Ryan Air says it is looking into carrying standing passengers for free

"Standing up in an aircraft during flight, take off and landing?

EU-Digest

Ryan Air says its looking into carrying standing passengers for free

Ryan Air Chief Michael O’Leary has said he is looking into the possibility of letting passengers who are willing to stand up during flights, fly for free. Apparently the flights targeted will be those of 30 minutes or less. Most of the Ryan flights however, are more than an hour. The plan would need to be approved by the Irish Aviation Authority but the setup would include seats similar to trams or in restaurant cars on trains.

Like earlier announced "gimmicks" by Ryan Air like a Fat Tax, charge for toilet use and overweight handbags, this may also have been a publicity stunts. One of the biggest hurdles for this new idea would obviously be the safety factor of having people stand in the plane during take off and landing.

Earth Times: India is guest of honour at France's Bastille Day parade

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India is guest of honor at France's Bastille Day parade

The annual Bastille Day military parade, celebrating France's national holiday, began Tuesday on the Champs Elysees in Paris with India as the guest of honor. With Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sitting in the reviewing stand next to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, 400 Indian soldiers in ceremonial uniform marched at the head of the parade. According to the daily Le Figaro, Singh is the first foreign head of government to have been granted the status of "guest of honor" at France's Bastille Day celebrations, which commemorate the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789.

EU law proposes sanctions for risky bank bonuses - Yahoo! News UK

EU-Digest On Monday a draft law was released by the European Commission which will tighten EU rules on bank capital and would require banks to improve their disclosure of holdings in securitized products. The rules, which are expected to also include other anticipated reforms, like a cap on leverage and a variety of capital and liquidity barriers, will make it harder for banks to earn high returns on their assets. Once approved, the new laws are expected to come into force in 2011 as part of an overall effort to restore confidence in the ailing financial sector. Given the strength of the financial lobby groups in Bruxelles and member state countries, a hard fight can be expected from the financial sector as these new laws are being debated.

timaruherald.co.nz: US economy - through the first nine months of fiscal 2009, the government has racked up a $1.086 trillion deficit

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US economy - through the first nine months of fiscal 2009, the government has racked up a $1.086 trillion deficit

The $1.086 trillion deficit for the first nine months of 2009 compares with a shortfall of only $285.85 billion in the comparable year-ago period, underscoring the sharp deterioration in the U.S. fiscal picture. "The Federal deficit is now at a post-World War II high and is likely to continue to rise in the near term as deficits rise and the economy remains weak," said John Silvia, chief economist for Wells Fargo Securities. "These deficits will influence the allocation of global savings for the foreseeable future. No doubt where this train is going," Silvia said. The record budget deficit for June was not an all time high. that was February when it was $194 billion, a department official said.

The recession and related government rescue efforts have put the budget on track for its longest-ever stretch of consecutive monthly deficits. The current record is 11 straight months, which has been reached three times. Some Wall Street economists see the deficit heading higher, some suggesting a $1.5 trillion deficit for fiscal 2009 as the ranks of the jobless grow and hiring remains stubbornly weak as the economy struggles to emerge from recession.

Georgia Times: Opposition to invigorate their protest

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Opposition to invigorate their protest

Georgian opposition which has been holding large-scale ralliesin favor President Mikheil Saakashvili's resignation since April 9 announces plans to widen their protests and move to periphery. This was recently stated by Movement For United Georgia leader Eka Beselia at a public meeting near the parliament, News Georgia reports. The number of protesters had drastically dropped over the last month resulting in the opposition leaders call for reorganization.

Pravda: Russia to resume production of world's largest airplane, Ruslan

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Russia to resume production of world's largest airplane, Ruslan

Russia will soon resume the production of world’s largest commercial heavy transport plane An-124-100 Ruslan, RIA Novosti news agency reports with reference to the administration of Aviastar-SP Enterprise, which produced the plane before. Physically, the An-124 is similar to the American Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, but has a 25% larger payload, and in lieu of the Galaxy's T-tail, the An-124 uses a conventional empennage, similar in design to that of the Boeing 747. An-124s have been used to carry locomotives, yachts, aircraft fuselages, and a variety of other oversized cargoes. The An-124 is able to kneel to allow easier front loading. Up to 150 tons of cargo can be carried in a military An-124: it can also carry 88 passengers in an upper deck behind the wing centre section. However, due to limited pressurization in the main cargo compartment (3.57 PSI), it seldom carries paratroopers.

NIBL: Banking Industry - Meltdown - and out -- by David Ransom

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Banking Industry - Meltdown - and out -- by David Ransom

The people who brought you the financial meltdown have been pouring the molten remains into the same broken mould. The latest G8 finished with a promise of $20 billion over three years for agriculture in the ‘developing’ world. That’s less than $7 a year for each of the estimated billion people (and counting) who are now malnourished - even supposing that the cash materializes, and that G8 promises don’t come as cheap as they are.

No G8 leaders - even ministers - bothered to turn up at a UN conference on the financial crisis in June. Rather, they went out of their way to rubbish it. That was partly because a UN Commission, chaired by the Nobel Laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz, dared to propose modest reforms, including some sort of UN Economic Council to oversee the IMF, World Bank and WTO - and a new international currency to replace the US dollar. Despite talk of ‘recovery’, so far it relates to little more than the continuing flow of public funds into private banks (now via ‘quantitative easing’ - or printing money). They’re still not lending, least of all to each other. An unknown quantity of toxic debt remains. In politics the recent elections to the European Parliament the usual political suspects, plus assorted neo-fascists, emerged almost triumphant. Fresh political - as well as financial - thinking is urgently required.

Businessweek: EU not ready to sign South Korea free trade pact - by Malin Rising

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EU not ready to sign South Korea free trade pact - by Malin Rising

The European Union is not yet ready to sign a free-trade agreement with South Korea because there could still be "outstanding questions" from some EU members, Sweden's prime minister said Monday. South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak had hoped to announce the conclusion of the free-trade talks during a visit to Sweden, which currently holds the rotating six-month EU presidency. But Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt suggested some EU capitals were not prepared to OK the agreement, despite a "breakthrough" in talks on Friday.

SMH.Com: African solar energy to power Europe

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African solar energy to power Europe

Twelve European companies on Monday launched a 400 billion euro ($A716.33 billion) initiative to set up huge solar farms in Africa and the Middle East to produce energy for Europe. The consortium which signed the protocol says the huge project could eventually provide up to 15 per cent of Europe's electricity needs. Engineering giants ABB and Siemens, energy groups E.ON and RWE and financial institutions Deutsche Bank and Munich Re are among companies who agreed to begin development of the solar project by the end of October.

BBC NEWS: Europe gas pipeline deal agreed

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Europe gas pipeline deal agreed

Four European Union countries and Turkey have signed an agreement to construct the long-planned 3,300km Nabucco natural gas pipeline. Once completed, the line will bring up to 31 billion cubic metres of gas a year from the Caspian and the Middle East across Turkey and into Europe. It will give an important alternative energy supply to Russia, which already meets 30% of Europe's gas needs.

Netherlands Insurance Industry: AEGON Reaches Final Agreement to Reduce Charges on Unit-Linked Insurance Policies in The Netherlands

EU-Digest

(PRNewswire)AEGON has reached a final agreement with Stichting Verliespolis and Stichting Woekerpolis Claim to reduce charges for customers of its unit-linked insurance policies in the Netherlands. The agreement is part of industry-wide efforts in the Netherlands to address concerns over charges related to unit-linked insurance products. AEGON previously announced improvements to such policies last September. Based on the information available at that time, the company estimated the cost at approximately EUR 140 million before tax. Under the final agreement announced today, AEGON will commit an additional maximum amount of EUR 110 million before tax to improve terms and conditions of its unit-linked policies, which includes a maximum of EUR 80 million before tax to assist those customers experiencing adverse financial circumstances.

Yahoo/Tech/Reuters: Kazakh leader signs law curbing Internet: activists

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Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has signed into law new controls on the Internet that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has called repressive, local activists said Monday. The OSCE -- an intergovernmental security and human rights watchdog that Kazakhstan will chair next year -- had earlier urged Nazarbayev to veto the bill. The legislation will allow local courts to block websites, including foreign ones, and to class blogs and chatrooms as media. But Kazakhstan pressed ahead with the new law, with local rights activists confirming the legislation had been endorsed by the powerful president.

The Central Asian state says the law was aimed at "preventing unrest and protecting people's rights". Several websites, including the popular blogging service LiveJournal.com, are already inaccessible to most Kazakh Internet users.

The Age: What cost a China-US divorce? - by William Pesek

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What cost a China-US divorce? - by William Pesek

Returning from China last month, US Congressman Mark Kirk had a bearish take on a high-level visit by American officials. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner claimed the US's biggest creditor voiced great confidence in its debt. Kirk, an Illinois Republican, came back with the opposite impression. ''China is beginning to cancel Congress's credit card,'' he told Fox News on June 10. It ''doesn't want to lend much more money to the United States and especially is worried about the Fed's policy of printing money to buy new debt.''

A month later, there's no doubt about whose assessment was more accurate. Chinese leaders are clearly very concerned about the US dollar. Rumors of the US dollar's demise are no longer exaggerated. What is being exaggerated, though, is how easy it will be for Asia to get out of the quandary it's in. Cutting off the US government's credit card, for example, means American consumers can't buy your goods. And any sudden divorce between the world's two main economic powers won't be pretty. Far from it.

