US tumbles down the world ratings list for life expectancy -by Ewen MacAskill
A combination of expensive health insurance and an ever-increasing rate of obesity appear to be behind a startling fall by the US in the world rankings of life expectancy. Despite being one of the richest countries in the world, America has dropped from 11th to 42nd place in 20 years, according to official US figures.
Airbus A380 - Wake on a Plane: Lufthansa may add bunk beds to economy class
Economy fliers may finally have our chance to snooze on an Airbus. Lufthansa, the German airline, recently ran an online questionnaire asking passengers if they'd welcome a chance to stretch out in a horizontal bunk on the Airbus A380. "The first results have been very positive," said a spokeswoman.
Instead of being lined up in horizontal seats, passengers would be stacked vertically from floor to ceiling. Each side of the plane would have three bunks with two more in the middle aisle. The side aisles line up sleepers diagonally in a herringbone pattern. British newspapers immediately seized on this, calling it "kipper class."
The era of imported disinflation may have come to an end for the U.S
The Wall Street Journal reported that not only the global rise in food prices is now even catching up with continental Europe, adding to mounting inflation worries and forcing changes to European Union agriculture policy. Rising global food demand, freakish weather and the trend to reroute crops for biofuels are pushing up food-commodity prices globally. Standard & Poor's GSCI Excess Return Index, which measures the price movements of eight agriculture commodities -- including wheat, sugar and corn -- is up 10% in the past year.
U.S. import prices swelled for a fifth-straight month in July on higher energy prices and another record increase in the prices of products from China, suggesting the U.S. can no longer count on cheap overseas goods to offset domestic price pressures. The data should keep US Federal Reserve policy makers on edge about the risk that high oil and commodity prices, a weak dollar and robust global economic growth will boost inflation in the U.S.
Europe's youth take complex view of US - by Robert Marquand
Negative attitudes in Europe about America hardened steadily during the Iraq war, particularly among Europeans under age 30. Yet the harshest anti-US feelings may be peaking among Europe's young – giving way to more complex and ambiguous views of the US and its identity, interviews show. There is sheer exhaustion about war news, a certain passion among students not to hold absolute views on anything, and a cynicism about politics in Europe. "Every day, 48 people die in Baghdad, it seems," says Charlotte Boulanger, who is trying to start an e-newsletter in Paris on human rights. "You get angry, but what can you do? I think everyone is now waiting. It is easy to blame America for everything, and a lot of us do. But sometimes it is a cover for our own failures."
Younger Europeans say America defines much of the way the world thinks. Many say they are swimming in an ocean of American media. "[We] feel that countries like the US, which impose their culture on others, are more difficult to respect," says Bruno, a French graduate student listening to "extreme metallica" in the Luxembourg Gardens. "A lot of people are sick of Americanization … we want new technology from America, but it comes with American commercial attitudes." But, he adds, "Young Americans seem to have a desire for renewal ... and this diversity is something I like."
Boulanger, whose mother is Finnish and father is French, thinks a stronger Europe is an alternative to a US global model. "We think about America as the No. 1 power.... We feel it around us every day. We all know what is happening in California, we hear about the Middle East, we know what [Secretary of State] Condi Rice is doing every day. But we have no idea what [EU foreign policy chief] Javier Solana is doing." Note EU-Digest: "The report by the CSMonitor should be obligatory reading material for every European politician. The comment by Boulanger "hits the nail on the head". If the EU wants to succeed, its leaders must show far more enthusiasm for the European dream. Young EU Citizens who see one of their politicians munch on hamburgers and hot-dogs with a lame-duck, Iraq war tainted President Bush in Maine, certainly will have their doubts about Europe's place in the world as an independent political and economic entity, or the quality and vision of its political leadership."
Trichet Concerned over Independence of ECB in new Treaty - by Hnor Mahony
The European Central Bank (ECB) last week sent a letter asking member states to make sure that the bank's independence is maintained in a new EU treaty following a small but potentially significant change to the draft treaty outline. In a letter sent to the current Portuguese EU presidency published 9 August, ECB head Jean-Claude Trichet asked for specific changes that would guarantee that the bank has a special status, separate from other EU institutions such as the parliament and commission.
Spain’s New Muslims - by Geoff Pingree and Lisa Abend
Now, when Spain is home to hundreds of thousands of North African immigrants, converts like Castiñeira are crucial mediators of a profoundly multicultural nation. Their tolerant, Sufi-inflected religion has become the palatable — the agreeable — face of Spanish Islam. And although these New Muslims, as many wish to be called, are but a fraction of Spain’s Muslim population, their influence is great. It is the discourse of the convert community, with its emphasis on Andalusian Islam and an “alliance of civilizations,” its promotion of women’s rights, and its rejection of violence.
Confused behaviour of President Sarkozy at G8 Summit Press conference - was he drunk? - by Tim King
"It is not sure if Nicolas Sarkozy’s performance at his first major international press conference (G8 Summit) was taken up by the British press. Here (in France) there is something less than enthusiasm for writing about it, although the video is circulating on the web. It’s hard to believe it’s genuine – the way he moves is so odd it looks faked. Certainly if it isn’t, then his behaviour is extremely strange. Some people say he was drunk (Sarkozy claims he doesn’t touch alcohol), others that he was stoned, yet others that he had OD-ed on vitamins. If the video is genuine then he is acting as if he were all those things at once?"
For a YouTube clip from this press conference click on this link and judge for yourself
Chancellor Angela Merkel says she's serious about the commitments to climate protection agreed upon at the June G8 summit. She can prove her earnestness soon as she tries to recruit allies in China and Japan this month. "We need a successor arrangement for the time after 2012," Chancellor Merkel told the Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) daily, adding that she was going to apply herself forcefully to bringing one about.
The Kyoto Protocol, which sets specific targets for reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions, expires at the end of 2012. With the notable exception of the United States, most of the world's industrialized countries have signed up to the treaty.
Middle East already planning for Bush's departure- by Marl Sybel
The calculus — that the end of the Bush administration is approaching and things will be different afterward — now underpins political thought throughout much of the Middle East. With 17 months to go in Bush's second term, political leaders in the region are anticipating his departure and preparing for change.
Bush, Sarkozy promote ties over burgers
President George W. Bush and French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Saturday stressed friendship over disagreement at a lunch of hamburgers and hot dogs at the Bush family estate aimed at improving relations strained by the Iraq war. The American holiday, which has drawn criticism in France, was briefly interrupted when Sarkozy flew home to attend the funeral of Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger on Friday. Sarkozy's wife, Cecilia, called first lady Laura Bush on Saturday morning and said she and her children were not feeling well and would not attend the lunch. Sarkozy said when he returned from France he discovered they had sore throats.
The setting for the lunch -- which also featured corn-on-the-cob, baked beans and fresh blueberry pie -- was a cluster of dark brown buildings with tennis courts and a swimming pool on a point jutting over rocks, with boats and ducks bobbing nearby in the waves.
Ernst and Young’s Study: “In 2050 the BRIC Economies, Turkey and Indonesia Potential to Overtake G7 economies
The Ernst and Young European Attractiveness Survey 2007 reports that the popularity of nations such as Turkey and Indonesia as future business destinations is increasing while the attractiveness of Europe and North America is on the decline. "The seven new global powers by 2050 will comprise the so-called BRIC economies (Brazil, Russia, India and China) together with Indonesia, Mexico and Turkey," the survey by the global business consultancy company stated.
