AMANDA KNOX FREED Amanda Knox Freed From Prison Going Home 3. 10. 2011 Amanda Knox Freed MernaSedenkoss6 says: @ Penguirl Amanda Knox Freed After Appeal in Italian Court – NYTimes.co http://t.co/2d6ATrkq
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Whalers will have heightened security after last year’s season was marred by clashes with activists Japan will go ahead with its whaling me in the Antarctic later this year under heightened security to fend off activists who have vowed to disrupt the annual hunt, the country’s fisheries minister said Tuesday. Japan’s whale hunts have become increasingly tense in recent years because of clashes with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. The most recent expedition was cut short after several high-seas confrontations, and it was unclear whether the hunt would be held at all this year. But fisheries minister Michihiko Kano said that measures would be taken to ensure the whalers’ safety, and that the hunt would go ahead. It is expected to begin in December. “We intend to carry out the research after enhancing measures to assure that it is not obstructed,” he said. Commercial whaling has been banned since 1986, but Japan conducts whale hunts in the Antarctic and the north-western Pacific under an exception that allows limited kills for research purposes. Japan’s government claims the research is needed to provide data on whale populations so that the international ban on commercial whaling can be re-examined – and, Japan hopes, lifted – based on scientific studies. Opponents say the programme is a guise for keeping Japan’s dwindling whaling industry alive. The Sea Shepherd group, which is already rallying to block the upcoming hunt, has been particularly dogged in its efforts to stop the kills. Last year’s season was marred by repeated incidents with Sea Shepherd vessels, one of which sank after colliding with a Japanese ship. The boat’s captain, New Zealander Peter Bethune, was later arrested when he boarded a whaling ship from a jet ski, and brought back to Japan for trial. He was convicted of assault, vandalism and three other charges and given a suspended prison term. Bethune has since returned to New Zealand. Sea Shepherd recently announced that it is calling its effort to obstruct the December expedition “Operation Divine Wind” – a reference to the “kamikaze” suicide missions carried out by the Japanese military in World War II. Though vilified by anti-whaling organisations around the world, the government’s strong pro-whaling position has the support of the Japanese public, according to an AP poll conducted in July and August which found that 52% favour it, with 35% neutral and 13% opposed. Once a common item on school lunch menus, whale meat can be found in stores and restaurants in Japan. But, because of its relatively high price, it is generally regarded as a gourmet food by the public. Japan Whales Activism Marine life Protest guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Whalers will have heightened security after last year’s season was marred by clashes with activists Japan will go ahead with its whaling me in the Antarctic later this year under heightened security to fend off activists who have vowed to disrupt the annual hunt, the country’s fisheries minister said Tuesday. Japan’s whale hunts have become increasingly tense in recent years because of clashes with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. The most recent expedition was cut short after several high-seas confrontations, and it was unclear whether the hunt would be held at all this year. But fisheries minister Michihiko Kano said that measures would be taken to ensure the whalers’ safety, and that the hunt would go ahead. It is expected to begin in December. “We intend to carry out the research after enhancing measures to assure that it is not obstructed,” he said. Commercial whaling has been banned since 1986, but Japan conducts whale hunts in the Antarctic and the north-western Pacific under an exception that allows limited kills for research purposes. Japan’s government claims the research is needed to provide data on whale populations so that the international ban on commercial whaling can be re-examined – and, Japan hopes, lifted – based on scientific studies. Opponents say the programme is a guise for keeping Japan’s dwindling whaling industry alive. The Sea Shepherd group, which is already rallying to block the upcoming hunt, has been particularly dogged in its efforts to stop the kills. Last year’s season was marred by repeated incidents with Sea Shepherd vessels, one of which sank after colliding with a Japanese ship. The boat’s captain, New Zealander Peter Bethune, was later arrested when he boarded a whaling ship from a jet ski, and brought back to Japan for trial. He was convicted of assault, vandalism and three other charges and given a suspended prison term. Bethune has since returned to New Zealand. Sea Shepherd recently announced that it is calling its effort to obstruct the December expedition “Operation Divine Wind” – a reference to the “kamikaze” suicide missions carried out by the Japanese military in World War II. Though vilified by anti-whaling organisations around the world, the government’s strong pro-whaling position has the support of the Japanese public, according to an AP poll conducted in July and August which found that 52% favour it, with 35% neutral and 13% opposed. Once a common item on school lunch menus, whale meat can be found in stores and restaurants in Japan. But, because of its relatively high price, it is generally regarded as a gourmet food by the public. Japan Whales Activism Marine life Protest guardian.co.uk
