FT.com - "BOLTON - US temp. ambassador to UN next in line to get the boot by Democrats"

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"BOLTON - US temp. ambassador to UN next in line to get the boot by Democrats"

President George W. Bush has asked Congress to approve John Bolton, his controversial ambassador to the United Nations, for a second term, in the face of opposition from key Democrats.

But White House hopes of keeping Mr Bolton in New York were immediately dashed when Lincoln Chafee, a Rhode Island Republican member of the foreign relations committee who just lost his seat in Tuesday’s elections, said he would oppose Mr Bolton. Joseph Biden, the Delaware Democrat who will become chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee in January, on Thursday said there was no point for the committee to even discuss the appointment.

“I see no point in considering Mr Bolton’s nomination again in the foreign relations committee because regardless of what happens there, he is unlikely to be considered by the full Senate,” said Mr Biden. The move comes in spite of conciliatory rhetoric from Mr Bush on Thursday that he wants to work with Democrats after they routed the Republicans in the congressional mid-term elections.

Steve Clemons a Senior Fellow and Director of the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation says about the Bolton nomination by the White House: "The question people should ask is not whether this push on Bolton will get him confirmed by the Senate -- it is why the White House continues to push this pugnacious Ambassador after the elections that took place and what they think they "gain" from losing this battle in the Senate."

Ottawa Business Journal - Euro gains as China plans to dump U.S. dollar reserves

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Euro gains as China plans to dump U.S. dollar reserves

The euro advanced on Friday against the U.S. and Canadian dollars. News that China is planning to further divest itself of U.S. dollars, and recent comments by the European Central Bank that they plan to raise interest rates in December added to the appeal of the euro.

Gross domestic product numbers released in France today however, suggest the European economy may be slowing. France's GDP for the third quarter slowed to a halt, recording no further growth from the second quarter when the economy expanded by 1.2 per cent.

PharmaLive: Ireland Still a Popular Location for Multinational Pharmaceutical Companies

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Ireland Still a Popular Location for Multinational Pharmaceutical Companies

Being an EU member state, Ireland has benefited in the past from the opportunities that exist for members. This has been a factor in transforming Ireland into one of the more dynamic economies of Western Europe.

Access to the pharmaceutical market in Ireland is governed by EU regulations. Many large pharmaceutical companies have a manufacturing base in Ireland as it is seen as a favourable environment in terms of an educated workforce and providing a 'stepping-stone' into the European Union. During 2004 the Irish government published the Health Bill 2004. This provided for the establishment of the Health Service Executive on a statutory basis from 1st January 2005 and provides for the abolition of the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the other health boards.

The Dr. Rath Health Foundation: The laws of the pharmaceutical industry

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The laws of the pharmaceutical industry

"The main principles governing the pharmaceutical “business with disease.” It is not in the financial interests of the pharmaceutical industry to prevent common diseases – the maintenance and expansion of diseases is a precondition for the financial growth of this industry.

The pharmaceutical industry is an investment industry driven by the profits of its shareholders. Improving human health is not the driving force of this industry and artificially created and strategically developed over an entire century by the same investment groups that control the global petrochemical and chemical industries. The huge profits of the pharmaceutical industry are based on the patenting of new drugs. These patents essentially allow drug manufacturers to arbitrarily define the profits for their products."

YNET: France demands independent probe of Beit Hanoun incident

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France demands independent probe of Beit Hanoun incident

WASHINGTON - France’s Ambassador to the UN Jean Marc Chevalier said during a Security Council meeting Thursday that his country demanded an independent investigation of the circumstances of Wednesday’s incident in Beit Hanoun in which 18 Palestinians were killed by IDF fire.
“France wants an investigation of this attack, an independent investigation,” Chevalier said. The US was expected to veto Thursday night’s UN Security Council decision against Israel regarding recent IDF operations in the Gaza Strip and the killing of Palestinians in Beit Hanoun Wednesday.

A Palestinian proposal to establish an international investigation committee and the stationing of UN observers in the Strip was expected to come up in the meeting. Due to US objections, it wasn’t clear whether there would be a vote at the end of the meeting.

Daily Times - France summons Israeli envoy over Lebanon incident

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PARIS: The French government on Thursday summoned Israel’s ambassador to France to complain about an incident in Lebanon in which Israeli warplanes dived menacingly on French UN peacekeepers, officials said. The French troops had been within “two seconds” of firing on the aircraft and a “catastrophe” was narrowly avoided, French Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said Wednesday. Her ministry said the incident occurred October 31 but did not say where exactly.

The French foreign ministry has accused Israel of violating the terms of the UN resolution that brought about an end to hostilities by sending its warplanes over Lebanon. It has also noted that UNIFIL has a robust mandate permitting it to respond to aggressive moves by either Hezbollah or the Israeli military.

The Calgary Sun/UNDP - Norway best place to live in the world says UNDP

Oslo, Norway

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Norway best place to live in the World, says the UNDP

The UN ranked Norway as the best country to live in for a sixth consecutive year

Norway is followed by Iceland and Australia. Ireland, Sweden, Canada, Japan, the US, Switzerland and the Netherlands, in that order. China is ranked 81st, while European nations like Denmark (15th), France (16th), Italy (17th), Britain (18th), Spain (19th) and Germany (21st) have similar levels of human development. Niger, Sierra Leone, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, Burundi and Mozambique are ranked the lowest in the spectrum.

Despite wealth, high levels of education, low unemployment, and an economic boom, Norwegians often complain of high taxes and of weaknesses in their cradle-to-grave welfare state, such as waiting lists at hospitals and a shortage of public care for both children and the elderly. For additional information also go to the site of the UNDP at: http://www.undp.org/

WashingtonPost.com: Europe to be in loop on foreign policy: Kennedy

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Europe to be in loop on foreign policy: Kennedy

Europe will be kept more in the loop about U.S. foreign policy after mid-term elections which swept away Republican control of Congress, senior Democratic party member Senator Edward Kennedy said on Thursday in Italy. Kennedy, the Democratic senator for Massachusetts and the younger brother of former President John F. Kennedy, said his party's newly won control of the U.S. House of Representatives would bring a desire for greater involvement. "There is a new game in the United States now," he told reporters after meeting Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi

Kennedy is in Italy to attend 40th anniversary commemorations of the 1966 floods that devastated parts of the city of Florence and led to an international effort to save precious works of art and manuscripts.

Telegraph: US political scene: Democrats 'have a little list' of investigations

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Democrats 'have a little list' of investigations

US political scene: Democrats 'have a little list' of investigations - by Alex Massie

The Democrats' takeover of the House of Representatives will give the party more power on Capitol Hill than it has enjoyed since 1994, including control of powerful committees, responsibilities for the federal budget and the opportunity to investigate the White House. That raises the prospect of what conservatives fear will be a "blizzard of subpoenas" being issued. "As the Lord High Executioner said in The Mikado, 'I have a little list'," John Dingell, the veteran Michigan Democrat, said recently. Mr Dingell, who was first elected to Congress in 1955, earned a reputation as an aggressive chairman of the Commerce Committee during Ronald Reagans's administration. It is a role he intends to play again.