It's time to figure out what the next step is, and policy makers need to get serious. Complaining about our dollar-based system won't get us there. Some brainstorming about where to go from here would be far more constructive.

Washington Times: Tehran readies proposals for West

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Tehran readies proposals for West

Iran is preparing a package of proposals to present to Western powers that could be a basis for future talks, the country's foreign minister said Saturday. Manouchehr Mottaki told reporters that the package will deal with political and economic issues as well as security and international affairs, but he did not say whether its proposals also covered Iran's nuclear activities.

The U.S. and its European allies want to draw Iran back into negotiations over its nuclear program. At the Group of Eight summit in Italy last week, President Obama said there is now a September "time frame" for Iran to respond to offers to discuss its nuclear program.

EUbusiness/EU-Digest: New European Parliament considers Barroso weak President and looks to flex political muscle

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New European Parliament considers Barroso weak President and looks to flex political muscle

The freshly-elected European parliament meets Tuesday for its first plenary session, keen to test the new political muscle it will develop once the EU's new reform package enters force. In a short session, starting in earnest in Strasbourg, the 736-member assembly will elect its president, but not the head of the EU's executive arm, the European Commission. Despite pressure to vote this week on the return of Jose Manuel Barroso for a second five-year term as president of the commission, the lawmakers have taken a stand and postponed any endorsement until the autumn.In the parliament, which sits in Brussels as well as Strasbourg, he has the backing of his own centre-right bloc, but doubts remain as to who exactly will endorse him, and he is reluctant to rely on fringe parties for backing.

The Greens in particular see Barroso as a lackey of the member nations, and have expressed bewilderment that no one else can be found. "We do not trust him to wholeheartedly implement the policies that Europe urgently needs," Greens leaders said in a statement. The commission is responsible for drawing up legislation that impacts daily on the lives of almost half a billion Europeans, as well as enforcing the rules already in place. It will have a budget of 138 billion euros in 2010.

Times Online: British Pupils told: Sex every day keeps the GP away

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British Pupils told: "Sex every day keeps the GP away"

A National Health Service leaflet is advising school pupils that they have a “right” to an enjoyable sex life and that regular intercourse can be good for their cardiovascular health. The advice appears in guidance circulated to parents, teachers and youth workers, and is intended to update sex education by telling pupils about the benefits of sexual pleasure. For too long, say its authors, experts have concentrated on the need for “safe sex” and loving relationships while ignoring the main reason that many people have sex, that is, for enjoyment.The document, called Pleasure, has been drawn up by NHS Sheffield, although it is also being circulated outside the city. Alongside the slogan “an orgasm a day keeps the doctor away”, it says: “Health promotion experts advocate five portions of fruit and veg a day and 30 minutes’ physical activity three times a week.

Note EU-Digest: Amazing that the British National Health Service gives this kind of information to youngsters whose hormones are already running amok. It will certainly upset the apple-cart even more , as most parents of our Western World teenagers have already lost control over their spoiled and unruly children.

The Age: World Economy - More US consumer worries as Germany boosts hopes

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World Economy - More US consumer worries as Germany boosts hopes

Talk of another US stimulus plan and data showing American consumers falling behind on their bills underscored worries about the global economy on Tuesday, overshadowing an upturn in German manufacturing orders that provided a glimmer of hope. Soaring US unemployment and a shrinking economy drove delinquencies on credit-card debt and home equity loans to all-time highs in the first quarter, the American Bankers Association said.

Data showed orders in Germany, Europe's largest economy, rose at the strongest monthly pace in nearly two years in May, but economists said the yearly comparison would remain weak for some time yet.

France: Evian Commercial -- the hottest YouTube video at the moment

EU-Digest

France: Evian Commercial -- the hottest YouTube video at the moment

The Evian mineral water video commercial of babies in nappies performing skating stunts to a hip-hop beat is the hottest commercial at the moment and has been watched some 4 million times on YouTube alone in the past week. The 60-second film was shot at London's Pinewood Studios as part of mineral water brand Evian's Live Young' international TV and web video campaign. So far the US version was watched almost 1.8 million times. The international version has been seen over 1.5 million times and the French clip over 500,000 times.

Click on this link to watch the commercial.

Miami Herald: Honduras stands to lose more aid - Americas - by Lesley Clark and Trenton Daniel

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Honduras stands to lose more aid - Americas - by Lesley Clark and Trenton Daniel

The political crisis in Honduras has cost the disputed administration in Tegucigalpa nearly $20 million in U.S. aid -- and the price tag could rise if the dueling governments are not able to reach a solution. Some aid and international loans were suspended after the ouster of President Manuel Zelaya, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton noted this week that much U.S. assistance ``is conditioned on the integrity of the democratic system.'' Several members of Congress and Latin American advocacy groups have called on Clinton to cut off all aid to the de facto government to send a strong message that military coups will not be tolerated. Analysts say the interim government could hope to ride out a potential cutoff in aid until elections in November, but analysts said the damage could be considerable as construction projects dry up and the government grows short of cash.

The United States last week said it was suspending some aid to Honduras while it determined whether the removal of Zelaya met the definition of a military coup under U.S. law, which cuts off all but humanitarian aid to the government of any country ``whose duly elected head of government is deposed by military coup or decree.'' Note EU-Digest:Looking at the events that took place as to the ouster of President Zelaya there should be no doubt that this was a military coup. It is important the US take the appropriate action to put "its money where its mouth is".

The Economist: The Netherlands - The Hermitage Amsterdam: Carousel of treasures

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The Netherlands - The Hermitage Amsterdam: Carousel of treasures

The Dutch queen and the Russian president watched as fireworks soared above the River Amstel. The Hermitage Amsterdam, a new museum for exhibiting loans of Russian art, was officially open, with an inaugural show entitled “At the Russian Court: Palace and Protocol in the XIXth Century”. The evening’s celebrations were televised live. Local residents seemed uniformly pleased, proud and relieved. At last a museum success story.

Amsterdam is famous for its outstanding galleries. However, the Rijksmuseum has been under reconstruction since 2003 and the Stedelijk, with its internationally celebrated collection of modern art, since 2004. Their reopening, pushed back repeatedly, appears to be years away. But the Hermitage Amsterdam, the radically renovated Amstelhof (a nursing home from its construction in the 17th century until 2007) was on budget, at €40m ($56m), and speedy, taking just two years to complete. The running costs will be covered by ticket sales and corporate sponsors. The St Petersburg Hermitage will receive €1 from each full-price entry. Ernst Veen, a cultural entrepreneur, masterminded the scheme and is now the museum’s director.

newsdurhamregion.com/EU-Digest: Gardening becomes popular during the economic recession - by Melissa Mancini

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Gardening becomes popular during the economic recession - by Melissa Mancini

With exotic vacations out of reach for some during this economic downturn, many are using their time off to get dirty -- in the garden, of course. This year has been a booming one for the garden business, with more people coming down to buy everything from fruit and vegetable plants to annuals. As this recession deepens Green-thumbing will certainly become more popular, perhaps because homeowners know spending more of their summer in the backyard will not only relax them but also could provide inexpensive food on the table.

Note EU-Digest: this trend is also very much noticeable in Europe.

NewKerala.com: Young Indian entrepreneur 'Makes a Difference' in Vienna - by Mehru Jaffer

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Young Indian entrepreneur 'Makes a Difference' in Vienna - by Mehru Jaffer

Bangalore-based Suhas Gopinath, 23, who shot to fame as one of the youngest CEOs in the world, has added another feather to his cap. He has been given the first Make a Difference award here for supporting young entrepreneurs around the world. Gopinath started Globals in 2000 when he was 14 years old from a cyber cafe in Bangalore. He registered the company at San Jose, California, as Indian laws did not allow a minor to start a company. The average age of employees is about 25 years at Globals. However, the plan is to shift the headquarters to Bangalore as soon as the construction work is ready. Gopinath is based in India's Silicon Valley although he travels around the world. Globals already operates from about a dozen countries, including Germany. "But Austria is not Germany. This country is conservative and unique. It is a different kind of challenge to work here," said Gopinath of Austria, one of the richest countries of the European Union (EU). While in Vienna, Gopinath used the opportunity to pick Maya India, an Austrian IT company, as a local partner of Globals.

The Make a Difference award is an initiative of Brainswork, a Viennese consultancy boutique that organised IncredibleEurope, a one-day summit held here in celebration of the work of individuals whose unique talent and creative ideas have made a positive contribution to the world. Along with Gopinath, the other winners for 2009 are Ilse Dippmann, who initiated the Austrian Women's Run, the largest women's running event in Central Europe; Muhammad Mesic, a 24-year-old Bosnian who uses his skills in 56 foreign languages to promote human rights and reconciliation worldwide; as well as professor Luigi Colani, the 80-year-old design legend and professor considered a role model by many young people.

Yahoo Malaysia: M'SIA WELL POSITIONED TO PROVIDE ISLAMIC BANKING SERVICES IN EUROPE - by Premalatha Jayaraman

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Malaysia, recognized internationally for its vast experience in Islamic finance, is well positioned to provide services and facilities related to Islamic banking in Europe. "This is a potential area that we have yet to develop with Europe. We need to move away from the thinking that Islamic banking must only be in the Middle East or among Arab, Muslim countries," said Malaysia's ambassador to Brussels, Datuk Hussein Hanif.

