David Cameron: “Greater fiscal and economic integration in the eurozone is inevitable”
Prime Minister David Cameron has clashed with French President Nicolas Sarkozy over the UK’s involvement in discussions about the eurozone crisis.
Mr Sarkozy believes the final talks on Wednesday should be limited to nations which actually use the euro.
Mr Cameron said all EU leaders should be present to debate issues which could affect them in one way or another.
The clash came on the day when leaders agreed to change the Union’s treaty if necessary to help resolve the crisis.
EU president Herman Van Rompuy said after a day of emergency talks in Brussels that members would “explore the possibility of limited change”.
Mr Cameron said he had sought assurances to protect the UK’s interest if there is change.
All EU leaders are now set to attend the final meeting on Wednesday, which was originally meant to be attended by only the 17 countries that use the euro.
That prompted French leader Mr Sarkozy to speak out. He said he was sick of reading in newspapers about advice Mr Cameron and his Chancellor George Osborne were offering the eurozone.
At one point in the exchanges, Mr Sarkozy was quoted as telling Mr Cameron: “We are sick of you criticising us and telling us what to do.
“You say you hate the euro and now you want to interfere in our meetings.”
On Sunday morning the leaders of all the European Union’s 27 members held talks about the Greek debt crisis, recapitalising banks, and bolstering the bailout fund.
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The more closely integrated the eurozone becomes, the greater the British fear will be that decisions will be taken that impacts on their major concerns such as preserving and expanding the single market”
End Quote
This was followed in the afternoon by a separate meeting of the 17 nations that use the euro.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Van Rompuy said that altering the treaty was under discussion. Although no proposed details were given, any change is likely to involve closer fiscal and economic cooperation.
“The aim is deepening our economic convergence and strengthening economic discipline,” Mr Van Rompuy said.
He said the words “limited change” meant “not a general overhaul of the institutional architecture”.
He added: We also said that we would need the agreement of all the 27 (member states) before we can decide on a treaty change.”
‘Progress needed’
Mr Cameron said he had secured safeguards to ensure that Britain’s national interest within the EU was protected as the eurozone nations moved towards greater fiscal and economic integration.
He told a news conference: “This must not be at the expense of Britain’s national interest. I have secured a commitment today that we must safeguard the interests of countries that want to stay outside the euro, particularly with respect to the integrity of the single market for all 27 countries of the EU.”
The prime minister said the EU needed to build on the progress of the work done on Saturday on recapitalising the banks.
“More progress is needed. I think we are beginning to see the elements of a strong package coming together,” he said.
Mr Cameron has cancelled visits to Japan and New Zealand this week in order to attend Wednesday’s summit.
Speaking alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel at a joint press conference on Sunday, Mr Sarkozy said “a quite broad agreement was taking shape on the reinforcement” of the bailout fund.
Mrs Merkel said a French idea for the fund to acquire a banking licence was dead, leaving a mix of plans to use the fund to offer insurance to eurozone bond holders, and moves to create a “fund within the fund” that would be topped up by some of the main emerging nations.
On Saturday eurozone finance ministers struck a provisional deal that will see banks raise more than 100bn euros (£87bn) in new capital to shield them against possible losses to indebted countries.
It is conditional on a wider accord, including a write-down of Greek debt.
BBC business editor Robert Peston said the 100bn euros agreed in the deal will be provided to banks by commercial investors, national governments and the EU’s bailout fund.
Debt-laden Greece has been bailed out – twice – along with the Irish Republic and Portugal.
The eurozone is working on a third package for Greece, as well as a solution that could help the much bigger economies of Spain and Italy, which are faltering.
NTC leader Mustafa Abdul Jalil: “I pray for the souls of the martyrs who were waiting for this day”
Libya’s transitional government has declared national liberation before a jubilant crowd in Benghazi, where the revolt against Muammar Gaddafi began.
National Transitional Council (NTC) leader Mustafa Abdul Jalil urged Libyans to put civil conflict behind them for the sake of the country.
Gaddafi’s capture and death on Thursday came as Nato-backed NTC forces pursued loyalists in his stronghold, Sirte.
The NTC has come under pressure to investigate how he died.
A post-mortem carried out on the former leader’s body on Sunday showed he had received a bullet wound to the head, medical sources said.
The body itself, along with that of Gaddafi’s son Mutassim, has been put on public display in a cold storage facility in Misrata.
Thousands of people were killed or injured after the violent repression of protests against Gaddafi’s rule in February developed into a full-scale civil war.
His government was driven out of the capital, Tripoli, in August.
However he refused to surrender or leave the country, urging his followers to resist the country’s new leaders.
‘United brothers’
NTC deputy head Abdul Hafez Ghoga announced from the stage that Libya had been freed, declaring: “Declaration of Liberation. Raise your head high. You are a free Libyan.”
Thousands of voices echoed him chanting, “You are a free Libyan.”
Mr Abdul Jalil bowed down to thank God for victory before making his speech.
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At the scene
There is a lot of joy at the big parade ground on the edge of Benghazi that they have renamed Victory Square.
The new Libya faces a lot of challenges. Hating Colonel Gaddafi has been a great unifier. Now he is dead, the differences within the broad coalition that overthrew him are going to be much more noticeable.
The transition to the promised democracy will not be easy. And some national reconciliation between former rebels and former supporters of the regime will be necessary. But Libya has oil money, as much foreign help as it needs and a sense that they own their revolution – even though they could not have done it without the help of Nato and Qatar.
The biggest challenge – building a new system of government from the bottom up – could become their biggest advantage. Unlike Tunisian and Egyptian revolutionaries, they do not have to worry about the survival of parts of the old regime. Here in Libya, it has been smashed.
He thanked all those who had taken part in the revolution – from rebel fighters to businessmen and journalists.
“Today we are one flesh, one national flesh. We have become united brothers as we have not been in the past,” he said.
“I call on everyone for forgiveness, tolerance and reconciliation. We must get rid of hatred and envy from our souls. This is a necessary matter for the success of the revolution and the success of the future Libya.”
Mr Abdul Jalil said the new Libya would take Islamic law as its foundation. Interest for bank loans would be capped, he said, and restrictions on the number of wives Libyan men could take would be lifted.
He wished anti-government protesters in Syria and Yemen “victory”.
US President Barack Obama congratulated Libyans, saying: “After four decades of brutal dictatorship and eight months of deadly conflict, the Libyan people can now celebrate their freedom and the beginning of a new era of promise.”
Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen also welcomed the declaration of liberation, but added that Nato would retain its “capacity to respond to threats to civilians, if needed”.
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague greeted Libya’s “historic victory”, and urged the country to avoid “retribution and reprisals”.
Elections are due to be held by June of next year, Libya’s acting Prime Minister, Mahmoud Jibril, said earlier.
The new elected body, he added, would draft a constitution to be put to a referendum and form an interim government pending a presidential election.
Death questions
The US, UN, major human rights groups and others have called for a transparent investigation into how Gaddafi died.
Video footage showed him being captured alive. Officials said he had been killed subsequently in a crossfire.
A post-mortem carried out on the former leader’s body on Sunday showed he had received a bullet wound to the head, medical sources said.
The commander of the forces that captured Gaddafi has given details of the Libyan ex-leader’s last moments to the BBC.
Omran al-Oweib said he had been dragged from a drainage pipe and had taken 10 steps before he collapsed amid gunfire between NTC forces and Gaddafi supporters.
“I didn’t see who killed, which weapon killed Gaddafi,” Mr Oweib said.
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NEXT STEPS
Elections for a Public National Conference to be held within eight months
The new body is to appoint a prime minister, an interim government and a constituent authority which will draft a new constitution within 60 days
Constitution to be put to a referendum
If the constitution is approved, general elections will be held within six months
NTC spokesman Mustapha Goubrani said Gaddafi’s body would be handed over to people from his tribe for burial.
Mr Jibril told the BBC’s Hardtalk programme he would have preferred to have Gaddafi alive, to face prosecution for his crimes, and added that he would welcome a full inquiry into his death.
One of Gaddafi’s best-known sons, Saif al-Islam, as well as his security chief both remain at large.
Another son who escaped to Niger, Saadi, was “shocked and outraged by the vicious brutality” shown towards his father and dead brother, his lawyer told Reuters.
Hardtalk with LibyanactingPrime MinisterMahmoudJibril is beingbroadcast on BBC World News on Sunday 23 October at10:30, 12:30 and 23:30 GMT.
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.
Scarlett Johansson, he’s just not that into you. But maybe it’s mutual this time.
The star of Lost in Translation and The Other Boleyn Girl, and husband Ryan Reynolds, announced through a joint statement on Tuesday that they had separated. “After long and careful consideration on both our parts, we’ve decided to end our marriage,” the statement to TMZ read. “We entered our relationship with love, and it’s with love and kindness [that] we leave it for.
As recently as September, Reynolds, whom People named as its Sexiest Man Alive in November, told GQ that “the best part” of his life was Johansson.
Reynolds, 34, and Johansson began dating in 2007, became engaged in May 2008, and married the following September near Tofino, British Columbia. They have no children.
This was the first marriage for both actors, although Johansson dated Josh Harnett for two years and Reynolds was once engaged to Canadian singer Alanis Morissette for more than two and a half years.
Scarlett Johansson, 26, received critical acclaim for her performances in The Horse Whisperer, Ghost World, Lost in Translation, Girl with a Pearl Earring, and Match Point. More recently, she won a Tony Award for her role in the Broadway revival of Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge, although she has yet to receive an Academy Award nomination.
Originally from Vancouver, Ryan Reynolds has a list of film credits including Blade: Trinity and The Proposal. He will next appear in the title role in Green Lantern.
Scarlett Johansson, he’s just not that into you. But maybe it’s mutual this time.
The star of Lost in Translation and The Other Boleyn Girl, and husband Ryan Reynolds, announced through a joint statement on Tuesday that they had separated. “After long and careful consideration on both our parts, we’ve decided to end our marriage,” the statement to TMZ read. “We entered our relationship with love, and it’s with love and kindness [that] we leave it for.
As recently as September, Reynolds, whom People named as its Sexiest Man Alive in November, told GQ that “the best part” of his life was Johansson.
Reynolds, 34, and Johansson began dating in 2007, became engaged in May 2008, and married the following September near Tofino, British Columbia. They have no children.
This was the first marriage for both actors, although Johansson dated Josh Harnett for two years and Reynolds was once engaged to Canadian singer Alanis Morissette for more than two and a half years.
Scarlett Johansson, 26, received critical acclaim for her performances in The Horse Whisperer, Ghost World, Lost in Translation, Girl with a Pearl Earring, and Match Point. More recently, she won a Tony Award for her role in the Broadway revival of Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge, although she has yet to receive an Academy Award nomination.
Originally from Vancouver, Ryan Reynolds has a list of film credits including Blade: Trinity and The Proposal. He will next appear in the title role in Green Lantern.
Gilad Shalit says he missed his family while in captivity and has much to do now he is free
Jubilant crowds in Israel and the Palestinian territories have been celebrating a historic prisoner swap.
Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, allowing most to go back to Gaza and the West Bank, in exchange for the return of soldier Gilad Shalit.
Sgt Shalit is spending his first night at home since he was snatched by militants in a cross-border raid five years ago.
He received a hero’s welcome in his hometown.
Both PM Benjamin Netanyahu and leaders of the Islamist movement Hamas, who closed the deal, hailed it as a vindication for their policies.
But correspondents say the swap is unlikely to have a major effect on wider peace talks.
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For Israel this has been a day of great joy, but also of concern for the consequences of releasing of more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners as the price for ending Gilad Shalit’s long years of captivity in the Gaza Strip.
Sgt Shalit himself does appear to be in better health than many had expected. Although pale and weak, after being locked inside for more than five years, his father said he did feel all right.
The people in his hometown here in northern Israel lined the streets to welcome him home, showering the convoy of vehicles with flowers and champagne. But so far he has not come out to meet people. His father said it was too early – he needs a period of rehabilitation to adjust to normal life.
Sgt Shalit, 25, was released early in the day and ushered over the Gaza border to Egypt, where he gave an interview to Egyptian state TV.
He seemed short of breath and disorientated, and angry Israeli officials later protested that the interview was forced on him and “violated all the basic ethical rules of journalism”.
By the end of the day, he was back in his hometown of Mitzpe Hila, where flag-waving crowds lined the streets and cheered as he sped past in a white van and was ushered into the family home.
His father, Noam, gave a news conference later, saying his son felt all right but needed time to readjust to normal life.
“Our son has been reborn. We’re concluding a long and difficult journey. We’re glad that we won our son back,” said Mr Shalit.
He said he could not give too many details of his son’s captivity, saying only that in the early years he had been subjected to “harsh treatment” which had softened over time.
Sgt Shalit was a 19-year-old tank crewman when he was captured in June 2006. His family lived in a protest tent in Jerusalem for 16 months while they campaigned for his release.
Meanwhile, 477 Palestinians were freed, in the first part of an amnesty that will eventually see 1,027 prisoners released.
Some of the Palestinians had been in prison for decades, and some had been convicted of serious crimes such as murder and orchestrating suicide attacks.