Mr Dingell has announced that he plans investigations into everything from the administration's response to Hurricane Katrina to energy policy by way of environmental policy, the Food and Drug Administration, port security, nuclear waste management and trade policy. But senior Democrats have pledged not to launch impeachment proceedings or vote to withdraw funding from the US military's mission in Iraq. EU-Digest: hopefully the Democrats will also investigate the torturing of US prisoners of war in foreign countries, including Europe; the effectiveness of the Guantanamo prison,etc.

Guardian: EU report sidesteps crisis over Turkey's membership talks - by Nicolas Watt

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EU report sidesteps crisis over Turkey's membership talks - by Nicolas Watt

The European Union will today refrain from triggering a crisis in Turkey's membership negotiations in the hope of encouraging a deal on Cyprus by the end of the year.

In its annual report on Turkey yesterday, the European Commission will criticise Ankara for slowing reforms on human rights and for refusing to open its ports and airports to Greek Cyprus, whose government is recognised by the EU as the government of the whole island. But Olli Rehn, the European enlargement commissioner, who had said the report could set the scene for a "train crash" in the negotiations, will stop short of recommending any punishment. His approach is designed to create time for a final push on Cyprus before EU leaders decide at next month's annual pre-Christmas summit whether to punish Turkey.

CTV.ca : Critics slam Harper's EU summit cancellation

Canadian PM Stephen Harper (Picture GeoCities)
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Critics slam Harper's EU summit cancellation

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's cancellation of meetings with European leaders prompted critics to level blistering accusations that he's avoiding criticism over his environmental policies. Harper was supposed to take part in a Canada-European Union summit in Finland at the end of November, but cancelled on Saturday, citing the need to stay close to home because of his government's fragile minority status.

But the prime minister's office announced Harper still plans to attend end-of-the-month trade talks in Hanoi, and NATO meetings in Latvia just two days after the scheduled Canada-EU summit. Critics at home speculated that Harper didn't want to show up in Finland empty handed after European officials announced that the Kyoto Protocol accord would be on the agenda at the meetings.

The Daily Star - Indonesians on their way to Lebanon - or are they?

Beirut

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Indonesians on their way to Lebanon - or are they?

The first Indonesian troops left Wednesday for Lebanon to join a UN peacekeeping force.
Indonesia's contingent had been scheduled to head to Lebanon in early October but the departure was delayed on several occasions because of logistical difficulties. The departure of 125 troops was then delayed until October 10, while the departure of the main body of 850 troops was delayed until October 24.
Once again, none of the troops showed up at the two designated dates.

The last delay was on Sunday, when some 30 Indonesian troops were expected to arrive in Beirut but did not.

Palestine Media Center: The International Community Slam Israeli Beit Hanoun Massacre

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The International Community Slam Israeli Beit Hanoun Massacre

The international community has condemned the Israeli massacre in Beit Hanoun and urged a halt to Gaza incursions, which have killed more than 300 Palestinians since late June. Even Israel’s main and most powerful ally, the United States, called the strike a “terrible tragedy that we deeply regret,” but urged Palestinians to exercise restraint. Among the 20 people killed in the Beit Hanun shelling were eight children and five women, medics said. Eleven of the dead were from the same family.

Dozens were also wounded when shells slammed into a row of five apartment blocks in the early morning. Wednesday’s deaths, together with 64 Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip over the previous seven days, brought to more than 80 the number killed in Israeli attacks in the occupied Palestinian territories in seven days.

BBC NEWS: French rivals hold last TV debate

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The three rivals hoping to be France's Socialist presidential candidate have laid out their views on foreign affairs in a final televised debate.Front-runner Segolene Royal faced ex-ministers Laurent Fabius and Dominique Strauss-Kahn - both perceived to have more international experience.

The debate covered Iran's nuclear programme, Turkey's position in Europe and France's relationship with the EU. Ms Royal, who leads France's Poitou-Charentes regional council, retains a clear lead over her rivals, polls say. But she may yet be forced into a run-off contest on 23 November.

IHT: Germany takes first step toward withdrawing troops from Bosnia

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BERLIN: The German government on Wednesday lowered the number of peacekeepers it can send to Bosnia, a first step toward the withdrawal of its troops. The Cabinet agreed to cut the maximum number of troops Germany can send to Bosnia from 3,000 to 2,400. Only about 850 German troops are currently stationed there. Parliament must approve the change as part of a one-year extension to the deployment.

Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung announced last month that he hopes to reduce Germany's contingent in the 6,000-strong European Union force in Bosnia.

The Mercury News: Europe hopeful with outcome of U.S. elections - by Matthew Schofield

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Europe hopeful with outcome of U.S. elections - by Matthew Schofield

BERLIN - Europeans awoke Wednesday feeling a bit more comfortable with their partners across the Atlantic after five years of unease with American under the Bush administration. The Bush administration has been intensely unpopular with Europeans because of the war on terror, especially the invasion of Iraq, and the go-it-alone nature of American foreign policy.

Jens van Scherpenberg, who studies the United States at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said the results "will be seen as a sign that the U.S. electorate has turned more normal again, or even more European. Voters seemed to focus on national and international issues, not local issues, and that's a bit more like us," he said.

Caribbean Net News: Diplomatic snub for Dutch minister in Suriname - by Ivan Cairo

Suriname President Ronald Venetiaan
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Diplomatic snub for Dutch minister in Suriname - by Ivan Cairo

PARAMARIBO, Suriname: Suriname's president, Ronald Venetiaan, and vice-president, Ramdien Sardjoe, both cancelled courtesy calls Monday with visiting minister, Agnes van Ardenne, from the Netherlands.Sources within the government confirmed that the cancellation is a diplomatic and political response for the unacceptable treatment Surinamese nationals are receiving at the Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands.

Vice-president Sardjoe later told a Dutch newspaper that the decision has to do with the dissatisfaction with the “incorrect treatment” the Suriname minister of Labour received two weeks ago at the Schiphol Airport. Minister Joyce Amarello-Williams on transit from China to Suriname, despite protests from officials from the Surinamese embassy in the Netherlands, was body-searched by immigration personnel at the airport. "Suriname is considered one of the most important drug conduits in South America towards Europe. Former Suriname dictator Bouterse, presently a member of the Suriname parliament was convicted on July 1999 in absentia in the Netherlands for cocaine-trafficking. The Netherlands has an international warrant for his arrest which makes it almost impossible for him to leave Suriname. Although he has been convicted in the Netherlands, he has remained free in Suriname."

TheStar.com - Dutch arrest 6 in terror case

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Dutch arrest 6 in terror case

AMSTERDAM—Dutch police have arrested five men and one woman on suspicion of recruiting young Muslims for training for jihad, or "holy war," the public prosecutor's office said yesterday. "We are investigating whether those arrested belonged to a Islamist terrorist organization," a public prosecutor spokesman said. The six are of Dutch, Tunisian, Turkish and Moroccan origin.

The arrests were made in Amsterdam and The Hague in the past two days and were part of an investigation launched last November after the intelligence service received information that three Dutch Muslims were recruited to take part in jihad.

Chicago Tribune: Former Marxist Daniel Ortega elected president in Nicaragua - by Oscar Avila

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Former Marxist Daniel Ortega elected president in Nicaragua - by Oscar Avila

MANAGUA, Nicaragua -- Daniel Ortega completed a remarkable comeback Tuesday when the former Marxist revolutionary leader came out on top in a bitter presidential election that U.S. officials fear will give them a new left-wing antagonist in Latin America.

