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Hungary's ruling Socialist party was last night facing substantial losses in local elections following two weeks of street protests sparked by the Prime Minister's admission that he had lied to win re-election. The vote was widely seen as a referendum on the leadership of Ferenc Gyurcsany, whose government has been badly shaken by a leaked tape in which he admitted that he deliberately misled voters about the state of the economy. With more than 80 per cent of the votes counted last night, the opposition Fidesz party seemed poised to win the mayorships in 15 of Hungary's 23 largest cities, as well majorities in the county councils in 18 of the 19 counties - most of which had previously been held by the Socialists. Moments after polls closed, the country's President, Laszlo Solyom, accused Mr Gyurcsany of undermining confidence in democracy, apparently calling on the parliament to replace him. In a nationally broadcast speech, he said Mr Gyurcsany "does not acknowledge that he used improper means to hold on to power and then begin putting the state finances in order ... this undermines the trust in democracy."
The vote was widely seen as a referendum on the leadership of Ferenc Gyurcsany, whose government has been badly shaken by a leaked tape in which he admitted that he deliberately misled voters about the state of the economy.
With more than 80 per cent of the votes counted last night, the opposition Fidesz party seemed poised to win the mayorships in 15 of Hungary's 23 largest cities, as well majorities in the county councils in 18 of the 19 counties - most of which had previously been held by the Socialists.
Moments after polls closed, the country's President, Laszlo Solyom, accused Mr Gyurcsany of undermining confidence in democracy, apparently calling on the parliament to replace him. In a nationally broadcast speech, he said Mr Gyurcsany "does not acknowledge that he used improper means to hold on to power and then begin putting the state finances in order ... this undermines the trust in democracy."
Eeeek, that was Fidesz's propaganda line, which wasn't only not supported by a majority in polls, but it was also denounced by Sólyom. (It caused Fidesz to delay their first post-election speech by a quarter hour and then present an improvised speech.) *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
Austria's Social Democrats last night celebrated an unexpected, if narrow, general election victory, evicting the Christian Democrat chancellor, Wolfgang Schüssel, from office after six years in power. While Alfred Gusenbauer, the Social Democratic leader, primed himself to be chancellor - an outcome that confounded all the opinion polls - he was likely to reach out to Mr Schüssel's party to form a "grand coalition" of the two big parties. Mr Schüssel's Austrian People's party (OVP) suffered a chastening defeat, down eight points on four years ago, with 34.2% of the vote, compared to 35.7% for the Social Democrats. The hard-right Freedom party, led by the Viennese populist, Heinz-Christian Strache, came third with more than 11%, the Greens mustered 10.5%, and the former extreme-right champion, Jörg Haider, looked likely to scrape into parliament with just over the 4% needed to qualify for seats.
While Alfred Gusenbauer, the Social Democratic leader, primed himself to be chancellor - an outcome that confounded all the opinion polls - he was likely to reach out to Mr Schüssel's party to form a "grand coalition" of the two big parties.
Mr Schüssel's Austrian People's party (OVP) suffered a chastening defeat, down eight points on four years ago, with 34.2% of the vote, compared to 35.7% for the Social Democrats. The hard-right Freedom party, led by the Viennese populist, Heinz-Christian Strache, came third with more than 11%, the Greens mustered 10.5%, and the former extreme-right champion, Jörg Haider, looked likely to scrape into parliament with just over the 4% needed to qualify for seats.
EU and US officials were hoping Sunday to avoid a legal vacuum threatening to disrupt transatlantic travel after failing to reach agreement on the transfer of airline passenger data before a court deadline passed. European negotiators flew out of Washington on Saturday after the US side introduced fresh requirements which were not within their mandate to accept, EU sources said. However transatlantic airlines continued Sunday to hand over the information required by the US authorities, regardless of any legal vacuum, according to airline spokesmen. Both the US and EU sides stressed that they were close to an agreement and that discussions would continue this week, with EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini and US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff likely to speak by telephone on Sunday. "There is no deal. It's a shame because we are 90 percent there," EU spokesman Jonathan Todd told reporters in Brussels on Sunday. "The EU team has flown out of Washington but talks will continue this week."
However transatlantic airlines continued Sunday to hand over the information required by the US authorities, regardless of any legal vacuum, according to airline spokesmen.
