US News Report: Consumer Culture Vs. Civic Values - by Kimberly Palmer

For the complete report from US News and World Report click on this link

Consumer Culture Vs. Civic Values - by Kimberly Palmer

In Consumed: How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults, and Swallow Citizens Whole, political theorist and University of Maryland Prof. Benjamin Barber argues that we have shifted from a "work hard" ethic to one that idealizes immediate gratification and selfishness. In the process, he says, we have lost our sense of civic responsibility. He points to high divorce rates, adults who act the way kids do, and the glorification of shopping as Americans' new national pastime. In an E-mail interview, U.S. News asked him why he was so dismayed with consumer culture.

Bloomberg.com: Trichet Defends ECB Against Criticism From Sarkozy - by Simon Kennedy and Sandrine Rastello

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide

Trichet Defends ECB Against Criticism From Sarkozy - by Simon Kennedy and Sandrine Rastello

President Jean-Claude Trichet defended his European Central Bank against criticism from French leader Nicolas Sarkozy that the ECB botched its response to turbulence in financial markets. The two Frenchmen embarked upon another war of words after Le Monde reported that Sarkozy yesterday called it ``curious'' how the ECB had not cut interest rates at the same time as it ``facilitated speculators'' by pumping money markets with cash.

AFP: Italy to consider Ryanair offer for Milan airport

For the complete report from AFP click on this link

Italy to consider Ryanair offer for Milan airport

An offer by Irish airline Ryanair to begin operating out of Milan's Malpensa airport in place of Italian carrier Alitalia will be "considered", Italy's transport minister said Saturday. "It would be mad not to examine an offer of a billion euros (1.4 billion dollars)," Alessandro Bianchi said in Saturday's edition of the Corriere della sera daily.

"I cannot judge this offer from a technical point of view but if a company as large as Ryanair decides to make such an investment, its offer must be considered."

Forbes.com: Gaz de France wants part in Nabucco gas pipeline project

For the complete report from Forbes.com click on this link

Gaz de France wants part in Nabucco gas pipeline project

Gaz de France wants to join the 5 bln eur EU-backed Nabucco gas pipeline project, which aims to secure Europe's gas supply by bringing Central Asian gas to European markets, managing director Jean-Marie Dauger said. The project plans to link Turkey's borders with Iran and Georgia to Baumgarten in Austria with a 3,300 km pipe aimed at reducing EU reliance on Russian gas, which accounts for about 40 pct of supply.

LRB : Perry Anderson: Depicting Europe

For the complete review by the LRB click on this link

Perry Anderson: Depicting Europe

An epiphany is beguiling Europe. Far from dwindling in historical significance, the Old World is about to assume an importance for humanity it has never, in all its days of dubious past glory, before possessed. At the end of Postwar, his 800-page account of the continent since 1945, the historian Tony Judt exclaims at ‘Europe’s emergence in the dawn of the 21st century as a paragon of the international virtues: a community of values . . . held up by Europeans and non-Europeans alike as an exemplar for all to emulate’.1 The reputation, he assures us, is ‘well-earned’. The same vision grips the seers of New Labour. Why Europe Will Run the 21st Century declaims the title of a manifesto by Mark Leonard, the party’s foreign policy wunderkind.2 ‘Imagine a world of peace, prosperity and democracy,’ he enjoins the reader. ‘What I am asking you to imagine is the “New European Century”.’ How will this entrancing prospect come about? ‘Europe represents a synthesis of the energy and freedom that come from liberalism with the stability and welfare that come from social democracy. As the world becomes richer and moves beyond satisfying basic needs such as hunger and health, the European way of life will become irresistible.’ Really? Absolutely. ‘As India, Brazil, South Africa and even China develop economically and express themselves politically, the European model will represent an irresistibly attractive way of enhancing their prosperity whilst protecting their security. They will join with the EU in building “a New European Century”.’

BBC NEWS: Greek voters go to the polls to vote in a snap parliamentary election on Sunday.

For the complete report from the BBC NEWS click on this link

Greek voters go to the polls to vote in a snap parliamentary election on Sunday

"The campaign has been dominated by the government's handling of the forest fires that ravaged Greece last month. BBC's Greek readers give their predictions ahead of Sunday's poll and discuss what is at stake."

IHT: EU panel wants maximum 18-month period for detention of illegal immigrants

For the complete report from the International Herald Tribune click on this link

EU panel wants maximum 18-month period for detention of illegal immigrants

European Union parliamentarians took the first crack Wednesday at defining common EU rules for illegal immigration, recommending that illegals be held no more than 18 months before deportation. The European Parliament's civil liberties committee also voted in favor of prohibiting the expulsion or detention of unaccompanied children, and granting those suffering from a serious illness a residence permit giving them access to medical care. It decided that EU member states must not expel refugees to countries where their lives would be in danger. The draft rules will now go to the full 785-seat EU assembly and to EU member states for approval. Currently, the maximum detention period varies from country to country, with some imposing a limit of just 32 hours while others have no restrictions at all.

Economist: "Worse than useless " - The OSCE lets Russia off the hook

For the complete report from the Economist.com click on this link

"Worse than useless " - The OSCE lets Russia off the hook

CALLING it a whitewash would be unfair. At least white looks clean and crisp. What the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has produced on Russia’s recent attack on Georgia is a greywash, a pile of slime and sludge that conceals the truth. Georgia says that on August 6th a Russian warplane fired a missile over its territory, apparently aimed at a new NATO-compatible radar station. Georgia has produced documents that seem to show the plane entering its airspace, and the remains of the missile (which failed to explode, having apparently been launched prematurely).

Unlike fascist kleptocracies masquerading as parliamentary republics, true democracies do not need to fear criticism. Such a stance will be an excellent basis for insisting for vigorous monitoring of elections in the east, where the shortcomings are hugely more serious.

Europe told to open borders for 20m Asian and African workers

FT.com / Home UK

"Europe told to open borders for 20m Asian and African workers By Andrew Bounds in Brussels Published: September 13 2007 03:00 | Last updated: September 13 2007 03:00 Europe must relax its immigration controls and open the door to an extra 20m workers during the next two decades, the European Union's justice chief will say today. Franco Frattini, justice commissioner, is to tell the bloc's immigration ministers in Lisbon that the EU should stop erecting barriers and instead build safe pathways for Africans and Asians who risk their lives heading to the continent to find a job."

China Daily: France needs fundamental reforms like Germany says PM

For the complete report from the China Daily click on this link

France needs fundamental reforms like Germany says PM

Prime Minister Francois Fillon said on Thursday France should undertake long-term structural reforms like Germany if it wanted to enjoy the same benefits of economic growth and falling unemployment as its neighbour. Fillon said Berlin was now seeing the fruits of "brave reforms" initiated in 2000 -- particularly in the labour market -- and was experiencing good economic growth, decreasing joblessness and reduced deficits.

"These results create a real challenge for France. Why can't we do as well?" Fillon wrote in an article published on the website of Le Figaro daily.

Der Siegel/Businessweek: Voulez-Vous Hide Your Adulterous Ways?

For the complete report from Der Spiegel/Businessweek click on this link

Voulez-Vous Hide Your Adulterous Ways?

France is famous for its relaxed attitude to affairs of the heart (and loins). Unlike in the Anglo-Saxon world, the existence of extra-marital affairs -- from the fictional Madame Bovary to former President Francois Mitterrand -- is taken for granted there. French men even have a term for their mistresses: Le cinq á sept (the 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.). Now French adulterers are being offered a discreet and tailor-made service to help them indulge in their dalliances without getting caught.

The Daily Star - Turkey says Israel has pledged probe into airspace violation

For the complete report from The Daily Star click on this link

Turkey says Israel has pledged probe into airspace violation

Turkey said Monday that it was expecting a swift response from Israel over two detachable Israeli aircraft fuel tanks found near its border with Syria, describing the incident as "unacceptable."

"This is an unacceptable development for us," Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan told reporters here after talks with visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem.

Cocierge.com: Planes, Trains, Buses, and Ferries in Europe

For the complete report from Concierge.com click on this link

Planes, Trains, Buses, and Ferries in Europe

"I am helping my daughter plan her honeymoon. She and her fiance will be flying to Munich and then Athens. After several days in Athens, they are planning to use Eurail passes to ferry across to Italy, stopping in Sorrento, Rome, and Venice before taking the night train back to Munich. How can they get from Athens to the ferry at Patras?

AFP: France considers return to NATO command

For the complete report from AFP click on this link

France considers return to NATO command

France has raised the possibility of rejoining NATO's military command after a 40-year absence, signalling what could be one of the biggest foreign policy changes in decades. Defence Minister Herve Morin gave a keynote speech that confirmed President Nicolas Sarkozy's ambition to strengthen France's role in the Atlantic Alliance.

Since taking power in May, Sarkozy has underscored the importance of the Franco-American relationship, and stressed that Europe's fledgling defence system should not compete with the 26-member NATO.

The Canadian Press: Imperial Tobacco to test market smokeless product banned in Europe

For the complete report from The Canadian Press click on this link

Imperial Tobacco to test market smokeless product banned in Europe

Imperial Tobacco Canada announced Wednesday it will test market a new type of smokeless tobacco in Canada called snus - and while the company is touting it as a safer alternative to cigarettes, it's been banned as a health risk in most of Europe. Benjamin Kemball, president and CEO of Imperial, said the powdered tobacco product will be sold at 230 retail outlets in Edmonton in the coming months to determine whether it might catch on with consumers. Users wad the moist powder between their lips and gum, where it dissolves.

