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 ...
Prince William and Kate Middleton will brave the elements and travel from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace in an open topped 1902 State Landau. The couple will pass the cheering crowds in The Mall after their wedding ceremony in the fairytale carriage. With showers forecast for the wedding day there had been fears an enclosed carriage would be used. But a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman confirmed earlier the couple would use the State... [more]
Excitement is mounting at the Goring Hotel where Kate Middleton is getting ready ahead of her wedding. The 29-year-old spent her last night as a single woman at the five-star central London hotel surrounded by her closest family. She entered the building in Belgravia on Thursday evening with sister and maid of honour Pippa and mother Carole, waving at the crowds who had waited for hours to catch a glimpse of the bride-to-be. A covered walkway... [more]
Prince William and Kate Middleton marry on Friday in Britain’s biggest royal wedding for 30 years, watched by more than a million spectators in London and two billion global TV viewers. Thousands of people spent a chilly night outdoors to secure a front-row view of a day rich in royal pageantry, as Britain hosted its biggest party since the late princess Diana married William’s father Prince Charles in 1981. Diana’s absence... [more]
Prince William has been made the Duke of Cambridge on his wedding day by his grandmother the Queen, Buckingham Palace announced. The royal groom was given a dukedom – the highest rank in British peerage – to mark his marriage to Kate Middleton. Miss Middleton will now become Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge on her marriage at the much-anticipated ceremony in Westminster Abbey. William also became the Earl of Strathearn... [more]
Prince William and his long-time girlfriend Kate Middleton will marry on Friday at Westminster Abbey. Here are details of the music and hymns they have chosen for the occasion. BEFORE THE SERVICE The music before the service will begin with a selection of organ pieces: Fantasia in G (Piece d’orgue a 5) by Johann Sebastian Bach, followed by Veni Creator Spiritus by the Master of The Queen’s Music, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies; Prelude... [more]
Here are some facts about Westminster Abbey where the marriage ceremony of Prince William and his long-time girlfriend Kate Middleton will take place on Friday. * ROYAL OCCASIONS: – The abbey became a popular venue for royal weddings when Princess Patricia of Connaught chose it for her marriage to the Honourable Alexander Ramsay in 1919. – It was the first time for 650 years that the abbey had been used for a royal wedding. –... [more]
Prince William and his girlfriend Kate Middleton are to get married on Friday. William is second in line to the throne after his father, Prince Charles. Here are some details about the succession to the throne: * SOME FACTS ABOUT SUCCESSION: – The succession to the throne is regulated not only through descent, but also by parliamentary statute. The order of succession is the sequence of members of the royal family in the order in which... [more]
Britons will be hanging out the bunting and bonding with their neighbours over home-baked goodies at parties up and down the country today. As royal wedding fever sweeps the nation, streets, squares, pubs and churches will host a variety of bashes. Prime Minister David Cameron will set the tone with a street party in Downing Street where more than 100 guests will munch cupcakes baked by first lady Samantha Cameron. Meanwhile, Southampton’s... [more]
The wait is nearly over for Prince William and Kate Middleton, who are to marry at Westminster Abbey on Friday in a dazzling display of royal pomp and pageantry set to draw a huge audience at home and abroad. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to cram the flag-lined streets of London to catch a glimpse of cavalrymen in shining ornamental breastplates, groomed horses and the ornate carriages that will carry senior royal figures... [more]
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding is cause for unfettered national pride and mirrors Britain’s changed social landscape, newspapers said Friday. The prince’s “happiest day” and the acceptance of the Middletons, a “common” family, into the royal household, showed how far Britain’s once-rigid class structure had come, they said. “Mum would be so proud,” the Sun said on its... [more]
