EU-DIGEST

EU Heads Call For End To Israeli Blockade Of Gaza

2012-03-02T19:30:00.002-05:00

European Union (EU) Heads of Mission in Jerusalem and Ramallah on Wednesday called on Israel to end its blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2006 and allow free movement of goods and people to and from Gaza.

In a statement issued following their first joint visit to Gaza this year, the EU Heads of Mission called for "further efforts and complementary measures to achieve a fundamental change of Israeli policy that allows for the reconstruction and economic recovery of Gaza including through the resumption of exports."

"The EU reiterates again its calls for an immediate, sustained and unconditional opening of crossings for the flow of humanitarian aid, commercial goods and persons to and from Gaza," said the statement. Denmark, Belgium and Sweden signed a lease agreement for a joint EU consular office in Gaza.

For more: BERNAMA - EU Heads Call For End To Blockade On Gaza

IRAN: Yet Another War for Israel? - by William A. Cook

2012-03-02T19:14:00.002-05:00

Being Israel’s “only friend” has made the U.S. a pariah among nations in the world and made its touted “Democratic freedoms” a laughing stock as the other nations in the UN watch America “support” the Zionists’ agenda to attack Iraq and Lebanon and Gaza, abort international law as it, like Israel, commits extrajudicial executions in foreign states, equips Israel when it invades its neighbors to the north and attacks peace activists aboard vessels from peaceful nations including Turkey, and, ironically sits silently by as Israel dismantles what little of a democracy existed in that nation by creating new laws that deny full citizenship to anyone not a Jew.

Thus have we become a nation supportive of a militaristic Theocracy while we continue to mouth the principle of separation of church and state, a principle founded on tolerance, concealing the truth that there are more than 20 great religions with well over a billion people who accept no religion (Adherents.com) all of whom deserve recognition and, as necessary, support from America.

Clearly Israel’s needs are not America’s needs if we mean by that more war in the mid-east. Have we pulled our troops from Iraq just to move them into Iran? Does any sensible person believe that the Iranians have a “need” or desire to attack the people of the United States? Our forces completely surround Iran. We are the nation with atomic weaponry, not Iran. What possible good would Iran achieve by having a nuclear weapon? Hasn’t Iran signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Agreement while Israel, who damns Iran for its nuclear “ambitions,” has an arsenal of nuclear bombs and has refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Agreement. Which of these nations is to be feared? Iran has never attacked a neighbor; Israel attacks and occupies its neighbors at will.

For more: Yet Another War for Israel? » Counterpunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names

Europe signs fiscal pact, hails Greek progress

2012-03-02T15:05:00.002-05:00

European leaders on Friday signed a new fiscal pact aimed at strengthening budget rules across the euro zone, hailed progress by Greece toward finally receiving its second bailout and signaled a willingness to speed up the funding of the euro zone’s permanent bailout fund.

As expected, the leaders made no commitment to boosting the size of the euro zone’s firewall, but did agree to speed payments of capital into the region’s permanent rescue fund, the 500 billion euro European Stability Mechanism. The ESM will replace the temporary European Financial Stability Facility at midyear.

“As expected, the latest EU summit proved to be a non-event, and was characterized by a rare show of harmony. With the more difficult discussions centered on foreign policy issues, such as Syria, there was little to set the pulse racing on the economic policy front,” wrote strategists at Daiwa Capital Markets.

For more: Europe signs fiscal pact, hails Greek progress - MarketWatch

European Soccer: US soccer team defeats Italy for first time - by Daniella Matare

2012-03-02T10:37:00.002-05:00

The United States beat Italy for the first time in 11 games over 78 years, a 1-0 victory in an exhibition Wednesday night on Clint Dempsey’s goal in the 55th minute.

Dempsey took a short pass from Jozy Altidore following Michael Bradley’s cross and put a right-footed shot from just inside the penalty area just past an outstretched hand of goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. It was his 25th goal in 83 international appearances.

A native of Nacogdoches, Texas, who turns 29 on March 9, Dempsey has had the most accomplished season by a U.S. attacking player in European soccer. He’s scored 16 goals this season for Fulham, becoming the American career scoring leader in England’s Premier League with 43 goals.

