England facing technical problems with air traffic body

NATS, Britain’s national air traffic body, says the computer problem that touched off troubles in the system has been fixed and it is in the process of returning to normal operations.

The agency says “we apologize for any delays and the inconvenience this may have caused.”
London’s airspace was closed Friday afternoon due to what authorities said was a computer failure at one of Britain’s two air traffic control centers.
Officials at London Heathrow Airport said there was a power outage at the NATS control center in Swanwick, England. NATS controls all of British airspace from two centers, one in Swanwick and another in Scotland.
(AP)

EU Contemplating on removing HAMAS

A European Union court has ruled that Palestinian Islamist group Hamas should be removed from its terror list on technical grounds, prompting Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu to claim that many in Europe had “learned nothing” from the Holocaust.

The General Court of the European Union said the original listing in 2001 was based not on sound legal judgements but on conclusions derived from the media and the Internet.
The court said it was nevertheless maintaining punitive measures such as freezing of assets and travel bans.
It stressed that the decision was based on technical grounds and did "not imply any substantive assessment of the question of the classification of Hamas as a terrorist group."
The freeze on Hamas's funds will remain in place for three months pending any appeal by the EU, the Luxembourg-based court said.
Hamas's military wing was added to the European Union's first-ever terrorism blacklist drawn up in December 2001 in the wake of the September 11 attacks on the United States.
The EU blacklisted the political wing of Hamas in 2003.
"The General Court finds that the contested measures are based not on acts examined and confirmed in decisions of competent authorities but on factual imputations derived from the press and the Internet," the court said.
Instead, such an action had to be based on facts previously established by competent authorities, it said.
European ‘hypocrisy’
The lawyer for Islamic Palestinian group, Liliane Glock, told AFP she was "satisfied with the decision", which was also hailed by Hamas itself, which calls for the destruction of Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, urged the EU to reverse its decision, calling Hamas “a murderous terrorist organization”.
Netanyahu said the court’s move was an example of European hypocrisy and that many on the continent had failed to learn the lessons of the Holocaust.
"It seems that too many in Europe, on whose soil six million Jews were slaughtered, have learned nothing," Netanyahu’s office quoted him as saying, referring to the Nazi genocide of Jews during World War II.
"But we in Israel, we've learned. We'll continue to defend our people and our state against the forces of terror and tyranny and hypocrisy," he said.
Following the ruling, EU Commission spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said that despite the court ruling, the EU “continues to consider Hamas a terrorist organization”.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Passenger jet blocked on runway

An Air Algérie passenger jet was blocked over the weekend on a runway in Belgium over a legal dispute between the airline company and Dutch aviation firm K’AIR BV.

The aircraft was grounded by Belgian authorities on Friday, sparking a diplomatic row between Algeria, Belgium and the Netherlands.
"Algeria's ambassadors to Holland and Belgium have been recalled for consultations," Algeria's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
Algeria’s APS state news agency said the incident in Brussels was the result of a legal dispute between Air Algérie and K'AIR BV dating from July 2008, which could further harm the image of the Algerian national airline company.
The row is over a contract for the sale of ten out-of-service Air Algérie jets to the Dutch company.
The airline cancelled the sale unilaterally because of K'AIR BV alleged inability to finance the deal as agreed in the contract.
However, the International Court of Arbitration in March ruled in favour of the Dutch side in the affair.
In May, the Algerian company launched an appeal to overturn the court’s decision and claim a decision is pending.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Denmark to claim slice of continental shelf in Arctic Ocean

“The submission of our claim to the continental shelf north of Greenland is a historic and important milestone for the Kingdom of Denmark,” minister of foreign affairs Martin Lidegaard said in a statement.

Denmark, along with Canada, Norway, Russia and the United States—is eager to control as much Arctic territory as it can. The region contains 30 percent of the world’s undiscovered natural gas and 15 percent of its oil, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

EU parliament backs Palestinian state 'in principle'

Following a deal among the main parties, the motion that was carried stated: “[The European Parliament] supports in principle recognition of Palestinian statehood and the two-state solution, and believes these should go hand in hand with the development of peace talks, which should be advanced.”

Social Democrat, left-wing and Green members of the European Parliament had initially put forward motions for a symbolic vote on Wednesday to call on the EU’s 28 members to recognise Palestine statehood now without conditions.

This follows Sweden’s decision in October to recognise Palestine and non-binding votes since then by parliaments in Britain, France and Ireland in favour of their recognition that demonstrated growing European impatience with the stalled peace process.

Some European countries have grown increasingly vocal in expressing frustration with Israel, which since the collapse of the latest U.S.-sponsored talks in April has pressed on with building settlements in territory the Palestinians want for their future state.

However, the centre-right European People’s Party, the largest group in parliament, and the fourth largest group, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, said recognition should only form part of a negotiated agreement with Israel.

