Bahrain protesters camp out in square ahead of talks
Thousands of people have camped out overnight in Bahrain’s Pearl Square after the leadership ordered the army and then riot police to withdraw yesterday. Many protesters began early on Sunday morning, calling on the King and his inner circle to leave immediately. Bahrain’s opposition is expected to present its demands to the Gulf State’s crown prince today. Those include the release of all political prisoners, resignation of the government and talks on a new constitution.
Addressing the crowds last night, the head of Bahrain’s main Shi’ite bloc hailed the success of the protests, in spite of a bloody crackdown that has seen at least six people killed and dozens injured since last Monday.
Bus and coach passenger rights
More than 70 million Europeans travel by coach each year. What legal guarantees of service, similar to those of plane, train and boat passengers, are they about to be offered?
Evacuated workers pour into Malta
Foreign workers fleeing the situation in Libya are continuing to arrive on the Mediterranean island of Malta.
The country’s prime minister, Lawrence Gonzi, has also approved the use of Malta for humanitarian aid missions to Libya.
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The island has been the departure point for rescue flights by the British Royal Air Force to pick up workers in isolated areas of Libya.
“Our approach is not military,” says British High Commissioner Louise Stanton, “however the military do have certain assets that are easier to use in this kind of circumstance, when we do a humanitarian operation.”
euronews’ correspondent in Malta, Jos?� Miguel Sardo, says so far around 13,000 foreigners have passed through the port.
Most of the people evacuated worked in the oil industry or related businesses. For many there is a clear sense of relief at getting out.
“We were attacked and robbed by some godless people,” a worker from Germany said, “not personally but the company gear.”
Another man said: “There have been some very difficult days. I was in a camp and we were fortunate to have enough armed security to protect us.”
But while allowing the island to be used for rescue missions, the Maltese government is refusing to hand back two fighter jets to Gaddafi. A plane bringing pilots from Libya to fetch the jets was denied landing permission.
Lithuania passes controversial education law
Lithuania’s parliament has passed a controversial education law that has caused tension with neighbouring Poland, forcing ethnic minority schools to teach more classes in Lithuanian.
Officials say it will improve young people’s integration.
But many among the large Polish minority, which represents seven percent of the population, argue it amounts to forceful assimilation.
Ireland’s new leaders seek compromise on bailout
The man likely to lead Ireland’s next government says he believes a comprise can be reached on the country’s massive euro bailout.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has promised to renegotiate the interest rate of the rescue deal.
But, speaking after his party’s strong electoral showing, Kenny moved to reassure Ireland’s EU partners.
“We want to send the message out to Europe and the world that we intend to provide strong and stable government and our country is open for business and that we intend to rebuild our reputation both at home and abroad.”
Kenny’s Fine Gael will, however, almost certainly have to share power, most likely with Labour, in what was a night of success for the opposition.
In contrast, Fianna Fail, the dominant party for nearly 80-years in Irish politics, was heading towards political annihilation following voter fury over the economy.
“Well, I think we gave them what they deserved to be honest. I’m really happy with the results of the election, of the poll, especially in Dublin, I’m really happy that Labour came out on top and hopefully it will be a bit more of an equal society,” said one woman in Dublin.
“They made an ass of the country, they really did. I’m glad their gone and I’m sure everybody else is as well,” another man said.
Ireland was forced to go cap in hand to the EU and IMF last year for a massive multi-billion euro bailout, however, trying to change the terms of the deal could put Dublin on a collision course with Brussels.
EU split on Libya recalls Iraq rift
Fears are building of Europe splitting into camps over action in Libya, resembling the strong policy differences over the Iraq war in 2003.
The line-up for this ‘war’ is quite different, however. The coalition behind the bombing today has seven EU countries in it, and this time Britain (the major US ally in 2003) and France are on the same side promoting armed intervention, not like when France stayed out, and European opposition to the US-led war in Iraq was widespread. Now the EU countries in the coalition with the US include Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Greece and Spain.
Motives and commitment levels are different too. Germany’s objection to military means is attributed to Chancellor Angela Merkel’s election calendar. French leader Nicolas Sarkozy, on the other hand, who wined and dined Colonel Gaddafi in high style three years ago, has presidential elections on the horizon. British Prime Minister David Cameron’s position is also double-edged. A poll in the Sun newspaper says even fewer Britons support military action in Libya than initially backed action in Iraq. Even coalition member Italy would like to see NATO running the operations.