By that time, these seven countries will overtake the economies of the current G7 countries in terms of gross domestic product (GDP), the survey said further. Western Europe 's attractiveness for foreign investors declined significantly in 2007.
Europe with or without God
For these past four years, Europeans, including, obviously the people of these islands, have been talking and reading quite a lot about the drafters of the European Constitution; These drafters and their associates would do well to refer to the founding fathers of Europe, Alcide De Gasperi from Italy, Robert Schuman from France, and Konrad Adenauer from Germany.
All these causes are at the diocesan level, with only that of Konrad Adenauer at its earliest stage. Chiara Lubich, founder of the very active Focolare movement, and one of the lay auditors at the Synod in Rome, told The Tablet (UK) that with the opening of the three causes, " this project of a united Europe rests upon a rock". She further explained: "I think that the European Union is a design not only of human beings but also of God".
Note EU-Digest: God is omni-present everywhere-if we like it or not. Religious doctrine however can not be part of the political process in a multi-cultural and secular society.
Europeans have developed a high level of anti-Americanism. Andrei Markovits, an American expert on Germany, says politics is just one of the many spheres where Europeans oppose the big and powerful United States.
Can it be changed? It can't be changed. It might become better with the end of the Iraq war, and Hillary [Clinton] as a president, but it won't disappear. Today, it is hard for young American students to be in Germany -- they constantly have to explain themselves. You basically have to start every conversation with "I hate Bush." For you to be seen as a half-way decent human being, that is the opening gambit. Americans need to constantly prove that they are the good, different American. This goes on all the time. It is a general discourse, which I don't think will disappear anytime soon.
David, the EU's here to stay, so join in - Denis Macshane
In a passionate defense of the European Union, the former Europe Minister calls on the Tory leader to embrace the real future.Other than cabinet ministers under orders to take their holidays in Britain, millions are now enjoying the pleasures of Europe, from the Galway coastline to the Black Sea. Far from the homogenized Europe controlled by the Brussels bureaucracy so beloved by our Euro-sceptic pols and hacks, most will see a wide variety of nations, regions and communities that have managed to share a small part of their common sovereignty to form this thing called the European Union.
Subprime or Subcrime? Time To Investigate and Prosecute
French Bank freezes billions of US subprime funds: Subprime or Subcrime? Time To Investigate and Prosecute
"A French bank froze BILLIONS Thursday saying, “The complete evaporation of liquidity in certain market segments of the U.S. securitization market has made it impossible to value certain assets.” Translation from the French: "We are all in deep sh..".
On Thursday morning, President Bush was asked about this at a press conference. He blamed borrowers for not understanding the documents they signed. "If you have ever tried to read the documents banks prepare for mortgage closings, you will know that they are written by risk minimizing lawyers to be too long and dense to be understood." (Later in the day, the market reacted to his upbeat assessment with the Dow plunging 387 points.)"
The Washington Post reports that the US has started a bail out “pumping more than $150 billion into the financial system to keep it operating smoothly.” Where is this money coming from? Not from the military budget you can be sure."
Note EU-Digest: "Today Mr. Bush and Mr. Sarkozy, the new French President will be having lunch in Maine. With the above in mind most of us in Europe are hoping Mr. Sarkozy will start to water down his great admiration for the US economic system. It is in shambles. "
The World Economic Crises - Chinese officials say they can cause US $ crash
The Chinese government has threatened to liquidate its vast holdings of US. dollars if Washington follows through on a threat to force Beijing to revaluate its own currency. Two Communist Party officials in recent days have said in interviews China could use its $1.33 trillion worth of foreign reserves to counter congressional pressure on Beijing to adjust the value of its yuan.
Such a move by China would threaten a crash of the U.S. dollar at a time when it has already lost ground worldwide. It also could trigger a spike in the U.S. bond yields, which could then seriously affect the housing market - already beset by credit woes - and put the economy into a recession.
All Eyes on the ECB - by Kerry Capell and Mark Scott
Does the European Central Bank know something the rest of the world doesn't? That was the question on the minds of investors and traders in Europe on Aug. 10 as the ECB, for the second day running, injected extra cash into the European banking system with the aim of restoring calm to jittery credit markets.
The real problem is the lack of disclosure. Banks have been trying to reassure the market that their exposure to asset-backed securities is manageable. "But the market, at the moment, just doesn't buy it," says CreditSights' Adamson. Investor skepticism is understandable. With major banks such as BNP Paribas claiming the volatility in the credit markets has made it impossible to value their investments, it's little wonder investors worry whether the worst has yet to come.
Poland edged closer to snap elections, markets stay cool
Poland edged closer to snap elections late yesterday, after President Lech Kaczynski and opposition leader Donald Tusk agreed that a vote was 'inevitable' in the coming months to help halt a government crisis.
An early poll raises the prospect of a government led by the economically liberal Civic Platform (PO) party, which leads in the polls and is favored by investors.
BULGARIA AND ROMANIA SHOULD CONTINUE REFORMS FOR THE SAKE OF THEIR WELFARE – says STABILITY PACT CHIEF
Bulgaria and Romania have done much to achieve their development goals, said Stability Pact special co-ordinator for South-Eastern Europe Erhard Busek.
Comment EU-Digest:Unfortunately public opinion polls show that most of the core EU nations citizens are not satisfied with the performance of the former East Bloc nations, which were admitted to the EU before they had cleaned-up their internal corruption and criminal problems. Eastern European member states citizens who have migrated to Northern European countries are blamed for the increased crime rate in the EU.
Statistics prove prescription drugs are 16,400% more deadly than terrorists
Over 750,000 people actually do die in the United States every year, although not from plane crashes or terrorist attacks. They die from something far more common and rarely perceived by the public as dangerous: modern medicine.
European Space research: A dedicated Ariane 5 to launch Jules Verne
Jules Verne, the first Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), will be launched next year by a specific version of Ariane 5 called the Ariane 5 Evolution Storable upper stage Automated Transfer Vehicle, or A5 ES-ATV for short.The 20 750 kg ATV mass represents more than twice the heaviest single payload Ariane 5 has ever lifted in the past, including Envisat, the 8-tonne environment satellite. “To handle such a heavy-weight, the Vehicle Equipment Bay, supporting the ATV on top of the launcher, has been structurally redesigned and strengthened accordingly,” explains Julio Monreal, ESA's head of Ariane operations support, in charge of the ATV-Ariane 5 interfaces.
The adaptation of Ariane 5 has required two and a half years of work. This ESA programme has been implemented by the French space agency CNES through EADS Space Transportation, the prime contractor. From January 2007 on, the launcher will be ready for the Jules Verne mission. Later on in 2007, Arianespace will handle the launch itself in French Guiana according to the requirements of ESA in coordination with NASA and Russian counterparts. “With the launch of Jules Verne and the follow-up ATVs flights, the whole Ariane 5 transportation system is starting a new era related to human spaceflights; although no crew will be launched in an ATV, this vehicle complies with the human spaceflight safety requirements and for the first time, the Ariane 5 launcher will fulfill a mission for ESA's Human Spaceflight, Microgravity and Exploration Directorate”, explains Arianespace's chief executive Jean-Yves Le Gall.
The Netherlands: What's eating Geert Wilders?