Nearly two decades after the U.S.-financed contra rebels helped drive Ortega from office, the Sandinista leader's victory poses a new challenge in the region for the Bush administration, which must decide whether to treat Ortega as an enemy or accept his assurances that he has moderated his views.

In his fourth attempt to return to power, Ortega won a comfortable victory over four rivals, including Eduardo Montealegre, a Harvard-educated banker and former government minister who enjoyed U.S. backing.

EU-Digest: The US elections - Democrats end one party Republican rule in America as Democracy prevails - European reactions favorable - by Rick Morren

US House of Representatives Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi

US elections - Democrats end one party Republican rule in America as Democracy prevails-European reactions favorable - by Rick Morren

Washington, D.C.– House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi spoke early this morning on Democrats taking back the House of Representatives and their commitment to restore civility and bipartisanship to the House.

"The campaign is over. Democrats are ready to lead and prepared to govern. We will work with Republicans in Congress and the Administration in the spirit of partnership, not partisanship.

“Today, all across America, in all regions of the country, North and South, East and West, Democrats, Independents and Republicans – Americans from all walks of life – voted to make this an historic day, to change the Congress and to change the country. “Tonight, the American people have entrusted us with their hopes and aspirations, for themselves, their families, and their future. We will honor that trust. “Tonight we have made history; now let us make progress.”

Democrats now control 232 seats in the 435 seat House and all indications are they will also control the Senate depending on the final outcome of the senatorial vote in Virginia, where the Democratic candidate Jim Webb has already proclaimed victory. In the gubernatorial races the Democrats also turned the tide by winning 28 Governorships with the Republicans dropping to 22.

Europeans in general applauded the political shift in America and are hoping the change in leadership will also lead to changes in the Iraq policy. Other issues important to Europeans -- such as broader Middle East policy, trade, and environmental issues -- are also likely to be affected by US political change, political observers said.


"

IHT: "Open wide Europe's doors"

"Open wide Europe's doors" - Opinion - International Herald Tribune

STOCKHOLM: Who wants to be "absorbed" by the European Union and who can design the "borders of Europe"? I follow with curiosity the enlargement debate about the Union's "absorption capacity" in the hope that I will one day understand the more political meaning of the concept - that is, apart from the problems of office space in Brussels and other somewhat more manageable challenges.

Absorption capacity has been the buzzword of the more recent debate, but to me it is a flawed concept that ignores not only the truly historical transformation that Europe has been going through since 1989 but also the very nature of the process of integration."

DW: Germany Hopeful of Defusing Looming Crisis With Turkey

Turkish PM Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan
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Germany Hopeful of Defusing Looming Crisis With Turkey

As positions over continuing accession talks with Ankara harden, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he was confident a solution could be found to Turkey's dispute with Cyprus by the end of the year. Turkey's refusal to open its ports and airports to craft registered under the flag of the Republic of Cyprus, a European Union member whose Greek Cypriot government Turkey does not recognize, and lagging reforms have recently put a question mark next to Turkey's bid to join the EU. In an interview with German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung over the weekened, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Turkey's EU accesssion talks would be in serious trouble if it did not lift trade restrictions on Cyprus.

However, appearing to contradict Merkel, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned against any premature move to break off talks with Turkey.

IHT: Kurt Beck leader German social democrats proposes a European army - by Judy Dempsey

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Kurt Beck leader German social democrats proposes a European army - by Judy Dempsey

In his first major foreign policy speech since becoming leader of a party that is joined in coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative bloc, Beck said Europe should become a "global peace power" with its own military command and goals.

That goal has eluded European governments in the past and there is no agreement on it now. Still, security analysts said the proposal from Beck, who became party leader last May, reflected unease in Germany and elsewhere in Europe about NATO's identification with U.S. leadership.

Beck told delegates during a special meeting in Berlin that such defense ambitions for the EU would not rupture the trans-Atlantic relationship because, without the United States, "we cannot solve global problems." However, instead of "following" or "adhering" to the United States, he said, the Europeans should establish a partnership "based on quality. This is the particular challenge for Europe." In the long term, Beck said, "Europe's security and defense policy would have a single military command."

People's Daily Online -- Government plan of Swedish new PM focus on tax cuts, employment

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Government plan of Swedish new PM focus on tax cuts, employment

Swedish new Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt pledged on Friday tax cuts, more job opportunities and a trimming of the welfare state. Addressing the parliament to present his government plan for the next four years, Reinfeldt said "More people who want to and can work will get the chance to support themselves through their own work and by beginning and running companies." He also said the government will stick to a plan of a tax cut of 4.7 billion EUROS in 2007, followed by a further 880 million EUROS reduction in 2008.

During the speech, Reinfeldt announced his cabinet ministers, with former Swedish premier Carl Bildt serving as foreign minister. Reinfeldt, 41, is the youngest Swedish prime minister since 1926. The four-party alliance, led by him, won a victory in the Sept. 17 election. In the new government, 10 of the 21 new ministers are women, and nine ministers are moderates.

The Local - Sweden's privacy protection 'second worst in EU' after Britain

Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt
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Sweden's privacy protection 'second worst in EU' after Britain

Sweden is second from bottom in the EU when it comes to protecting its citizens' private integrity, according to a new report by civil liberties group Privacy International. The Privacy and Human Rights Report is a 1,200 page document measuring a range of criteria surrounding surveillance and privacy protection.

This year the study focussed on the EU and eleven other benchmark countries. Sweden could only manage 24th place in the EU with an aggregate score of 2.2 out of a possible 5. Germany came top of the pile with a rating of 3.9. The UK achieved the lowest score in the EU by quite some margin, scoring just 1.5.

The Guardian: Manufacturers take on EU over CO2 emissions as consumers shun 'cleaner' cars - by David Gow

For the complete report in the Guardian click on this linkManufacturers take on EU over CO2 emissions as consumers shun 'cleaner' cars - by David Gow

Europe's carmakers stepped up their campaign yesterday to stop the EU imposing tough new laws to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from all new cars, claiming consumers were shunning "greener" vehicles. The industry says consumers have shown strong demand for "larger, safer vehicles and disappointing acceptance of extremely fuel-efficient cars that have been brought into the market in line with the CO2 commitment".

The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) condemned Stavros Dimas, EU environment commissioner, for demanding legislation to cut emissions to 120g per kilometre by 2012.

Spiegel on Line: Are Romania and Bulgaria Ready? New EU Members Score Badly in Corruption Ranking

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"New EU Members Score Badly in Corruption Ranking - by Joshua Gallu

Corruption is rife in Romania and Bulgaria according to a ranking released by Transparency International on Monday. The report makes unwelcome reading for the two Balkan countries ahead of their 2007 EU accession."

Ihotdesk: Vodafone outsources to IT companies

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Vodafone outsources to IT companies

Vodafone is to cut costs by outsourcing its application development operations to EDS and IBM, according to latest reports. Associated operatives in the UK, Germany, Hungary and the Netherlands are set to work with EDS while Vodafone's firms in Spain, Czech Republic, Australia, New Zealand, Portugal, Ireland, Greece and, if the board agrees, Italy will outsource to IBM, reports iTWire. It is believed that the UK mobile phone giant will save up to £168 million in the series of seven year deals as it aims to claw back a large proportion of the mobile phone market share.

