause problems for everyone.
Some civil servants have begun industrial action as part of a strike involving hundreds of thousands in protest at changes to their pensions.
Some UK Border Agency staff began strike action at 1800 BST.
About 600,000 teachers and civil servants are striking on Thursday over planned pension changes they say will mean working longer and paying more.
Prime Minister David Cameron told MPs it was unfair of the strikers to cause problems for everyone.
The coalition government faces the first industrial uprising against its austerity measures today as up to 750,000 public servants strike over planned changes to their pensions.A third of schools are expected to close and two-thirds of universities have cancelled lectures. Benefits will go unpaid, court cases will be postponed, police leave has been cancelled in London and airports are bracing themselves for backlogs at immigration.Mark Serwotka, leader of the Public and Commercial Services union, said it was the most important strike in his union's history. "Everything we have ever worked for is under attack," he added.
The coalition government faces the first industrial uprising against its austerity measures today as up to 750,000 public servants strike over planned changes to their pensions.
A third of schools are expected to close and two-thirds of universities have cancelled lectures. Benefits will go unpaid, court cases will be postponed, police leave has been cancelled in London and airports are bracing themselves for backlogs at immigration.
Mark Serwotka, leader of the Public and Commercial Services union, said it was the most important strike in his union's history. "Everything we have ever worked for is under attack," he added.
On the day of one of the biggest public-sector strikes for decades, the Indy has this awesome front page. All credit to them for pointing this out.
On the day of one of the biggest public-sector strikes for decades, the Indy has this awesome front page.
All credit to them for pointing this out.
Yes, they front-paged it and fleshed it out, but it's essentially the same story. My annoyance was the Mary Bousted, teachers union leader, should have know these figures before she faced that pipsqueak Tory. keep to the Fen Causeway
Moldovan police have arrested six people suspected of trying to smuggle a type of uranium that can be used in nuclear arms to an African country. The suspects were trying to sell more than 1kg (2.2lb) of uranium-235, with a value of at least $20m (14m euros; £12m), an official said. Four of those detained are Moldovan, and at least one is from the breakaway Trans-Dniester region. Police seized 1.8kg of uranium-238 in Moldova's capital, Chisinau, last year. Uranium-238 is the most commonly found, naturally occurring form of the substance.
Moldovan police have arrested six people suspected of trying to smuggle a type of uranium that can be used in nuclear arms to an African country.
The suspects were trying to sell more than 1kg (2.2lb) of uranium-235, with a value of at least $20m (14m euros; £12m), an official said.
Four of those detained are Moldovan, and at least one is from the breakaway Trans-Dniester region.
Police seized 1.8kg of uranium-238 in Moldova's capital, Chisinau, last year.
Uranium-238 is the most commonly found, naturally occurring form of the substance.
British intelligence officers who question prisoners at risk of torture while in the hands of foreign governments are committing no offence, lawyers for the government have argued at the high court.Only if they "know or believe" that torture will take place as a result of their actions could they face criminal liability, according to a legal defence of instructions under which MI5 and MI6 officers operate. In some circumstances, the high court has been told, the government believes it may be "both appropriate and lawful" for ministers to tell the intelligence agencies they can interrogate a prisoner, or hand over questions to be put to them, while there is a serious risk that that person is being tortured.The claims were made as the government defends itself against allegations that the instructions it issues to British intelligence officers attempting to obtain information from prisoners held by countries with poor human rights records are unlawful. The Equalities and Human Rights Commission is challenging the instructions on the grounds that they expose prisoners held in some countries to the risk of torture, and that the British government and individual intelligence officers would be criminally liable.
British intelligence officers who question prisoners at risk of torture while in the hands of foreign governments are committing no offence, lawyers for the government have argued at the high court.
Only if they "know or believe" that torture will take place as a result of their actions could they face criminal liability, according to a legal defence of instructions under which MI5 and MI6 officers operate. In some circumstances, the high court has been told, the government believes it may be "both appropriate and lawful" for ministers to tell the intelligence agencies they can interrogate a prisoner, or hand over questions to be put to them, while there is a serious risk that that person is being tortured.