Since his departure from the Liberal Party (VVD) in 2004, precipitated by, among other things, disagreement on Turkey's EU-candidacy, Geert Wilders has become steadily more radical in word and deed, claiming all the while only to be interested in freedom; in November 2005 for instance, he called for the burqa to be banned from the street because it was such an offensive symbol of the oppression of women.
Like Fortuyn, Wilders is a narcissist. His divisive and destructive prattle is utterly self-serving, the more radically outspoken his intolerance, the more attention he generates. For the narcissist, attention is highly addictive and like the drug addict, the narcissist will go to greater and greater lengths to get his fix, becoming ever more destructive along the way. Ultimately, addiction's primary victim is often the addict themselves; we can only hope that this will be the case with Wilders' evermore reckless sating of his steadily burgeoning appetite for attention.
Bushes to lunch with President Sarkozy of France in Maine
President George W. Bush and French President Nicolas Sarkozy will meet this weekend at the coastal home of Bush's parents in the northeastern state of Maine, the White House said Wednesday.The Bushes are having Sarkozy and his wife, Cecilia, to a private lunch on Saturday, presidential spokesman Tony Snow said. Laura Bush extended the invitation during meetings of world leaders in Germany in June, Snow said. "The U.S. and France share the deepest of friendship," Snow said. "They've worked together since the founding of our nation to protect freedom around the world."
EuroFighter Jets Being Made Ready For Combat
The new state-of-art Eurofighter, part of which is made in Lancashire England, will be deployed in combat for the first time next year.
The Eurofighter Typhoon will see action in Afghanistan after defence bosses redesigned the EURO 118 million planes to also be capable of ground attacks. The first two redesigned jets, capable at flying twice the speed of sound, were handed over to the RAF at Warton on Monday.
The world Economy - The US Fed's Meltdown - by Doug McIntosh
Much has been made of the American Stock Markets as "economic indicators." What rubbish! Any resemblance between the American Stock Markets and the actual American Economy are pure delusion. For instance, the fiat Federal "dollar" has been collapsing at a steady rate the last five years. It would be logical the stock markets would be declining since the sacrosanct "corporate profits" they worship are actually going down. Nope. Or perhaps the stock markets would judge the Federal Government as actually bankrupt? Nope. The markets just gleefully crash through the 14,000 barrier based upon the delusion of the moment. Well, the delusions are ending. And the hangover is going to be savage. Risk is coming back into the economic sphere.
British Criticize US Air Attacks in Afghan Region - by Carlotta Gall
A senior British commander in southern Afghanistan said in recent weeks that he had asked that American Special Forces leave his area of operations because the high level of civilian casualties they had caused was making it difficult to win over local people.
Other British officers here in Helmand Province, speaking on condition of anonymity, criticized American Special Forces for causing most of the civilian deaths and injuries in their area. They also expressed concerns that the Americans’ extensive use of air power was turning the people against the foreign presence as British forces were trying to solidify recent gains against the Taliban.
Kebab shop worker's rap is the hottest single in France - by Claire Soares
From mutton grease to musical greatness, it has been an unconventional road for rapper Lil'Maaz and his hit anthem "Mange du Kebab" (Eat Kebab). The 27-year-old Turkish immigrant, whose real name is Yilmaz Karaman, moved to Paris four years ago and took a job in a kebab house where he would sing as he served. "It all started with my interactions with customers, asking them whether they wanted tomatoes, mayonnaise," he explained. "The questions took on their own rhythm and very quickly it became a rap." It turned out some of his kebab-hungry clientele worked in a recording studio and they decided to help him reach a wider audience. A clip on the internet site Dailymotion clocked up half a million hits in a month, and caught the eye of big-time record executives. Now Lil'Maaz finds himself in the same stable as the Beatles after EMI released 25,000 copies of the single in France earlier this week.
Africans and more rap on wet Mediterranean doors(154 died in June Alone)- by Camelia Paraschiv
llegal immigration and the state(s) of southern Europe - a seemingly never-ending waiting-process - for Warsaw-based EU border control agency Frontex to strengthen its network of coastal patrols, for funds, and for bilateral treaties to be established between Europe and African countries
As they wait, key regions - the Canary Islands, the Andalusian coast, Spanish enclaves in Morocco Ceuta and Melilla, and Mediterranean islands Lampedusa (Italy) and Malta – continue to 'welcome' pateras (Spanish for flat-bottomed wooden boats) in their waters. After the first en masse arrival-cum-crisis of illegal immigrants in the Canary Islands in 2002, the problem reached boiling point in 2006, climaxing with a peak in worldwide media interest. All the while, the cost of human lives remains tragically high: 154 African immigrants died on their way to Europe in pateras in June 2007 alone.
Europe's economic prospects still strong despite high market volatility
In report titled 'European economic forecast: the central banks' tightening cycle nears its end,' S&P said the present high rate of capacity utilization combined with robust demand prospects will continue to spur capital spending. But, the volatility in credit markets could curtail liquidity and act as a powerful brake on corporate investments.
'Our view at this point is that investment-grade corporates are unlikely to be significantly affected by the current market turbulence. But there is a risk that a more dramatic flight to quality by investors and money managers would shut down refinancing routes for all but the most creditworthy entities,' Jean-Michel Six, S&P's chief economist for Europe, said.
"Dutch Parliamentarian Wilders incites hate" - "Wilders needs to be impeached" - EU-Digest
A lawyer from Lelystad reported to police on Wednesday to bring a case against Geert Wilders. Els Lucas says that the politician's letter published in the Volkskrant on Wednesday incites hate between population groups. In the letter Wilders compares the Koran with Hitler's Mein Kampf and urges that the holy book of Islam be banned. "I think that is really taking it too far. Moreover it is unseemly that a member of Parliament is expressing himself in this manner," Lucas said.
EU-Digest Comment: Mr. Wilders statements show that he does not deserve to be a Dutch Parliamentarian and needs to be impeached. Unfortunately the Dutch government majority will probably not have the stomach to do anything significant to make Mr. Wilders understand that statements like this incite hate and have nothing to do with freedom of speech. The "cosmetic" reactions by the Dutch political system following the Srebrenica massacre, when Dutch UN troops did not lift a finger to stop this mass murder of innocent civilians, is a good example of how weak the Dutch political establishment is when it comes to taking any firm action to punish their own. We can only hope that this time the Dutch government will set an example and take the appropriate action against Mr. Wilders.
PM to resign, blames him for ongoing political strife and redicule of the country
Former President Lech Walesa called on Poland's prime minister to resign, saying he was responsible for political turmoil that was undermining the country's reputation abroad. Wrangling within Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski's coalition in recent weeks has weakened the government, leading to speculation of a possible collapse. Walesa said it was also making Poland into an international laughing stock.
Walesa, a Nobel peace laureate for leading the dissident movement that eventually toppled communism in Poland, said the prime minister should share the blame for the political turmoil with his twin brother, President Lech Kaczynski. "I was just in the Caribbean, and everywhere people know what's going on in Poland, and everywhere they are making fun of us," Walesa said on TVN24. "Even abroad the Kaczynski brothers are perceived as a source of unrest." "If the prime minister cannot take advantage of what he has, he should step down," Walesa said.