For more: US soccer defeats Italy for first time - Peoria, IL - pjstar.com

Sarkozy: Europe Is Turning Page On Financial Crisis - by Gabriele Parussini

2012-03-02T10:30:00.002-05:00

-French President Nicolas Sarkozy struck an upbeat tone Friday, saying the euro zone had found the path out of the financial crisis. Earlier Friday, 25 of the European Union's 27 leaders signed the region's new fiscal pact, which imposes stricter rules on deficits and debts.

"We're turning the page on the financial crisis," Sarkozy told a press conference after an EU summit in Brussels. "The strategy we've implemented is bearing fruit." Still, the fiscal accord will need to be complemented by measures to boost growth, Sarkozy added.

"The solution can't only be in budgetary discipline," he said. "It must be found in economic growth and [by] boosting competitiveness."

For more: UPDATE: Sarkozy: Europe Is Turning Page On Financial Crisis - WSJ.com

Syria Reported to Take Homs on Rebels’ Retreat as Russia Backs UN Stance - by Nicole Gaouette

2012-03-02T10:23:00.002-05:00

Syrian rebel fighters retreated from the city of Homs as government troops overran the center of anti-regime resistance after almost a month of artillery bombardment, according to reports by the Washington Post.

The Syrian military offensive came as the International Committee of the Red Cross announced that Syria had given it permission to enter Homs, under its 27th day of bombardment, to deliver supplies and evacuate the wounded. Troops were moving through the city’s Bab Amr neighborhood detaining all males older than 15, according to opposition activists cited by the Post.

Hours earlier, the United Nations Security Council issued its first unified statement on Syria in seven months, demanding that President Bashar al-Assad allow access for humanitarian aid. The Security Council statement was backed by Russia, possibly signaling a shift from its steady defense of Assad.
President Vladimir Putin told a British newspaper his country has no special relationship with Assad and Syrians should decide who leads them. Russia yesterday also backed a Security Council statement deploring “the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation.” The non-binding measure avoided citing the Syrian regime as responsible for the “growing number of affected civilians.”

For more: Syria Reported to Take Homs on Rebels’ Retreat as Russia Backs UN Stance - Bloomberg

US Presidential elections: Model predicts Obama win in 2012 - Craig Patrick

2012-03-02T01:13:00.002-05:00

We have a new prediction in the Presidential race. The Moody's election model predicts Republicans will win Florida, but not the White House.

The model is based on economic forecasts in each state , and would have correctly predicted the winner of the past seven elections. This year, Moody's election model predicts President Obama will lose the state of Florida, but win re-election.

Analysts have repeatedly said Republicans cannot win the Presidential election without winning Florida. But Democratic strategists say the president can lose Florida and still get the 270 electoral votes he needs.

"We can't just have a Florida strategy, but Florida is the easiest way to 270 electoral votes," said Obama campaign manager Jim Messina.

For more: Model predicts Obama win in 2012

The Netherlands: Tables turned on Mark Rutte: Dutch under EU pressure to cut budget

2012-03-02T00:58:00.004-05:00

The tables turned on the Netherlands on Thursday as the nation, first in line to scold deficit sinners such as Greece, was told by EU authorities to clean up its own financial situation.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who has led a hardline movement to bring Athens to implement harsh savings in exchange for a financial bailout, vowed to reduce his country's own budget shortfall as he arrived in Brussels for a two-day European Union summit.

"We trust that the Netherlands will do the necessary to comply," said the spokesman for EU economic affairs commissioner Olli Rehn.

Rutte declared that his government would undertake budget cuts because it was important to do so, "not because Rehn wants it."

Note EU-Digest: Dutch PM Rutte's main problem is his coalition's entanglement with the PVV of Geert Wilders, who is more interested in being a populist and pushing for his party's nonsensical pet projects.

For more: Tables turned: Dutch under EU pressure to cut budget - FRANCE 24

Serbia moves closer to EU status - by Justyna Pawlak and Sebastian Moffett

2012-03-02T00:42:00.001-05:00

The European Union gave Serbia the status of candidate for membership on Thursday in an attempt to promote better government in the western Balkans as the region struggles to emerge from the wars of the 1990s.