The European Union banned snus in all countries except Sweden and Norway in 1992 after a World Health Organization report concluded that oral tobacco products were carcinogenic to humans. It's also banned in Australia. In 2004, the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice upheld the European ban, ruling that the dangers of snus merited that it be outlawed.

Businessweek: Turbulence Alert for Europe's Big Carriers - by James Fishbein

For the complete report from Businessweek click on this link

Turbulence Alert for Europe's Big Carriers - by James Fishbein

Could the good times be winding down for Europe's three biggest airlines? Shares in Air France-KLM, British Airways, and Lufthansa slumped on Sept. 12, on analyst forecasts that revenue and earnings growth could slow next year.

EU Needs Deeds Not More Words

Germany | Deutsche Welle | 12.09.2007

"Opinion: EU Needs Deeds Not More Words

The French President suggested forming a 'council of wise men' to provide new perspectives on the EU during a meeting with the German chancellor near Berlin on Monday, but DW's Bernd Riegert is skeptical."

Investment Markets: ECB Chairman Believes EU Economy 'Sound' - by Steward Douglas

For the complete report by the Investment markets click on this link

ECB Chairman Believes EU Economy 'Sound' - by Steward Douglas

European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet has suggested that there is “no reason to doubt” the European economy and its current health, after growth was revised downwards by the European Commission to reflect a perceived slowdown.

When quizzed about recent statements from Alan Greenspan, formerly Chairman of the Federal Reserve, which indicated that the US was in for a recession, Trichet dismissed the applicability of the US situation to the Eurozone economy, stating that recession is ‘not appropriate’ to describe the EU economy, and that on a fundamental level the thirteen-nation Eurozone was economically ’sound’.

EUobserver.com: Kosovo future fuels serious EU divisions - - by Ekrem Krasniqi

For the complete report from the EUobserver.com click on this link

Kosovo future fuels serious EU divisions - by Ekrem Krasniqi

EU member states meeting in Portugal over the weekend confirmed their deep divisions on what to do if Kosovo eventually makes a unilateral declaration of independence. The 27-nation union only recently managed to agree to a UN plan that offers the breakaway Serbian province a strong degree of independence but not full autonomy. But now they are faced with the prospect of Pristina making a separate independence declaration – something outside UN structures and to which Russia is strongly opposed.

AFP: UN nuclear chief walks out on EU speech on Iran

For the complete report by the AFP click on this link

UN nuclear chief walks out on EU speech on Iran

UN nuclear chief Mohamed ElBaradei walked out on an afternoon session Tuesday of his IAEA to protest an EU speech which did not fully support his deal for new inspections in Iran, diplomats told AFP. "He walked out because the EU did not support the Secretariat," a diplomat who was at the meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation board of governors said.

"The Europeans gave a nasty statement and the director general (ElBaradei) walked out of the room," a second diplomat said, demanding anonymity in return for revealing information about the closed-door session.

Cnet News: IT skills shortage costing Europe 'billions' - by Bupesh Jain

For the complete report from CNET News.com click on this link

IT skills shortage costing Europe 'billions' - by Bupesh Jain

Europe is losing out on billions of dollars in investments because of a shortfall in qualified technology-oriented human resources. The European Commission is warning that 40 percent of European citizens suffer from "digital illiteracy" and that the skills shortage is slowing down the implementation of new projects. The European commissioner for information society and media, Viviane Reding, said it is no longer possible to waste the talents of millions of Europeans by leaving them out of the information society.

Reuters: EU antitrust chief pursues active agenda

For the complete report from Reuters click on this link

EU antitrust chief pursues active agenda

As president of a Dutch business school, Neelie Kroes once awarded former Microsoft chief Bill Gates an honorary degree. But as the European Union's top antitrust cop, she has fined his company millions. After defying critics who expected her to be soft on business, Kroes now sees her powers on the line in a court decision expected next week stemming from the Microsoft case.

Forbes.com: Barroso Launches Debate on EU Spending - by Constant Brand

For the complete report from Forbes.com click on this link

Barroso Launches Debate on EU Spending - by Constant Brand

European Union chief Jose Manuel Barroso on Wednesday launched a widespread "no-taboos" debate on overhauling how the 27-nation bloc spends its multibillion-euro budget and whether the EU should scrap millions in farm subsidies. The European Commission president said every EU spending plan was up for review, including the most politically sensitive, so-called Common Agricultural Policy, which for more than 50 years has dominated EU expenditures.

Europeans are waking up that America is not to blame for their terrorism

Kerplunk - Common sense from Down Under

"Thursday, 13 September 2007

Europeans are waking up that America is not to blame for their terrorism

From the New York Times comes this article, Seeking Terror’s Causes, Europe Looks Within.

Since the terror attacks on the United States on Sept. 11 six years ago, Europe has faced far more new attacks and reported plots than the United States. But, apparently, the fact that there have been no terror attacks carried out on US soil does not gain George W Bush and his administration any credit. Train bombings in Madrid three years ago killed 191 people, the London transit attack two years ago killed 52 commuters, and a string of plots have been discovered and foiled. Then last week, arrests were made in Germany in a plot that the police said could have caused even worse carnage than in Madrid or London. In response, Europeans for the most part are looking inward to explain why Islamist extremists have made the Continent a favored target, while the United States has been spared — despite its position of world leadership and the anger it has stirred waging wars in two Muslim countries."

Der Tagespiegel: Farewell, New Europe

For the complete report from Der Tagenspiegel click on this link

Farewell New Europe

It was a sunny day in June, and George W. Bush was giving a speech at the University of Warsaw. Inside, the politicians listened with interest, whispering their approval to one another. Outside, crowds gathered to cheer, holding up signs in support of America. Afterward, the press was full of praise for the president's carefully crafted language, which had been thoughtfully designed to appeal to post-communist Europe. Hard to imagine, but true: that's what President Bush's first visit to Poland was like – and I was there – in the unfathomably distant summer of 2001.

A mere four years later, New Europe no longer exists. Aznar, Berlusconi, and Blair are all out of office. Central Europe's mood has changed profoundly, from pro-American to deeply skeptical. A year ago some 62% of Poles believed American influence in the world to be "largely positive." That figure has now dropped to 38 percent.

Special EU-Digest Report: Remembering 9/11 and reflecting on General Petraeus review on Iraq

A special EU-Digest report

Remembering 9/11 and reflecting on General Petraeus review on Iraq

General Petraeus report on Iraq, and the fact that he based much of his assessment on the claim that violence there is dropping certainly was an excellently orchestrated PR effort. Unfortunately his optimistic statement just wasn't true.

a) According to the Washington Post, Petraeus and the Pentagon used a bizarre formula for measuring violence in Iraq. For example, deaths by car bombs don't count. Assassinations count only if you're shot in the back of the head—not in the front.

b) According to a massive new ABC/BBC poll, every single Iraqi polled in Baghdad, the primary target of the "surge," said it had made security worse. Iraqis themselves overwhelmingly think the situation in Iraq is deteriorating, in terms of security, political cooperation, the economy, and other measures. Overall, 70% think the escalation worsened rather than improved security conditions.

c) A comprehensive Government Accountability Office (GAO) report ordered by Congress found that the "average number of daily attacks against civilians have remained unchanged from February to July 2007.

d) In August, things got even worse, with civilian casualties rising according to the Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times.

e) The fact is that for US troops, it has been the bloodiest summer yet. More U.S. troops have died every month this year compared to the same month last year.

General Petraeus also claimed that he compiled his report without conferring with the White House. But the Washington Post recently reported that Petraeus and his staff joined daily conference calls with the White House and former RNC chairman Ed Gillespie this summer to "map out ways of selling the surge." The Post reported that Gillespie's White House political unit was "hard-wired" to Petraeus' military unit.

Everyone would like to see life improving in Iraq. But it is not—it's getting worse! And if US forces stay in Iraq both the Americans and Iraqis will pay a terrible price.

Today is also the anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in American history. The wounds of 9/11 are still fresh for many of us. After 9/11, President Bush used fear, lies and trumped-up intelligence to stampede the US and some of its allies into Iraq. Now, America is bogged down in an unwinnable civil war, and Al Qaeda has regained enough strength to once again menace the world.

It would be a tragic irony if, six years later, the US administration once again used cooked-up intelligence to head off the growing momentum for an exit strategy from Iraq.

Its time to stop the spin and get out of Iraq.

Sun Sentinel: "Overseas Travel to US plunged 20% since 9/11: Europe and Canada picking up the slack"- by Doreen Hemlock

For the complete report from the Sun Sentinel click on this link

Overseas Travel to US plunged 20% since 9/11 : Europe and Canada picking up the slack- by Doreen Hemlock

Overseas travel to the United States has plunged 20 percent since Sept. 11, 2001, but a new U.S. law could help stem the slide, especially for South American visitors vital to South Florida, participants said at a travel industry conference in Hollywood.

Travelers requiring visas are forgoing the United States, partly because Washington now requires personal interviews to apply for visas but lacks staff to handle them. In Brazil, for example, wait times for visa interviews now top 60 days. Foreign visitors also rate U.S. border entry as the world's most unfriendly, worse than the Middle East, surveys show.

Europe is picking up some of the Latin American business that used to go to the US, as the number of direct flights between Europe and Latin America expands.Travelers requiring visas are forgoing the United States, partly because Washington now requires personal interviews to apply for visas but lacks staff to handle them. In Brazil, for example, wait times for visa interviews now top 60 days. Foreign visitors also rate U.S. border entry as the world's most unfriendly, worse than the Middle East, surveys show.