Alternet: Michael Jackson's Death Was Tragic, But He Was Little More Than an Icon of Mediocrity - by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez

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Michael Jackson's Death Was Tragic, But He Was Little More Than an Icon of Mediocrity - by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez

If Jackson was a musical genius, one realizes, it is not such a great leap to imagine Sarah Palin as presidential material, Lauren Weisberger as a great author, or Lou Dobbs as a substitute for real reporting and news. The Simpsons lampooned the growing cult of idiocy and mediocrity in the nation in the character of Homer; sadly, hardly anyone noticed because they were too busy relating to him. As a culture, it appears that the US has accepted the lowest common denominator as the highest they ought to aim. The US population is told Michael Jackson is the King of Pop, when in reality he is the Clown Monarch of Mediocrity.

Netherlands - New Fyra high speed ( 250 KMper hr) trains to link Amsterdam Airport Schiphol – Rotterdam – Antwerp – Brussels - Paris

EU-Digest

Netherlands - New Fyra high speed ( 250 KMper hr) trains to link Amsterdam Airport Schiphol – Rotterdam – Antwerp – Brussels - Paris

The high-speed train that travels at up to 250 km/h will go into service on the Amsterdam –Amsterdam Airport Schiphol – Rotterdam – Antwerp – Brussels and Amsterdam – Amsterdam Airport Schiphol – Rotterdam – Breda route. The high-speed trains will be built by AnsaldoBreda in Italy. The test runs of the prototype train will start on the HSL-South in the Netherlands and the L4 high-speed line in Belgium. NS(Dutch Rail) Hispeed has ordered 16 Fryda trains.

With the new trains, the journey from Amsterdam to Brussels will take just 1 hour 46 minutes, from Amsterdam to Rotterdam – 36 minutes, Rotterdam to Paris – 2.5 hours and the journey from Rotterdam to Schiphol will take 20 minutes. NS (Dutch Rail) Hispeed will begin service on the HSL-Zuid even before the Fyra has completed its testing programme. Starting in the autumn of 2009, Traxx locomotives pulling Intercity carriages are expected to be running under the name of Fyra on the HSL-Zuid at a speed of 160 km/h. These Traxx trains will be replaced by Fyra high-speed trains that travel at 250 km/h as soon as the testing program has been completed.

NS (Dutch Rail) Hispeed is the operating name of High Speed Alliance, which is owned 90% by NS and 10% by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. NS Hispeed will be a Dutch umbrella brand for high speed train operations, including Thalys, ICE International, TGV, Eurostar and Fyra. NS Hispeed expects to carry 26·4 million passengers in 2011. Around 18·4 million of these will be on domestic services, including a 35% share of the Amsterdam - Rotterdam market.

Protests in Turkey, Norway,Germany,the Netherlands and France in support of Uighur community in China's northwestern region of Xinjiang

EU-Digest

Protests in Turkey, Norway,Germany,the Netherlands and France in support of Uighur community in China's northwestern region of Xinjiang

Several hundred Uighur and Turkish demonstrators rallied outside the Chinese embassy in Ankara as a group of protesters tried to break through a line of Turkish police in riot gear to approach the embassy. This led to brief scuffles with police. No injuries were reported. Demonstrators also hurled eggs at the embassy building and held up banners calling for an end to Chinese aggression against Uighurs. In Istanbul some 100 protesters who gathered outside the Chinese Consulate set a Chinese flag on fire. In Norway 100 ethnic Uighurs waving their national flag gathered outside China's Embassy in Oslo, demanding that China end violence and ethnic discrimination in Xinjiang. Two people were injured in the protest — one while trying to jump over the embassy fence. A total of 11 demonstrators were detained, according to Oslo police spokesman Oystein Roraas. In the Netherlands about 150 Xinjiang separatists supporters launched protests at the Chinese embassy and hurled stones and eggs at the embassy complex. A number of the protesters were also seen carrying knives and burning China's national flag during the demonstration. Some protesters tried climbing over the embassy fence but this failed. The embassy said it had demanded that the Dutch Foreign Ministry and police tighten security around the area, but only a few police officers showed up when the violence broke out. In Germany, police said fire bombs were thrown at the Chinese consulate in the southern German city of Munich during the early hours of Monday, causing some damage to the facade and setting fire to the Chinese flag. In France, the Uighur community demonstrated in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Uighurs are originally Turkic people who share linguistic and cultural bonds with Central Asia. Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said that he will ask the UN Security Council to issue a resolution to end the violence in China's Xinjiang area.

Sky News: Russia uncertain about climate plan

Sky News

Russia uncertain about climate plan

During the summit, the G8 industrialized nations and the nine most important emerging powers agreed that developed countries as a whole should cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent but the declaration was promptly undermined when Russia said such a target was unattainable and unacceptable. Obama said, however, that he did not expect an instant meeting of minds. 'And while we don't expect to solve the problem in one meeting, or one summit. I believe we have made important strides forward,' he said. 'I don't think I have to emphasise that climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time. The science is clear and conclusive and impacts can no longer be ignored. 'Ice sheets are melting. Sea levels are rising. Our oceans are becoming more acidic, and we've already seen its effects on weather patterns, our food and water sources, our health and our habitats,' he said.

EUbusiness: China - EU parliament head urges China to respect rights amid unrest

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China - EU parliament head urges China to respect rights amid unrest

The president of the European parliament, Hans Gert Poettering, called on Chinese authorities Monday to respect human rights, as ethnic protests and violence rock the Xinjiang region. "The news which is emerging of how these protests have been handled is deeply disturbing," he said in a statement. "I appeal to all sides for calm and restraint."

"I explicitly appeal to the Chinese authorities to act in a manner that fully respects human dignity and fundamental human rights, including the right to freedom of expression and peaceful demonstration," he said. "I also appeal to the Chinese authorities to allow local and international media to carry out their work in full freedom, including unrestricted access to the Internet," he added.

Todays Zaman: Turkish minister says an urgent investigation should be launched into the Xinjiang events

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Turkish minister says an urgent investigation should be launched into the Xinjiang events

Turkish State Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç expressed hope that an urgent investigation would be launched into the events in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region to an extent that would not harm the relations between Turkey and the People's Republic of China. "There have been very good relations between governments and parliaments of Turkey and China. Also, Uighur Turks have constituted a bridge of friendship between our countries. But now, we are face to face with such dreadful events. We are profoundly sorry that some furious people threatened innocent people by using extreme force," he said.

Nasdaq: EU Presidency Urges Restraint In Restive China Region

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EU Presidency Urges Restraint In Restive China Region

The European Union called Tuesday for restraint on all sides in China's restive Xinjiang region. "The E.U. expresses its strong concern over the unrest," the bloc's Swedish presidency said in a statement. "The E.U. calls for restraint on all sides and for the situation to be resolved peacefully."

"The E.U. stresses the importance it attaches to all human rights, including the freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly," the presidency said, noting that the bloc "continues to follow developments closely".

CNN/EU-Digest: China: Major mosques close in Urumqi

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Major mosques close in Urumqi

Five major mosques near the center of violence last weekend in Urumqi, the capital of China's far-west Xinjiang region, were closed Friday morning, state-run media reported. "Mosques in some sensitive areas were closed at their imams' suggestion," an official in charge of religious affairs with the Xinjiang regional government said Friday. "Muslims normally perform rituals at home in time of plague or social unrest." Friday is the main day of worship for Muslims.

Note EU-Digest: AFP reported that thousands of fearful people poured into bus and train stations to escape China's Urumqi city after the deadly ethnic unrest, as several mosques were ordered shut for the main Muslim day of prayer today. Authorities said they had put on extra bus services out of the capital of China's remote Xinjiang region, but demand far outstripped seats and scalpers told AFP they were charging up to five times the normal face price for tickets. The Chinese government said 156 people were killed and more than 1,000 others injured, as Uighurs attacked people from China's dominant Han ethnic group. But Uighur exiles said security forces over-reacted to peaceful protests and used deadly force. They said up to 800 people may have died in the unrest, following the security crackdown.

LATimes: Iran protests continue: Clashes erupt in streets of Tehran - by Ramin Mostaghim and Borzou Daragahi

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Iran protests continue: Clashes erupt in streets of Tehran - by Ramin Mostaghim and Borzou Daragahi

Violent clashes erupted yesterday (Thursday) in downtown Tehran between thousands of defiant protesters chanting "Death to the dictator" and security forces wielding truncheons, as the political crisis over Iran's disputed presidential election stretched into its fourth week. Contingents of uniformed and plainclothes security forces flooded the city's central squares and managed with batons and tear gas to eventually disperse the demonstrators, many of whom wore black and held up their fingers in V-for-victory salutes.

Though the number of protesters was nowhere close to the hundreds of thousands who took to the streets soon after the election, organizers showed that they could quickly assemble a crowd despite the efforts of security forces. Thursday was also the anniversary of a student uprising that was violently crushed by the government 10 years ago -- a perennial occasion for confrontations between demonstrators and police. "It is going to continue," vowed a marcher in his 60s, big drops of sweat on his forehead. "They have killed our dear youth. How can we forgive them?"

AFP/Yahoo: Israeli strike on Iran would be 'catastrophe': Sarkozy

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Israeli strike on Iran would be 'catastrophe': Sarkozy

A unilateral attack by Israel against Iran to thwart the Islamic republic's nuclear ambitions would be an "absolute catastrophe", French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned on Thursday. Sarkozy was speaking after a summit of G8 and other leaders in Italy at which they agreed on the need to pursue a negotiated deal with Tehran to halt a programme which Western powers fear hides a plan to acquire nuclear weapons.