Amsterdam store owners fear ban on "magic" psychedelic mushrooms - by Toby Stirling
The famously liberal Netherlands has been swinging toward the right, cracking down on immigration, religious freedoms and the freewheeling red-light district. The next possible target? Magic mushrooms.
The death of a 17-year-old French girl, who jumped from a building after eating psychedelic mushrooms while on a school visit, has ignited a campaign to ban the fungi — sold legally at so-called "smartshops" as long as they're fresh.A 1971 U.N. convention on psychotropic substances banned psilocybin, the main active ingredient in mushrooms, in its purified form. But the legal status of mushrooms themselves was long unclear. Over the last six years, they have been outlawed in Denmark, Japan, Britain and Ireland. It is also illegal to sell psilocybin-containing mushrooms in all U.S. states, but the status of spores, homegrown and wild species varies from state to state. Peter Van Dijk, a researcher at the Netherlands' independent Trimbos Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, said risks grow if mushrooms are combined with alcohol or cannabis, or if people already have psychiatric problems.
A study published in January by Amsterdam's health services said the city's emergency services were summoned 148 times to deal with a negative reaction to mushrooms in 2004-2006. Of those, 134 were foreigners, with Britons forming the largest group. If the government does ban mushrooms, it will be in keeping with conservative trends that have been sweeping the country in recent years.
Honour it, Treasure it, Protect it and Defend it -
United we stand, divided we fall - Pass it on...
- EU-Digest
Immigration: More Americans heading North to Canada - by Tim Harper
An analysis of immigration statistics done by the Montreal-based Association for Canadian Studies showed the number of Americans who moved to Canada in 2006 hit a 30-year high, almost double the number who moved north in 2000 when Bush was elected for a first term as U.S. president. The day after Bush was re-elected president, there were 191,000 hits on Canada's immigration website, six times its average traffic, most of it from the U.S.
The analysis also showed the southward brain drain is being narrowed somewhat, and most of the American migrants are highly educated people who may be moving to Canada for quality of life and social reasons.For 34-year-old labour organizer Tom Kertes, the move last April from Seattle, Wash., to Toronto was based on human rights. "The words `human rights' are foreign words in the U.S.,'' Kertes said. "They only apply to other countries.''He also cited the war in Iraq and the torture of Iraqi prisoners by Americans – and the failure of the Bush administration to clearly disavow such practice – as contributing factors to what is a major decision.
Lenovo (China) has Packard Bell Europe in sights
Chinese PC manufacturer Lenovo is in talks to buy Dutch counterpart Packard Bell as it looks to strengthen its market position in Europe. Experts said Packard Bell, which says it is Europe's third-largest PC maker, is worth about $800m (EURO 582.214m).
Lenovo established itself as a global player in 2005 when it bought IBM's PC arm but is relatively weak in Europe.
"The acquisition is positive for Lenovo as Packard Bell can help Lenovo penetrate the European consumer segment quickly," said Zhao Xin, from bankers Cazenove.
İstanbul: The new trendy city for Erasmus students
Named after the great philosopher, theologian, humanist and -- especially -- traveler Erasmus von Rotterdam (1465-1536) the EU program was established in 1987 with the aim of increasing the mobility of European students and therewith to finally bring forward a border crossing cooperation in the field of education.
A real success story is seen when examining Turkey’s Erasmus performance in detail. Compared to 2004, when 1,100 outgoing and 300 incoming Erasmus students were registered in Turkey, today -- in Turkey’s third year of Erasmus participation -- 2,852 Turkish students have left the country to study, with 828 students coming to Turkey. With an annual increase of about 150 percent, Turkey seems to be the new flagship of the EU program.
Today students from nearly all EU countries can be found in İstanbul. Especially high are the numbers of students from Denmark, Germany, Greek, Spain, the UK and Hungary, while from a wide range of subjects the preferred ones are the social and political sciences, engineering and business.
The Politics of Sarkozy's NH Vacation - by Bruce Crumley
t may be a sign of just how well France's President Nicolas Sarkozy is doing three months into his new job that the most vocal complaint by his opposition is over his choice of vacation spot. But the Socialist Party's grumbling over Sarkozy choosing New Hampshire as the place to catch his breath after a brisk spree of legislative and diplomatic coups only seemed to reinforce his standing as a leader of whom the French public can't get enough.
Community Voices $199 Linux Laptop Tantalizes Before Official Launch
The Eee PC laptop is a little marvel. One of the biggest news stories out of this year’s Computex wasn't of a new chipset, GPU, or graphics card, but rather of the announcement of the ASUS Eee PC, a small, slim, and light portable computer that is priced at $199. Introduced by Jonney Shih, Chariman and CEO of ASUS at Intel’s keynote address the first day of the show, the Eee PC has already made headlines world wide. One of the first things that you notice when picking up the ASUS Eee PC 701 is the fact that it is so light. The Eee PC weighs in at only .89 kilograms, which translates to just around 2 pounds. The keyboard on the Eee PC is slightly crammed and smaller than most notebook keyboards due to the Eee PC’s smaller form factor. It very closely resembles the size of the keyboard used in the Dell Inspiron 710, which makes it ideal for emails, web surfing, or short papers.
The Eee PC is running a version of Intel’s 910 mobile chipset, it uses a 900MHz Intel Dothan based Pentium M CPU, it has 512MB of DDR2 memory, full 802.11g wireless capability, and a flash-based hard drive. There will be at least two different models of the Eee PC, with the $199 version using a 4GB flash hard drive.
Dell, the second-largest computer maker, today unveiled its first computers in Europe to be sold installed with the Linux operating system, rather than Microsoft’s dominant Windows system. The potential competition to Windows, which along with the Office software suite is one of Microsoft’s two most important cash cows, was upped further when Lenovo, the third-largest computer maker, added that it would also start selling laptop computers preloaded with a version of Linux developed by the rival software group Novell at the end of this year.
Open source" software, such as Linux-based operating systems, do not require license fees to be paid, a factor that can reduce costs for consumers and businesses, although users may have to pay to have their systems serviced or upgraded. For additional information about Linux on getting your own Linux operating system installed on your computer click on this link
The European Counterweight--Part 2: Will a Strongman Fill the Void? - by Bruce Ritter
Europe finds itself at a major crossroads: continue on its present course and remain in America’s shadow, while flexing its diplomatic and economic muscles like a passive-aggressive giant—or take the lead role on the world stage and become a dominant superpower.Many believe that, because it is mired in bureaucracy and is severely limited by its system of governance by committee, Europe is incapable of choosing the latter path.Consider the numerous obstacles and challenges that the EU must face: dealing with Russia and its competing interests; the growing economic threat of a China-India trade alliance; the continual Europe-wide need for oil; the rising tide of secularism, as the Vatican repeatedly calls for Europe to return to its spiritual roots; a growing and restless European Muslim population that could one day become the majority; terrorism from Islamic extremists; deciding whether to grant Turkey, an Islamic country, EU membership—the list goes on.
Europe’s future will be determined by how it deals with these and other issues.
The European Counterweight--Part 1: A Leaderless Superpower - by Bruce A.Ritter
It has more people (454.7 million) than the United States—a larger consumer market—more troops (collectively, almost two million armed forces personnel)—and, with more votes on the United Nations Security Council and every other international body, stronger political muscle.It has a president, a legislative body, a flag, a national anthem, a motto (“Unity in Diversity”), open borders between member states, a constitution (yet to be ratified), a Bill of Rights, and a court system that can overrule the highest of any member court.It also has an emerging common culture that speaks a common language: English.