The Business Journal of Phoenix: Economist tells Phoenix leaders that U.S. already may be in recession

For the complete report from the The Business Journal of Phoenix click on this link

Economist tells Phoenix leaders that U.S. already may be in recession

Don Reynolds, a an economist and principal of Texas-based 21st Century Forecasting, said the subprime collapse, the cooled housing market and inflationary pressures on energy and food are adding to consumer debt and stunting spending.Reynolds said U.S. economic struggles may be mitigated by a weak dollar and foreign entities investing here.

The event also featured state tourism Director Margie Emmerman, who said that tourism from Europe to Arizona has shown declines recently. Emmerman said tighter, post 9/11 international travel rules and the unpopularity of the U.S. war in Iraq are causing a drop in travel from Europe and some parts of Latin America.

Bloomberg.com: Dollar Trades Near Record Low Versus Euro on Fed Rate Cut Bets: Lukanyo Mnyanda and Ron Harui

For the complete report from Bloomberg.com click on this link

Dollar Trades Near Record Low Versus Euro on Fed Rate Cut Bets: Lukanyo Mnyanda and Ron Harui

The dollar traded near a record low against the euro after Federal Reserve officials signaled the need for interest-rate cuts, eroding demand for dollar- denominated assets. The U.S. currency fell for a fifth day, its longest slide in three months. Fed Governor Frederic Mishkin and Fed Bank of San Francisco President Janet Yellen said yesterday credit-market losses may slow growth, while a government report last week showed the economy unexpectedly lost jobs in August.

Identity and Terror in Western European Muslim Diasporas

Turkish Weekly Opinion

"Identity and Terror in Western European Muslim Diasporas Sedat Laciner

Sedat Laciner

Monday , 10 September 2007

The increasing trend of extremism among the Muslim diaspora youth and its role in terrorism lure great interest in the Western World. Researches and area surveys clearly demonstrate that terrorism and radicalization find more advocates among the Muslim youths compared to their parents’ time. We should accept that it is really difficult to understand this trend for the West because, contrary to their parents, the new generation Muslims are relatively growing up in a wealthier and more stabilized environment. They are richer and more educated than their parents were. Most of them are citizens of the countries where they live in and have more rights compared with their parents. The question at this point is that if they do not have any serious economic and political problem with the country they live in so why the problems in other countries like Palestine or Iraq, where they have never lived before, cause great damages in their personality and lead them into extremism and terrorism. Why was not the Palestine issue so important for the parents to become extremist or terrorist in the past and why has the same problem played a great role in making extremist their sons and daughters? At this point we encounter with the ‘identity’ issue. Without understanding of Muslim diaspora identity of the young people and their parents, it would be difficult to understand the roots of the extremism among the Muslims living in the West."

The Big Question: Is Belgium on the brink of breaking apart, and would it matter if it did?

Independent Online Edition > Europe

"The Big Question: Is Belgium on the brink of breaking apart, and would it matter if it did?
By John Lichfield Published: 11 September 2007

Why are we asking this now? Three months after national elections, Belgium still has no government, only a caretaker administration. Attempts to agree a coalition have tumbled into a widening chasm of distrust between the country's two main language communities, the Dutch-speakers (roughly 60 per cent) and the French-speakers (roughly 40 per cent)."

Winston-Salem Journal:US - Iraq report does little to change mind of Republican Jones on ending war - Mary M. Shaffrey

For the complete report from Winston-Salem Journal click on this link

US - Iraq report does little to change mind of Republican Jones on ending war - Mary M. Shaffrey

Rep. Walter Jones, R-3rd, was one of the first Republicans to oppose the Iraq war, and Gen. David Petraeus’ comments yesterday did little to change his mind. “My feeling is we still need to have a strategy for an end point, and we don’t have that yet,” he said, after listening to more than six hours of testimony from Petraeus and the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker. Mr. Jones is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, represents Camp Lejeune and parts of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and the Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station.

Times Online: What's new in Istanbul - transforming itself into Europe's coolest city - by Anthony Sattin

For the complete report from the Times Online click on this link

What's new in Istanbul- transforming itself into Europe's coolest city - by Anthony Sattin

In the hot night, lights from boats showed the course of the Bosphorus, the great waterway that separates Europe from Asia. And to my right, the sultan’s palace of Topkapi, the Byzantine basilica of Aya Sophia, and Sinan’s masterpiece, the Suleymaniye Mosque, were floodlit as though in a show of the city’s historical highlights. Istanbul is transforming itself into Europe’s coolest capital

Washington Post: Sex, Drugs & Seniors: as "gray" crime-wave has swept over Europe

For the complete report from the Washington Post click on this link

Sex, Drugs & Seniors: as "gray" crime-wave has swept over Europe.

Sexual intimacy is at record highs for the 57 and older crowd. According to a new survey from the National Institute on Aging's Behavioral and Social Research Program, there is "a previously uncharacterized vitality and interest in sexuality that carries well into advanced age." And it's far more common than the token Blanche trawling around Fort Lauderdale. Researches at the University of Chicago found that more than half the people over 65 reported being sexually active. Of course there are pace setters like Nanu Ram Jogi, a 90-year-old, who has just become the world's oldest father, and Daad Mohammed Murad Abdul Rahman, the one-legged pensioner with 78 children.Sexual intimacy is at record highs for the 57 and older crowd. According to a new survey from the National Institute on Aging's Behavioral and Social Research Program, there is "a previously uncharacterized vitality and interest in sexuality that carries well into advanced age." And it's far more common than the token Blanche trawling around Fort Lauderdale. Researches at the University of Chicago found that more than half the people over 65 reported being sexually active. Of course there are pace setters like Nanu Ram Jogi, a 90-year-old, who has just become the world's oldest father, and Daad Mohammed Murad Abdul Rahman, the one-legged pensioner with 78 children.

Studies also show that something of a gray crime-wave has swept over Europe and Japan.

Canadian Free Press: EU - A new look at Internet Security - by Brent Maclean

For the complete report from the Canadian Free Press click on this link

EU - A new look at Internet Security - by Brent Maclean

The security and economy of the European Union as well as the well being of its citizens depends on certain infrastructure and the services they provide. The destruction or disruption of infrastructure providing key services could entail the loss of lives, the loss of property, a collapse of public confidence globally. At root here, of course, is the fear not of simple hacking by domestic criminals or bored teens, nor even of blackmail by gangs of Estonian extortionists, but, in the post 9/11 world, of serious terrorist activity directed at nuclear plants, hospitals, automated transport, air traffic control, banking systems and domain name servers: the catalogue of possible targets is endless. Accordingly, the Draft Directive proposes the designation of a European Critical Infrastructure which will receive special protection and attention.

DW: Switzerland - Christianity Gets on Many People's Nerves - by Hans Küng

For the complete report by the Deutsche Welle click on this link

Switzerland - Christianity Gets on Many People's Nerves - by Hans Küng

Religion can co-exist with democracy. The leading architects of Europe, from Charles de Gaulle and Konrad Adenauer to Robert Schuman and Alcide De Gasperi, were all pious Christians. The reason why Islam has more problems with democracy than Christianity is that Islam, in contrast to Christianity and Judaism, had no Reformation and Enlightenment, leaving out a few special circles. If you want to help there, you have to support the moderate powers and isolate the radical ones. The most foolish thing to do is to go against those people with armies. That's as stupid as going against the mafia with fighter jets.

Then there are others who don't want to know about other religions.For one, the fundamental Christians who take everything the Bible says literally and say they don't need any other religions. Then there are the very secular people, dogmatists of laicism. They get worked up simply when the word religion is mentioned, and they think that we should not talk about it in schools. They have issues with the fact that religion, again, is a powerful factor in world history.

Forbes.com: Airbus wins 25 A320 aircraft order from US lessor Aviation Capital Group

For the complete report from Forbes.com click on this link

Airbus wins 25 A320 aircraft order from US lessor Aviation Capital Group

EADS unit Airbus has won an order for 25 A320 family aircraft from US-based aircraft lessor Aviation Capital Group (ACG).

BC Book Review: Religion of Peace? by Robert Spencer

For the complete report from PCBook click on this link

Religion of Peace? by Robert Spencer

Robert Spencer, skewerer of PC-isms about Islam, its history, theology, and relationship with others, is back again. This time he targets the biggest myth of all, that Islam is a religion of peace. This is a myth that is perpetuated by such public figures as President Bush and Tony Blair. It forms part of the effort to claim that Islamists are some aberration that have nothing to do with Islam and its teachings. Like much of what is said about Islam this stems from ignorance, naiveté, and probably a dose of unwillingness to admit the truth.

Expatica: Ex-Muslims gather in The Hague on 9/11

For the complete report from Expatica click on this link

Ex-Muslims gather in The Hague on 9/11

The heads of several European committees for former Muslims are due to sign a 'European Declaration of Tolerance ' in The Hague on September 11. With the declaration, the ex-Muslim committees of Britain, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden want to draw attention to what they say is "the lack of freedom of religion within Islamic culture." In its press release on Thursday, the Dutch committee of ex- Muslims said September 11 - the anniversary of the terror attacks on the United States - was chosen symbolically to condemn terror and the intolerance of political Islam.

Reuters UK: Trichet sees Europe growth around potential

For the complete report from Reuters UK click on this link

Trichet sees Europe growth around potential

Europe's economy will likely grow near its potential rate despite a downturn in the U.S. housing market that has engulfed financial firms around the globe, European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said. "Our baseline scenario continues to call for the European economy growing around potential," Trichet said in an interview aired on CNBC on Monday. The cable channel said the interview was conducted over the weekend. Trichet added that economic uncertainties were "augmented" and said it was still to be seen whether U.S. market turbulence would have an impact on the European economy.