The 28-nation alliance has failed to agree on that, key member Moslem Turkey saying ‘no’ the loudest. Paris said Arab countries would also object. France seemed satisfied to stay in the driver’s seat, saying NATO would provide support when the US scales back its participation.
G20 reach compromise on economic indicators
G20 finance ministers have struck a compromise deal on indicators that can be used to deal with global economic imbalances.
The French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, who chaired the talks in Paris, said debt, deficit, savings and investment, and trade and current accounts will be used as indicators:
“For those of you that follow these things closely, as you can imagine the inclusion of exchange rates and monetary policy were the subject of prolonged debate.”
China opposed attempts to use real effective exchange rates and currency reserves to measure imbalances and they were not mentioned in their own right.
The G20 now moves on to plot the next stage of economic policy strategies in order to prevent a repeat of the 2008 global financial crisis.
French foreign minister could face imminent sack over Tunisia scandal
The axe looks increasingly likely to fall on France’s embattled foreign minister, with claims she will not be in the job beyond this weekend.
Michele Alliot-Marie is in trouble over a series of gaffes during the uprising in Tunisia. She and her partner, also a minister, holidayed there as deadly protests were raging. Her family has also been linked to a real estate deal with a Tunisian associate of deposed President Ben Ali.
Trips in the businessman’s private plane by the minister, her parents and partner sparked the scandal. She also offered French security forces’ support to the Ben Ali regime as it was trying to put down the rebellion.
Widely tipped to replace her in the French Foreign Office is veteran conservative Alain Juppe, a former prime minister and current defence minister.
Activists try to stop German nuclear waste train
Hundreds of anti-nuclear protestors have tried to stop a shipment of toxic waste in the last stages of its journey across Germany by train.
Sixty tons of material are making their way from the western city of Karlsruhe to Lubmin, the main processing facility in eastern Germany.
Some activists argued with police. Others even chained themselves to the tracks.
Hundreds of police officers travelled in the wagons themselves to keep the train on the rails.
There are regular nuclear shipments across Germany.
Campaigners say they have been fired up by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s recent decision to prolong the life of the country’s 17 nuclear power plants.
China inflation likely means more tightening
Chinese inflation hit 4.9 percent in January, up from 4.6 percent in December, though economists had expected it to be higher.
Even so price pressures – excluding the cost of food which is more volatile – were at their strongest in at least a decade.
That will force the China’s central bank to keep tightening monetary policy by raising interest rates again and restricting lending further.
Core inflation, not including food prices, jumped to 2.6 percent year-on-year, the highest in at least a decade, from 2.1 percent a month earlier.
There was some indication that previous tightening has started to have an effect. Money growth eased to its slowest pace in six months in January at 17.2 percent year on year.
The Chinese central bank raised interest rates last week for the second time in just over six weeks. It has also raised the amount of money banks have to hold in reserve seven times since the start of last year to try to mop up the excess cash in the economy that has fuelled inflation.
German unemployment falls further in February???
The number of Germans out of work fell much more-than-expected in February.
The figure – not adjusted for seasonal factors, which is the most commonly quoted in Germany – showed 33,000 fewer people on the dole, bringing the unemployment rate down to 7.9 percent of the workforce from eight percent in January.
German Labour Minister Ursula von der Leyen said: “Normally, unemployment increases in February. If you look at the last three years, unemployment increased on average by 16,000. That’s why this year’s decrease in unemployment is another remarkable sign of the quality and sustainability of the positive job market.”
Adjusted for seasonal effects, the unemployment rate fell to its lowest since 1991, just after east and west Germany were reunited.
Employers there are hiring more off the back of full order books as an export boom continues and domestic demand picks up. Warmer weather also helped construction activity bounce back in February.
Anti-Gaddafi forces parade through Tobruk
Some of the first professional images to come out of Libya appear to show anti-Gaddafi rebels in control of the eastern city of Tobruk.
Soldiers said they no longer backed the Libyan leader and that the eastern region was out of his control.
They have been operating checkpoints and denouncing Gaddafi.
One general said he decided to switch sides after hearing the authorities had given orders to fire on civilians.
