Germany’s ‘cut and paste’ minister drops PhD
Germany’s beleaguered Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg temporarily dropped his PhD title on Friday amid claims of plagiarism.
German media outlets have come forward with parts of the thesis which they say are of questionable origin, but zu Guttenberg denies deliberately copying parts of his law dissertation.
He cancelled a key election rally in Saxony-Anhalt on Thursday but this morning he defended his actions.
“Without question, it (the thesis) contains mistakes. And I am the most unhappy person for every single one of these mistakes,” zu Guttenberg told reporters in Berlin.
“At no time, however, has there been a deliberate deception. Neither has there been a case where I deliberately did not mark the copyright.”
In a recent poll, zu Guttenberg ranked as the country’s most popular politician.
The aristocrat with a pop-star image has emerged unscathed from a number of setbacks over his handling of military affairs, including the death of a cadet aboard a naval training ship.
This scandal, however, may cost him his job with the opposition leading calls for him to step down.
Labour unrest follows Egyptian revolution
Many Egyptians ignored their military rulers’ plea to return to work on Wednesday.
The Higher Military Council wanted workers to go back to their jobs after two and a half weeks of popular unrest.
The revolution ousted former president, Hosni Mubarak, but triggered turmoil in the Egyptian economy.
Striking workers across a number of sectors want better pay and conditions. An estimated 12,000 workers at a textile plant in Mahalla walked off the job, while employees at Cairo’s airport also staged industrial action. They were joined by workers in the transport, oil, tourism, state-owned media and government bodies, who are also demanding higher salaries.
Adele’s new album
Adele’s latest album 21 has already hit number 1 in several European countries; now it is out in the US.?�Despite the north Londoner’s runaway success, the album’s theme was born out of failure: the break-up with her boyfriend.
Rival forces exchange gunfire in Yemen
A peaceful sit-in protest ended in tragedy in Aden, southern Yemen late on Saturday after police dispersed the protesters with gunfire. A 16 year-old boy was hit by a stray bullet and died in hospital.
Earlier in the day for the first time pro and anti-government supporters exchanged gunfire in the capital, Sanaa. The flashpoint came when government loyalists attempted to storm the university campus, which has been at the centre of the week-long protests against President Saleh.
In another first, one of the leaders of the opposition has called for the president to quit. Sons of Yemen Secretary General Mohsin Fareed said dialogue had become a “waste of time”.
Protests also continued in Taiz, Yemen’s second city and flared in Karish. 50 members of the president’s party resigned in protest at the actions of the security services, but in many places they were nowhere to be seen, seemingly content to let the pro and anti-camps fight it out.
UK criteria for Libya no-fly zone ‘satisfied’
The British Foreign Secretary has explained his decision to push the no-fly resolution against Libya at the UN Security Council.
William Hague spoke after the resolution authorizing “all necessary measures“??� codename for military action. He said the three criteria that Britain was seeking to see satisfied had been done so.
He said to be able to take action a “demonstrable need” should be present, which Gaddafi??�s regime has provided in the recent days. He also said a “legal basis” was required that now the UN resolution provides.
Mr. Hague said the third aspect was a “broad support from within the region itself and that is evident in the statement of the Arab League and in the readiness to participate in a no fly zone, for instance, by members of the Arab League.”
The resolution passed after 10 of the 15 Security Council members voted in favour. There were no votes against but China and Russia were among five abstentions. The vote in New York was attended by Tripoli??�s ambassador to the UN, Mohamed Shalgham, who last month publicly denounced the Libyan leader.
The UK as well as France took the lead in drafting the resolution and were co-sponsors. Mr. Hague said:
“We have said all along that Gaddafi must go; that the Libyan people must be able to have a more representative Government and determine their own future. And it is necessary to take these measures to avoid greater bloodshed, to try to stop what is happening in terms of the attacks on civilians and on the people of Libya.”
By Ali SheikholeslamiLondon Correspondentali.sheikholeslami@euronews.net
Do you agree with the UN resolution authorising military action in Libya?