EU leaders took the decision at a summit in Brussels, launching a potentially lengthy process to bring the former Yugoslav republic into the bloc. It marks a turnaround for Serbia, once seen as the pariah of Balkans for its central role in wars that followed the collapse of Yugoslavia under the leadership of Slobodan Milosevic.

For more: Serbia moves closer to EU status - World News | IOL News | IOL.co.za

Europe Stocks Rise As Borrowing Costs Fall

2012-03-02T00:00:00.001-05:00

European shares closed higher on Thursday, boosted by euro zone banks as newly available cheap cash from the European Central Bank helped some sovereign bond yields fall and further allayed default risks among corporates.

Euro zone banks rose 2.6% after France's and Spain's borrowing costs fell at auctions on Thursday and yields on Italian notes dropped on the secondary market.

Italian banks, which own the lion's share of the country's debt, led gainers, with Banco Popolare rising 10.5% and UniCredit up 5.8%, helping Milan's FTSE MIB index outpace its peers to close 2.9% higher. Italian lenders took a quarter of all the money available at the ECB

For more: Europe Stocks Rise As Borrowing Costs Fall - Investors.com

Internet Sex: Sites catering to 'discreet' encounters, cheating are thriving

2012-03-01T12:46:00.001-05:00

Husbands and wives take note: If Valentine's Day expectations aren't met, your mate might soon be looking elsewhere for a little romance and appreciation.
That may sound like a cautionary tale, but for Noel Biderman and others who have founded dating websites for married people, it's a lucrative business.

"The day after Valentine's Day is one of our biggest days of the year," says Biderman, founder and CEO of Ashley Madison, a 10-year-old site that unapologetically caters to "discreet" encounters for the married or otherwise attached. "People are disappointed by their spouses' lack of effort, and they feel especially undervalued when there is a societal expectation of romance. Certain days of the year act as litmus tests for many people in relationships."

Websites designed to facilitate cheating appear to be thriving; some earn tens of millions of dollars a year, and competition is growing. In addition to Toronto-based Ashley Madison, there's a growing crop of copycats that equate affairs with romance, passion and adventure. Whether these sites promote cheating or just facilitate it is up for debate. Some of the sites are also based in Europe and increasingly have become international, with their eye on the USA.

"American people are really hypocrites about infidelity," says Teddy Truchot, co-founder of Gleeden, which launched in Europe in 2009, moved into Australia and entered the U.S. market last fall. Its headquarters are in New York, and it plans to start an ad campaign here March 1. "Everything from the U.S. which comes to Europe is about infidelity," says Truchot, 29, who moved to Los Angeles two years ago from Paris. "You see cheating all over TV and in real life. … Everyone is cheating here.

For more: Sites like Ashley Madison cater to 'discreet' encounters, cheating - USATODAY.com

Internet: How Three Germans Are Cloning the Web - Caroline Winter

2012-03-01T12:37:00.001-05:00

Bamarang is the creation of Oliver, Marc, and Alexander Samwer, a trio of German brothers who have a wildly successful business model: Find a promising Internet business, in the U.S., and clone it internationally. Since starting their first dot-clone in 1999, a German version of EBay (EBAY), they’ve duplicated Airbnb, eHarmony, Pinterest, and other high-profile businesses. In total, they’ve launched more than 100 companies. Their Zappos (AMZN) clone, Zalando, now dominates six European markets and is estimated to be worth euro 751 million (US $1 billion) by Financial Times Deutschland. Through their venture capital firm, the European Founders Fund, they also invested in European knockoffs of Facebook and YouTube (GOOG), which sold for euro 84 million (US $112 million) and euro 27 million (US$36 million), respectively.

For more: How Three Germans Are Cloning the Web - Businessweek

Computer Industry: Tiny British inexpensive euro 27 Raspberry Pi computer becomes instant hit

2012-03-01T11:51:00.002-05:00

A tiny British euro 27 (US $35) Raspberry Pi computer went on sale yesterday and just about immediately crashed its distributors' websites selling out the device within hours of its launch.