Radio Netherlands : 'Dutch left must be more articulate in Islam debate' - by Michel Hoebink

For the complete report from the Radio Netherlands Worldwide click on this link

'Dutch left must be more articulate in Islam debate' - by Michel Hoebink

Dutch Parliamentarian Geert Wilders and other right-wing Islam critics in the Netherlands imply that 'pure' Islam contradicts democracy and human rights. A moderate or liberal Islam, does not exist in their view. The PvdA, the party with the largest Muslim following in the country, failed for a long time to counter this right-wing rhetoric with its own articulate view. It aligns itself with the liberal Islam that according to its right-wing opponents does not exist. The model for this new approach is the Malaysian Muslim thinker Farish Noor, who flew in last weekend from Berlin to talk to prominent Labour party members such as Integration Minister Ella Vogelaar and Secretary of State Ahmed Aboutaleb of Social Affairs. Farish Noor believes that the moral principles of the Koran are valid for eternity, but that verses such as those calling for the discrimination of women and corporal punishment are no longer valid and have to be understood in their historical context. Noor is shocked by the state in which he finds the Netherlands.

"Right-wing politicians and Islam critics imply that Muslims have to choose between fundamentalist Islam on the one hand and democracy and human rights on the other. Progressive Muslims like myself offer an alternative: We try to show Muslims and the rest of the world that you can be a Muslim and a democrat at the same time. By supporting us the Labour party can break down the right-wing monopoly in the Islam debate and create space for young Muslims to participate in modern life while maintaining their Muslim identity. Are you Muslim and gay? Then the Labour party should support your right to be both at the same time.

"This does not mean that the party should turn its back on traditional Muslims. The party should protect the right of traditional Muslims to be themselves as long as they abide by the ground rules of secular democracy. Religious schools are not a problem but we cannot tolerate imams who tell their audience to beat up gays. Hate speech should be the limit."

B92 - News - Globe - Greece will veto Macedonia's NATO bid

For the complete report from B92-Globe click on this link

Greece will veto Macedonia's NATO bid

Unless there is a compromise over its name, Macedonia's southern neighbor Greece will veto Skopje's effort to join NATO. The statement came Friday, from the Greek prime minister, Kostas Karamanlis.

"It is out of the question for Skopje to become a member of any organization, be it NATO or the EU, unless that country opts for adopting a name acceptable to all," he said during a televised debate in Athens.

MSNBC/Financial Times: SUVs in Europe refuse to take back seat - by John Reed

For the complete report from the Financial Times/MSNBC.com click on this link

SUVs in Europe refuse to take back seat- - by John Reed

European lawmakers' attempts to convince their citizens to drive smaller cars appear to be falling on deaf ears with ever greater numbers buying much-maligned sport utility vehicles. This dissonance between policy and practice will be evident at this week's International Motor Show in Frankfurt, where carmakers – alongside their new "green" low-emission small cars – will be showing off an eye-catching range of small and mid-size sport and mid-size utility (SUV) and crossover vehicles, one of Europe's fastest-growing segments.

Unlike the gas-guzzling larger SUVs common in the US and reviled by environmental activists worldwide, most of Europe's newest crop of SUVs and crossovers are more compact and fuel-efficient.

Comment EU-Digest: "the only way to put some controls on this excess is for Governments to step in and increase taxes on these vehicles."

GLOBAL POWER EUROPE: Making Brussels into an imperial capital

For the complete report from GLOBAL POWER EUROPE click on this link

Making Brussels into an imperial capital

So influential has Brussels become in recent years that it is now comparable to Washington in political importance, having a similar number of journalists, lobbyists, think tanks and political consultants. While London, New York, Paris and Tokyo may rank supreme for economic power and cultural reach, it is Washington and Brussels that are the political powerhouses of our age. Both cities may one day be joined by New Delhi and Beijing as the twenty-first century moves on, but for the time being, the two imperial cities are the centres of global power; one is the command centre for the United States, and the other is the core of the burgeoning power of the European Union.

NPR: Will the real Ben Laden Stand-up - Fake Ben Laden from Australian Comedy Show Gets Through APEC Security to within one block from Bush hotel

For the complete report from the NPR Blog click on this link

Will the real Ben Laden Stand-up - Fake Ben Laden from Australian Comedy Show Gets Through APEC Security to within one block from Bush hotel

"A satirical Australian TV show, The Chaser's War on Everything, staged a fake motorcade through the streets of Sydney. Many world leaders, including President Bush, are in Sydney for this week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting. So there is a lot of security, about $250 million worth. But the fake motorcade of three cars and two motorcycles made it through two official checkpoints. The convoy was eventually pulled over about a block from Bush's hotel, apparently when the comics tried to turn around.

Here's the best part: One of the people in the motorcade was dressed to look like Osama bin Laden. Note EU-Digest: If a comedian dressed up like Ben Laden was able to get through tight US and Australian security and come to within one block of President Bush his hotel, it might be time for Ben Laden to dress up like a comedian and appear on the "Good Morning America" show. It would certainly be an improvement on his own bad quality video's, which we are forced to watch on a regular basis.

Most European Nations Keep God Out of Constitution

Europe | Deutsche Welle | 09.09.2007

"Most European Nations Keep God Out of Constitution

The preamble to the EU's reform treaty will not mention God. Yet Germany's major churches would have preferred a reference, they told DW-WORLD.DE. Most EU members do not include God in their national constitutions. Only five of the 27 European Union member states' constitutions include the word 'God' in their texts. Among them is Germany's, in which the preamble states: 'Conscious of their responsibility before God and man, animated by this will […], the German people have adopted, by virtue of their constituent power, this Basic Law.'"

Newsweek/MSNBC: Europe Looks for Friends in Sunny Places - by William Underhill

For the complete report from Newsweek/MSNBC.com click on this link

Europe Looks for Friends in Sunny Places - by William Underhill

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, speaking immediately after his election in May, declared: "The time has come to build a 'Mediterranean Union' that will be a bridge between Europe and Africa."

If the details of Sarkozy's plan are hazy, the outline is clear enough: a loose economic union of all the countries around the Mediterranean rim, linked to the EU but with its own trading agreements as well as regular meetings of national leaders. That's visionary stuff: nothing less than a single community of nations, rich and poor, Muslim and Christian, striving together for a better future in which post-colonial animosities can be forgotten. Says Jean-Louis Guigou, head of the Economic Forecasting Institute of the Mediterranean World: "This is the great work of the century."There are also energy deals to be done. Algeria is already Europe's third largest supplier of natural gas, after Russia and Norway. Plans are now afoot for a new gas pipeline that would bring supplies 4,300 kilometers across the Sahara from Nigeria to a terminal on the Algerian coast.

The Observer/Guardian: Terrorism: Target Europe? - Jason Burke

For the complete report from The Observer/Guardian click on this link

Terrorism: Target Europe? - Jason Burke

The Observer has learnt that senior Islamic militant leaders based in Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan have decided to step up attacks in Europe. This summer, European intelligence agencies issued a series of warnings about attacks orchestrated from what one source last week called 'the Grand Central station of jihad': the lawless tribal-run regions on Pakistan's western borders with Afghanistan. Gelowicz, claim German investigators, trained in a camp in the area and received his final instructions by email from Pakistan. So, reportedly, did the leaders of eight men arrested on terrorism charges in Copenhagen, the Danish capital last week. 'If you imagine western Pakistan as the hub, with lines radiating out from it, it is clear that by the time you get to Denmark or Germany or wherever, those lines have diverged fairly substantially,' said one source. 'But they all originated in the same place.'

EU-Digest: Netherlands Consumer Association Signals Major Problems Reported With Microsoft Vista Operating System By Dutch Consumers

EU-Digest

Netherlands Consumer Association Signals Major Problems Reported With Microsoft Vista Operating System By Dutch Consumers

The Dutch Consumer Association reported it had received more than 4000 complaints in a 4 week period about the Microsoft Vista Operating system. Of these complaints 59 percent are related to the fact that a variety of software programs can not be used on the new Vista Operating System.

JFinancial Post: World Economy: Job losses push U.S. Closer to recession - by Jacquiline Thorpe

For the complete report from the Financial Post click on this link

Job losses push U.S. Closer to recession - by Jacquiline Thorpe

The United States received the first crucial evidence yesterday that the tumbling housing market and a vicious credit crunch may be pushing it toward recession after figures showed it shed 4,000 jobs in August -- its first outright decline in four years. The stunning number -- economists were forecasting a 100,000 gain -- coupled with downward revisions to previous months, sent stock markets reeling and the U.S. greenback to a 15-year low against major currencies, and raised speculation the U.S. Federal Reserve may chop interest rates 50 basis points instead of 25 at its Sept. 18 meeting.

Bloomberg.com: Serbia Cautions U.S., EU Not to Recognize Kosovo, Jeremic Says - by Marie-Louise Moller and James G. Neuger

For the complete report from Bloomberg.com click on this link

Serbia Cautions U.S., EU Not to Recognize Kosovo, Jeremic Says - by Marie-Louise Moller and James G. Neuger

Serbia's new foreign minister warned the U.S. and Europe that diplomatic recognition for the breakaway Serb province of Kosovo would spark a nationalist backlash and sow turmoil in the Balkans.

Leaders of Kosovo, a province of 2 million people under international control since NATO's air war in 1999, are threatening to declare independence from Serbia before the end of the year.