Tobruk lies close to the Egyptian border. Thousands have been fleeing across the frontier to make it home to Egypt and escape the violence.
In eastern Libya the military are now said to be mobilising to defend people against possible attack from Gaddafi’s forces.
Accounts say his supporters have been shooting people and a munitions store in Tobruk was bombed.
“The Vaccines” debut album scores hit launch
The London-based Vaccines are the next big thing on the music scene if the charts are to be believed.
The band’s high-energy, vintage Brit songs, is just what appeals at the moment. Their debut album “What Did You Expect From the Vaccines?” shot straight to number 2 in the UK charts after its release on March 14.
Sweetened offer wins Genzyme for Sanofi
French drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis has agreed to buy US biotech group Genzyme with a improved cash offer the equivalent of almost 14.9 billion euros.
It will also make additional payments based on the success of Genzyme’s drugs.
The acquisition comes nine months after it was first proposed and the deal should increase Sanofi’s earnings through Genzyme’s treatments for rare diseases.
The value of the extra payments will depend on Genzyme’s experimental multiple sclerosis drug Lemtrada and production of two other medicines.
It is the second-biggest deal in biotech history and will help Sanofi offset declining revenue from drugs that have lost, or are going to lose, patent protection, which means competitors can make cheaper so-called ‘generic’ versions.
Shares in Sanofi rose as investors welcomed the boost to earnings.
Syria burns
In Syria a third day of protests has been marred by violence. The police have opened fire on demonstrators using tear gas and live rounds killing one person and injuring around 100 others. This brings the total fatalities to 4 this week.
Demonstrators have set fire the ruling Baath party headquarters in Deraa, to the the main courts, and to two phone company branches.
The country has been ruled by the Baath Party headed up by president Basher al-Assad since a coup in 1963. All opposition parties are banned.
In Deraa on Friday, the authorities opened fire on unarmed protesters, killing four people.
In an attempt to calm tensions, the authorities promised to release 15 schoolchildren who were arrested for scrawling opposition graffiti on a wall.
This was a rare concession, but commentators say it appears to be too little, too late.
Demands grow for Yemen’s leader to go
Demands for Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh to resign have for the first time reached the northern city of Sa’dah.
Thousands turned out with banners condemning his regime and calling for his three-decade rule to end. Opposition parties have warned if the leader doesn’t respond he will face the same fate as the toppled rulers of Egypt and Tunisia. So far most of the demonstrations have been in the capital, Sanaa, but a teenager is said to have died in clashes with soldiers in Aden.
The pressure on Saleh to go has been growing for more than a week. At least a dozen people have died and opposition parties are in no mood to accept the president’s offer of a dialogue.
They want a root and branch reform of the political system which has for decades favoured Saleh’s allies.
Burnt vehicles in a state security building in Tobruk
A man gestures in front of burnt vehicles in a state security building in Tobruk, east of Libya. In cities like Benghazi and Tobruk, troops and police have either withdrawn or have joined with diffuse and disparate opposition groups to start providing some order and services. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem
Egyptian PM Shafiq steps down
Egypt’s Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq has resigned and been replaced by the former Transport Minister Essam Sharraf.
Shafiq was appointed by deposed president Hosni Mubarak as a concession to opposition protesters in the final days before he stepped down in mid February.
But the move was insufficient for the Muslim Brotherhood and other political groups who wanted a clean break from the Mubarak regime, with which Shafiq had been closely associated.
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Lactalis lifts stake in Parmalat
The French dairy group, Lactalis, has strengthened its grip on Parmalat by raising its stake in the Italian firm.
Europes largest dairy goods company is buying 15.3 percent of Parmalat, taking its overall stake to 29 percent, despite loud resistance from Rome to a foreign takeover.
With a turnover of some 4.3 billion euros, Parmalat is widely seen as an attractive target because of it dominates Italys liquid milk market.
Lactalis, however, says it has no intention of taking over the firm. Nevertheless, counter-measures are now expected from a consortium of potential Italian buyers ahead of an April 12-14 shareholder meeting at which the French outfit could win overall control.
Lactalis, the maker of President camembert cheese, has grown through acquisitions and in Italy also owns top cheese brand Galbani. Its greater share in Parmalat will give it a springboard for growth into new markets and broaden its product range.
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