Thursday, December 6, 2012
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
EU Official Commends Croatia As Accession Nears
Following a meeting with Croatian President Ivo Josipović, Fuele said that the talks focused on two things: ensuring that Croatia continues its success story after July next year, and examining Croatia's specific role in the region as a future EU member state.
"I am sure of Croatia's resolve to settle the remaining issues from the monitoring report by the European Commission, and I am confident that the ratification process in the EU member states will be completed so July 1, 2013 will be a happy event," Fuele said.
Josipović said that he and Fuele discussed joint interests and the situation in the region, together with the tasks that Croatia would have to fulfill before joining the EU.
The EU commissioner underlined that Croatia is almost in line with the European legal guidelines, adding that its EU accession is important for the entire region as proof that reforms pay off.
Speaking at the opening of the 4th Western Balkans Civil Society Forum, which discussed the region and the EU accession process, Fuele said that Croatia has a few more tasks before the accession, but that Brussels is certain that it will fulfill them on time.
Balkan States Cool on Palestine's UN Bid
The General Assembly appeared likely to endorse Palestine’s request on Thursday, despite threats by the United States and Israel to punish the Palestinian Authority by withholding much-needed funds for the West Bank government.
Montenegro says it was abstaining, as siding with the request risked “causing new divisions and differences. Own historical experience made us we believe in the supremacy of negotiations and agreements”.
Podgorica said it supported “the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for achieving statehood, as well as Israeli aspirations for the security of their own country”.
Neighbouring Croatia was also abstaining from the vote.
Serbia's decision was unclear. Vuk Jeremic, the Serbian President of the United Nations General Assembly, said only that "the Palestinian initiative to improve its status is historical and it is the honour of Serbia to preside [at the session]."
Macedonia did not indicate whether it would support Palestine's bid. But it abstained in last year’s vote on Palestine’s membership of UNESCO and Macedonia and Palestine do not have diplomatic ties.
Bosnia and Herzegovina was unlikely to support the Palestinian request because the three members of the State Presidency failed to reach consensus on the issue.
The resolution changing the Palestinian Authority’s UN observer status from “entity” to that of “non-member state,” like the Vatican, was expected to pass easily in the 193-nation General Assembly.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has been leading the campaign to win support for the resolution.
Success will not mean full membership for Palestine at the UN, but will ease the path to membership of a number of international bodies as well as embarrassing the Israeli government, which campaigned vigorously against the vote.
The change in status will, for example, allow Palestine to join the International Criminal Court, ICC, at The Hague and obtain membership of about 30 other UN agencies.
Ahead of the vote, a number of EU states said they would vote "yes" to the request, including France, Spain, Norway, Denmark and Switzerland.
Those opposed or abstaining include the US, Israel, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands and Australia.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Penelope Cruz Checks In with “Che Tempo Che Fa
The Italian press efforts come as the 38-year-old wife of Javier Bardem joined forces with her younger sister Monica to develop a line of luxury lingerie.
Agent Provocateur CEO Garry Hogarth plans to launch the Cruz collaboration in the Fall/Winter 2013 season with initial distribution limited to a few major department stores.
Nasa to send new rover to Mars in 2020
The US space agency (Nasa) says it will launch a new rover to Mars in 2020.
The vehicle will be based on its Curiosity robot, which landed on the Red Planet in August.
Nasa expects to re-use many of the technologies that worked so successfully in getting the one-tonne spacecraft down into the huge equatorial bowl known as Gale Crater.
This included a rocket-powered crane that lowered Curiosity to the surface on nylon cords.
The announcement of a follow-up robot was made at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting in San Francisco, the world's largest annual gathering for Earth and planetary scientists, and a major showcase for Nasa-led research.
It was communicated by the agency's science administrator, John Grunsfeld.
Hovering 'skycrane'
Nasa's budget for planetary science, and Mars research in particular, has been squeezed of late, forcing the Americans to pull back on their commitments to two European Red Planet ventures in 2016 and 2018.
But Mr Grunsfeld said there was scope in the financial outlook for a major mission at the end of the decade.
Manchester City missed out on a Europa League
Ajax's defeat by Real Madrid meant City would have finished third in Group D had they beaten the German champions.
But Dortmund posed the greater threat, forcing a series of saves from Joe Hart before Julian Schieber slid in to score from Jakub Blaszczykowski's cross.
City crash out of Europe without a win in any of their six group games.
Their haul of three points is a meagre return given the vast resources at Roberto Mancini's disposal, and is the lowest by an English club in the 20-year history of the competition.
On this evidence, a vast improvement is required if they are to make any impact. If it had not been for some superb saves by Hart, City would have lost by an even greater margin to a depleted Dortmund side without many of their stars.
Jurgen Klopp's side were already through as group winners so the onus was on the visitors to chase victory, especially with Ajax behind early on in Madrid.
But Mancini's men created little in the first 45 minutes, and their only effort on goal was a bouncing shot by Edin Dzeko that Roman Weidenfeller pushed round his post.
Carlos Tevez worked hard and covered a lot of ground but, without the injured David Silva, City were lacking a spark in attack.
Dortmund also began slowly before creating a host of chances either side of half-time.
Hart, City's hero when they snatched a point against Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium in October, came to their rescue before the break when he got his fingertips to a Marco Reus drive and dived to keep out Ivan Perisic's curling shot.
The home side went closer still when Mats Hummels was just unable to turn in an inviting free-kick from Blaszczykowski, who came on for Marco Reus at the interval.
Edin Dzeko headed straight at Weidenfeller as City tried to respond but the chances kept coming for Dortmund, with Hart tipping a swerving Perisic volley over the bar and reacting well to beat away Kevin Grosskreutz's fierce strike.
HARRY Styles Has Been Playing Matchmaker!
HARRY Styles has been playing matchmaker!
The singer set up his One Direction bandmate Louis Tomlinson up withEleanor Calder.
The singer set up his One Direction bandmate Louis Tomlinson up withEleanor Calder.
Harry has known Eleanor since his school days and she’s been dating Louis for a year.
“Harry knew they would hit it off — she’s totally Louis’ type,” a source said.
“Harry knew they would hit it off — she’s totally Louis’ type,” a source said.
“They’ve had tough moments but Louis is a hardworking guy; he would never give up when things get difficult. He’s also extremely loyal.
“They’ll be together forever. You get that feeling being around them.”
“They’ll be together forever. You get that feeling being around them.”
Monday, December 3, 2012
Jose Mourinho: Real Madrid boss dismisses quit report in paper
Jose Mourinho has dismissed a report in Spanish paper Marca that he will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season.
The Real coach has been jeered by the club's fans
following a slow start to the season that has seen them fall 11 points
behind Barcelona after 14 games.
Marca's report said the relationship between Mourinho and Real president Florentino Perez had become "exhausted" and "cannot continue beyond 30 June"
Mourinho said: "I am not speaking about this", adding "there's no story".
Madrid-based paper Marca, which is known to have strong links with Real, ran its story under a picture of a broken heart.
In it, Marca related that Perez believes Mourinho is "committing suicide" after the Portuguese chose to appear at the side of the Bernabeu pitch to hear the frustrations of supporters 40 minutes before Saturday's 2-0 win over second-placed Atletico Madrid in the Primera Liga.