CCTV: G8 summit in Italy reach agreements during 3 days ( but nothing specific)

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The Group of Eight rich nations and the Group of 5 emerging economies say they have reached several agreements at their three-day summit in Italy. Also, world leaders there said they'll complete the long-stalled Doha trade talks in 2010.

Note EU-Digest: agreements reached at the G8 meeting in Italy were mainly commitments to achieve agreements on several pending issues during a period of several years. The G8 has basically has ceased to be major decision making group as the G20 is growing in importance.

USA - President Obama's popularity slipping

EU-Digest

USA - President Obama's popularity slipping

In a land of instant and fast food the people also seem to want instant success from their President who is tackling 8 years of Bush economic mismanagement. A recent Rasmussen poll shows hat 30% of the US voters now strongly approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-eight percent (38%) strongly disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential approval rating of –8. Thirty-nine percent (39%) now give the President good or excellent marks for handling the economy while 43% say he is doing a poor job. Overall, 51% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance so far. Forty-eight percent (48%) disapprove.

Yahoo: Netherlands: Germany and France jeopardize pact - by Robert Wielaard

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Netherlands: Germany and France jeopardize pact - by Robert Wielaard

The Netherlands charged Tuesday that France and Germany are running their economies so differently that they are threatening the rules that underpin the stability of the euro. Dutch Finance Minister Wouter Bos said France and Germany "are sending different signals about how they regard the necessity to put public finances in order." He told reporters that it was "worrisome" that neither Berlin not Paris will acknowledge publicly that they are taking vastly different paths to return their slumping economies to growth. That, he added, was eroding confidence in the euro budget rules that require governments to contain debt within certain limits. While the German government has advocated limiting debt and bringing government spending back in line, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said "he sees no reason to commit himself in that sense" and plans to allow the deficit widen to stoke growth, Bos said. "That kind of nonintervention can have devastating effects" on the euro stability rules at a time when most of the 16 euro-zone nations have budget gaps far exceeding the limit of 3 percent of gross national product, he said.While the German government has advocated limiting debt and bringing government spending back in line, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said "he sees no reason to commit himself in that sense" and plans to allow the deficit widen to stoke growth, Bos said.

"That kind of nonintervention can have devastating effects" on the euro stability rules at a time when most of the 16 euro-zone nations have budget gaps far exceeding the limit of 3 percent of gross national product, he said.

RedOrbit: Alternative Energy - Unleashing The Power In Your Beer

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Alternative Energy - Unleashing The Power In Your Beer

Wolfgang Bengel, the technical director at German biomass company BMP Biomass Project, saw a business opportunity in solving the breweries’ grain waste headache. He reasoned that the leftover grain could be used to create steam and biogas, which would provide energy for the breweries, cheapening their energy costs as well as their costs of transporting grain to farms. Bengel has successfully treated the residue from rice and sugar cane in boilers with atmospheric fluidized bed combustion systems, to produce energy in China and Thailand, and Bengel thought a similar process could be developed for the breweries’ spent wet grain. Water would first have to be removed from the wet spent grain, the grain would have to be dried and then burned to produce energy. “Beer making is energy intensive – you boil stuff, use hot water and steam and then use electric energy for cooling – so if you recover more than 50 percent of your own energy costs from the spent grain that’s a big saving,” says Bengel. BMP turned to a long-standing business partner, fellow German biogas plant specialist INNOVAS, which had worked with it in China, to help develop the method as a EUREKA project.Germany’s BISANZ, which works on engineering projects, was also enlisted, as was Slovakian partner Adato, which designs boilers.

CIBC: Canadians' disposable income growing two times faster than their American neighbours

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Canadians' disposable income growing two times faster than their American neighbours

Canadians' real disposable income grew twice as fast as that of Americans' in the last four years - a trend that will continue in the post-recession economy, finds a new report from CIBC World Markets Inc. Since 2005, per capita real disposable income in Canada has risen by C$2,600, whereas in the U.S. it has risen by just over US$1,300. This is a complete reversal of the trend seen in the 1990s when Canadian income Disposablestagnated compared to surging U.S. earnings. "So quick was the revival of Canadian income that in a short four year span, per capita real income in Canada was able to wipe out no less than 15 years of income underperformance vs. the U.S.," says Benjamin Tal, senio economist and author of the report. "In fact, when measured in common currency, real per capita disposable income in Canada relative to the U.S. is now back to the 1990s level."

China Daily: G8 sees continued perils for world economy

China daily

G8 leaders believe the world economy still faces "significant risks" and may need further help, according to summit draft documents that also reflect failure to agree climate change goals for 2050." Although there have been signs of stability in the economy and the sentiment has improved, the real economy has not recovered yet with job and wage conditions still stagnant," said Takao Hattori, senior strategist at Mitsubishi UFJ Securities. But few big initiatives are expected as the G20, a broader forum that also includes the main emerging economies, is tasked with formulating a regulatory response to the crisis and meets in September in Pittsburgh after an April summit in London. Not mentioning China's push for a sensitive debate about a long-term alternative to the dollar as global reserve currency, the draft talked only of global "imbalances". G8 diplomats had said this might be the only oblique reference to currency. "Stable and sustainable long-term growth will require a smooth unwinding of the existing imbalances in current accounts," read the draft prepared for the G8 talks.

Telegraph: Tour de France 2009: Lance Armstrong dual with Alberto Contador heating up in Spain - by John MacLeary

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Tour de France 2009: Lance Armstrong dual with Alberto Contador heating up in Spain - by John MacLeary

After another intriguing stage on the fifth day of the 96th edition of the Tour de France, Armstrong, the seven-time Tour winner, said that perhaps the young Spaniard, the 2007 winner, could still learn from him. "I told Alberto that today was going to be complicated," said Armstrong. "So maybe he sees that I know what is going on in the Tour de France." The Texan's words were, no doubt, a reference to stage three where Contador suffered after strong crosswinds tore the peloton apart leaving the struggling Spaniard in the chasing pack while his own experience showed as he dictated the pace to his remaining team-mate

NYT: Developing Nations Rebuff G-8 on Curbing Pollutants - by Peter Baker

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Developing Nations Rebuff G-8 on Curbing Pollutants - by Peter Baker

The discussion of climate change was among the top priorities of world leaders as they gathered here for the annual summit meeting of the Group of 8 powers. Mr. Obama invited counterparts from China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico and others to join the G-8 here on Thursday for a parallel “Major Economies Forum” representing the producers of 80 percent of the world’s greenhouse gases. But since President Hu Jintao of China abruptly left Italy to deal with unrest at home, the chances of making further progress seemed to evaporate. The G-8 leaders were also grappling with the sagging global economy, development in Africa, turmoil in Iran, nuclear nonproliferation and other challenging issues. On Friday, Mr. Obama planned to unveil a $15 billion food security initiative by the G-8 to provide emergency and development aid to poor nations.

The failure to establish specific targets on climate change underscored the difficulty in bridging longstanding divisions between the most developed countries like the United States and developing nations like China and India. In the end, people close to the talks said, the emerging powers refused to agree to the specific emissions limits because they wanted industrial countries to commit to midterm goals in 2020, and to follow through on promises of financial and technological help.

TimesOnline: Europe must lead climate talks- by Roland Rudd

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Europe must lead climate talks- by Roland Rudd

Through the 20/20/20 targets, Europe has displayed its commitment and provided leadership to nations in the G20 and beyond. We view the transition to a low-carbon economy as a great opportunity for business and we call upon EU leaders to display robust leadership in the lead-up to December’s climate change talks in Copenhagen.

Salon: China - What if the Uighurs were Christian rather than Muslim? - by Glenn Greenwald

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China - What if the Uighurs were Christian rather than Muslim? - by Glenn Greenwald

Violent clashes between Chinese government forces and Muslim Uighurs -- that country's long-oppressed minority -- have left at least 140 people dead and close to 1,000 injured. This incident in Western China highlights an important fact about America's "War on Terror". Just imagine if the Uighurs were a Christian -- rather than Muslim -- minority, battling against the tyrannical Communist regime in Beijing, resisting various types of persecution, and demanding religious freedom. They would be lionized by America's Right, as similar Christian minorities, oppressed by tyrannical regimes, automatically are.

Episodes like these -- where a declared Tyranny like China violently acts against citizens with whom we empathize -- are ones about which, in general, the American political class (note EU-Digest: as do the European) loves to sermonize. But the Uighurs are Muslim, not Christian, and hostility towards them thus easily outweighs the opportunity they present to undermine the Chinese Government. Rather than support and venerate them, we instead spent this decade declaring them to be "enemy combatants" and locking them up in Guantanamo -- despite the fact that they have never evinced any interest in doing anything other than resisting Chinese persecution, and have certainly never taken actions against the U.S. (as even the Bush administration ultimately admitted).

Yet even now, both Congress and the administration actively block release into the U.S. even of those Uighurs we wrongfully imprisoned for years, while the Right screams with outrage -- and fear -- over the administration's commendable efforts to find a home for them elsewhere."

