Wahles stranded in New Zealand
A pod of 107 pilot whales are seen stranded on Mason Bay on Stewart Island February 21, 2011. According to the Department of Conservation, two overseas visitors discovered the pod of 107 whales dead and dying at the southern end of the beach near Cavalier Creek. A decision by the department was made to euthanise the remaining whales, because high tide was 10 to 12 hours away.
EU triples aid for refugees fleeing Libya
The EU has announced a trebling of aid for refugees fleeing Libya to 10 million euros.
The extra cash follows a UN call for an international response to the deteriorating humanitarian situation on the Libyan-Tunisian border.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Borroso made it clear he wants Gaddafi’s crumbling regime to go: “We must do everything so that the current regime leaves the country and stops its actions against the Libyan people.”
The EU plans a crisis summit next week to discuss the border situation and the chaos within Libya itself.
Kristalina Georgieva, the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, said: “In the Benghazi area, we have humanitarian teams already on the ground, and they report that there is a need for medical assistance. Because the Libyan health system had foreigners at its heart and they have left, leaving behind a huge void, which has to be filled.”
Brussels has also made 25 million euros available to help process asylum seekers and boost border checks at EU frontiers.
German Chancellor suffers poll defeat
German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats have suffered their worst defeat in an election since the second world war.
In the Hamburg state poll the CDU’s share of the vote fell a record 21 points, handing a massive victory to the opposition Social Democrats.
The result could have serious repercussions for the other six state elections due to take place this year.
In a news conference after the defeat,Merkel blamed local political changes for the defeat. She said that when the Christian Democrat Mayor Ole von Beust resigned, he handed over power to Christoph Ahlhaus. This angered the voters of Hamburg because Ahlhaus was not elected by them.
The winning candidate, Olaf Scholz, promised to govern the city of Hamburg with pragmatism, which he said must play an important role in politics.
He said politicians need to deal with economic competence and social unrest, together, instead of simply speaking out against them.
Air-strikes offer Libya’s rebels reprieve
Only a few days ago Libyan rebels were on the verge of being crushed by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi. However, the heavy bombardment by the Western led coalition appears to have swung the momentum in Libya’s civil war.
The main road out of the eastern city of Benghazi is now littered with the regime’s vehicles scorched by attacks from the air.
READ – Libya: a timeline of international diplomacy – International forces in operations in Libya
That’s allowed the opposition to push towards Ajdabiya, though for the time being the town remains under Gaddafi’s control.
Rebel units also appear severely disorganised, underscoring US warnings that a long stalemate could emerge.
In addition, the forces loyal to the Libyan leader appear determined to fight on, with reports of offensives on Tuesday morning on the western cities of Misrata and Zintan.
Euro zone January inflation revised down
It turns out euro zone inflation was not quite as bad as initially calculated in January. The European Union statistics office has revised down its estimate to 2.3 percent year-on-year – the earlier projection was 2.4 percent.
But that lower figure is still well above the European Central Bank’s target and likely to rise further in February due mainly to more expensive oil.
And Howard Archer, an economist at IHS Global Insight, pointed out: “The downward revision is due to a marked drop in Italian inflation due to a change in its methodology.”
He added: “The fact remains that euro zone consumer price inflation is still at a 27-month high and set to rise further in the near term due to the spike in oil prices as well as elevated commodity and food prices.”
The European Central Bank wants to keep inflation below, but close to two percent over a two-year horizon. The bank has said inflation was likely to peak in March, but that on average inflation in the euro zone may stay above two percent this year.
BASF back on dividend track
Germany’s BASF has pleased its shareholders with an improved dividend payout for last year as its sales to the car industry picked up.
The world’s biggest chemicals company in sales terms had had to cut its dividend for 2009 because of the effects of the global economic crisis, it was the first time in 16 years it had done that.
However BASF’s fourth quarter earnings were less than forecast at 1.7 billion euros.
The maker of coatings and catalytic converters has been helped by a buoyant car sector, one of its key customer industries, and the start of a recovery in demand from builders for its insulation foams.
That has allowed it to pass on higher raw material costs to customers.
BASF said 2011 sales and operating earnings are set to clearly exceed last year’s levels, and gains should also continue next year.
Libya divided into protests and celebrations
Conflict rages in the west of Libya, but in the East, there are celebrations.
In Benghazi they are waiting for Tripoli to fall and on the streets of the city, everyone thinks that will happen very soon.
A reporter on the scene, Francesca Cicardi, told euronews, groups of volunteers are leaving Benghazi to head for Tripoli and join the fight against Gaddafi’s forces.
“A week after the uprising in Benghazi, the people here have got together here to form what is being called a “revolutionary committee” to act as the new local government, managing the city and forging links with other towns in the east.” she added.
“Everyone here is celebrating and waiting for the revolution to spread to the west. The word is that the country will not be divided and Tripoli will continue as the capital of Libya.”
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Defiant Berlusconi vows to see out term
Is the party over for Silvio Berlusconi?
Several of today’s Italian newspapers believe early elections are inevitable after the prime minister was indicted for trial over alleged sex offences and abuse of power.
Prosecutors say they have ample evidence he paid for sex with an underage prostitute and intervened with police to try to free her from custody.
Berlusconi insists it is business as usual. He claims his coalition partners remain on board in government and has vowed to see out his term until 2013.
“I can only say one thing: I’m not worried at all. Okay? That’s all,” he smiled as he spoke at a news conference.
The Moroccan dancer known as Ruby, at the centre of the case, has denied having sex with Berlusconi but admits receiving several thousand euros after going to a party at his villa.
The prime minister, who denies any wrongdoing, believes the charges are politically motivated.
He still has his backers: “I judge him as a politician who’s made a big contribution, and will continue to do so for the good of Italy,” said one man in Rome.
“They only talk about this … enough is enough. They’re not talking about politics anymore. They’re talking just about him…that’s all,” complained another.
Satirists are having a field day. An Italian band has rewritten Shakira’s song Waka Waka, calling it “Bunga Bunga”… Berlusconi’s own term for his infamous parties.
Warren Christopher dies
US negotiator Warren Christopher has died at his home in Los Angeles of cancer, at the age of 85.
The former US Secretary of State is credited, amongst other achievements, with helping bring peace to Bosnia, and negotiating the release of hostages from Iran.
His personal style was so self-effacing that he became affectionate known as “the stealth diplomat”. This was somewhate belied by his elegant dress sense which once earned him the title of People Magazne’s Best Dressed Man in America.
He famously remarked that “careful listening may be the secret weapon”, telling the New York Times “I observed some time ago that I was better at listening than at talking.”
“Talkng is often tedious,” he said. “It can be excruciating and exhausting. But talkng can tame conflict, lift the human condition and move us closer to the ideal of peace.”
Sweden’s extradition of Assange approved
A British judge has ruled that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should be extradited to Sweden to face sexual offense charges.
Assange denies the sexual assault and rape allegations against him and claims they are politically motivated. He has infuriated the United States government by publishing embarrassing secret diplomatic documents online.
His lawyers had argued that he would not face a fair trial that is open to the public in Sweden and that he then risks being extradited to the US to face charges related to his whistle-blowing activities and could face the death penalty.
A lawyer representing Swedish prosecutors said that the evidence in the sex offense trial would be heard behind closed doors but that the arguments would be then made public.
Assange was arrested under a European Arrest Warrant in December before being released on bail nine days later. His lawyer says he will appeal the Swedish extradition ruling.
Is Britain right to extradite Julian Assange to Sweden?
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