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Finance ministers put off until next month any decision to give the green light for a further €8bn bailout for Greece Eurozone finance ministers have put off until next month any decision to give the green light for a further €8bn bailout for Greece despite recognising that the Athens government had made some considerable progress in slashing the country’s debts. Jean-Claude Juncker, Eurogroup chairman, repeatedly made plain early on Tuesday that none of the eurozone countries was urging a Greek default and categorically denied that there was any question of Greece leaving the euro area. In a move certain to disappoint markets, the 17 finance ministers sent signals they had no intention of agreeing to reboot the zone’s rescue fund of €440bn closer to the €2tn or more demanded by leading investors and analysts. EU officials reiterated that there was “no Plan B”. But Juncker and Olli Rehn, the EU economic and monetary affairs commissioner, indicated that ministers had for the first time discussed measures to improve the bailout fund’s efficiency and effectiveness in order to raise its firepower – code for raising the guarantees it needs for buying up more government bonds in the secondary market. Juncker said: “We consider that we should by no means increase the fund’s financial volume.” He dropped a broad hint that private bondholders would be forced to pay more than the 21% “haircut” agreed at the 21 July meeting that increased the fund’s volume and approved the second €109bn bailout for Greece – ascribing that to “technical” reasons. Juncker and Rehn recognised Greece had made strides towards overcoming its debts and budget deficit but said that the Athens government had to be stricter about structural reforms and more ambitious in implementing privatisations. It emerged that the ministers will be asked to approve the fresh €8bn aid as late as at a new meeting on 13 November once inspectors from the troika of European commission, European Central Bank and IMF have given their latest – and delayed – progress report on compliance. Juncker insisted that Greece could meet all its financial obligations – and suggested the new tranche of aid would be paid out in November. After the Greek cabinet sent the euro and stock markets plunging on Monday by admitting on Sunday the country would not meet its target budget deficit this year or next, Evangelos Venizelos, had sought to win favours by insisting that the new budget was “very ambitious”. Entering Monday night’s talks, he declared that the intention was to present “for the first time after many years” a primary surplus of €3.2bn next year compared with a deficit of €29bn only two years ago. He said the fiscal consolidation had been “very strong and very fast.” On Sunday Greece said its deficit would be 8.5% of GDP this year compared with a target of 7.6% and 6.8% in 2012 compared with a target of 6.5% but Venizelos insisted it had taken “all the necessary and difficult measures to fulfil its obligations”. He said: “Greece is a country with structural difficulties but Greece is not the scapegoat of the eurozone.” Even so, anxieties about a Greek default sent the euro to a 10-year low against the yen and a nine-month low against the US dollar. The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, meanwhile said he would meet the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, in Berlin on Sunday for talks on “ways and means to accelerate the economic integration of the eurozone economy”. Ostensibly, the eurozone’s two most powerful political figures are preparing the way for the crucial summit of the 17 member countries that will take place on 18 October or a day after a summit of all 27 EU countries, including the UK. But the talks are bound to raise market hopes that the pair will come up with an outline plan for substantially increasing the scope of the European financial stability facility (EFSF) that can be put to the eurozone summit without necessarily boosting its funds. Slovakia assured ministers that its parliament would endorse the enhanced EFSF by 14 October. Christian Noyer, Bank of France governor, indicated he was open to a scheme that would allow the EFSF to be leveraged – most likely by increasing the guarantees it can rely on to buy up more bonds and make bigger precautionary loans to countries suspected of being in trouble. European debt crisis Financial crisis Luxembourg Euro Europe Greece Global recession Banking David Gow guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Finance ministers put off until next month any decision to give the green light for a further €8bn bailout for Greece Eurozone finance ministers have put off until next month any decision to give the green light for a further €8bn bailout for Greece despite recognising that the Athens government had made some considerable progress in slashing the country’s debts. Jean-Claude Juncker, Eurogroup chairman, repeatedly made plain early on Tuesday that none of the eurozone countries was urging a Greek default and categorically denied that there was any question of Greece leaving the euro area. In a move certain to disappoint markets, the 17 finance