Steve Pusey, chief technology officer for Vodafone Group, explained that the decision was not solely based on the company's finances. "We are confident that our chosen outsourcing partners will not only deliver cost savings, but also an enhanced service," he told iTWire.

NYT: US Midterm Elections - Will the Democrats Win? - by Jeff Zeleny

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US Midterm Elections - Will the Democrats Win? - by Jeff Zeleny

THE last time there was a seismic upset in Congress, there was little doubt as to who was the hero on election night and who would lead the party for the next two years: Newt Gingrich. But if Democrats win on Tuesday, which even many Republicans morbidly concede might happen, who should get the credit? Nancy Pelosi or Rahm Emanuel? Charles Schumer or Harry Reid? Howard Dean?

Or should the lion’s share of the credit go to George W. Bush? EU-Digest - "He failed America and the free world" and for that the American electorate should punish him?"

Forbes.com: Germany's Mirow says ECB sees inflation above 2 pct for next 18 months

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ECOFIN Germany's Mirow says ECB sees inflation above 2 pct for next 18 months

BRUSSELS (AFX) - German deputy finance minister Thomas Mirow said European Central Bank president Jean-Claude told the euro group last night that euro zone inflation will remain above 2 pct for the next 18 months. He said Trichet presented forecasts to euro zone finance ministers that were 'nearly identical' to those published by the European Commission yesterday.

'The (ECB) projections show that inflation will be over 2 pct for the next 18 months,' Mirow said.

EITB: EU economy at its best in 2006

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EU economy at its best in 2006

EU economy at its best in 2006

Growth for the 25-nation EU as a whole is expected to rise 2.8 percent from 1.7 percent last year. The European Union on Monday announced more evidence of a strong economic upswing and, with palpable relief, said the recovery was rooted deeper than previously expected. Economic growth in the Euro area was revised to 2.6 percent this year, up from 1.4 percent in 2005, the European Commission said Monday.

Growth for the 25-nation EU as a whole is expected to rise 2.8 percent from 1.7 percent last year.

Cafe Babel: Christianity as it relates to elections in Europe and the US - by Pim de Kuijer

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Christianity as it relates to elections in Europe and the US - by Pim de Kuijer

On November 7, Americans will elect all 435 seats of the House of representatives and a third of the seats in the senate. But are religious stakes more important during the US mid-term elections, half way through the president’s term, than in Europe?

Religious groups, the Catholic Church first among them, have not given up the continent altogether. They are present among lobby groups in Brussels and the Catholic Church has strong bilateral relations with EU member states, codified by treaties known as concordats. With the accession of new member states such as Poland, Malta and Slovakia, all three allied to the Vatican, the EU is faced with new conservative influences in the Council and the European Parliament. Polish League of Family MEPs would no doubt like what Katherine Harris has to say about legislating sin.

Even though Europe and the US both officially recognize the need for a separation between church and state, neither of them seems able to completely secularize politics. But the US is not as fanatic as Europeans would like to believe, nor is Europe the atheist Sodom and Gomorra some Americans would have it be. Both continents however face devout believers who are hell bent on getting religion back into politics.

Turks cool towards 'unfaithful' Europe

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"Turks cool towards 'unfaithful' Europe - by
William Horsley

Is Europe losing Turkey? New tensions threaten to harm a strategic bond that has long been seen as vital to the West's security.

Turkey became a member of the Nato alliance before Germany, and remains a bastion of stability in a region marked by undemocratic regimes and plagued by conflicts.

But a year-end deadline for Turkey to make important concessions in its talks on EU membership is casting doubt on the future of the country's integration with Europe, which began back in 1963."

LATimes: Turkish official warns of chaos if Iraq is split up

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Turkish official warns of chaos if Iraq is split up

Turkish official warns of chaos if Iraq is split up

ANKARA, TURKEY — Turkey's foreign minister warned Sunday that dividing Iraq along religious or ethnic lines would create chaos, and suggested that neighboring nations would not acquiesce to a partition. "There are those who think that dividing Iraq might be better, that this chaos might end," Abdullah Gul told reporters. "This is what we say: Don't even think of such an alternative because that would lead Iraq toward new chaos."

Gul suggested that dividing Iraq would lead to regional unrest. "It would become not only Iraq's problem but the world's problem," he said.

NPR : US elections - 'Army Times' Calls for Rumsfeld to Quit

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'Army Times' Calls for Rumsfeld to Quit

US elections - 'Army Times' Calls for Rumsfeld to Quit

The Military Times Media Group, which publishes the influential Army Times and other military periodicals, is calling for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to resign.

In a coming editorial, the papers say active-duty military officers have misgivings about war planning in Iraq.

Chron.com: Ahold to Unveil New Strategic Plan - by TOBY STERLING

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Ahold to Unveil New Strategic Plan - by TOBY STERLING

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — Under pressure from shareholders to break up the company into three parts, Royal Ahold NV was to unveil a new strategic plan for the company's future on Monday. Ahold, one of the world's largest foods companies by sales, operates the Stop & Shop, Giant, and Tops chains in the United States, where it has more than two-thirds of its sales. It also operates U.S. Foodservice, which competes with the much larger Sysco Corp. in selling bulk food to cafeterias.

Ahold owns several large chains in Europe, including its highly profitable flagship supermarket, Albert Heijn, which is dominant in the Netherlands.

The strategy announcement is expected to detail plans to revamp the company's U.S. stores, aimed at improving sales and margins. That could involve price cuts, accompanied by a marketing campaign to boost private label sales, similar to the revival plan Ahold carried out at its Albert Heijn supermarkets, analysts said.

BBC NEWS: Bid to overhaul Europe power grid

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Italy's prime minister has said Europe needs a central power authority to prevent the kind of blackouts that left swathes of West Europe without energy. An overload in Germany's power network triggered outages leaving millions without electricity on Saturday night. Romano Prodi said there was a "contradiction" in having a unified power network but no central authority. Power failed first in Cologne, Germany, before shutting down across parts of France, Italy, Spain and Austria.

Belgium, the Netherlands and Croatia were also affected.

NYT: Bulent Ecevit, a Political Survivor Who Turned Turkey Toward the West, Is Dead at 81 - by STEPHEN KINZER

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Bulent Ecevit, a Political Survivor Who Turned Turkey Toward the West, Is Dead at 81 - by STEPHEN KINZER

Bulent Ecevit, a resilient leader who served four terms as Turkey’s prime minister in a turbulent era, died yesterday in a hospital in Ankara, the Turkish capital. He was 81. Mr. Ecevit, who suffered a stroke in May from which he never completely recovered, died of circulatory and respiratory failure, the Gulhane military hospital said. For much of his political career — almost half a century — Mr. Ecevit was a leftist and a nationalist. An opponent of religious fundamentalism, he helped maintain Turkey’s position as the world’s most secular Muslim country.

During his final years in power, Mr. Ecevit turned away from the leftism that had shaped his career. He abandoned much of his hostility to private enterprise, and, after helping to keep Turkey out of the European Union in the 1970s, he came to believe that integration with the West was a good idea.

Turkish Press: EU presidency against death penalty in Saddam verdict

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"EU presidency against death penalty in Saddam verdict

HELSINKI - The Finnish presidency of the European Union on Sunday called for Iraq not to use the death penalty against former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, a statement said.

