Eurozone finance ministers were to confer by telephone on Saturday after 12 hours of talks in Athens failed to produce a breakthrough on a deal to bail out Greece, the Greek finance minister said. Evangelos Venizelos added that a planned meeting by eurozone ministers on Greece originally scheduled for Monday would now be held on Wednesday. "I will participate in a Eurogroup telephone conference at 1230 GMT" to discuss details of a rescue deal for Greece worth 130 billion euros ($171 billion) which officials have been trying to seal since October, the minister said in a statement. "Critical issues pertaining to the country's ...
Australia's flood crisis deepened Saturday as authorities braced for waters to peak in Queensland where one woman is missing after being swept away while elsewhere thousands remain stranded by the surge. Prime Minister Julia Gillard said eight military helicopters would help in search, evacuation and resupply missions in the eastern state, where days of heavy rainfall have prompted hundreds of evacuations and dozens of rescues. "The helicopters will be available to assist in rescue operations as required until the immediate crisis has passed," Gillard said in a statement. In the inland Queensland town of Charleville authorities are on alert amid fears a temporary ...
Tens of thousands people are braving the bitter cold at two major rallies in downtown Moscow on Saturday as a power play between champions of political liberalization and supporters of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin continues to unfold. The first demonstration demands fair elections at the March 4 presidential polls, at which Putin is expected to secure a third term in the Kremlin. It also calls on Russians “not to give a single vote” to Putin. The opposition rally is widely seen by analysts as a litmus test of protesters’ ability to maintain momentum after two earlier protests against alleged vote fraud in favor of ...
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday wrapped up a visit to China where she tried to reassure her hosts on the strength of the euro and Europe's ability to overcome its debt crisis. During her three-day trip to the world's second largest economy, Merkel praised the advantages of the single currency and urged China to put pressure on Iran and to condemn Syria at the United Nations. Merkel, who was prevented from meeting journalists and a human rights lawyers, ended her official visit in the southern city of Guangzhou, Xinhua news agency reported. Merkel, who held talks with Premier Wen Jiabao and President ...
Norway’s government has said it wants non-European immigrants to carry residency cards equipped with data chips bearing their fingerprints. In a proposal presented on Friday, the justice ministry said the new identity cards would help tackle illegal immigration. “The residency card system will increase security surrounding residency permit documentation, thereby contributing to the prevention of illegal immigration and illegal residency,” said Justice Minister Grete Faremo (Labour Party) in a statement. The move follows pressure from the European Union to ensure that immigrants from outside the European Economic Area, of which Norway is a member, are provided with residency cards that include fingerprint details. Faremo ...
Greece expects its 2011 budget deficit will be smaller than expected at between 9.1 and 9.4 percent of GDP, thanks to an emergency property tax, a finance ministry official said on Friday, a development that could help Athens in its bailout talks with the EU and IMF. Greece, which is racing to complete talks with the EU and the IMF on a second bailout worth 130 billion euros, had previously estimated that the deficit would be above 9.5 percent of GDP. "The numbers aren't final yet but we believe the deficit will come in at between 9.1 and 9.4 percent (of GDP)," ...
China has rejected Japanese protests over alleged improper exploration of gas deposits in the East China Sea. The Foreign Ministry said Friday the recent activity had taken place within Chinese-controlled waters and was completely normal. A ministry statement said China was strongly dissatisfied with recent comments from Japanese officials. Japan's chief Cabinet secretary on Wednesday said Japan protested to China after a flare was seen a day earlier at a Chinese structure at an undersea gas deposit. The deposit, known as Kashi in Japan and Tianwaitian in China, sits near a median line in the countries' overlapping exclusive economic zones. Japan and China agreed ...
The leader of Russia's Islamist rebels ordered a halt to attacks on civilians, saying mass opposition protests showed the public no longer supported Vladimir Putin, according to a video posted Friday. Doku Umarov, whose Caucasus Emirate group claimed atrocities including a deadly Moscow airport bombing in 2011 and a metro attack in 2010, said from now only security objects and officials would be targeted. "I order all special groups that are carrying out or plan to carry out special operations in Russia to put a halt to these operations that could hurt the peaceful population," Doku Umarov said in a video address ...