NYTimes: Hu Leaves G-8 in Italy After Deadly Clashes in China - by Alan Cowell and Elisabetta Povoledo

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Hu Leaves G-8 in Italy After Deadly Clashes in China - by Alan Cowell and Elisabetta Povoledo

President Hu Jintao of China cut short a trip to Italy on Wednesday to fly home after the deadly ethnic clashes in the northwestern Xinjiang region continue, abandoning plans to attend the Group of Eight summit meeting as news reports spoke of continued unrest.The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on its Web site that Mr. Hu was returning “given the current situation in Xinjiang,” where state media say at least 156 people have died in China’s worst ethnic clashes in decades between Muslim Uighurs and Han Chinese.

Hu's absence from the G-8 meeting is also significant for the Obama administration which is expected to unveil a forceful new message on climate change. While the European G-8 members welcome the shift in American policy on global warming, they are also fearing that the United States is working toward a separate deal with China outside the global negotiating framework. China will now be represented at the meeting of the world’s leading industrialized economic powers by State Councilor Dai Bingguo at the meeting in the central Italian city of L’Aquila.

Forbes.com: EU ministers agree on flexible bank capital rules - by Dave Graham and Marcin Grajewski

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EU ministers agree on flexible bank capital rules- by Dave Graham and Marcin Grajewski

European Union finance ministers agreed in principle on Tuesday to make capital rules for banks more flexible to reduce their likelihood of worsening boom-and-bust cycles in the economy. Under the agreed plan on long-term rules, which the EU's executive European Commission will use to draft legislation in October, banks would have to build higher capital buffers in good times so they can be reduced during downturns. This would help prevent financial institutions lending too much money when economic growth is high and allow them to provide more loans in bad times. The scheme is intended to ensure the 27-nation EU is better prepared for any repeat of the global financial crisis, which was triggered by bad loans in the United States and spread quickly through the world's economies.

ABC: In Russia, President Obama Explains His Support for Ousted President of Honduras

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In Russia, President Obama Explains His Support for Ousted President of Honduras In Russia, President Obama Explains His Support for Ousted President of Honduras

Facing criticism for having backed the “wrong” side in the recent coup in Honduras, President Obama Tuesday tried to explain his advocacy on behalf of ousted President Manuel Zelaya. “America supports now the restoration of the democratically-elected President of Honduras, even though he has strongly opposed American policies,” the president told graduate students at the commencement ceremony of Moscow’s New Economic School. “We do so not because we agree with him. We do so because we respect the universal principle that people should choose their own leaders, whether they are leaders we agree with or not."

The president’s remarks came in the midst of a speech in which discussed “America’s interest in democratic governments that protect the rights of their people” and supported Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s call for judicial reforms in his country.

Note EU-Digest: One can fully support this statement by President Obama.The US must also put their money where their mouth is and tell the Honduran military (which they basically control) to go back to the barracks. On the other side of this equation the conservative Wall street Journal wrote: "The military performed a law enforcement action demanded by the country's constitution, called for by the democratically elected parliament and blessed by the highest court in the land. No general took control. The military went back to being the military." It seems the Wall Street Journal does not seem to be aware or wanted to be aware that the military barricaded the airport when the elected President and a UN representative wanted to land in Honduras. Is the Wall Street Journal now supporting military takeovers as part of their editorial policy?

Inhabitat: Solar Powered Blimp Set to Fly Across English Channel - by Bridgette Meinhold

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Solar Powered Blimp Set to Fly Across English Channel - by Bridgette Meinhold

Perhaps propelled by the recent dawn of solar powered airplanes, this stunning solar powered blimp is poised to take flight by harnessing sunlight for fuel. Dubbed Nephelios, the solar-powered helium blimp was designed and built by high school engineering students in France. The history making blimp will begin test flights in the next 2 weeks, and by summer’s end the designers hope to fly Nephelios across the English Channel, “just to show that it’s possible.” Nephelios will be the first manned solar airship in existence, and its inaugural flight will prove that CO2-free air travel is now a reality.

BBC NEWS: Europe targets manned spaceship

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Europe targets manned spaceship

The European Space Agency has asked industry to work out the requirements of the craft and its likely cost. Known as the Advanced Re-Entry Vehicle, it would be developed in phases - first as an unmanned vessel to carry cargo, and then as an astronaut crew ship. At the moment, Europe has no independent capability to transport humans into space and must hitch rides on American or Russian systems. Tuesday's announcement is just the start of a very long process, and there is no guarantee either ARV variant will be built.

The ARV would essentially be an upgraded version of Europe's highly successful unmanned space freighter, known by another acronym - ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle). This 20-tonne vessel flew a maiden voyage to the International Space Station (ISS) last year.

WSJ: Boeing Dreamliner Woes Point to Difficulty of Using High-Tech Materials - by Andy Pasztor and Peter Sanders

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Boeing Dreamliner Woes Point to Difficulty of Using High-Tech Materials - by Andy Pasztor and Peter Sanders

Despite the steadily increased use of carbon-fiber composite parts in airlines, Boeing Co.'s disclosure Tuesday of design troubles with its 787 Dreamliner highlights the engineering, manufacturing and maintenance issues still associated with such high-tech materials. By indicating that "a relatively small number" of added internal structural supports are needed on some of the upper portions of both wings, the disclosure underscored a broader problem that the aerospace industry has recognized for a while: shortcomings in computer-design systems' abilities to precisely predict behavior of certain composite parts as they bend and twist in flight. The areas of the 787 under scrutiny involve a blend of metal and nonmetallic composite materials. Independent structural experts said Tuesday that even the most advanced computer-models sometimes have difficulty accurately predicting how stress will affect the composite parts, or where they attach to aluminum or titanium. In such circumstances, "stress paths" within or between components can be unpredictable.

LA Times: Dollar's future as reserve currency in focus as world leaders meet - by Pan Pylas

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Dollar's future as reserve currency in focus as world leaders meet - by Pan Pylas

Investors will be keeping a close eye on how far world leaders will go in expressing support for a strong dollar at the Group of Eight summit in Italy, amid talk that the dollar's status as the world's reserve currency will be on the agenda. China, Russia and India have indicated that they want to see long-term changes in the international monetary system in the wake of the financial crisis that has pushed the world economy into its first synchronized downturn since the Second World War.

China Stakes: China Looks to G8, EU for More Trade, Stable System-ChinaStakes.com

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China Looks to G8, EU for More Trade, Stable System

Three months after his previous visit, China’s President Hu Jintao is again in Europe, now in Italy, along with a delegation of 300. This time the focus of the delegation is mainly on investment instead of sourcing. President Hu is also there to attend a dialogue between the G8 and developing countries to be held in Italy on July 9. It has been thought likely China will again raise the idea of a super-sovereign currency at this meeting, but the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied it. Vice-Minister He Yafei said at a July 2 briefing that China hoped to see a stabilized dollar rate and a diversified international monetary system in the future. The Chinese central bank’s signals over the yuan, the US dollar, and the IMF’s SDR as a super-sovereign currency have stirred up some confusion over its intentions, but top Chinese leaders continue to repeat the need to establish a diversified international monetary system.

BAIC plans Opel plant in China, Europe job cuts

EU-Digest

Beijing (AFP)BAIC plans Opel plant in China, Europe job cuts

BAIC plans Opel plant in China, Europe job cuts

Chinese auto maker BAIC, which is offering 922 million dollars for a majority stake in Opel, plans to build a plant in China and cut jobs in Europe if its bid succeeds, a report said. In a non-binding offer submitted last week for the German-based unit of General Motors, BAIC proposed to spend two billion dollars on what would become Opel's first factory in China, according to the Financial Times. The plant would come online in 2012 and make Opel models specifically geared towards the China market. In addition, BAIC would use Opel's German plants to export to China, the London-based newspaper said.

The Chinese auto maker also planned to shut down General Motors' Antwerp plant in Belgium and cut Opel's workforce across Europe, the report said, citing unnamed sources close to the matter.

FOX News: Is Flight 447's 'Fly-by-Wire' Aircraft Technology Safe? - by Joshua Rhett Miller

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Is Flight 447's 'Fly-by-Wire' Aircraft Technology Safe? - by Joshua Rhett Miller

As investigators search for clues to why Air France Flight 447 crashed, former pilots and aviation experts are debating whether the "fly-by-wire" technology in modern aircraft makes it difficult or impossible for a pilot to control a plane in distress. The Airbus A330-200 that crashed into the Atlantic on May 31 — killing all 228 people aboard — relied on electronic rather than hydraulic or mechanical systems to control the aircraft. It's akin to having a computer control your car, with the electronic brain doing the steering, hitting the gas and pumping the brakes as you tell it what to do. Some pilots claim the old way was better. In an emergency, they say, passengers are better off having a skilled pilot working all the systems.Among a fly-by-wire system's benefits are weight savings and flight envelope protection, or keeping the aircraft within safe operating parameters, Greczyn said. In other words, the system is meant to cut down on human error by not letting a pilot maneuver the plane into extreme degrees of roll, pitch or yaw that would endanger the aircraft's structural integrity.

Mary Anne Greczyn, an Airbus spokeswoman, said fly-by-wire technology was introduced by the company in 1988 with the A320 and has been used on every subsequent Airbus aircraft. "The system maximizes safe control of the aircraft — for instance, in the case of the loss of reliable speed data, the autopilot turns off and gives control back to the pilot," Greczyn's statement continued. Greczyn said fly-by-wire has no disadvantages and that no plans exist to issue "any sort" of alert the system. Asked if a pilot can disengage the fly-by-wire system in the event of an emergency like the one experienced by Flight 447, Grecyzn replied, "It's akin to shutting off your ABS in your car as you are skidding on ice. You can do it, but you wouldn't want to."