Both the US and EU sides stressed that they were close to an agreement and that discussions would continue this week, with EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini and US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff likely to speak by telephone on Sunday.
"There is no deal. It's a shame because we are 90 percent there," EU spokesman Jonathan Todd told reporters in Brussels on Sunday. "The EU team has flown out of Washington but talks will continue this week."
NEW YORK: The 15 million Muslims residing in Europe today do not pose a threat to European values or politics given the extent of their myriad divisions and internal fragmentation, a new study has said. This conclusion contradicts analysts and policymakers who after 9/11 fear the impact of Muslims on European politics and policy based on the assumption that a Muslim bloc will soon emerge to dominate the foreign and domestic policies of European states if nothing is done to prevent it. The findings of the study, coauthored by political scientists - Carolyn M. Warner and Manfred W. Wenner - at Arizona State University and entitled "Religion and the Political Organization of Muslims in Europe," appeared in 'Perspectives on Politics,' a journal of the American Political Science Association (APSA). The authors explore the diversity that characterizes Muslims in Europe as well as the documented instances of their inability "despite plentiful incentives, opportunities, and pressure to do so" to form coherent political fronts in countries like France and Germany that host large Muslim populations. "Western fears and criticisms are partly based on serious ignorance of the characteristics of Islam and of the people in Europe who adhere to it," the authors said, pointing out that "Islam is a highly decentralized religion 'structurally biased against facilitating large scale collective action."
This conclusion contradicts analysts and policymakers who after 9/11 fear the impact of Muslims on European politics and policy based on the assumption that a Muslim bloc will soon emerge to dominate the foreign and domestic policies of European states if nothing is done to prevent it.
The findings of the study, coauthored by political scientists - Carolyn M. Warner and Manfred W. Wenner - at Arizona State University and entitled "Religion and the Political Organization of Muslims in Europe," appeared in 'Perspectives on Politics,' a journal of the American Political Science Association (APSA).
The authors explore the diversity that characterizes Muslims in Europe as well as the documented instances of their inability "despite plentiful incentives, opportunities, and pressure to do so" to form coherent political fronts in countries like France and Germany that host large Muslim populations.
"Western fears and criticisms are partly based on serious ignorance of the characteristics of Islam and of the people in Europe who adhere to it," the authors said, pointing out that "Islam is a highly decentralized religion 'structurally biased against facilitating large scale collective action."
The contemporary arrival in Europe of different peoples from the developing areas, but most especially from Islamic states, has ignited a number of dire predictions concerning the future of (secular) European political and social systems, ranging from observers such as Omer Taspinar and Daniel Pipes to novelist Jean Raspail to journalist Oriana Fallaci to politicians such as Jean-Marie Le Pen and Jörg Haider. In the most extreme versions, European culture and civilization are deemed unable to withstand the onslaught, and European standards of what constitutes civil society will succumb to this "Islamic threat." To be sure, Muslims currently in Europe have created certain types of social, economic, and even political organizations, but they have not done so in any unified fashion. There has been a notable lack of success in achieving national policy goals sympathetic to Islamic ideals and goals. It is the structure of the religion, and how it is interpreted, practiced, and invoked by its adherents from different Muslim states, which is one of the important reasons Muslims' political influence through standard democratic channels remains limited. Even as Europe seems to provide some Muslims with the opportunity to create an Islam detached from cultures, ethnicities, and states, that possibility is confounded by the multiple meanings, practices, and claims to spiritual leadership which the decentralized structure of Islam allows.
Interesting that while the content of Islam itself (qua religion) is often attacked by Islamophobes as being inherently violent, according to this paper it is the "structure" of the religion itself which limits the political power of Muslims living in Western society. Truth unfolds in time through a communal process.
But - the ChristoFascist Right in the US has shown what can happen if someone decides to unite the factions by targetting them with soundbite micro-issue politics.
Iraq and the other actions of the Great Satan have surely been a useful recruiting issue for extremists. Let's no hope no one in Islam realises just how easy it would be to extend that game to try to form a political base in Europe.
And let's no one on the ChristoFascist Right in Europe tries it either.