It's British-based designers at the Raspberry Pi Foundation hope the computer, which has been in the works for six years, will spark new interest in programming among children. "The primary goal was to build a low cost computer that every child could own, and one where programming was the natural thing to do with it," said co-founder Robert Mullins.

The computer's miniature uncased circuit board is crowded with an Ethernet connection for the internet, two USB ports and an SD card port for memory. The Raspberry Pi is powered by a standard USB mobile charger. Looking a little more than a credit card-sized chip of circuit board, the powerful, fully-programmable PC can plug into any TV and can power 3D graphics and Blu-ray video playback. The low-cost computer runs a free, open-source Linux operating system and does not include a monitor or keyboard.

The company gets its first batch of devices from China next week and the Raspberry Pi Foundation, a charity, limited sales to one per customer to avoid scalpers and to “get to as many people as possible,” it said on Twitter. The British creators, made up of academics and industry experts , would like to see one of these in the hands of every kid, and there’s strong potential for that to happen. Thanks the price tag: euro 27 (US35) for the current version, and later this year an even cheaper model, for just euro 19 (about $25).

EU-Digest

Tourism: Sleep in Croatian presidential prison luxury as did Tito and Tudjman - by Paul Bradbury

2012-03-01T11:10:00.004-05:00

A new attraction is about to be added to inland Croatia's diverse tourism offer, with the prison which incarcerated Presidents Tito and Tudjman set to offer accommodation.

It was once a monastery owned by the Pauline fathers before being turned into a prison and used by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the Independent State of Croatia and Communist Yugoslavia. The latest twist in the rich history of Croatia's most notorious prison at Lepoglava, is the opening of the building as a tourist resort, according to a report in regional web portal E-Varazdin, on February 28, 2012.

The building, which became a prison in 1854, has held many high-profile figures in captivity over the years, from various political persuasions as the country was ruled by various different powers. Among the most famous 'guests' were President Josip Broz Tito (as Communists were rounded up during the Kingdom of Yugoslavia), Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac and the future President of Croatia, Franjo Tudjman (during the period of Communist Yugoslavia).

For more: Sleep in Croatian presidential prison luxury as Tito and Tudjman

EU leaders set to endorse recommendation on Serbian candidacy for membership

2012-03-01T11:00:00.002-05:00

European Union leaders are expected to formally grant Serbia the status of a candidate for membership in the bloc during their summit todayin recognition of its government’s efforts to round up war crimes suspects and normalize relations with Kosovo, its former province.

The move would represent a remarkable turnaround for Serbia, which spent much of the 1990s ostracized and isolated from the EU after its then-strongman Slobodan Milosevic started the wars in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo. When Milosevic agreed to a U.S.-brokered agreement to end the war in Bosnia in 1995, about 60,000 NATO troops — including about 30,000 Americans — were deployed to the nation to enforce the accord.

For more: EU leaders set to endorse recommendation on Serbian candidacy for membership - The Washington Post

Serbia and Romania reach agreement for the Vlach minority

2012-03-01T10:56:00.001-05:00

Serbia and Romania have overcome their differences, concerning the Vlach minority in Serbia, the online edition of Serbian newspaper Blic reports. Inter-governmental committees reached an agreement on the issue, and as a result Romania would withdraw its conditions, which prevented Serbia from being granted an official EU candidate status.

The two countries have agreed the people from the Vlach minority to be allowed to have the freedom of self-determination of their nationality.

For more: Blic: Serbia and Romania reached an agreement for the Vlach minority - FOCUS Information Agency

Hungary Banks’ Credit Capacity Drops to 2008 Level, Says the Magyar Nemzeti Bank - by Edith Balazs

2012-03-01T10:49:00.001-05:00

Hungarian banks’ lending capacity fell in the fourth quarter to a level last seen in September 2008, when the financial crisis engulfed the country, because of tighter and more expensive funding, the central bank said.

“The deterioration in lending capacity was last reported by such a proportion of banks upon the outbreak of the September 2008 crisis,” the Magyar Nemzeti Bank said in a survey published today in Budapest. The drop in lending capacity is driven by shrinking external funding and rising foreign-currency funding costs, it said.

Hungary’s banking industry turned unprofitable for the first time in 13 years in 2011 because of losses from foreign- currency mortgage repayments, rising bad loan provisions and a special industry tax. Regional competition for external funding is becoming more difficult for the Hungarian banks, the central bank said.