'The EU opposes capital punishment in all cases and under all circumstances and it should not be carried out in this case either,' the statement said."

CNN.com: Debate boost for Dutch opposition

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Debate boost for Dutch opposition

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (Reuters) -- The leader of the Dutch opposition Labour party, Wouter Bos, won a television debate with Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende before a November 22 general election, a poll and newspapers said on Saturday.

Bos and Balkenende of the Christian Democrats debated issues ranging from childcare to pensions, the economy to immigration in an hour-long debate broadcast live on RTL television on Friday evening, watched by 1.7 million people, or about 10 percent of the Dutch population.

Labour had been ahead in opinion polls for much of 2006, but the Christian Democrats (CDA) pulled slightly ahead in recent weeks, buoyed by a booming economy and falling unemployment.

Iraq Report: Chirac Calls for Withdrawal Timetable in Iraq - Friday another 5 GIs die in Iraq

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Chirac Calls for Withdrawal Timetable in Iraq - Friday another 5 GIs die in Iraq

French President Jacques Chirac on Thursday told his Iraqi counterpart Jalal Talabani that it was important to fix a prospect of foreign forces' withdrawal from Iraq, the French leader's spokesman Jerome Bonnafont told the press.

"Regarding the international troop's presence in Iraq, he (President Chirac) said that in the eyes of France, it is important to fix a prospect of withdrawal," Bonnafont said.

Pakistan Link: Muslim women battle against ‘macho’ views in Barcelona

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Muslim women battle against ‘macho’ views in Barcelona

BARCELONA: Muslim women from around the world on Friday took up the fight against a “macho” interpretation of the holy Quran at the opening of an international conference on Islamic feminism.

Barcelona: “Islamic feminism is necessary for a proper image of women, for their dignity and their place in culture and politics,” said Mansur Escurado, president of Spain’s Muslim organisation La Junta Islamica, whose Catalan branch organised the event in Barcelona. “It will come into full force when women are able to make choices in life with their own consent,” Escurado said. The three-day conference was called to “support women who are fighting for recognition of their rights in the Islamic world” and rising up “against the long-established supremacy of men”, he said. The Islamic feminist movement has slowly emerged in the Muslim world, which comprises some 29 countries with more than one billion people. The advocates - mostly well-educated, urban women versed in the Koran - argue that Islam must not be a pretext for cultural practices denigrating women, dictated by men with a monopoly on interpreting Islam’s holy book.

The Barcelona meeting drew over 400 participants from Pakistan, Iran, Sudan, Tunisia, Algeria, Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Greece, Norway, Mexico and the US. “Nothing can really begin until women start to talk to other women,” said Pilar Vallugera, director of the Department on Women and Rights at city hall in Barcelona.

The meeting, which considered part of a “jihad for equality of the sexes”, will also address such fundamental topics as discriminatory codes in Sharia laws, polygamy, sexual rights, as well as “the intellectual role of women”, said Abdennur Prado, one of the organisers of event.

Telegraph: Russian bear could punch our lights out - by Liam Halligan

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Russian bear could punch our lights out - - by Liam Halligan

With the clocks now back and the cold weather drawing in, our leaders' minds are turning to the possibility of an energy shortage this winter. Last week, while all eyes were on Sir Nicholas Stern's climate change report, the Commons debated whether we were in for a repeat of January's energy scare, when gas supplies ran dangerously low, causing consumer prices to spike.

In 1990 gas accounted for only 1 per cent of British electricity generation. That figure is now 39 per cent – outstripping all other fuels. With North Sea reserves declining, we now import 10 per cent of our gas. But by 2020 official estimates put the UK's gas import dependence at – get this – no less than 80 per cent. "Most of the Gas supplies generating power are presently coming from Russia."

BBC NEWS: Power cuts strike western Europe

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Power cuts strike western Europe

Power cuts have struck several countries in western Europe, leaving millions of people without electricity. Power companies said the outage started in Germany with a surge in demand prompted by cold weather, and then spread to other parts of Europe. Some five million people in France lost power, mainly in the east of the country and including parts of Paris.

"We weren't very far from a European blackout," a senior director with French power company RTE said.

NZHerald: Saddam sentenced to hang - "verdict date 'rigged for Bush and impact on Congressional elections"

Saddam Hussein and Donald Rumsfeld in Bagdad 1983
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Saddam sentenced to hang - "verdict date 'rigged for Bush and impact on Congressional elections"

Saddam Hussein's defence team has urged a delay of his possible death sentence and said the ousted Iraqi leader believed today's expected verdict was timed to boost President George Bush before US mid-term elections.

Saddam's lawyer Khalil al-Dulaimi repeated warnings that a death sentence against his client - which would come before Tuesday's US Congressional elections at a time when Bush faces mounting criticism over the Iraq war - would plunge the region into wider bloodshed.

"We have requested at least a two-month adjournment to allow us to complete our presentations in the case in which our defence rights have been violated and in which our clients have been denied full legal defence," he said. US officials deny that Washington has any say over the timing of the verdict or the court's decisions, saying the American role was limited to logistics and security.

As Bush faces mounting criticism over the war, a guilty verdict two days ahead of tight US Congressional polls could be a vindication of his policy to overthrow Saddam.

Washington Post: European Union shows strain at the seams

World - The Washington Times, America's Newspaper

"European Union shows strain at the seams

NICOSIA, Cyprus -- Confusion and disappointment are rising across the European Union amid the Continent's lack of a common foreign policy and a growing clash of national ambitions. The planned admission of Bulgaria and Romania in January to the present 25-member union apparently has stretched the EU's ability to integrate.

In addition to the chasm between rich and poor members and unfettered emigration from post-communist Eastern Europe, there is a significant challenge to Turkey's pending membership application. "

montgomeryadvertiser.com : EU jobless rate holds steady at 7.8 percent

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BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Unemployment in the 12 nations using the euro held at 7.8 percent in September, the level it has been at for the past five months, the EU statistics agency Eurostat said Friday. The jobless rate was 8.5 percent a year ago. Euro-zone unemployment is at its lowest level since the EU's statistical agency Eurostat started keeping records for the currency area in October 1998. Unemployment in all 25 EU nations was 8 percent, holding steady from August.

Eurostat estimates that 11.5 million people were looking for work in the euro zone and 17.4 million in the entire EU.Although the jobless rate in Europe has been falling as the economy picks up, it is far higher than other world economies -- partly a result of European labor laws that can make it more costly to hire and fire.

In September, the United States reported 4.6 percent and Japan 4.2 percent. On Friday, the U.S. Labor Department reported the U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 4.4 percent in October, a five-year low.

Times of India: Europe jittery over N-ambitions of Arab nations - by Rashmee Roshan Lall

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Europe jittery over N-ambitions of Arab nations - by Rashmee Roshan Lall

LONDON: Amid fears that a dangerously-charged, brand new nuclear race is about to begin in the volatile, conflict-ridden West Asia region, the UN nuclear watchdog has confirmed plans to help multiple Arab countries develop domestic atomic energy programmes. Tomihiro Taniguchi, deputy director-general of the Vienna-headquartered International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) sparked much speculation and a raging controversy in Western capitals on Saturday with his bald acknowledgement of civilian nuclearisation plans by Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Saudi Arabia to the London-based Middle East Economic Digest (MEED).