MSNBC: Poll backs bigger world role for EU - Financial Times

For the complete report from Financial Times/MSNBC.com click on this link

An overwhelming majority of Europeans want the European Union to take more res­ponsibility for dealing with global threats, but few support combat operations in Afghanistan now or against Iran in the future, according to an opinion poll on Thursday. The annual survey of the German Marshall Fund of the US also showed that 58 per cent of Europeans regarded US leadership in world affairs as "undesir­able" and only 36 per cent thought it "desirable".

DW: Survey Pinpoints Iraq, Bush as Main Reasons for US-EU Rift

For he complete report from the Deutsche Welle click on this link

Survey Pinpoints Iraq, Bush as Main Reasons for US-EU Rift

A new poll has found that US-EU ties are unlikely to recover even after the election of a new American president next year. At the same time, most Europeans favor cooperation with the US in dealing with global threats. The results, published Thursday this week, point to two overarching reasons for continuing European skepticism towards America and its policies -- the Iraq war and President George W. Bush.

The survey conducted by the German Marshall Fund of the United States and four European foundations was based on more than 1,000 interviews conducted in 11 EU states, Turkey and the US in June this year.

Businessweek: Subprime Fallout Coming to Eastern Europe? - by Mark Scott

For the complete report click fom Businessweek click on this link

Subprime Fallout Coming to Eastern Europe? - by Mark Scott

When the shockwaves from the U.S. subprime loan crisis first hit Europe, it appeared that the impact might be limited to the private sector. The European Central Bank scrambled to provide liquidity (BusinessWeek, 8/10/07) for commercial lending, and volatility died back. On Sept. 6 the bank left its official interest rate unchanged, (BusinessWeek, 9/6/07) easing, for now, the risk of mounting credit costs.

According to the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development, the average current account deficit of Southeast Europe—including Romania, Bulgaria, and former Yugoslavian states—will be 12% of GDP in 2007, while the countries of Central and Eastern European will likely post deficits of 7.6%. By comparison, the 13 members of the euro zone posted a current account deficit of 0.1% of GDP in this year's first quarter.

Switzerland: Europe's heart of darkness?

Independent Online Edition > Europe

"Switzerland: Europe's heart of darkness? Switzerland is known as a haven of peace and neutrality. But today it is home to a new extremism that has alarmed the United Nations. Proposals for draconian new laws that target the country's immigrants have been condemned as unjust and racist. A poster campaign, the work of its leading political party, is decried as xenophobic. Has Switzerland become Europe's heart of darkness? By Paul Vallely"

Europeans want the EU to take more global responsibility

EUobserver.com

"Europeans want the EU to take more global responsibility 07.09.2007 - 09:29 CET | By Helena Spongenberg EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – The vast majority of Europeans want the European Union to take greater responsibility on the world stage - according to a new poll by the US German Marshall Fund - especially in aid development, trade and peacekeeping missions. Almost 90% of Europeans want the EU to play a bigger role globally while slightly more than half (53%) feel that the EU should cooperate with the US in dealing with global threats, compared with 43% who feel the EU should address threats independently from Washington."

EU-Digest: Turkey: European Retirees Completely Happy In Alanya - excerpts translated from a report in Dutch by Ahmet Olgun

A special report on Europeans living in Alanya Turkey

Turkey: European Retirees Completely Happy In Alanya - excerpts translated from a report in Dutch by Ahmet Olgun

In Turkey during the old days, when their parents died, the daughters always received the worst piece of land,usually the land closest to the sea which was salty earth and on which little would grow.The good lands went to the sons. They were more inland and away from the ocean. In Alanya, the irony of this discrimination has been that today women, are now laughing all the way to the bank, after they sold their once worthless property to developers, Alanya haqs become the fastest developing tourist and retirement location in Turkey.There now are approximately 13,000.00 Europeans who call Alanya their permanent home and many thousands more who own vacation homes. Ofthe permanent European population, the Germans lead the list, followed by the Danes, Russians and Dutch. Appartments are cheap, the climate is great, and the locl population recives them with open arms say the Europeans who live there. Several younger Europeans who have also chosen Alanya for business activities, mainly in real estate, are making millions. Dutchman Yorg van Bavel (33) who came to Alanya after he graduated in Holland, joined up with a Turkish partner and is now President of a multi-million euro construction and real estate empire.Marti Zingstra (51) who after her divorce arrived went to Mahmutlar with one suitcase and had to find a job, got involved in a car rental company and real estate. Today as she sips her Raki at her own beautiful villa. She now has a networth of about 2 million euro's.
.

TODAY'S ZAMAN: Turkey - Tax evasion rampant in estate sales to foreigners

For the complete report from TODAY'S ZAMAN click on this link

Turkey - Tax evasion rampant in estate sales to foreigners

Inspection of real estate sales has revealed tax fraud on 60.3 percent of total property sales to foreigners, and the Treasury has so far collected YTL 52.1 million by demanding payment from tax evaders.Ministry of Finance Auditing Board Chairman Mahmut Vural noted on Monday that the monitoring of estate sales to foreigners began in accordance with the 2007 Main Operation Plan approved by Finance Minister Kemal Unakıtan. These inspections will continue in cities such as Antalya, Alanya, Didim, Kuşadası and Bodrum, where foreigners purchase the most property. The ministry’s Account Expert Board’s (HUK) Research, Development and Risk Analysis Center is conducting a detailed inquiry to reveal those selling or acting as intermediaries for sellers.

FT.com - Vodafone eyes deals in Italy and Spain- by Andrew Parker

For the complete report in the FT.com click on this link

Vodafone eyes deals in Italy and Spain- by Andrew Parker

Vodafone is considering buying telecoms infrastructure in Italy and Spain to allow it to supply fixed-line broadband to its mobile phone customers. The UK group, the world’s largest mobile operator by revenue, is mulling an offer for fixed-line networks in Italy and Spain owned by Tele2, a Swedish telecoms company.

The UK group is moving beyond its mobile-centric past by selling fixed-line broadband in its core European markets of Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. The strategy is designed to boost the loyalty of Vodafone’s mobile customers.

Invisible arms race: The internet balance of power - by Clifford Coonan

For the complete report from the Independent click on this link

The internet balance of power - by Clifford Coonan

Claims that China has been hacking into the West's military computers have led to concern that future global conflicts may be fought in cyberspace.

Somewhere here in Guangzhou, the balmy capital of the booming southern province of Guangdong, a shadowy group of computer scientists is said to be hard at work under the supervision of the People's Liberation Army, waging cyber warfare on Western military and industrial targets. Their fellow scientists in the dusty city of Lanzhou in northwestern China, not far from where the Chinese space mission is based, are also reportedly hacking into government files in Whitehall and the Pentagon.The secret agents and operatives are bleary-eyed computer whizzkids, cranked on cigarettes and coffee as they snoop through computer networks at Western military bases, armaments companies and aerospace giants. They hang out in online chatrooms rather than barrack rooms or smoky bars in communist enclaves, but they are just as hard to track as their Cold War counterparts.

Note EU-Digest:Spying through the Internet is not only limited to Chinese activities. The US, Britain, Australia and New Zealand are also collaborating in these activities through ECHELON, a term associated with a global network of computers that automatically search through millions of intercepted messages for pre-programmed keywords or fax, telex and e-mail addresses. Every word of every message in the frequencies and channels selected at a station is automatically searched. Reportedly Echelon is monitoring up to two million communications every hour of every day. To view the CRS report to the US Congress - P.L. 110-55, the Protect America Act of 2007: "Modifications to the Foreign Intelligence, Surveillance Act", click on this link

AFP: Italy - Domingo and Carreras lead mourning for Pavarotti

For the complete report from AFP click on this link

Italy - Domingo and Carreras lead mourning for Pavarotti

La Scala opera house fell silent Thursday and the two remaining members of the Three Tenors led a chorus of tributes by the giants of opera, presidents and rock stars after the death of Luciano Pavarotti. A minute's silence was held at the Milan opera house where Pavarotti, who died early Thursday at the age of 71, performed 140 times in a career that spanned four decades. His was "one of the most beautiful and most moving voices of all time," said La Scala artistic director Stephane Lissner.

EUobserver.com: France considers ways to tackle globalisation - by Elitsa Vucheva

for the complete report by the EUobserver.com

France considers ways to tackle globalisation - by Elitsa Vucheva

France should work for a "much more offensive policy of protection, solidarity and regulation" at an EU level in order to better face globalisation, according to a report by former French foreign affairs minister Hubert Vedrine.French president Nicolas Sarkozy in July asked Mr Vedrine to draft a report on how the country should respond to the challenges of globalisation. The report comes at a time when the European Commission is trying to promote more openness and a positive view of globalisation, as well as less national champions.

But if the principles in the report are followed, it is set to be a blow to the commission's willingness to embrace globalisation.

ZDNet: Secularism and Islam: the Turkish experience

For the complete report from ZNet click on this link

Secularism and Islam: the Turkish experience

Most Turks - including, apparently, many of those who vote for the AKP - are proud of their country’s secular tradition. Earlier this year, when Gul’s presidential candidacy was initially proposed by the AKP, large numbers of them were led to believe that this tradition was somehow under threat. Their suspicions were not entirely unfounded. For instance, a dozen years ago Gul had talked about wishing “to end secularism” - although, not long afterwards, he had also spoken of wanting to see the “Islamic headscarf and the miniskirt walking hand in hand”.