A common European culture is emerging among the generation ranging from ages 15 to 40. Known as “Generation E” (or “the Nineties Generation”), it consists of college-educated young professionals who grew up in one part of Europe—Edinburgh, Madrid or Florence, for example—studied at universities in other parts of the continent—such as Oxford, Paris or Frankfurt—and are pursuing professional careers in still another section of Europe, as in Rome, Brussels or Dublin (called “the Silicon Valley of Europe”). Increasingly, those in Generation E view themselves as Europeans first—secondarily Scots, Spaniards, Germans, Italians or otherwise. In their eyes, Europe is more than just a continent—it’s their national homeland. And English is emerging as the common language.
Europe fights plans to give emerging economies bigger say in IMF - by Renata Goldirova
France, Germany and the UK have joined forces to fight against plans to reform the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which would give a bigger say to emerging economies such as China, India and Brazil at the expense of European states. But senior IMF officials told the Financial Times that countries are locked in a dispute which pits Europe against the US and fast-growing economies."The UK, France and, to a lesser extent, Germany, have dug in their heels", a senior IMF official is cited as saying by the FT, adding that "Japan also fears being eclipsed by its Asian rivals".
On the other hand, the US – reportedly "annoyed with the Europeans' intransigence" – has pushed for more votes to the four most under-represented IMF members – Mexico, Turkey, South Korea and China. Washington is seen as a staunch ally of the first three, and wants to see Beijing change its currency policy. EU-Digest Comment: If Europe gives up their leadership in the IMF, the US should do the same in the World Bank.
World/US Economy - Subprime Nonsense from the US Government - Dan Gross
"Everywhere you look in the US vast financial FIRE (finance, insurance, and real estate) sector, in fact, it seems the subprime crisis is "contained." The virus infecting subprime housing debt has now clearly spread to subprime corporate debt. Citigroup and other large investment banks are suddenly finding it difficult to sell the debt they've committed to raise for private equity firms so they can buy other companies. Of course, this particular spot of bother is contained merely to the stock of the Blackstone Group, which borrows heavily to finance its deals. And to shareholders of companies waiting for buyouts to be completed, like Sallie Mae and TXU.
Ireland's economic transformation offers lesson for Latin American nations - by Andreas Oppenheimer
Like most Latin American countries, Ireland was until very recently a poverty-ridden, agricultural, soccer-loving, Roman Catholic country best known for having a sizable part of its population living abroad and an economy that was heavily dependent on family remittances from its migrants in the United States. By some standards, Ireland was even poorer than most Latin American countries. The Great Irish Famine of 1846 left about 1 million dead. Until as recently as the early 1990s, Ireland was still one of Europe's poorest countries, and the Irish were often stereotyped as the British people's poor cousins. Like in many parts of Latin America, the most common joke in Ireland was, "Would the last person to leave the country please turn off the lights?"
My opinion: While Latin American countries should not follow Ireland's model, or any other, blindly - the region has the highest inequality levels in the world, and should do a better job than Ireland in distributing wealth - they could learn a lot from its successful immersion into the global economy. Note EU-Digest: what Mr. Oppenheimer is not mentioning is the fact that because the US has largely supported the military and wealthy (influential) ruling class in Latin America the distribution of wealth has not taken place. Only slowly now with the emergence of more Liberal minded democratically elected politicians some change is possible.
"A Strange Feeling" - by by Michael P.F. van der Galiën
"During my stay in Turkey, I have visited several mosques. Last week Friday and today I did not just visit mosques: I went there with a Muslim and joined the men in prayer. Some of my Christian brethren might be shocked by this, but I did not have a big problem with praying with Muslims and praying like they do. In fact, I found the praying to be… comforting. I obviously prayed to God as in the Christian God, and I did not silently pray the same prayer the Muslims prayed: I prayed to the Christian concept of God and chose my own words / thoughts… But it was comforting nonetheless. When praying, I was - today and last week friday as well - overwhelmed by a very positive, peaceful feeling. Or perhaps peaceful or positive energy is the best word to describe this feeling."
Who Paid for Sarkozy's Vacation in US? - Estate owned by former Microsoft Executive
Politicians from France's opposition Socialist Party on Monday demanded to know who was paying for conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy's New England vacation. The Sarkozys have been staying in New Hampshire at an estate on Lake Winnipesaukee owned by former Microsoft Corp. (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) executive Michael Appe. The estate can be rented for $30,000 a week, according to a rental Web site.
Turkish Military Expels Officers - by Onur Ant
Turkey's secular military expelled 10 officers for being "reactionary" - a euphemism for Islamist activities - along with 13 others accused of lack of discipline, an official said Sunday. The military, a strong supporter of Turkey's secular standing, ousted the 10 officers for "reactionary activities," the military official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to media.
Lufthansa studying first-ever economy sleeper cabin for their Airbus 380
There is good news for the thrifty traveler. German carrier Lufthansa AG is considering introducing an economy sleeper cabin on its long-haul flights, which would for the first time offer economy-class passengers a bed rather than a seat for a far more comfortable ride.
Candidates and the Collapsing Economy - by Allan Farago
Ordinary people and most voters aren’t up to the challenge of understanding the risks in financial derivatives. But the signals are everywhere. The candidate who can tap into the frustration around collapsing home markets and the proliferation of unsustainable risk to the economy will be the next President of the United States.
UK gov. lab suspected in foot-and-mouth outbreak in Britain
British officials said late Saturday that they suspect the strain of food-and-mouth disease recently discovered in cattle in southern England may have escaped from a nearby government laboratory studying the disease.
According to the Associated Press, U.K. agriculture officials told reporters that the strain, which had not been seen for some time in living animals, is identical to one being studied at the government's Institute for Animal Health laboratory.
The strain was discovered in cattle on a farm outside of Wanborough, London, about four miles from the facility. Wanborough is approximately 30 miles southwest of London.
Europe's top ten tourist attractions (as published by TripAdvisor.com) by Phil Marty
The top European attractions, according to traveler popularity and TripAdvisor editors:
1. London Eye, London
2. Tower of London, London
3. Eiffel Tower, Paris
4. Musee du Louvre, Paris
5. Colosseum, Rome
6. Anne Frank House, Amsterdam
7. Musee d’Orsay, Paris
8. State Hermitage Museum and Winter Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia
9. Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen
10. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain
Bruxelles to India
Jet Airways debuts in continental Europe
Jet Airways today launched its debut flight from Brussels to India, becoming the first private Indian carrier to fly to and from continental Europe. The flight to Mumbai was flagged off by the Indian ambassador to Belgium and the European Union Dipak Chatterjee from the Brussels national airport this morning. Yesterday Jet Airways launched its first flight from Mumbai to the US with a two-hour stopover in Brussels. The airline will fly from India through Brussels to Toronto on September five and to Johannesburg in November. Jet Airways established an operational hub in Brussels in May to provide enhanced connectivity between India, Europe, Africa and North America.