Taniguchi, one of the IAEA's six deputy director-generals with a brief that specifically covers nuclear safety and security, said, "Some Middle East states, including Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Saudi Arabia, have shown initial interests to use nuclear power primarily for (water) desalination purposes".

The Internet Has Created New Journalists" - by Erol Onderoglu

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"The Internet Has Created New Journalists" - by Erol Onderoglu

Le Monde Diplomatique (LMD) Editor-in-Chief Ignacio Ramonet who participated in the recent International Independent Media Forum held in Istanbul noted the increase of Internet users throughout Europe and a parallel increase of internet news, blogs as well as free newspapers, saying that these actually effected the newspapers which once appeared as if they could not be effected as well as effecting the stance of the readership.

IPS General Director Mario Lubetkin who also addressed the meeting said that solutions had to be found to very basic problems for the future of alternative media. Lubetkin stressed that the need for an alternative media had to be debated and explained in the widest of circles, from universities to artisans and civil society organizations.

Belfast Telegraph: Moscow accused of using gas prices to bully Georgia - by Andrew Osborn

For the complete report in the Belfast Telegraph click on this linkMoscow accused of using gas prices to bully Georgia - by Andrew Osborn

Russia was accused yesterday of using its massive energy resources as a political weapon after telling neighbouring Georgia that it planned to more than double the price of gas.

The price hike was announced in the middle of a bitter political row between the two countries, and was interpreted by the Georgian side as “punishment” for the country’s perceived anti-Russian course.

Georgia is already suffering a de facto economic blockade imposed by Russia in September after a spy scandal between the two nations that saw relations sink to a new low. It now faces the prospect of having its gas supply switched off as win-ter begins to bite, unless it can reach an agreement with the Russian side before the New Year.

IHT: Russia bristles at U.S. diplomat's warning to Europe about new Russian gas pipeline

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Russia bristles at U.S. diplomat's warning to Europe about new Russian gas pipeline

MOSCOW: The Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday angrily criticized a U.S. diplomat's warning to the European Union that a prospective natural gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea could further increase its energy dependence on Russia, saying that Washington wants global energy routes to bypass Russia.

The EU voiced concerns about its dependence on Russian gas — which account for a quarter of the European gas consumption — when Russian gas supplies to Europe were temporarily cut off in a dispute with neighboring Ukraine early this year.

"If you live in Germany you do not want to go through what happened last winter with Ukraine," U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew J. Bryza said in an interview with the Financial Times published Sunday. "I wonder as a U.S. official how much diversification anybody can develop by having more pipelines into the same supplier." Comment EU-Digest: Mr. Matthew J. Bryza might have a point, and the EU better have its act together to enable it to react, if Russia would ever use energy supplies as a weapon of cohersion against the EU.

The Rolling Stone Magazine: US Congressional Elections - "The Worst Congress Ever" - by Matt Taibbi

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US Congressional Elections - "The Worst Congress Ever" - by Taibbi of the Rolling Stone Magazine

The article "The Worst Congress Ever" by Taibbi might be of special interest to those fascinated with the US political system and the upcoming US Congressional elections. Matt Taibbi is a contributing editor for the Rolling Stone Magazine and the author of "Spanking the Donkey: Dispatches from the Dumb Season."

The inside information this article provides on the functioning of the US Congress is not only detailed, but also most revealing. We recommend it to anyone who has an interest in getting a better insight into how the present US Congress is functioning to print it out and read it.

TheStar.com - Canadians believe Bush is a threat to peace: Poll - by Tim Harper

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Canadians believe Bush is a threat to peace: Poll - by Tim Harper

Canadians believe the world has become a more dangerous place since George W. Bush was elected U.S. president and a majority believe he will launch military strikes in Iran or North Korea before his term ends in 2008, according to a new Toronto Star poll. Canadians also consider Bush more dangerous to world peace than Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The EKOS poll was done in Canada for the Star and Montreal's La Presse ahead of Tuesday's U.S. mid-term elections, expected to be decided on the issue of the Iraq war. The same questions were posed to respondents by pollsters in Britain, Israel and Mexico.

Canadians — like Americans — have soured on the U.S. invasion of Iraq with 73 per cent now telling EKOS that Washington had no justification for it. When the same question was asked of Canadians in April 2003, right after the Bush invasion, EKOS found 53 per cent thought it unjustified.

IHT: Netherlands, Antilles sign agreement to restructure Caribbean territories' status

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Netherlands, Antilles sign agreement to restructure Caribbean territories' status

The Dutch government and the Netherlands Antilles have signed a long-awaited agreement granting the Caribbean territories of Curacao and St. Maarten autonomy, and giving smaller islands in the group the status of Dutch municipalities, officials said Friday.

The Netherlands Antilles — which includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten — has been a self-governing territory since 1954, deferring only the issues of foreign policy and defense to the Netherlands.

The agreement signed Friday followed referendums on both Curacao, with a population of about 250,000, and St. Maarten, with 39,000 residents. As of July 1, they each will govern themselves independently except on matters of defense, foreign policy and law enforcement, which will be decided at The Hague — an arrangement similar to Aruba's. Bonaire, with 13,000 residents, and tiny Saba, with 1,200, and St. Eustatius, with 3,000, will take on city status within the Netherlands. The Dutch government agreed to take over the islands' debts of €2.3 billion (US$3.2 billion).

The Globalist: Puritans and Imperialism - by Robert Kagan

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Puritans and Imperialism - by Robert Kagan

In examining the roots of U.S. foreign policy, Robert Kagan looks back to the Puritan tradition of colonial America. In "Dangerous Nation," he argues that the ideology which took hold of early America was characterized by aggressive expansionism — not by isolationism and utopianism, nor by cities upon hills and covenants with God.

The picture of Puritan America as a pious Greta Garbo, wanting only to be left alone in her self-contained world, is misleading. The rich lands of North America helped unleash liberal, materialist forces within Protestantism that overwhelmed the Puritan fathers’ original godly vision. For one thing, Winthrop’s Puritans were not isolationists. They were global revolutionaries. They escaped persecution in the Old World to establish the ideal religious commonwealth in America, their “new Jerusalem.” But unlike the biblical Jews, they looked forward to the day, they hoped not far off, when they might return to a reformed Egypt.

Far from seeking permanent separation from the Old World, the Puritans’ “errand into the wilderness” aimed to establish a base from which to launch a counteroffensive across the Atlantic. Colonial America was characterized not by isolationism and utopianism, not by cities upon hills and covenants with God, but by aggressive expansionism, acquisitive materialism and an overarching ideology of civilization that encouraged and justified both.

Bloomberg.com: Europe, Japan Wean Themselves From Dependence on U.S. Consumers - by Shobhana Chandra and Matthew Benjamin

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Europe, Japan Wean Themselves From Dependence on U.S. Consumers - by Shobhana Chandra and Matthew Benjamin

Europe, Japan and emerging economies around the world are weaning themselves from dependence on the American consumer, and economists say it's just in time. Demand in the world's largest economy is slowing as the U.S. housing market falters, a development that the International Monetary Fund on Sept. 14 called a key risk to global expansion. If so, it's a risk that the biggest exporting nations are better prepared to weather now than five years ago.``Domestic demand in so many other parts of the world is picking up,'' says Jim O'Neill, head of global economic research at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. in London. ``If there ever was a good time for the U.S. to slow, this is it.''