China's Premier Wen Jiabao said Friday the Asian giant had neither the ability nor the intention to "buy Europe", amid concerns over growing Chinese investment in debt-stricken eurozone economies. China is "willing to cooperate with Europe to fight the current crisis. Some people say this means China wants to buy Europe", Wen told a German-China business forum in the southern city of Guangzhou. "This a concern and doesn't fit reality. China doesn't have this intention and doesn't have this ability." German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in China for a three-day visit to boost her host's confidence in Europe, also attended the forum along with ...
Energy Secretary Chris Huhne is to resign from the Government after it emerged he is to face prosecution over allegations that he asked his ex-wife to take a speeding penalty for him. The Liberal Democrat MP has been charged with perverting the course of justice after an investigation into the 2003 incident by Essex Police. His former wife, the economist Vicky Pryce is also facing charges of perverting the course of justice. They are due to appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court on February 16. The maximum sentence for perverting the course of justice is life in prison, the CPS and the Sentencing ...
With time growing short, President Barack Obama said Wednesday night that he remains confident that a government shutdown can be avoided this weekend if negotiators can build on constructive talks held at the White House. Differences remain despite the progress, but Obama announced that talks would continue through the night in hopes of avoiding a government shutdown this weekend. “It’s going to require a sufficient sense of... [more]
Manchester United and England footballer Rio Ferdinand has appealed for witnesses to come forward to help police find the killer of the innocent victim of a drive-by shooting. “I remember what it was like when I was young, growing up in Peckham, having my whole future in front of me,” Ferdinand said in the appeal posted on Youtube. “A promising young footballer, Rio McParlane was a lot like myself. On September 6 last... [more]
President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai deplored the burning of the Koran by a fundamentalist U.S. pastor in an hour-long video teleconference on Wednesday and condemned deadly violence sparked by the incident, the White House said. Karzai and Obama discussed a range of topics in the call, including the gradual handover of security in Afghanistan from U.S. and NATO troops to Afghan control. “The two leaders agreed... [more]
Illegal aliens in the Netherlands are sometimes offered money to leave the country. According to a report published in newspaper de Volkskrant, the money allows illegal aliens – many of them failed asylum seekers – to build a new existence in their country of origin. Offering money is often cheaper – as well as more effective – than providing several months’ worth of shelter or locking people up in detention centres.... [more]
A statue of Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, will be unveiled on The Mall in July to mark the 50th Anniversary of manned space flight, the British Council has revealed. The statue, a gift from the Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos) to the council, will remain in The Mall for a year, opposite the statue of Captain Cook and outside the council’s offices. “Gagarin belongs not only to Russia but to all countries and nations,... [more]
A Jordanian prosecutor says a Yemeni man has been charged with disturbing public safety by threatening to blow himself up at an Islamist party office with what turned out to be a fake explosive belt. If convicted, 61-year-old Abdul Wahab Abdul Ghani faces three years in prison. Abdul Ghani on Monday walked into the headquarters of Jordan’s largest opposition group, the Islamic Action Front, displaying the belt and saying he would... [more]
The centre-right coalition cabinet has decided to remove online child pornography, burying an initiative to block it by former Family Minister Ursula von der Leyen, dubbed “Censorsula” by internet activists. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition leadership on Tuesday made the surprise about-face on earlier plans to block such sites, following the success of a year-long test programme for removal. “According to current numbers with... [more]
Meg Ryan is to make her feature directorial debut with Into The Beautiful. After three decades being in front of the cameras, the Golden Globe-nominated actress – best known for her rom-com roles – is set to work behind the scenes on the comedy drama penned by Anne Meredith, reported Variety. Details of casting have yet to be revealed, but it is thought there are no plans to include Meg in the line-up at the moment. Producer... [more]
Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima will attend the wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco on 2 July. The crown prince and his wife will be the only Dutch royals to attend the wedding in Monte Carlo. Willem-Alexander and Albert met through their work for the International Olympic Committee. Albert (53) is to marry Charlene Wittstock (33), a former top swimmer from South Africa. The civil wedding will take place on the evening... [more]
The cabinet’s new human rights policy will seek to avoid “wagging a patronizing finger”. In a letter to parliament, Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal writes that the cabinet has opted for an approach based on dialogue and cooperation. The minister, a member of the conservative VVD, says the Dutch human rights policy will focus on freedom of expression, including internet freedom, the freedom of religion and life principles,... [more]
