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 ...
Today is Thursday, July 8, the 189th day of 2010. There are 176 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On July 8, 1950, President Harry S. Truman named Gen. Douglas MacArthur commander-in-chief of United Nations forces in Korea. (But Truman ended up sacking MacArthur for insubordination nine months later, replacing him with Lt. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway.) On this date: In 1663, King Charles II of England granted a Royal... [more]
Today is Wednesday, July 7, the 188th day of 2010. There are 177 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On July 7, 1860, late Romantic composer-conductor Gustav Mahler was born in Kalischt, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary (in the present-day Czech Republic). On this date: In 1846, U.S. annexation of California was proclaimed at Monterey (mahn-tuh-RAY’) after the surrender of a Mexican garrison. In 1865, four people were... [more]
Today is Tuesday, July 6, the 187th day of 2010. There are 178 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On July 6, 1885, French scientist Louis Pasteur tested an anti-rabies vaccine on nine-year-old Joseph Meister, who had been bitten by an infected dog; the boy did not develop rabies. On this date: In 1535, St. Thomas More was executed in England for high treason. In 1777, during the American Revolution, British forces... [more]
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Today is Saturday, July 5, the 186th day of 2010. There are 179 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: July 5th 0649 St Martin I begins his reign as Catholic Pope July 5th 0767 Duke of Nepi names his brother (leek) Pope Constantine II July 5th 1054 Brightest supernova (Crab Nebula) 1st reported July 5th 1294 Pietro del Murrone elected as Pope Coelestinus V July 5th 1295 Scotland & France sign... [more]
Today is Saturday, July 4, the 185th day of 2010. There are 180 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: 1776 The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. 1802 The U.S. Military Academy opened at West Point, N.Y. 1804 Author Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Mass. 1826 Death claimed the second and third presidents of the United States: John Adams died at age 90 in Braintree, Mass., while... [more]
Today is Saturday, July 3, the 184th day of 2010. There are 181 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On July 3, 1863, the three-day Civil War Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania ended in a major victory for the North as Confederate troops retreated. On this date: In 1608, the city of Quebec was founded by Samuel de Champlain. In 1775, Gen. George Washington took command of the Continental Army at Cambridge, Mass. In... [more]
Today is Friday, July 2, the 183rd day of 2010. There are 182 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On July 2, 1937, aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to make the first round-the-world flight along the equator. On this date: In 1776, the Continental Congress passed a resolution saying that “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.” In... [more]
Today is Thursday, July 1, the 182nd day of 2010. There are 183 days left in the year. This is Canada Day. Today’s Highlight in History: On July 1, 1910, the original Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox for eight decades, held its opening day under the name White Sox Park. (The home team lost to the St. Louis Browns, 2-0.) On this date: In 1860, Charles Goodyear, the inventor of vulcanized rubber, died in New York at age 59. In... [more]
Today is Wednesday, June 30, the 181st day of 2010. There are 184 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On June 30, 1860, the famous Oxford University Museum debate on Darwin’s theory of evolution took place as Anglican Bishop Samuel Wilberforce led his side in denouncing the concept, while biologist T.H. Huxley rose to defend it. (Although exact details of the debate, which was not transcribed, are in dispute,... [more]
oday is Tuesday, June 29, the 180th day of 2010. There are 185 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On June 29, 1910, composer-lyricist Frank Loesser (LEH’-suhr), who wrote the songs for such Broadway musicals as “Guys and Dolls,” “The Most Happy Fella” and “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” was born in New York. On this date: In 1776, the Virginia state constitution... [more]