The share of global exports purchased by U.S. consumers and businesses fell to 17.9 percent in 2005 from 21.8 percent in 2000 as demand increased in the European Union, Japan and emerging markets in Asia and Eastern Europe. Exporting nations in Europe and Asia are poised to grab a larger share of world markets with trade agreements that don't include the U.S.

IHT: France's top anti-terror judge raises doubts about military 'war on terrorism'

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France's top anti-terror judge raises doubts about military 'war on terrorism'

MONACO: France's leading anti-terrorism judge said Thursday it is an error to believe military force can win the "war on terrorism" — and warned that Iraq remains a magnet for Islamic extremists. Jean-Louis Bruguiere said foreign-born jihadists heading to Iraq are increasingly going with the goal to train, and then return to their home countries to plot attacks — not fight the U.S.-led coalition. He said the al-Qaida terror network is weaker today than it was in 2000 or 2001, but warned that counterterrorism officials are not taking any chances, even though the threat has appeared to cool in Europe.

"We are a bit in this sort of the eye of the cyclone because the terrain is relatively calm," he told reporters at a Monaco conference on the counterterrorism fight. "But our vigilance is extreme."

The Korea Times : Germany Seeks R&D Cooperation With Korea - by Kim Sue-Young

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Germany Seeks R&D Cooperation With Korea - by - by Kim Sue-Young

South Korea and Germany can build a good partnership in the field of research and development (R&D), based on long amicable relations, a German minister said. ``We believe that Korea is a state with many opportunities and it is necessary to build a foundation for bilateral development,’’ Federal Minister of Education and Research Annette Schavan said in an interview before leaving Seoul yesterday.

Schavan, 51, visited Seoul to promote a one-year campaign, dubbed ``Germany Land of Ideas,’’ to enhance international cooperation in R&D.

ITV News - Timberlake is golden boy at European MTV awards

Justin Timberlake
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Timberlake is golden boy at European MTV awards

Singer Justin Timberlake and hip hop duo Gnarls Barkley were the big winners at this year's MTV Europe music awards.
Timberlake, who was named best male and best pop act, joked that he only won because he agreed to present the 13th annual event in Copenhagen.

Gnarls Barkley won two awards also for best new act and best song, for Crazy. The Red Hot Chili Peppers won just one prize from four nominations, the best album award for Stadium Arcadium.

The Hindu News: 'World has become more dangerous because of Iraq war' - US election referendum on Bush Policies

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'World has become more dangerous because of Iraq war' - US election referendum on Bush Policies

New York, Nov 3. (PTI): With American elections only days away, an organisation comprising those who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan has taken out an advertisement, which questions the Bush administration's contention that the attack on Iraq has made the world, especially the United States, safer. "The world is more dangerous because of Iraq. Because of Iraq, Osama bin Laden is still there. Because of Iraq, the military is spread thin. Because of Iraq, there are more terrorists in the world," VoteVets said. The advertisement features four Iraq veterans and closes with a general saying that "because of Iraq, America is less secure."

Rand Beers, President of the National Security Network, said, "When those who put their lives on the line for this country are speaking out against a failed policy, it should make us all see that we should be changing direction."

UN News Centre: ‘Wake up Europe! You are heading for a crisis,’ UN drugs chief warns on cocaine

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‘Wake up Europe! You are heading for a crisis,’ UN drugs chief warns on cocaine

Declaring that he is “not afraid to name and shame the worst offenders – Spain, England and Italy,” the United Nations top narcotics fighter warned Europe today that it is heading for a cocaine crisis, with too many governments in denial, focussing on the supply end in South America instead of consumption in their own backyards. “The alarm clock is ringing; Europe, it is time to wake up and get going,” UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa told an international meeting in London, sponsored by the Government of Colombia, noting that the stable or even falling demand for cocaine in most of the world is being undercut by an upward trend in Europe.

“Wake up Europe!” he reiterated. “You are heading for a crisis. We are facing a pandemic, and not only because of coca addiction by high profile entertainers, executives, models or socialites who flaunt their illicit drug use in words and deeds. This is a symptom of a deeper problem – one made worse by uncritical reporting in the media.

CTV.ca: MTV Europe Music Awards ready to rock Copenhagen

href="http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20061102/MTV_europe_061102/20061102?hub=Entertainment">For the complete report CTV.ca click on this link

MTV Europe Music Awards ready to rock Copenhagen

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- The Danish capital was getting ready Thursday for the 13th edition of the MTV Europe Music Awards at two venues, including an outdoor scene where performers and fans faced near-freezing temperatures. Meteorologists urged fans to dress warmly for the two-hour show. "Temperatures will be just above freezing so, yes, it's going to be cold," said Bill Vejdegren of the Danish Meteorological Institute.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are nominated in four categories, while Madonna, Shakira, Nelly Furtado, Christina Aguilera, Kanye West and Muse had three nominations each.

ForUm : Ukraine's President offers to conclude a political treaty with China

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Ukraine's President offers to conclude a political treaty with China

Victor Yushchenko has met with Jia Qinglin, Chairman of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), president's press office reported. The President said “Ukraine is trying to strengthen political and diplomatic ties with China today,” characterizing our relations as “strategic partnership.” He praised economic cooperation between Ukraine and China, urging the two countries to build closer ties in space science, aviation and other high-tech areas. Yushchenko also suggested that Ukraine and China formulate a political agreement on the principles of bilateral relations and cooperation in the 21st century.

They discussed preparations for a November 2007 meeting of the intergovernmental economic commission.

BBC NEWS: UK youths 'among worst in Europe'

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UK youths 'among worst in Europe'

Britain's youth are among the most badly behaved in Europe, a study by a think-tank has suggested. On every indicator of bad behaviour - drugs, drink, violence, promiscuity - the UK was at or near the top, said the Institute for Public Policy Research.

Measured against German, French and Italian youngsters, British 15-year-olds are drunk more often and involved in more fights, and a higher proportion have had sex. The institute says young Britons are marked out how they spend their free time.

In England, 45% of 15-year-old boys spend most evenings out with their friends, and in Scotland the figure is 59%. In France just 17% of boys spend their time in the same way. On the other hand, European teenagers tend to sit down for meals with their parents far more often. Some 93% of Italian teenagers eat regularly with their families; in the UK just 64% of 15-year-olds do the same.

BBC NEWS: Many dead in Turkey flash floods

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Many dead in Turkey flash floods

At least 20 people have died in severe flooding across south-eastern Turkey, many swept away by deluges caused by overnight torrential rain. Victims included a party of 14 wedding guests travelling in a minibus from Diyarbakir to neighbouring Mardin.

Helicopters and boats are struggling to rescue some 300 people trapped in their flooded homes in Cinar and Bismil.

Forbes: China shipping firms seeking more terminal access in Greece

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China shipping firms seeking more terminal access in Greece

China's shipping firms are seeking expanded access to the two main Greek seaports, Piraeus and Thessaloniki, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a Greek minister. 'Chinese shipping companies want contracts with Greek ports so they can have their own terminals to distribute Chinese-made goods around the Mediterranean and further afield,' the report quoted Greek economy and finance minister George Alogoskoufis as saying.