To the applause of fellow passengers, the Jewish designer was escorted from a New York flight as a potential bomber. Because, he tells Sophie Goodchild, of his holiday tan Seth Stein is used to jetting around the world to create stylish holiday homes for wealthy clients. This means the hip architect is familiar with the irritations of heightened airline security post-9/11. But not even he could have imagined being mistaken for an Islamist terrorist and physically pinned to his seat while aboard an American Airlines flight - especially as he has Jewish origins. Yet this is what happened when he travelled back from a business trip to the Turks and Caicos islands via New York on 22 May. Still traumatised by his ordeal, the 47-year-old is furious that the airline failed to protect him from the gung-ho actions of an over-zealous passenger who claimed to be a police officer. He has now instructed a team of top US lawyers to act for him. The London-based interiors guru, whose clients have included Peter Mandelson and the husband-and-wife design team Suzanne Clements and Ignacio Ribeiro, said he felt compelled to speak out to protect other innocent travellers from a similar experience. "This man could have garrotted me and what was awful was that one or two of the passengers went up afterwards to thank him," said Mr Stein. He has since been told by airline staff he was targeted because he was using an iPod, had used the toilet when he got on the plane and that his tan made him appear "Arab".
Seth Stein is used to jetting around the world to create stylish holiday homes for wealthy clients. This means the hip architect is familiar with the irritations of heightened airline security post-9/11. But not even he could have imagined being mistaken for an Islamist terrorist and physically pinned to his seat while aboard an American Airlines flight - especially as he has Jewish origins.
Yet this is what happened when he travelled back from a business trip to the Turks and Caicos islands via New York on 22 May. Still traumatised by his ordeal, the 47-year-old is furious that the airline failed to protect him from the gung-ho actions of an over-zealous passenger who claimed to be a police officer. He has now instructed a team of top US lawyers to act for him.
The London-based interiors guru, whose clients have included Peter Mandelson and the husband-and-wife design team Suzanne Clements and Ignacio Ribeiro, said he felt compelled to speak out to protect other innocent travellers from a similar experience.
"This man could have garrotted me and what was awful was that one or two of the passengers went up afterwards to thank him," said Mr Stein. He has since been told by airline staff he was targeted because he was using an iPod, had used the toilet when he got on the plane and that his tan made him appear "Arab".
"He went into my pocket and took out my passport and my iPod. All the other passengers were looking concerned." Eventually, cabin crew explained that the captain had run a security check on Mr Stein after being alerted by the policeman and that this had cleared him. The passenger had been asked to go back to his seat before he had restrained Mr Stein.
Does this mean "Officer Wilk" assaulted Mr. Stein AFTER the captain told him that the security check had cleared Mr. Stein? Truth unfolds in time through a communal process.
No comment needed.
If you ever wondered what is was like to live through the rise of fascism in Europe, you're about to find out. Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides
FLEURANCE, France - Former Prime Minister Laurent Fabius joined a growing field of Socialist presidential contenders Sunday, formally announcing his candidacy for the party's nomination for the French presidential elections. Fabius, who trails in polls behind Socialist forerunner Segolene Royal, said in southern France on Sunday that he would seek his party's nomination. He is the third Socialist to make his candidacy official. "I have decided, if the party militants so wish, to be the presidential candidate," he told some 200 supporters in the city of Fleurance. "I took this decision because France is in need of a change, a change which can come only from the left." "The task won't be easy," Fabius said, adding he was confident of his chances at winning the nomination during the party's November primary. Just 6 percent of respondents to a recent opinion poll said they would like to see Fabius win the Socialist nomination. According to the poll, published in Sunday's the Journal de Dimanche newspaper, leading hopeful Royal held on to her commanding lead over rivals, with 49 percent. The poll of 961 people was conducted by telephone Sept. 28 and 29 the Ifop agency. No margin of error was given. Fabius took a swipe at Royal, saying that polls do not always accurately reflect public opinion. Royal announced her candidacy on Friday, and another Socialist, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, has also announced he will seek the nomination.
Fabius, who trails in polls behind Socialist forerunner Segolene Royal, said in southern France on Sunday that he would seek his party's nomination. He is the third Socialist to make his candidacy official.
"I have decided, if the party militants so wish, to be the presidential candidate," he told some 200 supporters in the city of Fleurance. "I took this decision because France is in need of a change, a change which can come only from the left."
"The task won't be easy," Fabius said, adding he was confident of his chances at winning the nomination during the party's November primary.
Just 6 percent of respondents to a recent opinion poll said they would like to see Fabius win the Socialist nomination. According to the poll, published in Sunday's the Journal de Dimanche newspaper, leading hopeful Royal held on to her commanding lead over rivals, with 49 percent. The poll of 961 people was conducted by telephone Sept. 28 and 29 the Ifop agency. No margin of error was given.