Aging Europe seeks manpower from India-by Himanshi Dhawan
A rapidly aging population coupled with an increasingly better standard of living amongst its citizens has prompted the European Union to look towards Asia, specifically India, to bridge a yawning labour supply gap. In recent months, the ministry of overseas Indian affairs is negotiating with Belgium, Poland, Sweden and France to facilitate migration of skilled professionals from India over the next few years. It is a win-win situation. While Europe requires skilled personnel like engineers and health workers and those in other semi-skilled professions, the EU provides a good alternative for Indians facing laws that discourage migration in US and UK and human rights issues in the Gulf countries.
Bush Policies Promote Global Jihad - by Cliff Kincaid
One problem stems from the constitution for Iraq, crafted with U.S. help, that established a Muslim state. Many of us warned at the time that the document could help lead to crushing non-Muslim religions and their followers. Conservatives who supported this war have to face the present-day reality that not only are U.S. troops fighting and dying to maintain a pro-Iranian Muslim government in power in Iraq, but that Iran has emerged as the big winner in the region and the world as a result. What's more, it looks like the Bush Administration has no will to confront Iran over killing our soldiers in Iraq or building nuclear weapons. As a result, the administration now wants to sell Saudi Arabia billions of dollars worth of arms so it can confront or contain Iran. Yet, Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, says that Saudi Arabia is undermining U.S. efforts to stabilize Iraq.
U.S. Congress recesses amid Democratic achievements and success - by Richard Cowan
After months of being flogged for accomplishing little, Democrats who control Congress headed into a summer recess having passed several high-profile bills from raising the minimum wage to bolstering U.S. security and expanding children's health care.
Their top priority -- ending the Iraq war -- remains frustratingly unfulfilled. But the Democrats who took over in January were able to go home early on Sunday for a monthlong break having won more support in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives for bringing combat troops home by early next year, marking a significant turnaround from last year.
Call Her Angie von Bismarck - by Josef Joffe
Most of the headlines about Europe in U.S. newspapers these days have been going to Britain's doughty new prime minister, Gordon Brown of Labor, or France's hard-charging new president, the conservative Nicolas Sarkozy. But the most influential European leader, at least for now, is Angela Merkel. The first female chancellor in German history has been having a very nice run as the uncrowned queen of Europe. She is a staggering 40 points ahead of her Social Democratic rival for the chancellorship. So why has Angie, as so many of her 82 million subjects fondly call her, been doing so well?
Turkey's wind may answer energy problems - by Anna Olejarczyk
Ergün Özakat is tired but he is not giving up. His battle is not over. It moves him that in the past 50 years energy in Turkey has not been handled properly. He sits facing the Aegean Sea on his back terrace, wind washing over his face while he nods his head towards the sea. He wants you to know the importance of the Çesme coast. The potential for Turkish wind is unbelievable, but only the foreigners believe it, said Özakat.We in Turkey are always a slow waker. As soon as we find out something, people rush for it. Turkey's character is very much like that.
European Insurers fall into each other's arms - by David Nicholson
A flurry of merger and acquisition activity has taken hold in the insurance industry, with targets large and small coming under scrutiny from rivals. What are the roots of this buzz and what could it mean for consumers?
Last month the European Union announced radical new laws, known as Solvency II, to determine how much capital insurers have to hold to match the risks they face. For the large companies, this is likely to mean they can free up billions of euros in capital, since they are highly diversified and have consequently lower risk. They could, then, spend this extra cash on acquisitions.Mid-sized companies, however, may need to merge with one another to comply with Solvency II.
Airbus A350 may bite into Boeing 777 sales - - by Dominique Gates
While Boeing focuses on getting its best-selling 787 Dreamliner off the ground, it is downplaying a potential challenge from Airbus to the star of its current jet lineup, the 777-300ER. That attitude could cost the company a large order from Australian airline Qantas and risk the loss of more orders in the long term from other carriers.
"Boeing [is] going to be in trouble with the 777-300ER," Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon said in Seattle last month. "The A350-1000 will, if Airbus is correct, produce an aircraft with lower seat-mile costs."
Outcry as British Council quits Europe to woo Muslim world - by Helena Smith
It was the first visible sign of a cultural earthquake. Last week 8,000 books - the entire literary heritage of the British Council in Greece - were carted off to the English department of Athens University. Many of them are works by British hellenists, including poets such as Byron, or celebrate those who forged the bond between Britain and Greece.
It is not just in Athens that the British Council is winding down. Across Europe, half a century of promoting British culture and values is slowly being wound down in favour of a huge increase in funding for activities in the Middle East and Muslim world.
On an Ancient Sea, Europe Dreams and Schemes - by Ian Fisher
It is the original sea of epics, crossed by Ulysses on his journey home and Aeneas on his way to founding what became Rome. So it is natural for European leaders to cast their actions in the Mediterranean in grand terms.If something similar happened on a wider scale, and with more formal structures, it might match the embryonic vision of Mediterranean integration that Prime Minister Romano Prodi of Italy has been talking about for years. “It’s something that is beneficial for them, but also for us,” said Stefano Sannino, Mr. Prodi’s top diplomatic adviser. “More stability, less danger of terrorism, less illegal immigration. Generally speaking, if your neighbor is wealthier, you are wealthier. If your neighbor is more stable, you are more stable.”
Geoff D. Porter, a Middle East and Africa analyst for the Eurasia Group, which advises corporations on political risks, said, “The stick is tough immigration laws, the carrot is development in the countries where the immigrants come from.”
That idea, of a Mediterranean Union, has been circulating around Europe for more than a decade, offered up by various European leaders. Mr. Sarkozy put it front and center again in May, in his victory speech after winning the French presidency. “The time has come,” he said, “to build together a Mediterranean Union that will be the bridge between Europe and Africa.”
Prominent Russian theologian says the Netherlands is the most degrading country in Europe
Prof. Deacon Andrey Kurayev of Moscow Theological Academy has expressed concern for the fate of Holland because of its lax morals.‘The Netherlands is the most degrading country in Europe. I would not compare it to Sodom because it is still a ‘nether land’. What can threaten it instead of fire is only water, and in the nearest future at that. I would not like to frighten anybody though, of course’, Father Andrey said as cited by the Ukrainian issue of the Komsomolskaya Pravda daily. That was Deacon Kurayev’s comment on the daily’s article about Bug Chasings, parties attended by people with AIDS, which have come into fashion in Holland. There is even a gay group called ‘HIV-Positive and Proud’. The Komsomolskaya Pravda daily cites a Dutchman by name of Harald who is healthy but would like to catch AIDS."
Sexual provocativeness as Swedish Lutheran Church to join Stockholm Gay Pride parade
The Swedish Lutheran Church will march for the first time in the Gay Pride parade in Stockholm under the slogan "Love is stronger than everything", the Church announced on Thursday. "For the first time ever, the parade at the Pride festival will have a delegation from the Swedish Church," it said in a statement.
The parade will go through the streets of the Swedish capital on Saturday. The Church said the delegation would include about 30 people including two deans from the Stockholm and Uppsala cathedrals. It said it also wanted to "break the masses' big silence" regarding gays, bisexuals and transsexuals.
Sexual provocativeness in the Netherlands as Dutch teenagers join gay pride parade in Amsterdam for first time
Dutch teenagers will be joining Amsterdam's "Gay Pride canal parade for the first time on Saturday. The Netherlands is the first country to include homosexual minors - some as young as 11 - in the three-day gay festival taking place in Amsterdam this weekend.
A special boat carrying teenage gays and their parents will sail through the Amsterdam canals on Saturday during the famous Gay Pride parade, known for its sexual provocativeness.