Companies such as state-owned China Ocean Shipping (Group) Co (Cosco) are exploring possible investments to expand port facilities in Piraeus, outside Athens, and Thessaloniki in northern Greece.

RNW: The Netherlands - Voting machines too insecure for election - by Andy Clark

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The Netherlands - Voting machines too insecure for election - by Andy Clark

People in major Dutch cities, including Amsterdam, will find themselves using pencil and paper to cast their votes in the elections in three weeks time. It's emerged that around ten percent of the computerised voting machines are not secure enough and have been withdrawn. Thirty-five cities are affected and although some may be able to find alternative voting computers, most will have to revert to more old-fashioned means of registering the voter's wishes.

According to the Minister for Electoral Affairs, Atzo Nicolai, the problem machines emit a signal, which can be intercepted and used to see how the votes are being cast. Well, the SDU e-voting machines not only leak radiation like a rogue state, but they also transfer cast ballots with the help of a built-in GPRS modem -- all this makes them easily hackable from up to 30-meters away.The machines will be withdrawn - almost 1200 of them. They were investigated by the Dutch intelligence service, the AIVD.

IHT: Euro-area inflation falls to 1.6 percent, economic optimism remains high

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Euro-area inflation falls to 1.6 percent, economic optimism remains high

Inflation in the 12 nations that use the euro fell to 1.6 percent in October, the EU statistics office Eurostat said in a first estimate Tuesday, as the European Commission reported high confidence in Europe's economic recovery.

Year-on-year inflation was 1.7 percent in September and 2.3 percent in August — a gentle slowdown after hitting a high of 2.5 percent in May and June — largely on the back of soaring energy costs but also because of Europe's accelerating economy after years of little growth. Eurostat will publish its final figure for the month on Nov. 16 when it will give more detail on the sectors where prices rose and fell.

National Priorities Project - Upcoming US elections: US Military Recruitment: Low- and middle-income neighborhoods over-represented in Army recruits

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Upcoming US elections: US Military Recruitment: Low- and middle-income over-represented in Army recruitment.

NORTHAMPTON, MA - Data released today on US military recruits in fiscal year 2005 shows that low- and middle-income neighborhoods are over-represented in the US Army, while wealthier neighborhoods have become even more under-represented, compared to fiscal year 2004.

A new US ZIP code-level analysis of Army recruits released by the National Priorities Project today shows that neighborhoods with median household incomes between $30,000 - $55,000 became more over-represented in 2005 for active-duty Army recruits. Median household incomes above $55,000, already under-represented in 2004, became more under-represented in 2005.

Although there are plenty of well-educated people in the US armed forces -- Kerry was one of them -- military service has long been an opportunity employer for those with less education and fewer skills than they need to work in the private sector. Indeed, the military sells itself as a place to garner skills and to help pay for higher education.

Guardian Unlimited: A European viewpoint on the US elections: "Let us hope Americans seize their chance to hobble George Bush - by Jonathan Freedland

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A European viewpoint on the US elections: "Let us hope Americans seize their chance to hobble George Bush - by Jonathan Freedland

Next Tuesday's elections in the US cannot, alas, remove the president. But they can change the political terms of trade

The conventional wisdom says Democrats are about to win control of the House of Representatives and could well take the Senate too. But, and here's the mega-caveat, the conventional wisdom in Washington is often very, very wrong. Cast your mind back to election night 2004, when the US media anointed President John Kerry. The warning this time is that Republicans might be fewer in number, but more motivated and therefore likelier to turn out. Note, too, the reports that White House strategist Karl Rove, the election wizard famed as George Bush's brain, is in cocky mood. In the contests that matter, Rove reckons Republicans have the money and the machine to win.

Take two examples that matter most to those outside the United States. One is climate change. Democrats are not great on it, but they exhibit less of the wilful denial that characterises the Republicans. They would at least give the likes of Sir Nicholas Stern a hearing when he crosses the Atlantic to make his case for a cut in carbon emissions - even if they, like the Republicans, can't bring themselves to propose green taxes on anything.

The second critical matter is Iraq. The Democrats' brief policy document, A New Direction for America, calls for "the responsible redeployment of US forces" with "Iraqis assuming primary responsibility for securing and governing their country". Those are, admittedly, words that could be uttered by Bush or Donald Rumsfeld. They too say American troops will stand down as Iraqis stand up. But "responsible redeployment" at least hints at a different impulse: to get the hell out.

Bloomberg.com: Gold Rises as Dollar Drops Amid Concern U.S. Economy Is Slowing - by Chia-Peck Wong

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Gold Rises as Dollar Drops Amid Concern U.S. Economy Is Slowing - by Chia-Peck Wong

Gold prices rose for a seventh day as concerns about a slowdown in the U.S. economy led its currency to decline, prompting some investors to buy the precious metal as an alternative investment. Investors typically buy gold to hedge against a drop in the value of other dollar-denominated assets. The dollar declined to its weakest in five weeks against the yen yesterday as reports showed consumer confidence unexpectedly fell, and Chicago factory output slowed. ``The weak dollar has triggered some buying,'' Peter Tse, chief precious metals dealer at ScotiaMocatta, the bullion arm of Bank of Nova Scotia, said today from Hong Kong.

``We may see another $10 follow-through with some more data coming out of the U.S.'' should gold close above $610, he said.

Xinhua - EU, China agree roadmap on cooperation in regional policy

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EU, China agree roadmap on cooperation in regional policy

BRUSSELS, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Senior officials from China and the European Union (EU) on Tuesday agreed an ambitious roadmap for cooperation in regional policy between China and the 25-member bloc. On Tuesday, EU Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hubner met in Brussels with Vice-Minister Du Ying from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China, aiming to take forward the EU-China Regional policy dialogue launched last May in Beijing. A press release issued by the European Commission (EC) said both parties agreed on strengthening bilateral cooperation and on the exchange of information on policies contributing to growth, competitiveness and employment.

Weazl's Revenge: Italy: It can (should and will) happen here

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Italy: It can (should and will) happen here

MILAN, Italy — A court Monday ordered former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to stand trial on charges of corruption along with the estranged husband of Britain's culture minister. Berlusconi is accused of ordering the payment in 1997 of at least $600,000 to his co-defendant British lawyer David Mills, a close friend, in exchange for the lawyer's false testimony in two trials against Berlusconi. Both deny the allegations.

The new case is set to go to trial March 13. If convicted, Mills and Berlusconi could be sentenced to between three and eight years in prison, according to prosecutors.

ESA - Astrolab - Astrolab Industry Day to showcase European research technology on ISS November 7

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Astrolab - Astrolab Industry Day to showcase European research technology on ISS November 7

ESA will be hosting the ‘ISS Research Technology from Europe’ Industry Day on 7 November 2006 at the ESTEC facility in Noordwijk, the Netherlands. The event is open to representatives from industry involved in the development and installation of European ISS research technology, and for interested media. The day will highlight European technology on the International Space Station (ISS), which is either currently in use on the Station for research purposes or will add to the ISS research capabilities in the very near future. The event will also include a live in-flight call with ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter who is currently serving as a member of the ISS Expedition 14 crew.

Much of the day will focus on the Pulmonary Function System (PFS), the Minus 80 degrees laboratory Freezer for the ISS (MELFI) and the European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS).