Greece hit by third general strike in a month
March 11, 2010
Public services and transport in Greece have ground to a halt as workers stage a third general strike in protest at the government’s austerity measures.
Flights are grounded, and schools and hospitals closed in the 24-hour walk-out called by the two largest unions.
Protesters and police clashed during a march in central Athens, with reports of tear gas being used.
Yulia Tymoshenko drops Ukraine election challenge
February 20, 2010
Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has dropped her legal challenge against her rival’s victory in Ukraine’s presidential election.
Mrs Tymoshenko said the court was not interested in giving her justice in her case against winner Viktor Yanukovych.
The Kiev court had suspended the result when Mrs Tymosheko appealed on Tuesday, claiming the poll was rigged.
Greek PM Papandreou calls EU response ‘timid’
February 13, 2010
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has criticised the European Union’s response to the country’s financial crisis as timid and too slow.
Mr Papandreou told cabinet members at a televised meeting in Athens that the EU lacked coordination and undermined Greece’s credibility.
At a summit in Brussels on Thursday, the EU offered Greece its backing but gave no details of any plans to help.
Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi leaves hospital
December 17, 2009
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has left hospital after four nights recovering from Sunday’s attack which broke his nose and two teeth.
Mr Berlusconi had been in pain, with trouble eating, but had a “more serene” night last night, a spokesman said.
Copenhagen summit urged to take climate change action
December 7, 2009
Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen has described the UN climate summit in Copenhagen as an “opportunity the world cannot afford to miss”.
Opening the two-week conference in the Danish capital, he told delegates from 192 countries a “strong and ambitious climate change agreement” was needed.
Copenhagen climate summit: 60 world leaders to attend
November 23, 2009
Hopes for the Copenhagen climate summit in December have been boosted after it emerged more than 60 presidents and prime ministers planned to attend.
The talks are not expected to result in a new treaty and there are doubts over whether the biggest polluters will commit to emissions reduction targets.
Egypt welcomes German life term
November 12, 2009
The Egyptian government has welcomed the life imprisonment imposed by a German court on a man who murdered a pregnant Egyptian woman.
Alexander Wiens, a Russian-born German, stabbed Marwa Sherbini with a kitchen knife in July in the same Dresden courthouse where he was sentenced.
Egypt’s foreign ministry said the life sentence served as “a warning to those motivated by hate”.
Crime rings boost ivory smuggling
November 12, 2009
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is set to give his annual state-of-the-nation address.
Although the contents of his speech are a secret, the president took the step this year of inviting members of the public to suggest what he should say.
Denmark in climate deal warning
October 29, 2009
Denmark’s prime minister says he does not think a legally binding deal on climate change will be agreed upon at a December summit in Copenhagen.
Lars Loekke Rasmussen spoke ahead of an EU summit at which climate change will be one of the main topics.
EU leaders must also decide how to secure the Czech Republic’s ratification of the Lisbon Treaty.
Germany’s Merkel begins new term
October 28, 2009
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been formally re-elected for a second term by MPs, as her coalition prepares to be sworn in.
The new coalition government is made up of Mrs Merkel’s Christian Democrat CDU/CSU and the Free Democrats (FDP).
It has already promised controversial tax cuts in an effort to boost growth and kick-start the economy.