Turkey - Empty-hearted secularism - by Azmi Bishara
Modern Turkey has never experienced as extended a period of stability and economic growth as it has under the last government. This government was led by the Justice and Development Party, which just scored another major electoral triumph in the Turkish general elections. In its victory speeches, the Islamist party pledged to safeguard the constitution of Turkey's secular republic.
The Justice and Development Party is far from a leftist or liberal democratic party. But it has certainly governed Turkey better than any other Turkish party that I know of, leftist, liberal, republican or otherwise. Even so, it did not have any easy ride. At one point it had to dissolve and change its name. More recently, it was the victim of a massive hate campaign waged by the left and right in concert in the name of secularism.
Democratic secularists must reach out to and speak with Islamists. There is a vast spectrum of them, and it is important to distinguish between those who share democratic values and those who condemn the democratic process. To toss all of them into a single basket on the grounds of a shared religious frame of reference is to be pointlessly rigid and closed-minded. Even if secularists have some grounds for suspicion, to yield to this sentiment is irrational and futile. The fact is, not only is there a rift in the greater Islamist movement; its mainstream segment will constantly evolve the more it is given the opportunity to involve itself in the affairs of society and state, and the more it discovers, through practice, the diversity and limitations of pluralistic interaction. In addition, the desire to attain and keep power necessitates certain compromises with both self and others.
Iraqi government in deepest crisis - Sam Dagher
Iraq is in the throes of its worst political crisis since the fall of Saddam Hussein with the new democratic system, based on national consensus among its ethnic and sectarian groups, appearing dangerously close to collapsing, say several politicians and analysts.
Members of the Maastricht city council and aldermen are extremely concerned about the problem of drug dealers in the city. Some 270 drug runners are causing more and more trouble in the city, partly because they are becoming more aggressive in their activities.
The Freedom Party PVV in Parliament posed questions to the justice minister on the problems with drug runners.
Iraq: Out of Control Costs of the Iraq War: The Bridge to Nowhere - by Dina Rasor
"The US is spending approximately $10 billion a month in Iraq. Whatever your politics on the war, all of us should agree that we must get control of this spending now. We need to start by reining back the out of control contractor billings so that the predictions that this war will cost $1 trillion will not come true and we can begin to rebuild our country. Professor Melman spent his career warning us about our fraudulent and wasteful war spending. Will we begin to listen now?"
Heat Waves in Europe Nearly Twice as Long Now by Andrea Thompson
European heat waves are nearly twice as long as they were a century ago and the number of hot summer days there have tripled, a new study finds. Researchers compiled temperature records from 54 high-quality recording stations from Sweden to Croatia and found that heat waves last an average of three days now (with some lasting up to 13 days), while they lasted only 1.5 days on average in 1880.
The researchers say their study, detailed in the August 3 issue of the Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, adds to the growing body of evidence that western Europe's climate has become more extreme, likely as a result of global warming.
Germany Boosts Renewable Power Share, Outstripping 2010 Target - by Raier Buergin
Germany will produce 14 percent of its power from renewable sources this year, beating its own target three years early and setting the country up to exceed a more ambitious goal for 2020, the Environment Ministry said. Power from wind, water, the sun and biomass -- biological matter such as vegetable oils and animal waste -- accounted for 10.4 percent of total power generation in 2005 and 12 percent in 2006, and will be around 14 percent this year, the ministry said today in a faxed statement. The government had pledged to generate 12.5 percent of total energy from renewable sources by 2010.
France agrees to sell missiles, radios to Libya
Libya is set to buy anti-tank missiles and radio systems from European aerospace and defence group EADS, days after a visit to Tripoli by President Nicolas Sarkozy, the French government said yesterday.
France repeated its denials that the sale had been agreed in exchange for the release of a group of foreign medics held in jail for eight years for allegedly infecting Libyan children with HIV, and freed hours before Mr. Sarkozy's visit.
Europe: No. 1 in Sustainable Energy - by Mark Scott and Cassidy Flanagan
Saving the planet may not seem like the quickest path to riches. Yet plenty of investors are betting that sustainable energy will make them lots of money. Already the sector is fast becoming a multibillion-dollar industry, giving companies the chance to boost their profit margins and help fight climate change at the same time. Taking advantage of this investment revolution, a wave of European firms has pioneered alternative energy technology to help make Europe the world leader in reducing carbon emissions.
Netherlands has tallest people in the world - Americans' Girth Grows as Height Stagnates - by Karen Springen
The June issue of Social Science Quarterly revealed that Americans—the tallest in the world since Colonial times—are no longer the globe’s giants. That title now goes to the citizens of the Netherlands. There, the typical man stands 6 feet tall and the typical woman 5 foot 7—both more than 2 inches taller than their U.S. counterparts. Back in 1850, the Dutch and other Western Europeans were 2 inches shorter than Americans.
What does it mean that Americans are now among the shortest and fattest people in the industrialized world? If a number of studies out in the last two months are any indication, the stagnating height and expanding girth in the United States are not only related, they may be a sign of a decline in the overall health of Americans—particularly children.
US ECONOMY IN TROUBLE: U.S. job market feels housing's strain - by Peter Gosselin
U.S. employers added a less-than-expected 92,000 jobs and the unemployment rate inched up to 4.6% last month as economic growth slowed under the weight of the worst housing recession in 16 years. Expansion of nonfarm payrolls was down from 126,000 in June and 188,000 in May and the jobless rate was up 0.1 percentage point -- the first increase since April -- as the troubled construction industry trimmed 16,000 jobs, the Labor Department said today. Separately, a measure of the nation's giant service sector showed an unexpectedly large decline in activity.
Netherlands: The End of Tolerance in Amsterdam: Moroccan-Moroccan-Born Mayor Dispenses Tough Love to Immigrants - by Erich Wiedemann
For one Amsterdam mayor, the Netherlands' famous tolerance has gone too far. Morrocan-born Ahmed Marcouch is taking the tough cop approach in a rough Amsterdam neighborhood, pushing his fellow immigrants to integrate. But some consider him a traitor.
Sarkozy - Au revoir Paris, hello Wolfeboro - by Lisa Wangsness
Sarkozy, his country's celebrated new leader, is planning to get some rest and relaxation on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee.
Wolfeboro -- a popular vacation destination for countless Bostonians -- is buzzing with excitement about his visit. David W. Owen, the town manager, said local public safety officials have met with the Secret Service to arrange security. "We're used to having notables, although not heads of state -- heads of state are a little different class," he said.
It is unclear whether Sarkozy's family is accompanying him or why he has chosen Wolfeboro; local residents interviewed did not know of any previous connection. The timing of his visit is also something of a mystery, but a source with knowledge of the trip said Sarkozy plans to arrive in early August and stay for as long as two weeks. A spokesman for the French consulate in Boston declined yesterday to confirm the visit.
New dock turns Zeebrugge into world-class container port
The Port of Zeebrugge is already the world’s number one port for the handling of new cars. With the opening of the new Albert II dock, it is now on its way to becoming a container port of global importance as well. The Albert II dock – named after the current Belgian monarch, King Albert II – was inaugurated last Saturday. It will allow the Port of Zeebrugge to accommodate the largest container ships in the world. Ships carrying 10 000 containers will be able to dock at Zeebrugge day and night, irrespective of the sea’s tides. Even larger vessels, with 13 000 containers on board, will be able to unload without queuing for a berth.