WAZ: German Economy Minister says Opel deal still hangs in balance - by Sarabjit Heera

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German Economy Minister says Opel deal still hangs in balance - by Sarabjit Heera

According to the German newspaper Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (WAZ), the Economy Minister of the country has said that the decision pertaining to finalizing a bid for the German carmaker Opel still hangs in balance. Going by a Monday statement in the paper, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg has said: “I acknowledge Magna's ambitious goal, wanting to sign a contract by mid July. However, there still seem to be some unanswered questions.” Guttenberg added that as per the phase at present, “everyone is free to place offers.” Guttenberg’s comments apparently cam in response to a statement by the General Motors’ Europe President Carl-Peter Forster, who informed another German newspaper that, very soon, he expects selling Opel to the Canadian auto parts supplier Magna.

Rolling Stone.com:Goldman Sachs has engineered every major market manipulation since the Great Depression: America's Bubble Machine - by Matt Taibbi

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Goldman Sachs has engineered every major market manipulation since the Great Depression: "America's Great Bubble Machine" - by Matt Taibbi

"The first thing you need to know about Goldman Sachs is that it's everywhere. The world's most powerful investment bank is a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money. Any attempt to construct a narrative around all the former Goldmanites in influential positions quickly becomes an absurd and pointless exercise, like trying to make a list of everything. What you need to know is the big picture: If America is circling the drain, Goldman Sachs has found a way to be that drain — an extremely unfortunate loophole in the system of Western democratic capitalism, which never foresaw that in a society governed passively by free markets and free elections, organized greed always defeats disorganized democracy. They achieve this using the same playbook over and over again. The formula is relatively simple: Goldman positions itself in the middle of a speculative bubble, selling investments they know are crap. Then they hoover up vast sums from the middle and lower floors of society with the aid of a crippled and corrupt state that allows it to rewrite the rules in exchange for the relative pennies the bank throws at political patronage. Finally, when it all goes bust, leaving millions of ordinary citizens broke and starving, they begin the entire process over again, riding in to rescue us all by lending us back our own money at interest, selling themselves as men above greed, just a bunch of really smart guys keeping the wheels greased. They've been pulling this same stunt over and over since the 1920s — and now they're preparing to do it again, creating what may be the biggest and most audacious bubble yet."

Times Online: President Barack Obama’s nuclear-free vision began as a student - by Catherine Philp

President Barack Obama’s nuclear-free vision began as a student - Times Online

President Barack Obama’s nuclear-free vision began as a student - by Catherine Philp

President Obama’s trip to Moscow to hammer out nuclear arms reductions is the first concrete step towards the fulfilment of a long and passionately held vision: a nuclear-free world. In a student magazine article written 26 years ago, at the height of the Cold War, the Columbia postgraduate weighed up how the United States and Russia might “dial down the danger humanity faces” in pursuit of total nuclear disarmament. Mr Obama is the first US President to begin setting out a step-by-step agenda for eliminating nuclear weapons from the face of the Earth.

His stance has brought him as much condemnation as approval, with opponents denouncing him as naive and dangerous in a world where more and more rogue nations are joining the nuclear race. But few people are aware of how far back his mulling of the issue goes, or how passionately it was held.

NYT: Socialist Coalition Loses in Bulgaria Election - by Mathew Brunwasser

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Socialist Coalition Loses in Bulgaria Election - - by Mathew Brunwasser

With nearly two-thirds of the vote counted on Sunday night, Mr. Borisov’s party, the Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria, had 42 percent of the vote, while the Socialist-led coalition had 18 percent, less than had been anticipated. Mr. Borisov will probably be the next prime minister, if negotiations to form a coalition government are successful. Mr. Borisov’s party has become the leading political force in the country, campaigning on promises of change and bringing accountability to government. The incumbents were punished by an electorate fed up over what many viewed as endemic abuse of power in Bulgaria, exacerbated by the country’s deteriorating relationship with the European Union, which it joined on Jan. 1, 2007.

Bulgaria lost 430 million euros — roughly $600 million — in European Union funds last year because of poor government administration and a failure to clean up graft. An additional 300 million euros in European Union funds for Bulgaria had been frozen.

BBC NEWS: Christianity - Historic Bible pages put online

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Historic Bible pages put online

About 800 pages of the earliest surviving Christian Bible have been recovered and put on the internet. Visitors to the website www.codexsinaiticus.org can now see images of more than half the 1,600-year-old Codex Sinaiticus manuscript. Fragments of the 4th Century document - written in Greek on parchment leaves - have been worked on by institutions in the UK, Germany, Egypt and Russia.Experts say it is "a window into the development of early Christianity".

For 1,500 years, the Codex Sinaiticus lay undisturbed in a Sinai monastery until it was found in 1844 and split between Egypt, Russia, Germany and Britain. It is thought to have survived because the desert air was ideal for preservation and because the monastery, on a Christian island in a Muslim sea, remained untouched, its walls unconquered.

Green Left - Honduras: People’s power resists elite coup

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Honduras: People’s power resists elite coup

Protests against the June 28 military coup that overthrew elected President Manuel Zelaya are continuing on the streets of Honduras, amid international condemnation. Zelaya, who was kidnapped and flown to Costa Rica, is refusing to accept his overthrow and announced plans to return the Honduras on July 5 with the Organisation of American States (OAS) head Jose Miguel Insulza, Argentinean President Cristina Fernandez, Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa and Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo.

Regarding US relations with the Honduran military, Latin American History professor and journalist Greg Grandin told Democracy now on June 29: “The Honduran military is effectively a subsidiary of the United States government. Honduras, as a whole, if any Latin American country is fully owned by the United States, it’s Honduras. “Its economy is wholly based on trade, foreign aid and remittances. So if the US is opposed to this coup going forward, it won’t go forward. Zelaya will return ...”

Miami Herald: Estonians sing to lift spirits amid slump - by Jari Tanner

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Estonians sing to lift spirits amid slump - by Jari Tanner

More than 20,000 choir singers gathered Sunday to fill the air with positive vibes as Estonians took their minds off a crippling recession in a mass celebration of folk songs. The power of music has lifted the Baltic country's spirits before. During five decades of Soviet occupation, Estonians found a rare outlet for celebrating their national heritage by gathering by the thousands to sing patriotic songs. The independence movement of the late 1980s was even dubbed the Singing Revolution. Now, Estonia again is hoping its Song and Dance Celebration - a four-day event held every five years - will unite the nation of 1.3 million people, which has been severely battered by the economic downturn.

Boston Globe - The Netherlands and France: Healthy examples: Plenty of countries get healthcare right - by Jonathan Cohn

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The Netherlands and France: Healthy examples: Plenty of countries get healthcare right - by Jonathan Cohn

No serious politician is talking about recreating either the British or the Canadian system here. The British have truly “socialized medicine,” in which the government directly employs most doctors. The Canadians have one of the world’s most centralized “single-payer” systems, in which the government insures everybody directly and private insurance has virtually no role. A better understanding for how universal healthcare might work in America would come from other countries - countries whose insurance architecture and medical cultures more closely resemble the framework we’d likely create here.Last year, I had the opportunity to spend time researching two of these countries: France and the Netherlands. Neither country gets the attention that Canada and England do. That might be because English isn’t their language. Or it might be because they don’t fit the negative stereotypes of life in countries where government is more directly involved in medical care.

The Star Online: Right-wing party expects win in Bulgarian election

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Right-wing party expects win in Bulgarian election

Voters angry over persistent corruption and a worsening economy are expected to oust Bulgaria's Socialist-led coalition and elevate the center-right party of Sofia's popular mayor to power in Sunday's parliamentary election. A change of power would continue a 19-year trend in Bulgaria in which no government has been re-elected, mainly because of tough reforms all have had to implement since the fall of Communism.

Borisov's center right party has been riding high on promises to jail corrupt officials and crime bosses. At his final rally Friday, Stanishev called on Bulgarians to give him a second chance to implement reforms, saying his Socialist-led coalition had maintained financial stability and ensured higher incomes.

Washington Post: Credit Card Issuers ( Gangsters) Raising Rates, Fees Ahead of New Law - by Nancy Trejos

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Credit Card Issuers ( Gangsters) Raising Rates, Fees Ahead of New Law - by Nancy Trejos

After being bailed out by tax payers money credit card companies are raising interest rates and fees seven months before new rules go into effect that will limit their ability to do so, much to the irritation of Congress and consumer advocates. Chase, for instance, will raise the minimum payment required of some of its customers from 2 percent to 5 percent of the statement balance starting in August. Chase and Discover have increased the maximum fee charged for transferring a balance to the card to 5 percent of the amount, up from 3 and 4 percent, respectively. Bank of America last month raised the transaction fee for balance transfers and cash advances from 3 to 4 percent. Card issuers including Bank of America and Citi also continue to cut limits and hike up rates, which they have been doing with more frequency since January.

Charles Chichester Jr., a 65-year-old retired U.S. Postal Service employee who lives in Fairfax County, was trying to pay off his credit card soon but now fears he will be unable to do so at all. He received a letter from Chase, he said, notifying him that his $373 minimum monthly payment would increase to more than $900. When he called to say he could not afford that, a Chase representative told him to consult with a credit counselor, he said. That's exactly what he plans to do. Note EU-Digest: This is scandalous behavior by the Banks and credit card companies.