However, it wasn’t so much his utterances that his opponents picked on: they appeared to be piqued by the fact that his wife, Hayrunisa, sports such a headscarf. As do millions of other Turkish women. And, of course, there are large numbers who don’t. Anyhow, back in May there were massive anti-Gul demonstrations in Ankara and Istanbul. In Turkey the president is elected by parliament, and an opposition boycott led the Constitutional Court to annul Gul’s election, because it deemed the assembly inquorate. The decision was handed down after the military made it clear where it stood via a message posted on its website. With only a little bit of exaggeration, it has been described as the world’s first internet coup.

Global Politician:Who Are We, Who Are Our Enemies - The Cost of Historical Amnesia - by Fjordman

For the completereport from "The Global Polician" click on this link

The Cost of Historical Amnesia by Fjordman

"Western Europe today is a strange and very dangerous mix of arrogance and self-loathing. Muslims are creating havoc and attacking their non-Muslim neighbors from Thailand to India. It is extremely arrogant to believe that the result will be any different in the Netherlands, Britain or Italy, or for that matter in the United States or Canada, than it has been everywhere else. It won't. If we had the humility to listen to the advice of the Hindus of India or even our Christian cousins in south-eastern Europe, we wouldn't be in as much trouble as we are now. On the other hand, if we didn't have such a culture of self-loathing, where our own cultural traditions are ridiculed in favor of a meaningless Multicultural cocktail, we probably wouldn't have allowed massive Muslim immigration, either. There doesn't have to be a contradiction between being proud of your own cultural heritage and knowing that there may still be lessons you can learn from others. A wise man can do both. Westerners of or our age do neither. Sun Tzu, a contemporary of the great Chinese thinker Confucius, wrote The Art of War, the influential book on military strategy, 2500 years ago. It is a book that deserves to be read in full, but perhaps the most famous quotation from it is this one: "So it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle."

The West has forgotten who our enemies are, but worse, we have also forgotten who we are. We are going to pay a heavy price for this historical amnesia."

The Seattle Times: Rare Birds making comeback in Europe

For the complete report from the Seattle Times click on this link

Rare Birds making comeback in Europe

In Europe, researchers led by Paul Donald, of Britain's Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, reported that European Union policies designed to protect vulnerable species and their habitat seemed to be working. In 15 European countries studied, there was a significant increase in populations for protected birds between 1990 and 2000, compared with 1970-90, the team found. Researchers said the protected birds also showed an increase compared with birds not on the list.

Species doing particularly well included the barnacle goose, white stork, spoonbill, little egret, Slavonian grebe and white-tailed eagle.

Turkish Support for Joining European Union Plunges, Poll Shows

Bloomberg.com: Europe

"Turkish Support for Joining European Union Plunges, Poll Shows
By James G. Neuger Sept. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Turkish support for joining the European Union is plunging, with barely a quarter of the population expecting Turkey to ever become a member, a survey showed. Only 40 percent of Turks think EU membership would be a ``good thing,'' down from 54 percent last year and 73 percent in 2004, according to a poll released today by the German Marshall Fund of the United States and the Italian foundation Compagnia di San Paolo. European support for Turkey joining the EU stayed at 21 percent."

World Public Opinion: Why Turks Feel Threatened by the US

World For the complete report from the Public Opinion.org click on this link

Why Turks Feel Threatened by the US

Which Middle Eastern public has the largest percentage of people naming the United States as the country that poses the greatest threat? The answer, according to the most recent Pew Global Attitudes Project survey, is Turkey, a NATO ally and a country that is generally touted as the type of secular, multi-party democracy the United States should foster in the Middle East.Turkey is also the Middle Eastern country where public opinion toward the United States has slipped furthest in recent years. Fewer than one in 10 Turks (9%) have a positive view of the United States, a drop of 21 points from the already low level in Pew’s 2002 survey. More than four out of five (83%) say their attitude is unfavorable, including 75 percent who feel very unfavorably. That’s one of the highest negative percentages among the eight Middle Eastern countries surveyed by Pew in 2007, second only to the Palestinian public with 86 percent unfavorable.

The Canadian Press: European Union to probe surging imports of Chinese flavour enhancer MSG

For the complete report from the The Canadian Press click on this link

European Union to probe surging imports of Chinese flavour enhancer MSG

The European Union said Wednesday it would investigate whether China is dumping imports of the flavour enhancer MSG on European markets below cost. The investigation could pave the way for tariffs that would increase the price of the product. MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is added to soups, stocks, potato chips, instant noodles and other foods, adding a savoury taste.

The EU said it would investigate after Europe's sole producer of MSG, the French subsidiary of Japan's Ajinomoto Co. Inc., complained in July that surging imports of MSG from China had sent prices tumbling and cut into market share, according to a notice published in the EU's Official Journal.

Forbes.com: Air France says Alitalia revamp 'suitable', still open to talks

For the complete report click on Forbes.com

Air France says Alitalia revamp 'suitable', still open to talks

Alitalia SpA's restructuring plan is 'suitable', Air France-KLM chief executive Jean Cyril Spinetta said, adding that he remains open to talks with the troubled Italian airline, which is seeking a buyer. Air France (nyse: AKH - news - people ) will 'listen attentively' if talks are sought, he said at a news conference, reiterating comments he made in August.

BBC NEWS: UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan

For the complete report from the BBC click on this link

UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan

Two British soldiers have been killed in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has said. The men were taking part in a routine patrol in Helmand province when their vehicle was hit by an explosion during a fight with the Taleban.

Expatica: "Most Dutch want end to Uruzgan mission"

"For the complete report in Expatica click on this link

"Most Dutch want end to Uruzgan mission"

More than 50 percent of the Dutch population does not think the military mission in Uruzgan should be extended beyond 1 August 2008. The majority of those who oppose extension of the mission would prefer that the troops be pulled out of Afghanistan immediately. The AD reported this on Friday on the basis of a survey the paper conducted among 1,000 Dutch. The survey indicates that an extension of the mission is only supported by 45 percent of the population. The respondents primarily doubted the point of the mission. Almost a third thinks that the Dutch soldiers are not able to accomplish anything in Afghanistan.

Jamaican National Elections: Opposition takes control after 18 years as Bruce edges out Portia - 31: JLP 29: PNP

For the complete report from the Jamaica Gleaner click on this link

Jamaican National Elections: Opposition takes control after 18 years as Bruce edges out Portia - 31: JLP 29: PNP

The Bruce Golding-led Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) defied even the prophets yesterday to eke out its first general election win in 18 years; but the close victory triggered immediate controversy as Prime Minister and PNP President Portia Simpson Miller refused to concede, stating that "the election is too close to call". At the end of the preliminary count, the JLP had won at least 31 seats to the People's National Party's (PNP) 29, in the closest of the country's 15 general elections since Universal Adult Suffrage in 1944. The count now stands at seven wins for the JLP and eight for the PNP.

The PNP faced the electorate on what it said was its solid achievements, pointing to low unemployment and inflation, the development of highways and housing, among others.

The JLP, on the other hand, took aim at what it described as a corrupt and scandal-ridden government, highlighted the high crime rate, poor infrastructure, high unemployment and high public debt. Among the JLP's promises were free tuition at the secondary level and free health care for all.

Jamaica is not only a favorite Caribbean tourist destination, but also a major source of Bauxite ore which is refined into Alumina for export to the US and Canada where it is processed into Aluminium. Jamaica was a former British Colony and presently has close economic ties with the European Union.

france24: Nearly 290,000 people living in poverty in Ireland says report

For the complete report from france24.com click on this link

Nearly 290,000 people living in poverty in Ireland says report

Nearly 290,000 people, 10 percent of them children, are living in "consistent poverty" in Ireland, a state advisory agency said Tuesday, despite the country's Celtic Tiger economic boom. Combat Poverty defined consistent poverty as existing on a low income and deprived of one or more basic necessities such as adequate food, clothes or heating.

Radio Netherlands: Afghanistan mission: should the Dutch withdraw? - by Hans de Vreij

For the complete report from Radio Netherlads click on this link

Afghanistan mission: should the Dutch withdraw? - by Hans de Vreij

In deciding on the future of its mission in Uruzgan, the Dutch government has to take into account practical factors, such as the fact that certain deployed units, most notably combat engineers as well as attack and transport helicopter pilots crews, are stretched to the limit - and the fact that the ISAF contribution has turned out to be far more costly than originally foreseen. But another factor may weigh even more heavily - support from Parliament and public opinion. Officially, it's up to NATO to find a successor to the Netherlands, if the country were to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan next year. Also officially, the Dutch government is not ruling out a total withdrawal. Unofficially, however, the government and military have made it clear that the Netherlands is inclined to continue the ISAF mission and keep the lead role in Uruzgan province, albeit it with a certain reduction in troops and air assets.

Hence, both NATO and the Netherlands are now frantically seeking a third country willing to contribute troops to the current Dutch/Australian 'Task Force Uruzgan' next year. There have been talks with Norway, a country with which the Netherlands has strong military ties. But the Norwegian coalition government appears to be split over the issue. Which may explain why last weekend, the commander of the Dutch Armed Forces, General Dick Berlijn, mentioned Indonesia and Ukraine as 'examples' of countries which could play a role in Uruzgan. However, the Defence Ministry has stressed no serious negotiations with those two countries have taken place as yet.

M@C: Europe turns in solid economic growth

For the complete report from M@C click on this link

Europe turns in solid economic growth

The 13-member eurozone economy turned up a solid growth performance during the second quarter with the currency bloc expanding year-on-year by 2.5 per cent, data released Tuesday showed. The release of the data, which was drawn up the European Union's statistics office, came in the build-up to a key meeting of the European Central Bank on Thursday which is expected to pull back from a planned rate hike.