The newly-built dock will give container traffic at the port an enormous boost. The port authorities expect the volume of containers handled to rise to 5 million teu (standard 20-foot containers) within 4 years. Last year, container traffic at Zeebrugge grew 16.5 pct to 1.64 million teu. Overall activity at the port hit a record volume of 39.3 million tonnes.
Spain now proposes Mediterranean Union
Spain's foreign minister has proposed a Mediter-ranean Union, an idea first suggested by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, with fully fledged institutions along the lines of the European Union. "The moment has arrived ... to build a real geopolitical space through the establishment of a Mediter-ranean Union," Miguel Angel Moratinos wrote in an article in yesterday's El Pais, a prominent Spanish daily. A union comprising EU states and Mediterranean countries should have a council of heads of state and government that would set strategic policy guidelines, ministerial councils, a Permanent Commission to act as a secretariat, a reinforced parliamentary assembly and even its own bank, he said. "The organization would help the region tackle challenges ranging from environmental issues to immigration."
Moratinos' comments follow a meeting of foreign ministers from Mediterranean EU countries in Slovenia this month, which discussed expanding the existing Barcelona Process of regular meetings between EU member states and Mediterranean states.
The Independent Institute: Turkey’s Crescent: by Alvaro Vargas Llosa
Turkey’s Crescent: by Alvaro Vargas Llosa
Is Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s recently re-elected prime minister, a closet fundamentalist waiting for the right opportunity to dismantle the legacy of Kemal Ataturk, the architect of his country’s secular republic? Or is he the man who will set a model for the Muslim world by reconciling Islam with Western-style rule of law, the separation of state and religion, the market economy, and the European Union, which he wants Turkey to join?
Bush and Napoleon - by Richard Bulliet
What does George W. Bush share with Napoleon Bonaparte? Perhaps only one thing. Both men launched spectacular attacks on Arab countries, won stunning initial victories, and then became bogged down in a hopeless military occupations.
Global Warming and Agriculture: Impact Estimates by Country -- by William R. Cline
Unabated global warming will reduce global agricultural capacity at least modestly by late in this century, contrary to some estimates that it will benefit global agriculture over that period. The damages will be the most severe and begin the soonest where they can least be afforded: in the developing countries. The losses will be much larger if carbon fertilization1 benefits fail to materialize, especially if water scarcity limits irrigation.
Temperatures in developing countries, which are predominantly located in lower latitudes, are already closer to or beyond thresholds at which further warming will reduce rather than increase agricultural capacity, and these countries tend to have less capacity to adapt. Moreover, agriculture accounts for a much larger share of GDP in developing countries than in industrial countries, so a given percentage loss in agricultural potential would impose a larger income loss in a developing country than in an industrial country. This study starkly confirms the asymmetry between potentially severe agricultural damages in many poor countries and milder effects in rich countries. A small amount of warming through, say, the next two or three decades might benefit global agriculture (with some countries gaining more than others). But it would be a serious mistake to do nothing about global warming on grounds that some studies have estimated global agricultural gains rather than losses for the first few degrees of warming.
Britain can’t have two best friends - by John Bolton (former Bush appointed UN representative who did not receive Senate approval)
Gordon Brown’s first Washington visit as Britain’s prime minister has prompted tea-leaf reading about the strengths and weaknesses of the US-UK relationship. Momentarily diverting – and probably unavoidable – as the frenzy of speculation is, the real tests lie ahead. Actions ultimately trump semiotics in national security affairs.Moreover, as contentious and important as Iraq is, it is a mistake to think that disagreements on that issue represent a fundamental change in the US-UK relationship. Tony Blair and President George W. Bush disagreed on global warming, as will Mr Brown and Mr Bush, but in neither case does the disagreement reflect a tectonic shift.
Eastern European Polluters revolt: Latvia joins Eastern Bloc revolt against EU CO2 caps
Latvia, on 31 July, joined Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Estonia in challenging the EU's emissions trading scheme, after the Commission ordered it to lower its proposed cap for industrial carbon dioxide emissions to 3.43 million tonnes annually, between 2008 and 2012, rather than the 6.25 million it had asked for.
The Eastern European countries are arguing that the strict limits imposed by the EU executive are too low and will hurt their economies at a time when they are still playing catch-up to the rest of the Union. ''We need the extra capacity,'' said Latvian Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis, announcing his government's decision to take the Commission to the European Court of Justice. But the Commission appeared undaunted. ''We are confident that our decisions that have been challenged will stand up in court,'' said environment spokeswoman Barbara Helfferich, insisting that the Commission had “applied the rules fairly” and had not ''discriminated in any way''.
France: Sarkozy: quick off the mark
A recent cartoon in France’s left-leaning Libération showed Bernard Kouchner, the country’s foreign minister, plaintively asking: “Can I finally know what I’m supposed to do?” Mr Sarkozy’s reply? “Look handsome and shut up.” Meanwhile Cécilia Sarkozy, the eye-catching first lady, waved peace-signs to a Libyan crowd to celebrate the release of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor from eight-and-a-half years of detention in Libya. Whatever the protracted negotiations, especially by the European Union, that led to their freedom, the acclaim at the end was for the intervention of Mr Sarkozy.
"Austria providing assistance to PKK terrorists": Turkey taking Austria complaint to United Nations
Austria has so far failed to give "a satisfactory explanation" to Turkey concerning the recent escape of a senior leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) from Vienna to Iraq, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Levent Bilman announced on Wednesday.
Rıza Altun, believed to be the PKK's chief financial operator, codenamed "Ali," flew from Vienna to the northern Iraqi province of Arbil on July 13, despite an Interpol red bulletin on him and an ongoing court trial on terrorism-related charges in France. Shortly after the incident emerged, Turkey presented an official protest to Austria both in Ankara and Vienna. Altun had already been arrested in France as part of an anti-PKK operation in February and was later released pending trial. Although he was banned from traveling out of the Paris area, he appeared in Vienna in early July, where he was briefly detained for carrying a false passport.
Germany, France warn EU against energy breakup
France, Germany and a group of allies have warned the European Commission against proposing the break-up of big European utilities in a draft energy directive due later this year, Germany's Economy Ministry said on Monday.
Brushing away some myths about Turkey's recent election - by Nigar Goksel
Despite efforts by political rivals to spin the July 22 Turkish elections as a confrontation between Islamism and secularism (and the convenient adoption of this rhetoric by some in Europe who conceptualize global affairs and Turkey's European Union membership along these lines), the focus in Turkey was largely on democratization, economic growth and stability.
The conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP) government has tackled problems that have been lingering on Turkey's agenda for decades. Economic growth has been unprecedented. Many factors came together to trigger the virtuous cycle the country has experienced. One need not resort to ideological reasoning to understand why the electorate voted for more of the same, with almost one of every two voters opting for the AKP. One also need not romanticize the AKP. It is a "majority government" with a pragmatic approach seizing the opportunities that international and domestic trends offer.
The EU anchor has played an important role in bringing about predictability in policies and thus confidence to businesspeople. Increased freedoms, coupled with the sense of direction, has been motivating and reassuring, with political, social and economic implications-each reinforcing the other. A virtuous circle was triggered by positive expectations based on the EU integration process and the structural changes it involves.