Fabius took a swipe at Royal, saying that polls do not always accurately reflect public opinion. Royal announced her candidacy on Friday, and another Socialist, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, has also announced he will seek the nomination.
Is this a fair translation? Or would "party activists" work just as well? The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman
The implication for the English native speaker is that Fabius is appealing to the party wingnuts. Perhaps "party activists" would have been a fairer translation. The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman
Royal-Strauss-Kahn-Fabius actually offers a pretty decent choice in terms of policy choices and personalities. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
· High alert as four officers are held on spying charge · Putin accuses leadership of act of state terrorism Infuriated by the arrests of four Russian officers on spying charges, Moscow has put its troops in Georgia on high alert and ordered them to "shoot to kill" to defend their bases in the former Soviet republic. In his first public comments on the escalating crisis, the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, yesterday accused Georgia of "state terrorism" and compared the arrests to the repressions of Stalin's secret police chief, Lavrenty Beria. The commander of Russian military forces in Georgia, General Andrei Popov, said Russian law authorises the use of force to defend bases abroad from aggression. "We are ready to thwart any possible attempts to penetrate our facilities using all means, including shoot to kill," he said. Mr Putin held an urgent meeting with armed forces chiefs, top ministers and the heads of intelligence services to discuss Russia's response to the arrests.
Infuriated by the arrests of four Russian officers on spying charges, Moscow has put its troops in Georgia on high alert and ordered them to "shoot to kill" to defend their bases in the former Soviet republic.
In his first public comments on the escalating crisis, the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, yesterday accused Georgia of "state terrorism" and compared the arrests to the repressions of Stalin's secret police chief, Lavrenty Beria.
The commander of Russian military forces in Georgia, General Andrei Popov, said Russian law authorises the use of force to defend bases abroad from aggression. "We are ready to thwart any possible attempts to penetrate our facilities using all means, including shoot to kill," he said. Mr Putin held an urgent meeting with armed forces chiefs, top ministers and the heads of intelligence services to discuss Russia's response to the arrests.
Sun 1/10/06 - The Belgian Foreign Minister, Karel De Gucht (Flemish liberal), is flying to the Georgian capital Tbilisi on Monday. Mr De Gucht, the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe), hopes to mediate in the conflict between Russia and Georgia. On Sunday Mr De Gucht confirmed that he was in close contact with the Georgian President, Mikheil Saakashvili, the Georgian Foreign Minister, Gela Bezhuashvili, and the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov. "I appeal to all concerned parties to abide by the principles of international law, to abstain from provocations, to establish direct dialogue and to find a quick solution. I will remain in contact with all the relevant parties and work towards this end," Mr De Gucht added.
"I appeal to all concerned parties to abide by the principles of international law, to abstain from provocations, to establish direct dialogue and to find a quick solution. I will remain in contact with all the relevant parties and work towards this end," Mr De Gucht added.
the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, yesterday accused Georgia of "state terrorism"
Europe needs to start cutting its 2m-strong armed forces to take account of competition to recruit young people as the continent's population ages, according to a report expected to be endorsed by EU defence ministers tomorrow. The report warns that personnel costs are likely to rise sharply by 2025, when the average European will be 45 years old and private sector employers will vie with the military to recruit from a dwindling pool of young people. It calls on European armed forces to outsource to the private sector, increase automation and eliminate excess capacity. "Do Europeans between them really need nearly 10,000 main battle tanks and nearly 3,000 combat aircraft?" asks the European Defence Agency, in a paper that examines the defence challenges in 20 years' time. Javier Solana, the EU foreign policy chief, will describe the paper - drawn up with the help of Europe's military planners and foreign policy experts - as "a compass bearing to help us advance into the fog of the future".
The report warns that personnel costs are likely to rise sharply by 2025, when the average European will be 45 years old and private sector employers will vie with the military to recruit from a dwindling pool of young people. It calls on European armed forces to outsource to the private sector, increase automation and eliminate excess capacity.
"Do Europeans between them really need nearly 10,000 main battle tanks and nearly 3,000 combat aircraft?" asks the European Defence Agency, in a paper that examines the defence challenges in 20 years' time.