EU-Digest commentary: AFGHANISTAN AND EUROPE - "The Netherlands - the best friend America has in Europe"

Special EU-Digest Commentary on the Netherlands activities in Afghanistan

AFGHANISTAN AND EUROPE - "The Netherlands - the best friend America has in Europe"

The Netherlands is probably the only country in the world, next to Afghanistan itself, which has an official Netherlands government sponsored program for its schools, promoting the benefits of keeping the Dutch military in Afghanistan. Dutch envoys have also gone to other European countries to urge them in sending additional troops to Afghanistan. Most recently to Norway. Why all this activity? For one, the Balkenende Government had made a deal with the US Government during the Iraq war that they would be sending some 1000 troops to Iraq in exchange for dredging contracts near the port of Basra, and the appointment of Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, who belongs to the same political party as Mr. Balkenende, as NATO’s Secretary General. The other crucial point is that this fall the Dutch parliament will be discussing the extension of Dutch troop deployment in Afghanistan. Obviously the coalition Government of Prime-Minister Balkenende is using every "spin-masters" trick to win this parliamentary debate, and stay in favor with America. In the meantime, the war in Afghanistan, which is badly managed and has already cost the Dutch 10 military deaths and a drain on the economy of several million euro's per week, is not going well.

The majority of the Dutch population is either brain-dead or does not seem to be interested in what is going on in Afghanistan. In general, the Dutch do not approve of President Bush personally, but otherwise the 16 million strong population is totally in love with American culture and life-style. They act and dress like Americans, eat their food, dance to their music, watch and copy their TV shows, drive in SUV's when they can afford it, and overcrowd the roads. Like the majority of the US population, they have also taken a negative view on the benefits of immigration.

The bottom line about Afghanistan's importance to the Dutch Government is that for the government staying friendly with the US is a far more important issue than working towards a strong and united European Union. Two years ago, the Netherlands voted against the EU Constitution, mainly because the Government had not done their "homework" and stood by while populist and right wing politicians took center stage.

If it's not too late, the Netherlands better wake up to the fact that their future lies within the European Union and not with America. It certainly would be a wise decision for the Netherlands Government to divert the millions of euro's it is now wasting on the Afghanistan military campaign, to promoting the actual results of more than 50 years of prosperity the Netherlands population is enjoying, thanks to their membership in the European Union. That is the story that needs to be told to its youth.

All EU-Digest Commentary can be used only if its source is identified.

Europe's World: Why the EU is dragging its feet: An ex-Ambassador’s lament - by Pavel Telicka

For the complete report from Europe's World click on this link

Why the EU is dragging its feet: An ex-Ambassador’s lament - by Pavel Telicka

Crisis, what crisis? The deadlock over Europe's constitutional treaty may mean the EU is dragging its feet a bit, but it still works, its institutions continue to function, laws go on being enacted, decisions taken and fines imposed. We could be doing much better, of course, and clearly we need a new treaty. But crisis is a too strong word, and anyway its not the signal to send to the European public at large.

Today's politicians all declare their commitment to EU policies, but how genuine is this when negotiations within the Council are so dominated by national interests? How often does positive and determined political statement by an EU member government go unmatched by its own deeds? The reality is that EU countries' diplomats in Coreper − the permanent negotiating forum for the EU-27 − are often given inflexible negotiating positions that put the national interest above all else. In short, the Union's member states have become more nationally-oriented than in years past and seem increasingly preoccupied by their own internal problems. Shaky domestic politics and the hypnotic effects of opinion polls mean that in quite a few EU countries events back home can carry more weight than the EU agenda.

ALDE: The environmental quiz - answer and win

For the complete details on the ALDE quiz click on this link

The environmental quiz - answer and win

Did you know that just by closing the tap in between brushing one's teeth, you could save enough water to fill 6,000 Olympic swimming pools? Take the ALDE quiz and find out many more tips on how to save the environment and your own money! YOUR action counts!

The ALDE Group is the 3rd largest political group in the European Parliament, holding the balance of power between the left and right.

Times Online: Hunt on for Europe's next net giant - Rhys Blakely

For the complete report from the Times Online click on this link

Hunt on for Europe's next net giant - Rhys Blakely

The final stage of a competition designed to kick-start Europe's start-ups and uncover a home-grown technology business to rival the likes of Google and Facebook begins in earnest today. The Seedcamp contest attracted more than 260 entries from start-up businesses in some 40 countries. That field has now been whittled down to the twenty most promising candidates, ranging from a social network aimed at the over-50s, to a site that aims to list every known bookable restaurant. The finalists today arrived in London to attend a weeklong series of workshops that will include coaching from tech heavyweights including Oracle, Google, Yahoo and Microsoft, and the chance to sell their ideas to established investors. Three winners will be given €50,000 (£34,000) each and will stay in London for a further three months’ mentoring and pitching.

The initiative was founded by Saul Klein, a former marketing director at Skype, the internet telephony leader, who hopes this week’s Seedcamp will be the first of many

Newsweek: Europe Must First Come Together - by Dennis Macshane

For the complete report from Newsweek/MSNBC.com click on this link

"Europe Must First Come Together" - by Dennis Macshane

Does the welcome decline of European anti-Americanism mean Europe and the United States are converging? Not yet—and not for the foreseeable future. While government leaders in the European Union pay lip service to the United States and its ideals, they remain far apart on a slew of social and economic issues. But beyond that, a true alliance between the United States and the EU cannot take place until Europe finds a singular voice with which it can begin to build bridges across the Atlantic."

Poland has been showered with EU funds provided by taxpayers farther west, in the biggest cash transfer in Polish history. Yet instead of focusing on Poland's EU destiny, the ruling Kaczynski twins have accused their main political rivals of being in the pay of Germany. Warsaw's rhetoric mocks the idea that European convergence will one day replace the old nationalisms.

The French and Dutch rejections of the EU constitution in 2005 were symptoms of a Europe that does not know where it is going or what it wants to be. In Britain there is at best ambivalence, and often downright hostility, to Europe. The decline of anti-Americanism will not lead to a narrowing of the Atlantic until there is European leadership that is self-confident about the EU's future and can face down this kind of nationalist sectarianism, which sees Europe as a problem rather than as a solution.

Scotsman.com News - Miliband paves way for Basra exit -"Troops withdrawal Basra determined by British interests, not President Bush" - by Gerri Peev

For the complete report from the Scotsman.com click on this link

Miliband paves way for Basra exit -"Troops withdrawal Basra determined by British interests, not President Bush" - by Gerri Peev

The exit date for British troops would be determined by national interests and not by the US president, George Bush, David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary has said as he hit back at American criticism of UK operations in Basra. "Our decisions about Basra are about the situation on the ground in Basra, not the situation on the ground in Baghdad."

The al-Mahdi army, the source of much of the inter-Shia tension in the south, has agreed to give British troops safe passage as they depart.

The Real Truth: End of the Road for the United Kingdom? - "The EU is their only hope for the future" - by Mark Denee

For the complete report from the Real Truth click on this link

End of the Road for the United Kingdom? - by Mark Denee

From a group of islands approximately 100,000 sq. mi. (250,000 sq. km.) in size reigned the world’s largest empire: the United Kingdom. Culminating in the 19th century under Queen Victoria, the British Empire controlled approximately one-quarter of the world’s land, resources and population.The Union Flag (“Union Jack”) and the empire that it represented is considered controversial in today’s politically correct society. On one hand, its legacy is widespread in legal, military, education and government systems, and in economic practice. Its image dominates sports (cricket, rugby, and football/soccer), and symbolizes the global spread of the English language.On the other hand, to some, its effigy reflects an empire of slavery and racism, brutality and aggression, pride and arrogance.The United Kingdom—which consists of the British isle states of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland—has undergone its own decline. In 1922, Ireland split into two states, one declaring independence and becoming the Republic of Ireland; the other remaining a part of the UK, becoming Northern Ireland. In 1998, Scotland was granted the resumption of its own parliament in Edinburgh. In recent months, calls for Scottish independence have increased (they were also somewhat popular during the 1970s). Could this spell the end of the United Kingdom?

Note EU-Digest: "Instead of fighting closer ties with the EU and its new constitutional treaty, Britain should be far more receptive to being part of a strong and united Europe. Going it alone would certainly mean their further decline as a major player on the world stage."

IHT: EU presses neighbors for change in return for aid

For the complete report from the IHT click on this link

EU presses neighbors for change in return for aid

The European Union was to meet Monday with representatives of 15 neighboring countries and the Palestinian Authority to generate more momentum for a €12 billion program of economic and other aid in exchange for EU-supported changes, a strategy that has been a tough sell from the day it was started in 2004. The EU European Neighborhood Program offers neighbors cash, expertise and easy access to EU markets in return for commitment to change.

GLOBAL POWER EUROPE: New destroyers enhance European navies

For the complete report from GLOBAL POWER EUROPE click on this link

"New destroyers enhance European navies

In recent years, many European navies have undergone quiet but nonetheless impressive enhancements. A number of imposing new aircraft carriers, landing platforms, warships and submarines have been introduced, particularly in the Royal Navy, the French Marine Nationale, Italy’s Marina Militare, the Deutsche Marine, the Armada Española, and the Koninklijke Marine of the Netherlands. These vessels of war hold some of the most lethal and advanced naval weaponry and radar equipment in the world—on par or exceeding that of even the United States Navy; some ships have even left American observers ‘shaken and shocked’."

Bloomberg.com: Europe Economy to Maintain Growth Pace says Almunia - by Ben Sills

For the complete report from Bloomberg.com click on this link

Europe Economy to Maintain Growth Pace says Almunia - by Ben Sills

Europe's economy will sustain its growth pace in the face of financial-market turbulence and may even expand this year more quickly than forecast, European Union Economic Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said.