The claims were made as the government defends itself against allegations that the instructions it issues to British intelligence officers attempting to obtain information from prisoners held by countries with poor human rights records are unlawful. The Equalities and Human Rights Commission is challenging the instructions on the grounds that they expose prisoners held in some countries to the risk of torture, and that the British government and individual intelligence officers would be criminally liable.
Did they call for a bowl of water before pronouncing ? keep to the Fen Causeway
AP - France has named Francois Baroin as new finance minister to replace Christine Lagarde, who takes the top job at the International Monetary Fund next week. Baroin, who is currently budget minister, inherits the task of working with other European finance ministers to find a solution to the debt crisis afflicting the eurozone. Baroin, 46, has long been considered a loyalist of former President Jacques Chirac. In the budget ministry for little over a year, he has not had time to make a major mark. He helped pilot a reform of France's wealth tax in a bid to appease his conservative UMP's party wealthier electorate.
AP - France has named Francois Baroin as new finance minister to replace Christine Lagarde, who takes the top job at the International Monetary Fund next week.
Baroin, who is currently budget minister, inherits the task of working with other European finance ministers to find a solution to the debt crisis afflicting the eurozone.
Baroin, 46, has long been considered a loyalist of former President Jacques Chirac. In the budget ministry for little over a year, he has not had time to make a major mark. He helped pilot a reform of France's wealth tax in a bid to appease his conservative UMP's party wealthier electorate.
The royal family's decision to award the king of Bahrain with the second highest royal order this February will hopefully not be repeated after it was decided that the government must be consulted prior to future awards.The Grand Cross of Dannebrog was given to King Khalifa a month before a brutal crackdown on pro democracy demonstrators in the Gulf oil state, assisted by Saudi security forces.
The royal family's decision to award the king of Bahrain with the second highest royal order this February will hopefully not be repeated after it was decided that the government must be consulted prior to future awards.
The Grand Cross of Dannebrog was given to King Khalifa a month before a brutal crackdown on pro democracy demonstrators in the Gulf oil state, assisted by Saudi security forces.
Greek parliament votes 155 to 138 for austerity package, and is expected to approve implementation bill today;financial markets still expect Greece to default eventually, amid doubts that the government will implement the programme;the additional annual burden for an average Greek family will be in the order of one month's salary;violent protests erupted in the centre of Athens after the vote;Michael Martens argues that Greece is going to remain a limited democracy for some time to come;central banks extend dollar swap lines as an insurance policy in case of a Greek default;Jürgen Stark tells Die Zeit that any Brady-plan element in a rollover package would contravene the Art.125 TFEU;Germany may include longer-dating Greek debt instruments in the rollover package;Merkel and Ackermann clash over the pretence of a "voluntary" rollover;the Italian cabinet is due to pass a €47bn four-year austerity plan, with most of the savings earmarked for the time after the next elections;Nicolas Sarkozy appoints budget minister Francois Baroin as France's new finance minister;a French legal commission will decide on July 8 whether the Christine Lagarde will be prosecuted;Le Monde calls on Lagarde to emancipate herself from Sarkozy;Patrick Welter criticises the direction the IMF had taken under DSK;the European Commission, meanwhile, proposes a 1% sales tax and a financial transaction levy to boost its own resources.
Commission proposes EU tax in its budget frame work All European newspapers report on the Commission's proposal to introduce a 1% sales tax and a levy on financial transactions as part of plans to boost its seven-year budget to almost €1 trillion. The proposed new taxes are designed to reduce the amount EU governments must pay to Brussels, the Commission said, while increasing the block's budget by about 5% to more than €970bn between 2014 and 2020.
Commission proposes EU tax in its budget frame work
All European newspapers report on the Commission's proposal to introduce a 1% sales tax and a levy on financial transactions as part of plans to boost its seven-year budget to almost €1 trillion. The proposed new taxes are designed to reduce the amount EU governments must pay to Brussels, the Commission said, while increasing the block's budget by about 5% to more than €970bn between 2014 and 2020.
This is only slightly revolutionary. I never thought I'd live to see the day. Of course some bastard will shoot it down... but it's nice to see Serious people say sensible things from time to time. It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