For more: Hungary Banks’ Credit Capacity Drops to 2008 Level, MNB Says - Bloomberg

Czech PM: "Czech Republic not ready for now to join EU fiscal pact limiting public debt levels"

2012-03-01T10:39:00.004-05:00

The Czech Republic’s prime minister says he will not sign, for now, a new European treaty that is designed to limit public spending and restore investor confidence in the region.The agreement is expected to be signed by the leaders of nearly all the EU countries today at a summit in Brussels.

Petr Necas said his government agreed Wednesday on his mandate not to sign. The government, which is split on the issue, will discuss the deal further in the future. The leaders of 25 of the 27 European Union states agreed last month on the deal designed to stop overspending in the 17 countries that use the euro.

Only Britain and the Czech Republic, both of which don’t use the euro, decided not to endorse the accord.

For more: Czech PM: Czech Republic not ready for now to join EU fiscal pact limiting public debt levels - The Washington Post

Europe look for growth amid high unemployment

2012-03-01T10:26:00.002-05:00

Europe's leaders travel to Brussels today, hoping to chart the continent's way back to growth as figures showing unemployment in the 17-country eurozone spiking to its highest level since the euro was established in 1999.

While the two-day summit is for once taking place amid relative calm on financial markets, Europe's population is only starting to feel the full impact of the massive budget cuts and economic uncertainty of the past three years.

New figures showed that unemployment in the 17-country eurozone hit 10.7 percent in January — the highest level since the currency union launched 1999. The situation in the 27-country European Union is not looking much better, with unemployment reaching 10.1 percent in the first month of the year.

For more: Europe look for growth amid high unemployment | ajc.com

"Politics at the Neanderthal level "- Will U.S. Election Madness Ever End?- by Ben Cohen

2012-03-01T00:43:00.002-05:00

Watching the presidential election take shape in modern times is a painful process. I have been following U.S. elections closely for 12 years and each time have been astonished at the spectacle.

While half the country lives with chronic food insecurity, billions of dollars are poured into strategists, analysts, makeup specialists, advertisers, planners, managers, advisers and hangers on, all in the name of electing a faceless politician who sounds and looks exactly the same as their predecessors (the only exception being Obama's election in '08).

Gore, Kerry, Bush, McCain, Romney, Gingrich, etc. all blend into one grey mass of old white people with almost identical policies and identical rhetoric. While there is still a difference between the Democrats and the Republicans (one party is sane and the other isn't), their platforms vary only slightly in the scheme of things. Right now, those variations are important, particularly when the economy is so vulnerable. Electing a free market, deficit hawk into the White House this year could literally tank the economy completely. Having a vaguely Keynesian president has been the only thing propping the economy up for the past 3 1/2 years, and it would be a very wise choice to keep him in office.

But in the long term, a two-party duopoly funded by exactly the same financial institutions and beholden to the same corporate interests cannot be sustained. The public knows the election is a gigantic clown show, and that's why voter participation has declined year after year for decades. The scripted events, sound byte debating points and relentless image based advertising has an effect on the public -- they know that nothing will change, that no politician is telling the truth, and there's absolutely nothing anyone can do about it.

Note EU-Digest: this is politics at the Neanderthal level...

For more: Ben Cohen: Will U.S. Election Madness Ever End?

Turkey: 50,000 tickets sold out for Madonna's concert in Istanbul

2012-03-01T00:32:00.001-05:00

The first European concert of Madonna’s 58-stop 2012 World Tour, which will start on May 29, will be in Istanbul. She will visit more than 26 European cities following Istanbul. She will also take the stage in South America and Australia, where she has not performed for 20 years.

Turkish ticket sales company Biletix announced all 50,000 tickets for Madonna's June 7 Istanbul concert were sold out as of Feb 27 afternoon.

Fifty percent of the concert was sold out in the first seven hours when tickets were released Feb. 24, according to Hurriyet Daily News. Some 50,000 people will view the concert at Şişli’s Türk Telekom Arena.