``I think the growth forecast will be maintained within a decimal point either way,'' Almunia said in a speech today in Madrid. The European Commission, the EU's executive body in Brussels, forecast in May that the economy of the 13 nations that use the euro would expand 2.6 percent this year and outpace the U.S. for the first time since 2001.

The Economist: US Economy Heading for the rocks

For the complete report from the Economist.com click on this link

US Economy Heading for the rocks

The Economist Intelligence Unit has produced a special report (PDF, 508 KB) that analyses the various scenarios for the global economy and the potential impact on individual regions. This free report looks at the background behind recent events and presents our findings on the increased risks to economic growth.

To review this report click on this link

Indepent: Medical crisis in Iraq as doctors and nurses flee - by Kim Sengupta

For the complete report of the Independent Online click on this link

Medical crisis in Iraq as doctors and nurses flee - by Kim Sengupta

The humanitarian disaster in Iraq is being compounded by a mass exodus of their medical staff fleeing chronic violence and lawlessness. A report by Oxfam International shows the lack of doctors and nurses is fracturing a health system on the brink of collapse. The research revealed that many hospitals, and medical teaching facilities in Baghdad have lost up to 80 per cent of their teaching staff. The dossier says Iraq is suffering from an appalling and largely hidden humanitarian crisis, away from the daily bombings, with millions of people in desperate need of help. Medical staff received a large pay rise in the aftermath of the war with average salaries rising from as little as euro 18.35 a month to Euro 221. But the lack of security and the ever-present threat of kidnappings and bomb attacks have persuaded an increasing number to seek safety abroad.

AFP: Jordan king urges greater EU role for Mideast peace

For the complete report in AFP click on this link

Jordan king urges greater EU role for Mideast peace

Jordan's King Abdullah II called for the European Union to bridge differences between Israel and the Palestinians ahead of a US-sponsored peace conference in talks on Sunday with visiting Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi. "King Abdullah II and Prodi stressed the importance of increased efforts by the European Union to support peace in the Middle East and bring back the Palestinians and the Israelis to the negotiations table," a palace statement said.

Note EU-Digest: the Middle East is the backyard of Europe. The US has no place in this environment based on its present objectives for the region.America has its Monroe doctrine for its neighbors in Latin America. Its time they get out of the region and let the cards fall in place."

LA Times: Labor Day as the Romans do - by Vicky Leon

For the complete report from the Los Angeles Times click on this link

Labor Day as the Romans do - by Vicky Leon

"In the United States, they tend to believe they achieved a kinder, gentler workplace that honors 9-to-5ers with a special day off in early September, especially when compared with the workaday world of the past. But 2,000 years ago, workers in Athens, Rome and other cities around the Mediterranean got far more recognition -- and time off -- than we do. Their calendars were crowded with occupation-specific festivals. Most of these celebrations had an essentially religious base -- either to say thanks or as appeasement. Plumbers, for instance, didn't have a "Plumbers Day." Their holiday honored their patron god -- Saturn, most likely, whose symbol was lead. Most drainpipes connecting Romans to their lavish supply of clean water were made of lead -- plumbum in Latin.

When the western half of the Roman Empire crumbled in AD 476, more was lost than good plumbing. The number of workers' holidays began to shrink. Today, the U.S. is the only advanced economy that does not guarantee its workers any paid vacation or holidays. 9 to 5, indeed. Saturn help us, we're headed for XXIV / VII."

Africa - Reuters.com: EU to facilitate migration to Europe- says commissioner

For the complete report from Africa - Reuters.com click on this link

EU to facilitate migration to Europe- says commissioner

The European Union plans to make it easier for people from non-EU countries to migrate to Europe and work there, the bloc's external relations commissioner was quoted as saying on Monday. "We are planning a new migration initiative,"

EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said in an interview with German daily Die Welt. "The aim of this strategy is to stem illegal immigration, to encourage the flow of legal migrants and to remedy a lack of skilled labour in some EU economies," Ferrero-Waldner said.

Atlantic Free Press - Iran: To Nuke or not to Nuke? That is the question

For the complete report from the Atlantic Free Press click on this link

Iran: To Nuke or not to Nuke? That is the question

For well over a year now pundits on both the left and the right have been telling us that the US/Israel Axis is about to bomb/invade Iran; those on the right say it with glee and on the left with understandable fear of the consequences, not only for the unfortunate Iranian people but for the entire planet.

What are the options open to the US? What would they stand to gain from ‘taking out’ Iran? Most importantly, is the US able to extend its wars of acquisition Eastward? In other words does it possess both the military and political power to invade Iran? And what of the consequences?

FT.com: World Economy: Prepare for the credit crisis to spread - Wolfgang Munchau

For the complete report from the FT.com click on this link

World Economy: Prepare for the credit crisis to spread - Wolfgang Munchau

The late John Kenneth Galbraith would have enjoyed this summer. He was no expert on modern credit markets but his analysis of historic bubbles fits our most recent boom and bust episode with uncanny precision. All historic bubbles were accompanied by a sharp rise in leverage. A salient feature of modern bubbles is the emergence of innovative financial products. No matter whether we are talking about junk bonds or modern collateralised debt obligations (CDOs), as Galbraith has pointed out, such products boil down to variants of debt secured on a real asset.

AFP: Second British general bashes US strategy in Iraq

For the complete report from AFP click on this link

Second British general bashes US strategy in Iraq

The British backlash over the United States's handling of post-invasion Iraq grew Sunday as another top military commander blasted what he called Washington's "fatally flawed" policy. The remarks came as the BBC reported that British troops had begun pulling out from their Iraqi headquarters in Basra, citing the Iraqi head of security in the southern province.

The Providence Journal/ The Korea Times - Europe’s Self-Censorship

For the complete report from the The Providence Journal/The Korea Times click on this link

Europe’s Self-Censorship

Europeans are becoming adept at censoring themselves to avoid angering Islamists who think that they have the right and the obligation to tell the whole world how to live. Visual arts, journalism and literature are all under threat. As Cecelia Wikstrom, a member of the Swedish parliament and spokeswoman for cultural affairs for that country's Liberal Party, noted in a recent piece in the International Herald Tribune, just a few weeks ago a collection of ``provocative pencil sketches of Muhammad were suddenly lifted off the walls" by a gallery director in rural Sweden for fear of offending Muslims. Last year, a Mozart premiere in Berlin was canceled for fear that the show would offend them. In other words, Western culture is trimming its sails to traverse Islamist seas, and so some Western nations are effectively losing their independence to the oil power.

The Happiness Poll: 80% of young people between 13 and 24 say that believing in God makes them happier

For the complete happiness poll click on this link

Eighty percent of young people between 13 and 24 say that believing in God makes them happier

Some 80 % of the American kids who believe in God say that their belief has made them happier. Only 60% of "non-believers" young adults polled said that they felt happy.

AFP: Bosnia claims world kissing record

For the complete report in AFP click on this link

Bosnia claims world kissing record

Organisers of an event in which almost 7,000 couples kissed simultaneously in a Bosnian town on Saturday said their effort deserved a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. A total of 6,980 couples kissed for 10 seconds at the main square of the northeastern town of Tuzla, some 120 kilometres (74 miles) north of Sarajevo, said local radio station Kameleon which organized the event. "Tuzla is the city of love. We are the champions," Kristina Gligorovic, an organiser, told the crowd of some 20,000 people who gathered for the occasion.

Muslim clerics in Tuzla called for a boycott of the event, arguing it was not in line with Muslim tradition. Muslims account for 44 percent of Bosnia's 3.8 million population, the last 1991 census showed.

Eurogates: Foreign students arrive in the Netherlands

For the complete report in Eurogates click on this link

Foreign students arrive in the Netherlands

The numbers of students coming to the Netherlands has increased since last year. At the Technical University of Delft, for example, 30% more foreign students will be arriving this year than last. The Rector of the University of Groningen and the mayor of the city received foreign students in the impressive medieval Martinikerk, where they were told that, in 2010, the university hopes to welcome some 3,500 students from abroad.

Economist: French foreign policy - Sarkozy - Running fast, but where is he going?

For the complete report from the Economist.com click on this link

Sarkozy - Running fast, but where is he going?

Mr Sarkozy seems to have three main ideas. First, like Mr Chirac, he believes that France must project its power through Europe. And to be more credible, Europeans must revive their common defense policy and “assume fully their responsibility and role of ensuring their security and that of the world.” Unlike Mr Chirac, though, Mr Sarkozy seeks to achieve these aims as a partner of America, not an antagonist.

Seeking Alpha: Alternative Energy: Can It Compete?

For the complete report from Seeking Alpha click on this link

Alternative Energy - Can It Compete?

It's no secret that alternative energy is an emerging market with enormous potential for growth; fossil fuel depletion, political volatility in oil producing nations, and the effects of greenhouse gasses have become pressing issues for many in recent years. But for all the hype, the question remains: Can it compete?

RTÉ Business: Ireland - Farmers providing more bio-energy

For the complete report from RTÉ Business click on this link

Ireland: Ireland - Farmers providing more bio-energy

More farmers are now planting crops to provide energy, according to the agriculture authority Teagasc. A major conference on bioenergy in Carlow this morning was told that there was increased planting of miscanthus, willow and oilseed rape in the past year.Professor Jimmy Burke told the Open Day, which was attended by thousands of farmers, that commercial and public sector building are responsible for almost one-fifth of Ireland's energy use - up 30% in the last few years.