Health care reform needed in the US - Why change? The US has the 37th best health care system in the world

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Health care needed in the US - Why change? The US has the 37th best health care system in the world

Yes, it is true that the US has the 37th best health care system in the world, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). Fortunately for the ego of the United States, the WHO stopped doing the ranking in 2000 due to the difficulty of compiling the data. The top ten are France, Italy, San Marino, Andorra, Malta, SIngapore, Spain, Oman, Austria, and Japan. 11-20 are Norway, Portugal, Monaco, Greece, Iceland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Switzerland. 21-30 are Belgium, Columbia, Sweden, Cyprus, Germany, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Morocco, and Canada. 31-40 are Finland, Austalia, Chile, Denmark, Dominica, Costa Rica, United States of America, Slovenia, Cuba and Brunei

The health care industry is going to spend billions of dollars to defeat health care reform. Thousands of “Health Scare” stories will be published in our newspapers and magazines. Millionaire lobbyists in high priced suits will be paying lots of visits to your elected officials. Advertisements will be all over the television, radio, and the internet. All of the effort will be made to convince the American public and their elected representatives that reforming health care would be too costly. And it would be too costly… to the health care industry.

The reason the folks in the health care industry are going to spend billions to defeat health care reform is because it works. Time and time again, the best interests of 300 million Americans have been pushed aside for the welfare of the very few. One of the leaders of the fight against reform is Rick Scott. He founded a group called "Conservatives for Patient's Rights," whose motto is "Tell Congress to listen, too."

INDEPENDENCE DAY USA: Europe wishes America a very happy and fun filled 4th of July

EU-Digest

Independence Day USA - Europe wishes America a very happy and fun filled 4th of July

Europe does not celebrate the 4th., but anyone here who knows something about history and is able to put their own nationalistic feelings aside will certainly be able to admire the principles on which the US Constitution is based. Europe can also be proud about the influence they (France) have had on the American revolutionary process and in achieving its independence.

When the French entered the revolutionary war in 1778 they basically saved the American Revolution from disaster. As long as the British seemed to be pushing the "rebels" around at will, intervention was unwise but victory at the Battle of Saratoga showed that the United States had a chance and that French money, troops, navy, and supplies might make the difference. With the French entry after the Franco-American Treaty of February, 1778, the Spanish and the Netherlands also entered the battle against the British. The War for American Independence quickly became a world war as anti-British forces took the opportunity to attack. Without the French, however, the revolting colonies would certainly have been forced back into the British empire.

Although the signing of the Declaration of Independence was not completed until August, the Fourth of July holiday has been accepted as the official anniversary of U.S. independence and is celebrated in all states and territories of the U.S. It was not declared a legal holiday, however, until 1941.

So on this very special day for America, Europe honors and congratulates you.

examiner.com: Creeping Islamism in Turkey - by Richard Shulman

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Creeping Islamism in Turkey-by Richard Shulman

The Islamist ruling party in Turkey [AKP] has “a strategy for a creeping Islamization that culminates in a Shari’a (Islamic law) state not compatible with a secular, democratic order. The AKP does not advertise this agenda and often denies it.” Turkish courts confirmed the secret agenda. However, in the name of democracy, the U.S. and the EU demand that countervailing Turkish circles accept the AKP positions subverting the military, judiciary, and educational system. This Western pressure is naïve, for it betrays the democratic elements in Turkey to the Islamists, who, as they consolidate power, crimp democracy. Democracy is not just rule by the majority but allows civil rights, minority opinion and cultural freedom consistent with constitutional order. In Turkey, democracy is a cover for creeping Islamism and the ending democracy.

EU ready to enforce travel bans on Iran officials among rumors from Iran that Ahmadinejad is on the way out

EU-Digest

EU ready to enforce travel bans on Iran officials among rumors from Iran that Ahmadinejad is on the way out

The Financial Times Deutschland reported today that the European Union is considering banning some Iranian officials from traveling to Europe in response to the recent political unrest in Iran following the rigged election. The Swedish EU presidency which has just taken over from the Czech Republic has warned that the EU is ready to take serious action if Iran does not free British embassy staff still detained in Tehran. Another plan being circulated around the 27 member EU is to recall ambassadors for a few days as a sign of protest.

Out of Iran come persistent rumors that Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is discussing the possibility within the Iran leadership to declare the election null and void and agree to new elections supervised by some international body like the UN. It is said that he understands the cards are presently stacked against Iran, if President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad remains in power, and that distancing himself from Ahmadinejad would reestablish him as a a credible political broker.

Spiegel OnLine: Anti-Terror Action Plan: Germany Heightens Security Ahead of September Election

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Anti-Terror Action Plan: Germany Heightens Security Ahead of September Election

Germany is planning to implement a massive anti-terrorism action plan ahead of September's general election to thwart any possible attacks.Intelligence agencies believe that al-Qaida is planning to hit German targets abroad and possibly at home in the run up to the Sept. 27 vote that will pave the way for the next chancellor in revenge for the Germany's military mission in Afghanistan and to put pressure on Berlin to withdraw its forces.

The German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) and the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the domestic intelligence agency, have devised an anti-terror plan similar to the one used during the World Cup in 2006. It envisages intensifying the country's anti-terrorism measures aimed at detecting any possible attacks as early as possible.

TheTweetScience: Boxing: Will Heavyweight Bombs Be Bursting In Germany? - by Frank Lotierzo

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Boxing: Will Heavyweight Bombs Be Bursting In Germany? - by Frank Lotierzo

With the heavyweight division taking a public beating more fiercely than any fighter in it is capable of administering to another, what's the best scenario that can result from this weekend's Eddie Chambers versus Alexander Dimitrenko WBO title elimination bout? It's hard not to hear and get caught up in the chatter eliciting how boxing is on it's last breath and will soon be eclipsed by MMA. Statements like that make for good copy, but that's about it. The fact is both sports are thriving, as evidenced by the interest surrounding who Manny Pacquiao will next fight and the upcoming UFC 100 clash between heavyweights Brock Lesner and Frank Mir.

LATimes/EU-Digest: Iran-Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ready to dump Ahmadinejad facing diplomatic isolation- by Jeffrey Fleishman and Borzou Daragahi

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Iran-Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ready to dump Ahmadinejad who is facing diplomatic isolation- by Jeffrey Fleishman and Borzou Daragahi

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad can in one instant appear the diplomatic equivalent of damaged goods and in the next a confident leader whose bellicose speeches leave the West wondering how to deal with him and his perplexing nation now that he's won a much-disputed reelection. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev publicly greeted Ahmadinejad at a recent meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, but did not grant him a private meeting as he had the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan. In Belarus, the Iranian leader was met not by President Alexander Lukashenko, but by the speaker of the upper house of parliament.A similar pattern has emerged in the Middle East, where Arab regimes have long been wary of Iran's ambitions. Authorities in Jordan withdrew licenses for two Iranian news organizations this week and the sultan of Oman reportedly canceled a trip to Tehran following the unrest after Iran's June 12 election.

Note EU-Digest:Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could, if he wanted to, change the perception of the Iran leadership immediately, and even qualify himself as an honest broker, by declaring the election null and void and agreeing to new elections supervised by some international body like the UN. It would certainly take the pressure off him. Will he do so? Nobody really knows, but he certainly is clever enough to see how the cards are stacked against Iran if President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad remains in power, and this charade continues.

NYT: The Party Has Started Again: Are Big Payouts Set for Revival on Wall Street?

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The Party Has Started Again: Are Big Payouts Set for Revival on Wall Street?

After the government handed out billions of dollars in bailouts, Congress passed legislation banning all companies that received support from the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, from paying their top 25 executives bonuses greater than a third of their salary, though they were not subject to specific salary cap. Some firms, like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, have thrown off the yoke of bonus restrictions by repaying the government bailout funds. While others, like Citigroup and Bank of America, have been focused on raising employees’ base salaries to try to shift attention away from bonuses. Whether through bonuses, base salary or a combination of both, the goal for all of them is the same: To retain their top talent.Goldman is set to pay as much as $20 billion this year, or about $700,000 per employee, The Journal said, citing analysts’ estimates. That would be almost twice the $363,000 it paid on average last year, and slightly higher than the $661,000 average in 2007, according to analyst estimates reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. Morgan Stanley, meanwhile, is expected to pay $11 billion to $14 billion in compensation and benefits this year, also according to The Wall Street Journal.

Note EU-Digest: Unfortunately the taxpayer who has helped bail out the banks could once again be in for a big surprise when the disaster we are in today repeats itself. Where are the promised controls, where are promised checks and balances?

Bloomberg.com: ECB Sets Cruise Control, Pushes Banks to Drive Growth - by Simon Kennedy and Simone Meier

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ECB Sets Cruise Control, Pushes Banks to Drive Growth - by Simon Kennedy and Simone Meier

European Central Bank President Jean- Claude Trichet is urging the region’s banks to play their part in generating an economic recovery. Trichet yesterday said financial institutions should pass onto the “real economy” the 442 billion euros ($619 billion) it granted them June 24 and said the ECB has no immediate plans to ramp up its response to the crisis. He spoke to reporters after keeping the ECB’s main rate at a record low of 1 percent.

“The ball was played back to the banking system,” said Carsten Brzeski, an economist at ING Groep NV in Brussels. “The ECB has now released the accelerator and switched to cruise control.”