(REUTERS)

Putin pledges economic recovery, defiant on sanctions

Putin, facing the worst financial crisis of his rule, tried to dispel fears of an eventual economic collapse or political crisis as he addressed the massive annual news conference in Moscow.

The Russian leader said that the economic downturn would last two years at most and promised to support the poorest sectors of the population.

"It goes without saying that a way out of this situation is inevitable," he said in an attempt to ease fears after the rouble reached a record low this week, a 60-percent dive in value since the beginning of the year.

He added that efforts by the central bank and government – including a record hike of the key interest rate and spending billions to stabilise the national currency – have been "absolutely reasonable” even while admitting they could have come quicker.

Denmark Claims part of Continental Shelf

Denmark to claim slice of continental shelf in Arctic Ocean

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© AFP | An aerial view shows Quervain Bay on Greenland's west coast during the visit by French Minister for Ecology, Sustainable development and Planning Jean-Louis Borloo on September 10, 2007

Text by NEWS WIRES

Latest update : 2014-12-15

Denmark will claim on Monday ownership of around 900,000 square kilometers of the continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean by filing documents to the United Nations.

Greek Parliament Fails to elect President

Greek parliament fails to elect president in first round

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© AFP | Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras

Text by NEWS WIRES

Latest update : 2014-12-17

The first round of a three-stage parliamentary vote in Greece failed to elect a new president, paving the way for a second vote to be held on December 23.

Hamas Removed from EU Blacklist

EU court orders Hamas removed from terror blacklist

A European Union court has ruled that Palestinian Islamist group Hamas should be removed from its terror list on technical grounds, prompting Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu to claim that many in Europe had “learned nothing” from the Holocaust.

Russia says arms for Kiev won't solve Ukrainian crisis

(Reuters) - A deputy Russian foreign minister declared on Tuesday that supplying weapons to Kiev would not help solve a crisis in east Ukraine, after the White House said U.S. PresidentBarack Obama would sign corresponding legislation this week.

Greek Vote

(Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on Wednesday faces the first of three rounds of a presidential vote that will determine whether the country is forced into snap national elections and a new period of political chaos.

Italian Protests

Tens of thousands of union workers marched through more than 50 Italian cities on Friday to protest government economic reforms that they say erode their rights.

Belgium braces for national strike

Belgium risks coming to a virtual standstill Monday as the biggest national strike for years grounds all flights, halts public transport and severs international train links in protest at the new government's austerity policies.

The strike, which is the climax of a union movement that began last month with a huge march and violent protests in Brussels, will also likely close schools, businesses, factories and government offices.

Unions say there is "no choice" but to go ahead with the strike after the right-of-centre government of Prime Minister Charles Michel pushed ahead with plans to save 11 billion euros ($13.7 billion) over five years.

French-speaking Michel, who at 38 is Belgium's youngest prime minister since 1840, heads a government coalition of three Flemish-speaking right-leaning parties and his own French-speaking liberals.

Turkey media raids go against European values, says EU

Top EU officials on Sunday denounced Turkish police raids on media representatives as going "against the European values" that Turkey aspires to as it seeks membership in the bloc.

Foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn also said that the raids were "incompatible with the freedom of media, which is a core principle of democracy."

The statement of condemnation released by the European Commission, the EU executive arm, follows a visit to Turkey earlier this month by the two officials.

"This operation goes against the European values and standards Turkey aspires to be part of and which are the core of reinforced relations," the pair said in the statement.

Kiev hails 'real' ceasefire after 24 hours without casualties

President Petro Poroshenko on Friday said a "real" ceasefire was in place in Ukraine after the first 24 hours in seven months without a military casualty, although he admitted the truce was fragile.

"I have positive news. Today is the first 24 hours for seven months... when we have a real ceasefire in Ukraine," he said in a speech during a trip to Australia.

"You simply can't imagine how important it is for me. This is the first night when I don't have either a lost or wounded Ukrainian soldier."

The ceasefire with pro-Russian rebels was introduced on Tuesday in the hope of ending an eight-month conflict that has claimed at least 4,300 lives and displaced close to one million people, according to United Nations figures.

A Ukrainian military spokesman said on Thursday that three soldiers were killed and eight injured in the day preceding his comments.

But Poroshenko said the last 24 hours had passed without incident and that if the ceasefire held it would be "a great step for peace and stability in Ukraine".

Swiss reject eco-linked immigration cap

Swiss voters overwhelmingly rejected proposals on Sunday that would have forced the central bank to buy huge amounts of gold and imposed strict curbs on immigration, in what is seen as a result strengthening Swiss ties with the European Union.

The measures proposed on Sunday reflect a growing sense that Switzerland is under siege by foreign workers eroding its Alpine culture and trading partners who have insisted in recent years that the Swiss dismantle their business model based on banking secrecy.