For more: 50,000 tickets sold out for Madonna's concert in Istanbul - PanARMENIAN.Net

European Soccer: Spain, France, Dutch post impressive friendly wins

2012-03-01T00:27:00.001-05:00

With 100 days until this year's European Championship kicks off, Spain, France and the Netherlands continued their preparations with impressive friendly wins Wednesday.

Roberto Soldado scored a hat trick to lead defending European champion Spain to a 5-0 win over Venezuela in Malaga, and France extended its unbeaten run to 18 matches with Oliver Giroud and Florent Malouda scoring for a 2-1 win over Germany in Bremen.

The Netherlands, European champion in 1988 and a three-time World Cup runner-up, withstood a spirited comeback by a makeshift England team to win 3-2 at Wembley, while Italy lost an unbeaten record in Genoa stretching back to 1924 when it lost 1-0 to the United States.

For more: Spain, France, Dutch post impressive friendly wins

The French in London: Bienvenue, François Hollande?

2012-03-01T00:20:00.001-05:00

Today, to the delight of some and no doubt the derision of others, François Hollande – the erstwhile leader of the Parti Socialiste and current frontrunner in the battle for the French presidency – is coming to London. He'll be lunching with Ed Miliband, categorically not lunching with David Cameron, giving a talk at King's College and generally raising his profile on this side of the Channel.

Why? Well, as anyone who has caught a whiff of croissant or crepe while strolling through South Kensington will know, there are quite a lot of French people here. Quite how many is difficult to pinpoint, but the consulate reckons that anything up to 400,000 people could be resident – a figure that would mean there are more French people here than in Nantes (population roughly 283,000) or even Nice (population roughly 341,000).

Wily political animal that he is, Nicolas Sarkozy realised what this could mean in electoral terms in 2007, when he paid a visit to the city of the Tamise (that's the Thames) and spoke to roaring crowds at the Old Billingsgate market. Now, it appears, his challenger for the Elysée is doing the same – and hoping for a similar recompense.

For more: The French in London: Bienvenue, François Hollande? | World news | guardian.co.uk

Syria: Damascus under siege is a changed capital city - by Zeina Karam

2012-02-29T19:05:00.002-05:00

Shops and restaurants close early in Damascus these days, their owners eager to get home before dark, which sometimes brings shootings and other crime. Blast walls and checkpoints ring government buildings to guard against car bombs. Residents struggle with spiraling prices and power outages.

In my first visit in nearly a year, I found Damascus transformed by Syria’s deadly and divisive uprising against President Bashar Assad’s regime. A capital once considered one of the safest in the world has become tense with worries over violence. A city that had grown boisterous and optimistic with an economic blossoming in recent years is now grim with fears for the future.

Electricity outages lasting up to 12 hours a day have forced residents to buy private generators, and the din from their engines echoes along the commercial Hamra Street. Much of what I saw reminded me of Iraq and my hometown of Beirut, where 22 years after the Civil War ended, electricity cuts are still frequent due to the dilapidated infrastructure. At one point when I got stuck in a hotel elevator, I thought for a split second that I was back in Beirut.

For more: THE DAILY STAR :: News :: Middle East :: Deserted streets, anxious residents: Damascus is a changed capital city

ECB hands out €529-billion billion in loans to banks - by Eric Reguly

2012-02-29T18:56:00.002-05:00

European banks gorged themselves on a second helping of cheap European Central Bank loans as the ECB moved with alacrity once again to avert a banking liquidity squeeze and take the edge off the sovereign debt crisis.

On Wednesday morning, the ECB lent €529-billion ($712-billion U.S.) of 1-per-cent money to 800 banks, which was slightly above the consensus figure but well below one or two predictions that as much as €1-trillion would be soaked up. In the last auction, in December, the ECB loaned €489-billion to 523 banks.

The loans, known as the long-term refinancing operation (LTRO), were introduced by then-new ECB president Mario Draghi late last year as the bank’s prime effort to prevent a Lehman Bros.-style banking collapse on home ground. While the ECB had hosed out cheap loans in the past, under Mr. Draghi’s predecessor, Jean-Claude Trichet, they were short-term loans. The new loans have been for an unprecedented three years

For more: ECB hands out $712-billion in loans to banks - The Globe and Mail