ministers sent signals they had no intention of agreeing to reboot the zone’s rescue fund of €440bn closer to the €2tn or more demanded by leading investors and analysts. EU officials reiterated that there was “no Plan B”. But Juncker and Olli Rehn, the EU economic and monetary affairs commissioner, indicated that ministers had for the first time discussed measures to improve the bailout fund’s efficiency and effectiveness in order to raise its firepower – code for raising the guarantees it needs for buying up more government bonds in the secondary market. Juncker said: “We consider that we should by no means increase the fund’s financial volume.” He dropped a broad hint that private bondholders would be forced to pay more than the 21% “haircut” agreed at the 21 July meeting that increased the fund’s volume and approved the second €109bn bailout for Greece – ascribing that to “technical” reasons. Juncker and Rehn recognised Greece had made strides towards overcoming its debts and budget deficit but said that the Athens government had to be stricter about structural reforms and more ambitious in implementing privatisations. It emerged that the ministers will be asked to approve the fresh €8bn aid as late as at a new meeting on 13 November once inspectors from the troika of European commission, European Central Bank and IMF have given their latest – and delayed – progress report on compliance. Juncker insisted that Greece could meet all its financial obligations – and suggested the new tranche of aid would be paid out in November. After the Greek cabinet sent the euro and stock markets plunging on Monday by admitting on Sunday the country would not meet its target budget deficit this year or next, Evangelos Venizelos, had sought to win favours by insisting that the new budget was “very ambitious”. Entering Monday night’s talks, he declared that the intention was to present “for the first time after many years” a primary surplus of €3.2bn next year compared with a deficit of €29bn only two years ago. He said the fiscal consolidation had been “very strong and very fast.” On Sunday Greece said its deficit would be 8.5% of GDP this year compared with a target of 7.6% and 6.8% in 2012 compared with a target of 6.5% but Venizelos insisted it had taken “all the necessary and difficult measures to fulfil its obligations”. He said: “Greece is a country with structural difficulties but Greece is not the scapegoat of the eurozone.” Even so, anxieties about a Greek default sent the euro to a 10-year low against the yen and a nine-month low against the US dollar. The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, meanwhile said he would meet the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, in Berlin on Sunday for talks on “ways and means to accelerate the economic integration of the eurozone economy”. Ostensibly, the eurozone’s two most powerful political figures are preparing the way for the crucial summit of the 17 member countries that will take place on 18 October or a day after a summit of all 27 EU countries, including the UK. But the talks are bound to raise market hopes that the pair will come up with an outline plan for substantially increasing the scope of the European financial stability facility (EFSF) that can be put to the eurozone summit without necessarily boosting its funds. Slovakia assured ministers that its parliament would endorse the enhanced EFSF by 14 October. Christian Noyer, Bank of France governor, indicated he was open to a scheme that would allow the EFSF to be leveraged – most likely by increasing the guarantees it can rely on to buy up more bonds and make bigger precautionary loans to countries suspected of being in trouble. European debt crisis Financial crisis Luxembourg Euro Europe Greece Global recession Banking David Gow guardian.co.uk
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Justin Verlander struck out 11 and Delmon Young hit the go-ahead homer in the seventh inning, as Detroit beat New York 5-4, taking a 2-1 lead in the ALDS. (Oct. 4)
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Justin Verlander struck out 11 and Delmon Young hit the go-ahead homer in the seventh inning, as Detroit beat New York 5-4, taking a 2-1 lead in the ALDS. (Oct. 4)
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Pouring rain and thunderstorms hit parts of Las Vegas Monday, causing flooding in some areas and at least one lightning-sparked fire. (Oct. 4)
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Pouring rain and thunderstorms hit parts of Las Vegas Monday, causing flooding in some areas and at least one lightning-sparked fire. (Oct. 4)
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SIRTE, Libya (Reuters) – Libyan interim government forces have captured a district in Sirte after fierce battles that further raised concern about the dire humanitarian situation in Muammar Gaddafi’s besieged hometown. Government forces who had for weeks been pinned down by artillery and rocket fire on the eastern edges of Sirte were able to advance several km (miles) into the city, capturing the southern district of Bouhadi. A Red Cross convoy delivered oxygen and other urgently needed medical supplies to the Ibn Sina hospital Monday after an earlier attempt was aborted because of heavy fighting. “The situation on the ground was very tense with ongoing fighting,” Red Cross delegate Hichem…
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