Javier Solana, the EU foreign policy chief, will describe the paper - drawn up with the help of Europe's military planners and foreign policy experts - as "a compass bearing to help us advance into the fog of the future".
I'd guess they'd start with admin tasks to start with. There IS a lot of stuff that could be done by civilians. The trouble, of course, is to know when to stop. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Italy's ruling centre-left -coalition raised income tax for high earners in a 2007 budget that government ministers defended yesterday as necessary to narrow the gap between the wealthy and less well-off. "We've done a budget in which my first concern was the rights of the weak," Romano Prodi, prime minister, told reporters. "Those who have less are being strongly helped, so thatthe country can develop -better." The budget contains 33.4bn ($42.3bn, £22.6bn) of revenue-raising measures and spending cuts, of which 14.8bn will go to reducing Italy's budget deficit, as agreed with its European Union partners. The deficit will fall to 2.8 per cent of gross domestic product from 4.8 per cent this year. Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa, finance minister, told the Financial Times in an interview: "The government will fully realise the task of reducing the deficit to 2.8 per cent of GDP. This is what we agreed with Brussels, and this is what we will do."
"We've done a budget in which my first concern was the rights of the weak," Romano Prodi, prime minister, told reporters. "Those who have less are being strongly helped, so thatthe country can develop -better."
The budget contains 33.4bn ($42.3bn, £22.6bn) of revenue-raising measures and spending cuts, of which 14.8bn will go to reducing Italy's budget deficit, as agreed with its European Union partners. The deficit will fall to 2.8 per cent of gross domestic product from 4.8 per cent this year.
Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa, finance minister, told the Financial Times in an interview: "The government will fully realise the task of reducing the deficit to 2.8 per cent of GDP. This is what we agreed with Brussels, and this is what we will do."
Don't they realise this will stop the momentum for reform in its tracks?
Italians will be back in the economic Stone Age in no time.
WASHINGTON (AFP) -- The United States formally joined the 46-nation Council of Europe in waging war on cyber crime and urged other governments to do the same. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Washington had submitted its ratification of the Convention on Cybercrime to the Strasbourg, France-headquartered council and that the agreement would take effect on January 1, 2007. The convention adopted by the Council of Europe in 2001 is the only legally binding multilateral accord specifically addressing computer-related crime, McCormack said in a statement. It deals with computer hacking and Internet fraud as well as crimes involving electronic evidence, child sexual exploitation, organized crime and terrorism.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Washington had submitted its ratification of the Convention on Cybercrime to the Strasbourg, France-headquartered council and that the agreement would take effect on January 1, 2007.
The convention adopted by the Council of Europe in 2001 is the only legally binding multilateral accord specifically addressing computer-related crime, McCormack said in a statement.
It deals with computer hacking and Internet fraud as well as crimes involving electronic evidence, child sexual exploitation, organized crime and terrorism.
SARAJEVO (Reuters) - Bosnians turned out in large numbers for parliamentary elections on Sunday to choose politicians who will lead the deeply-divided impoverished Balkan nation after international supervision ends next year. The preliminary turnout figure was 43.9 percent, election organizers said. But more people went to the polls than in 2002, when the turnout was 55 percent, because the number of registered voters has risen by 400,000 to 2.75 million. "The turnout figure should be much higher after we get data from 16 bigger municipalities," said election commission head Branko Petric. Bosnians voted for Serb, Croat and Muslim members of the presidency and parliament as well as the president and two vice-presidents in the Serb Republic. They also cast ballots for the assemblies of the two regions and 10 federation cantons. Preliminary results for the state presidency are expected late on Sunday. Others will not be known before Monday because of a complex process of counting the votes and allocating mandates for Bosnia's multi-layer government structure.
The preliminary turnout figure was 43.9 percent, election organizers said. But more people went to the polls than in 2002, when the turnout was 55 percent, because the number of registered voters has risen by 400,000 to 2.75 million.
"The turnout figure should be much higher after we get data from 16 bigger municipalities," said election commission head Branko Petric.
Bosnians voted for Serb, Croat and Muslim members of the presidency and parliament as well as the president and two vice-presidents in the Serb Republic. They also cast ballots for the assemblies of the two regions and 10 federation cantons.
Preliminary results for the state presidency are expected late on Sunday. Others will not be known before Monday because of a complex process of counting the votes and allocating mandates for Bosnia's multi-layer government structure.
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