Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said on Tuesday he is resolved to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Russia at an annual rally calling for the return of all four Russian-held islands off Hokkaido in northern Japan, the Kyodo news agency reported. "We'll continue to make steady and determined efforts to move ahead with negotiations," Noda said, stressing the need to sign a peace treaty with Russia. The four islands - which Russia calls the Southern Kurils and Japan calls the Northern Territories - has been the subject of a territorial dispute between the two nations since the end of World War ...
Amanda Knox's Italian lawyer has filed an appeal of her slander conviction in Italy, a Knox family spokesman inSeattle said Monday. In October, an Italian appeals court overturned the young Seattle woman's murder conviction in the 2007 death of her British roommate in Perugia. But the same court upheld Knox's conviction for slander — for falsely accusing bar owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba of involvement in the slaying. Lumumba was freed after two weeks in prison for lack of evidence. Knox later said she was "manipulated" during her lengthy police interrogation. An appeal of the slander conviction was filed Monday, Knox family spokesman Dave Marriott confirmed. He doesn't know when the Italian ...
The Dutch railway will remain 'vulnerable' during wintry weather but Dutch Rail (NS) and track operator ProRail did not help matters during the current cold snap by the late introduction of schedule adjustments to cope with the conditions, transport minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen told parliament in a briefing on Tuesday. The NS and ProRail assumed on Thursday of last week that there would be three to five centimetres of snow. When the forecast was increased on Friday morning to between 10 and 15 centimetres, it was too late to change the timetables automatically, Schultz van Haegen told parliament. Drivers and conductors ...
Greece can leave the eurozone without damaging monetary union, European digital affairs commissioner Neelie Kroes says in an interview with the Volkskrant on Tuesday. Kroes, a member of the Dutch ruling right-wing Liberal party VVD, is not a supporter of Greece exchanging the euro for the drachma, but says: 'It is absolutely not a case of man overboard if someone leaves the eurozone.' The commissioner is very critical of the new Greek government and says they are not fulfilling their promises. 'Too few spending cuts, too little restructuring,' she says. She says the Greeks should follow the example of Italy where the new ...
Mitt Romney hopes his presidential campaign hasn't ignored Rick Santorum's aggressive attacks for too long, as caucuses in Colorado and Minnesota on Tuesday could reshuffle the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Santorum largely bypassed Florida and Nevada to blanket the two caucus states with criticism of Romney and lay the groundwork among conservatives who have great sway in the process. RivalNewt Gingrich praised Santorum's strategy as shrewd even as he signaled he had no interest in exiting the four-way race, which also includes Ron Paul. "I think that Santorum's going to have a pretty good day," Gingrich told reporters on the eve of the caucuses. "He targeted differently than I ...
Glencore and Xstrata agreed an all-share merger worth $90 billion (56 billion pounds) on Tuesday in the industry's largest ever deal, creating a commodities powerhouse spanning mining, agriculture and trading. Glencore, the world's largest diversified commodities tradinghouse, will issue 2.8 new shares for each Xstrata share in a deal they said was a "merger of equals." The ratio is a 15.2 percent premium to Xstrata shareholders compared with its share price last Wednesday before word leaked out about the merger talks, a joint statement said. "A merger between Glencore and Xstrata offers a unique opportunity to create a new business model in our industry to respond to ...
US White House hopeful Mitt Romney aims for another big caucus win in Colorado on Tuesday, as his well-oiled campaign machine works to cement his position as the Republican front runner in the US presidential race. Polls suggest he should triumph easily in the western US state -- where he scored 60 percent in 2008 -- although there is a tighter race in Minnesota, where last-placed Rick Santorum is hoping to snatch a win. Romney's main rival, former House speaker Newt Gingrich, is battling to stay in the race after two heavy losses in a row to the former Massachusetts governor, who ...
As President Christian Wulff remains mired in allegations of impropriety, anti-corruption group Transparency International (TI) has called for politicians to use the case as a chance to open up German politics. “We are very concerned that people seem to be starting to think that all politicians behave like Wulff, and that would be fatal,” Christian Humborg, TI Germany’s managing director told The Local. “I think the Wulff affair is a wonderful opportunity for German politicians to react to the cynical attitude that this is normal, and improve things,” he said. He said the fact that the authorities were investigating whether Wulff and his ...