A Javascript enabled browser that accepts cookies is required in order to participate in the poll.
yes (52%) no (45%) i don't know (3%) // pollTS[0]) { pollTS = cookie; cValid = true; }; }; warning.parentNode.removeChild(warning); if(cookie && cValid) { for(var i = 1; i < pollTS.length; i++) { votes += parseInt(pollTS[i], 10) || 0; }; var total = 0; for(var i = 1; i < pollTS.length; i++) { per = pollTS[i] > 0 ? Math.round(pollTS[i] / (votes / 100)) : 0; if(total + per > 100) { per = 100 - total; total = 100; } else { total += per; }; output[output.length] = '' + questions[i - 1] + ' (' + per + '%) '; }; pollHTML += "" + output.join("") + ""; }; if(!cookie) { pollHTML = ' yes no i don’t know'; }; if(pollHTML) { content.innerHTML = pollHTML; }; })();// ]]>
“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.
Tunisia asks for help in tackling border chaos
Tunisia’s government has called for help in dealing with the thousands of Egyptian labourers and other foreign workers who have streamed across the border to avoid the turmoil in Libya.
With so many people to cope with, most have been given the minimum to survive – some milk and bread and perhaps a blanket.
“The situation here is almost a catastrophe,” said one man. “We call on all the organisations of the world, all governments, all humanitarian associations to intervene to help these people return home with dignity.”
The United Nations has called on Libya’s neighbours to keep their borders open and not to restrict those fleeing the violence.
Euronews reporter Jamel Ezzeddi said: “Tens of thousands of Egyptians and other foreigners were having to spend another night outside at the mercy of the elements in Ras Jedir. Everyone hopes that tomorrow will bring a solution to end their suffering as the aid efforts from the Tunisians are not nearly enough.”
Kurdish protesters clash with police in Turkey
There have been clashes between Kurdish protesters and police in Turkey during demonstrations marking the 12th anniversary of the capture of Kurdish separatist leader Abdullah Ocalan.
Protesters threw missiles during clashes in 12 towns and cities. Police used tear gas and water cannons to break up the crowds, angry about Kurdistan Workers’ Party leader Ocalan’s ongoing imprisonment. At least 30 people were arrested.
Trial date set for beleaguered Berlusconi
The date of April 6 has been set for the trial of Italy’s scandal-hit prime minister.
It is then that Silvio Berlusconi’s lawyers will have to defend him against charges of abuse of power and paying for sex with an under-age prostitute.
The indictment sheet was issued by a court in Milan, where three female judges will examine the evidence. Berlusconi is not obliged to appear in person before the judicial panel on that day.
The case concerns allegations that he paid for sex with a 17-year-old Moroccan dancer, then intervened to try to free her when she was arrested for theft.
His supporters say the whole case is politically motivated.
Analyst James Walston said that while the charges were serious, Berlusconi is not the resigning type:
“He is a fighter; he has survived many other accusations and indictments even though he has been found guilty but let off. The other point, which makes this different from the corruption charges and from the slush fund accusations, it’s a very clear and obvious charge.”
But Berlusconi’s legal team is playing down any threat and dismissing the case. His lawyer Francesco Paolo said: “I think it is really difficult to talk of an under-age prostitute, when that woman denies both the sexual intercourse and having been paid.”
Berlusconi’s term in office has been beset by scandal and corruption allegations, but this latest criticism of his behaviour recently mobilised public anger as never before.
State of emergency in Yemen after protest bloodbath
Yemen has declared a state of emergency after a massacre at an anti-government rally.
More than 40 people were killed and at least 300 others injured when plainclothes police reportedly opened fire on protesters after Friday prayers.
President Ali Abdullah Saleh described it as a tragedy and blamed the violence on people within the crowd who were carrying weapons.
“I express my extreme sorrow for what happened today after Friday prayers in the university district,” Saleh told a news conference in Sanaa.
Yemen is the second country in the region to declare emergency rule this week after Bahrain introduced martial law – a move immediately followed by a massive crackdown on demonstrators.
But it is unclear whether Yemen’s president has the military power to enforce such an order, with the country deeply divided and racked by weeks of protests in which more than 70 people have been killed.