The "Save our Swiss gold" initiative failed to secure a winning vote in a majority of Swiss cantons, the so-called "cantonal majority" required for the initiative to pass, according to data from Swiss broadcaster SRF.

The proposals, backed by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party out of concern the central bank has sold too much of its gold in the past, looked set to be rejected by 78 percent of voters, according to SRF’s projections.

French Jews: Attack highlights anti-Semitism fears

PARIS (AP) - An attack on a French couple is reviving worries about anti-Semitic sentiment in France amid a rising number of incidents targeting Jews, especially during the Gaza war earlier this year.

Assailants this week forced their way into an apartment in the Paris suburb of Creteil, tied up a young man and woman, demanded money and raped the woman, according to authorities.

France has western Europe's largest Jewish community, which is concerned about a rise in Islamic extremism and the growing political weight of the far right. The French president said the attack harmed the nation's values, and the head of France's main Jewish organization pleaded for an aggressive government effort to stop what he called a "cancer" spreading through society.

West seeks to 'dismantle' Russia, Putin says

In his annual national address on Thursday, President Vladimir Putin accused the West of seeking to undermine Russia's "growing capabilities" but offered few concrete plans for boosting the economy, which is set to enter recession next year.

EU court orders France to pay thousands to Somali pirates

Chechen Capital Grozny Hit by Isamist Attack

Islamist rebels launch deadly attack in Chechen capital Grozny

Islamist insurgents launched a brazen attack in the Chechen capital Grozny on Thursday that sparked heavy clashes with security forces, leaving 19 dead and a central market burnt.

Putin Under Pressure

(Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin is under pressure to show he has a prescription to cure Russia's rapidly growing economic ills in his annual state of the union address on Thursday.
Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis, sharp falls in global oil prices and the ruble's slide against the dollar culminated in an acknowledgement by government officials this week that Russia will enter recession next year.

Pope Francis

Pope Francis on Sunday urged Muslim leaders worldwide to "clearly" condemn terrorism carried out in the name of Islam, and called for an end to the persecution of Christians in the Middle East.

UK DNA tests

Scientists say there is “overwhelming evidence” that a skeleton found under a parking lot is that of England’s King Richard III, but their DNA testing also has raised questions about the nobility of some of his royal successors.

Pro-Europe parties poised to win Moldova elections

With 87 percent of the vote counted, according to the election authorities, the three parties - the Liberal Democrats, the Liberals and the Democrats - had a combined vote of 44 percent - enough to win a majority in the 101-seat parliament.

This was in spite of the pro-Russia Socialist Party taking a surprise lead with 21.5 percent of the vote and the communists, who wish to revise part of a trade deal with the European Union, taking third place with 17.8 percent.

A three-party coalition, led by Prime Minister Iurie Leanca’s Liberal Democrats, has piloted one of Europe’s smallest and poorest countries along a course of integration with mainstream Europe since 2009, culminating in the ratification of a landmark association agreement with the EU this year.

European Parliament backs resolution to break up Google

The non-binding resolution – which was passed by a majority of 384 votes against 174 – did not mention any specific search engine by name. But with an estimated 90 percent of Europe’s market share, Google was evidently the target.

The vote in favour of the motion is the clearest public sign yet of Europe’s growing concern over the influence of US tech giants.

Among other measures, the resolution calls for Google to unbundle its search engine from commercial services such as YouTube or online shopping. The motion is based on the premise that the Mountain View-based company has used and abused its dominant market position as a search engine to promote its other services to the detriment of its competitors.

EU stance forces Russia to scrap S. Stream pipeline, says Putin

Russia is scrapping the South Stream natural gas pipeline project and may cooperate with Turkey on building a gas hub for southern Europe, President Vladimir Putin said Monday.

Putin spoke after talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

He said Russia can’t implement the South Stream project because of the European Union’s oppositionto it. The project would have involved running a pipeline under the Black Sea to Bulgaria and further on to southern Europe.

French legislators vote in favour of recognising Palestinian state

French lawmakers voted on Tuesday in favour of recognising Palestine as a state, following similar moves in Britain and Spain as European countries try to restart the stalled Middle East peace process.

The non-binding, but highly symbolic National Assembly vote urges the government to recognise Palestine as state, reflecting growing European impatience with the stalled Middle East peace process.

MPs voted 339 to 151 in favour of the motion calling upon the French government to recognise the state of Palestine "as an instrument to gain a definitive resolution of the conflict."

Reporting from the National Assembly shortly after the vote, FRANCE 24’s Armen Georgian noted that while the motion was expected to pass, the number of votes in favour revealed “a very clear majority” of French lawmakers supported the move by the ruling Socialist Party.

The vote came despite the opposition from the centre-right UMP party, whose newly-elected leader, former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, urged his party members to vote against the motion.

France is home to Europe’s largest Jewish and Muslim communities and right-wing lawmakers have criticised the ruling Socialist Party of trying to woo Muslim voters.