FT.com : Afghanistan - South Afghanistan key to Nato mission - by James Blitz

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Afghanistan - South Afghanistan key to Nato mission - by James Blitz

Thursday’s operation by US marines in the Helmand valley marks the start of the biggest military action by western powers in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. The decision to move into parts of Helmand province where the British have been unable to venture – clearing out the Taliban from their sanctuaries – is one fraught with risk. But it marks a recognition by the Obama administration, and by Nato commanders, that establishing security in south Afghanistan is critical to the success of international efforts across the country.

Financial Post.com: U.S. unemployment rate highest since 1983

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U.S. unemployment rate highest since 1983<

U.S. employers cut 467,000 jobs in June, far more than expected, while the unemployment rate rose to 9.5%, the government said on Thursday in a report that showed a labor market continuing to struggle with a deep recession. The June job losses were more than 100,000 greater than the 363,000 consensus of Wall Street economists polled by Reuters and broke a four-month trend of moderation in job losses. The Labor Department data showed that in April and May, 8,000 fewer jobs were lost than previously reported. The May job losses were revised downward to 322,000, while the April losses were revised upward to 519,000.

EUobserver: Iran says Europe no longer qualified to conduct nuclear talks - by Lucia Kubosova

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Iran says Europe no longer qualified to conduct nuclear talks- by Lucia Kubosova

Iran says Europe is no longer qualified to hold nuclear talks due to its meddling with the post-election protests in the country, with Sweden, as the new EU presidency, calling up officials from the 27-member bloc to discuss the next diplomatic move. The EU has played a significant part in international efforts to make Tehran comply with the world's rules on nuclear power. Three EU states - Germany, France, and the UK - have been leading the negotiations along with the US, Russia and China. Speaking to journalists at the official opening of the presidency, Swedish prime minister Fredrik Reinfeld made clear that Europe wants to support the democratic forces in Iran but also avoid isolating the country from the rest of the world. "That's the balance we need to strike," he said.

EU-Digest: Mr. Fredrik Reinfeld is certainly capable in coming up with a stronger comment than this "wishy-washy" statement he made on Iran?

Washington Post - Time for an Israeli Strike? - by John R.Bolton

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Time for an Israeli Strike? - by John R.Bolton

With Iran's hard-line mullahs and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unmistakably back in control, Israel's decision of whether to use military force against Tehran's nuclear weapons program is more urgent than ever. In short, the stolen election and its tumultuous aftermath have dramatically highlighted the strategic and tactical flaws in Obama's game plan. With regime change off the table for the coming critical period in Iran's nuclear program, Israel's decision on using force is both easier and more urgent. Since there is no likelihood that diplomacy will start or finish in time, or even progress far enough to make any real difference, there is no point waiting for negotiations to play out. In fact, given the near certainty of Obama changing his definition of "success," negotiations represent an even more dangerous trap for Israel.

Note EU-Digest: Mr. Bolton still believes that power comes from the barrel of a gun. This is not only dangerous but also shows no sense of reality. Most people will agree that the present Iran regime is untrustworthy and potentially dangerous to the region but there are better ways to topple them than Mr. Bolton suggests. One of them is to support democratic forces in that country with every possible method of assistance except direct intervention and to tighten economic sanctions.

RTÉ Business: 15 million out of work in euro zone

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15 million out of work in euro zone

Official EU figures show that the unemployment rate in the euro zone climbed to a 10-year high of 9.5% in May. 273,000 jobs were lost across the euro zone in May, the EU's Eurostat data agency estimated. Although activity in the recession-hit European economy is beginning to pick up, many companies are continuing to cut jobs in order to survive the worst post-war downturn.Eurostat estimated that in total 21.5 million people were unemployed across the EU in May, of which 15 million were in the euro area.

About.com: Poetry: 'Summer' by Amy Lowell (1912)

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Poetry: 'Summer' by Amy Lowell (1912)

As Europe experiences a hot summer this poem by Amy Lowell (1912) certainly will bring relief to the mind

"Some men there are who find in nature all
Their inspiration, hers the sympathy
Which spurs them on to any great endeavor,
To them the fields and woods are closest friends,
And they hold dear communion with the hills;
The voice of waters soothes them with its fall,
And the great winds bring healing in their sound."

ChicagoTribune: Israel says French president Sarkozy advised firing foreign minister with hardline views -- by Amy Teibel

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Israel says French president Sarkozy advised firing foreign minister with hardline views -- by Amy Teibel

French president Nicolas Sarkozy urged the Israeli prime minister to fire his foreign minister — a hard-liner whose party tried to force Israelis to take a loyalty oath, two senior Israeli officials said Tuesday. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's appointment has been ill-received internationally because of his hard-line positions on peace and Israel's Arab population, among other issues. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing EU ambassadors on Tuesday, expressed "full confidence" in the country's chief diplomat. "He is a man who is fully committed to peace and security for our country," Netanyahu said. "He is part of the democratically elected government of Israel which was elected with a clear mandate from the voters to achieve peace and security."

In May, Lieberman's party unsuccessfully tried to advance a proposal to strip the citizenship of Israelis who do not pledge loyalty to the state — a proposal viewed as aimed at Israel's Arab minority.

WSJ: EU Regulator Sets Sights on U.K. Banks - by Peppi Kiviniemi, Laurence Norman and Adam Brandbery

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EU Regulator Sets Sights on U.K. Banks - by Peppi Kiviniemi, Laurence Norman and Adam Brandbery

Europe's top competition regulator is ready to turn its attention to the U.K. banking sector, with divestments likely required from Lloyds Banking Group PLC and Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC, said Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes. Having agreed to "changes to several German banks, our attention must turn to U.K. banks," Ms. Kroes said, speaking to a group of banking and finance professionals in London on Tuesday. The British financial sector includes two of the worst-performing banks in Europe, Lloyds and RBS, and the government has been forced to support the industry with £1.26 trillion ($2.087 trillion) in various commitments that could last until 2014, the commissioner said.

Guardian.co.uk: Worst likely over for euro zone - says EU Commission

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Worst likely over for euro zone - says EU Commission

The worst is probably over for the euro zone, but growing unemployment and falling inventories will weigh on any recovery, the European Commission said on Monday. In a quarterly report on the 16-nation euro zone, the European Union executive said the currency area's economic stimulus programme was yielding fruit, but governments must return to fiscal prudence once recovery takes root. "Some very early signs of improvement have been visible in the past few weeks ... The worst seems to be behind us in terms of GDP contraction and our spring forecast predicts a subdued recovery for 2010," the Commission said.

Reuters: Sweden to tackle debt, unemployment at EU helm - by Timothy Heritage

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Sweden to tackle debt, unemployment at EU helm - by Timothy Heritage

The European Union must do more to fight rising public debt and unemployment to ensure any recovery from economic crisis is sustainable, Sweden said on Tuesday before taking over the EU presidency.Setting out the priorities for its six-month presidency starting at midnight, the Swedish government said EU leaders must also tighten supervision of the financial system and convince voters they are up to the task of ending the crisis. "The time for pushing for more stimulus packages is exhausted. It's exit strategies we will ask for," Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt told reporters.Sweden's other priorities during the presidency, which it takes over from the Czech Republic, include agreeing an EU position for climate talks in Copenhagen in December at which a new United Nations treaty on emissions is sought.

China View: China, Suriname agree to advance military ties

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China, Suriname agree to advance military ties

Former Dutch Colony Suriname is to deepen bilateral military communication and cooperation, said a senior Chinese military official in Beijing yesterday. Chen Bingde, Chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army, met with Ernst Mercuur, Commander of the Suriname Armed Forces, in Beijing Wednesday. Chen said Suriname is one of the first Caribbean countries that the Chinese armed forces carried out exchanges with. "China-Suriname military ties are an important part of bilateral ties," said Chen, adding that enhanced communications and cooperation between the two armed forces are beneficial to increasing mutual trust. Chen also expressed appreciation for Suriname's adherence to the one-China policy and its support for China's peaceful reunification. At Chen's invitation, Mercuur was on a week-long visit to China which began Monday. Surinamese Defense Minister Ivan Fernald paid a visit to China in April 2008. China and Suriname established diplomatic ties 33 years ago.

Note EU-Digest: This seems to be an excellent opportunity for the Republic of Suriname to develop a more varied military alliance network within its overall military structure.

The News Tribune: Safety questions raised about Yemen jet - by Jeffrey Fleishman

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Safety questions raised about Yemen jet - by Jeffrey Fleishman

Flight 626 originated in Paris and stopped in Marseille before traveling on to San`a, where passengers switched to the Airbus 310-300. That jet, which was 19 years old and operated by Yemen’s national carrier, Yemenia, had raised suspicions earlier among European safety inspectors.In 2007, French transportation authorities barred the plane from French airports following a safety review that found problems with technical equipment. Inspectors “noticed a certain number of defects. Since then the plane had not returned to France,” Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau was quoted as telling French TV. “The company (Yemenia) was not on the blacklist but was subject to stricter checks on our part and was due to be interviewed shortly by the European Union’s safety committee.” In 2008, the European Union asked Yemenia to take “corrective actions” to improve safety performance. It was unclear what those actions were, but at a news conference Tuesday, EU Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani said Yemenia had been reviewed by safety authorities and the company was not banned from operating in Europe.

Comorans and French nationals who had flown on Yemenia flights had complained to the French government about what they regarded as questionable safety practices, such as passengers forced to sit among luggage strewn about the aisles and unhygienic conditions. An association known as SOS Voyages to Comoro was formed to push for improved standards on Yemenia, owned by the poorest Arab nation.