German Chancellor Angela Merkel threw her weight behind French President Nicolas Sarkozy in his tough re-election battle on Monday, saying the two right-wingers were from the same "political family". Despite accusations in both countries of interference, Merkel used a visit to Paris for a joint Franco-German cabinet session to make clear her support for Sarkozy, who has increasingly cited Germany as a model for France. "We belong to the same political family. He supported me and it is natural that I support him in his campaign," Merkel said during a joint television interview with Sarkozy to be broadcast later on French and ...
Swedish prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt thinks that Swedes need to be prepared to work a lot longer than they do today in order to keep the same living standard as when they were working. “The pensions scheme isn’t based on magic. It is a welfare ambition based on large-scale re-distribution and citizens’ own work. If people think that we can live longer and shorten our work life, then pensions will get lower,” Reinfeldt said in interview with daily Dagens Nyheter (DN). According to Reinfeldt, the expectation to retire at 65 is a problem in Sweden today. He thinks that Swedes may have to ...
North Korea fired artillery rounds toward its disputed sea border with South Korea on Wednesday, prompting a barrage of warning shots from the South’s military and raising tensions on the divided peninsula. No casualties or damage were reported, and analysts said the volley — which the North announced was part of a military drill — was likely a move by Pyongyang to highlight the need for a peace treaty to formally end the Korean... [more]
Today is Wednesday, Jan. 27, the 27th day of 2010. There are 338 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Jan. 27, 1880, Thomas Edison received a patent for his electric incandescent lamp. On this date: In 1756, composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria. In 1901, opera composer Giuseppe Verdi died in Milan, Italy, at age 87. In 1943, some 50 bombers struck Wilhelmshaven in the first all-American... [more]
Pope John Paul II whipped himself with a belt, even on vacation, and slept on the floor as acts of penitence and to bring him closer to Christian perfection, according to a new book by the Polish prelate spearheading his sainthood case. The book “Why He’s a Saint” also includes previously unpublished speeches and documents written by John Paul, including one 1989 signed memo in which he said he would resign if he became... [more]
Sir Alex Ferguson has renewed his appeal toManchester United fans to keep the lid on protests over the way the club is being run by its US-based owners, the Glazer family. Ferguson used his programme notes for last weekend’s game against Hull to plead with United supporters to stay together. There was little sign of off-field discontent spreading onto the pitch atOld Trafford on Saturday as England striker Wayne Rooney scored... [more]
Leftists in Brazil for a week of protests against capitalism denounced corporate greed on the second day of the World Social Forum, saying Tuesday that big companies humbled by the global meltdown must be prevented from controlling natural resources and harming the environment. In Peru, for example, foreign and domestic miners are vying for government concessions to explore for gold, silver and zinc on traditional Indian lands where... [more]
Former Guatemalan leader Alfonso Portillo was arrested Tuesday following a US extradition request related to charges of money-laundering during his 2000-2004 presidency, officials said. Two days after police searched for him at two homes in Guatemala City, Portillo, 58, was tracked down at the northeastern beach resort of Punta de Palma on the Caribbean coast, said Attorney General Velasquez Zarate. “Now that he’s under arrest,... [more]
On the heels of last weekend’s Hope for Haiti telethon, stars continue to rally for the relief effort, this time opening up their closets for the cause. Britney Spears will be auctioning off one of the two shimmery silver Versace dresses she wore to the MTV Video Music Awards in 2008—which might even be a good luck charm, given that was the same night she made her comeback performance after her public meltdown and took home three... [more]
Russian Internet surfers have been suffering from numerous attacks from Trojan.Winlock viruses recently. The worm penetrates into a computer, blocks the system and asks for money. The screen shows “Windows is blocked” message. A person has to send an SMS to the indicated number to unlock the system. The price for the message is quite high: not less than 300 rubles ($10). If the message is sent, it comes back to the victim’s cell phone... [more]
France is not the only European country to be considering a ban on full Islamic veils. The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Italy all have laws – or are considering laws – against clothes that cover all of the face. In the Netherlands several bills relating to the prohibition of wearing burqas and niqabs are in preparation, especially relating to education and public services. Denmark’s government is considering limiting the wearing... [more]
The Dutch car manufacturer Spyker is to buy General Motors’ luxury brand Saab. The transaction, expected to be closed in mid-February, will “secure a sustainable future” for Saab and should preserve jobs. US automaker General Motors said Tuesday it had agreed to sell its Saab brand to Dutch luxury sports car manufacturer Spyker. “Today’s announcement is great news for Saab employees, dealers and suppliers, great... [more]