Tens of thousands lined the streets of Hamas-controlled Gaza, where most of the freed prisoners were sent.
Other prisoners were taken to the West Bank while about 40 were sent to Turkey, Syria or Qatar.
Witnesses said there were thousands of gun-toting masked Hamas militants, clad in black and green, patrolling roads in Gaza.
Hamas wanted a show of force, but many believe they have now played their trump card by handing over Sgt Shalit, says the BBC’s Jon Donnison in Gaza City.
The Islamist movement’s leader Khaled Meshaal, speaking in Cairo, praised the swap, claiming it as a victory.
“Negotiation based on power forces the enemy to pay the price. We have defeated the Israelis,” he said.
In the West Bank, where dozens more were sent, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas praised the former detainees as “freedom fighters”.
Mr Abbas, whose Fatah movement appeared to have been outflanked by the swap deal, promised that more Palestinian prisoners would be freed soon.
Learn Italian QuicklyItaly speaks of romance. The dim-lit canals of Venice radiate love and passion, while the city of Genoa, with its astonishing historical sites, is a love story carved in walls of the new and the old. You may meet your lover in Sicily, or rendezvous with a partner in Milan, but you will get absolutely nowhere with wooing a lover in Italy if you do not know how to speak Italian.Italian is language of romance, and everyone seems to yearn in learning it. If you want to learn Italian quickly, read on. Just a couple of tips to learn Italian quickly might help you sweep a lover off her feet. Step 1: Find out Which Dialect Suits YouOne of the first steps to learn Italian quickly is to decide what specific dialect you want to speak. It is utterly useless to learn Italian quickly and find out that the specific city you are visiting does not speak the same dialect as you do. Just as there are American English and Australian English, there are many different dialects in Italy. The differences may lie on a slight twitch of the tongue, slang, or an entirely different way of speaking. Tuscany speaks different as compared to Sardinia. People in Venice speak a little differently as compared to Rome and Sicily. There are differences that you may want to find out before learning Italian. Find out what dialect is the easiest for you. This way, you can learn Italian quickly. Step 2: Immerse Yourself in the Beautiful Language of ItalyThe next step you have to take to learn Italian quickly is to immerse yourself in the language. Find a place with the most Italian influence. This doesnt have to be a school, or a language class (although one would greatly benefit from an Italian language class to learn Italian quickly), head to that Italian restaurant boasting of their great pizzas and scrumptious pastas. Take a little time off on some Italian cafes and order some Italian coffee. Just sit by, relax, and listen. If you are a little bit of a dare-devil, you can talk to the Italian manager and maybe ask him to give you some language tips. You can also join an Italian Club at a local University, or rent some Italian language DVDs. One of the best ways to learn Italian quickly is to get yourself an Italian childrens book and start with the basics. To learn Italian quickly, you must always remember to get grounded on the basics. So go and buy that Italian Story Book and read on. Remember, you have to crawl before you can walk. Step 3:Get Hold of a Native SpeakerIn order to learn Italian quickly, you may have to hire a native speaker. This is one of the best ways to learn Italian quickly. If money is an issue, why not take that native speaker to a cafe and treat him some coffee? In exchange, he can give you some basic language tips so you can lengthen your vocabulary. Also, do not forget to tell him of your aspiration to learn Italian quickly so that he may be able to give you some tips on how to do so. Keep in mind that observation is the best way to learn Italian quickly. Observe how the speaker rolls his tongue or purses his lips when he dictates his words. Notice how he pronounces his words and how he stresses each syllable. Learning from a native speaker is almost always the best way to learn Italian quickly.These tips should set you off on a great start! Once you learn Italian quickly, it would be a breeze to make that hard-to-get lover swoon over you!
With a starring turn as U. S. Marshal Carrie Stetko in ‘Whiteout’ scheduled for release in September, Kate Beckinsale is ready to return to Hollywood’s upper class. Famous for her roles as Selene the vampire in the ‘Underworld’ films, and Anna Valerious in ‘Van Helsing’, she is now getting starring roles in non-horror films. Obviously, Kate has some range as an actress, so the question is what’s she like behind her mask. Read on and learn what Kate Beckinsale’s Astrology Numerology combination says about this fabulous English actress.
===> Astronumerology; Astrology and Numerology
If I want to learn what someone’s like without meeting them, then I turn to Astronumerology. By taking their bate of birth, and determining their Astrology sun sign, and Numerology Life path number, I can learn which of (108) different personality types someone falls in. Looking up their Zodiac sign is easy enough, and the Life Path calculation just involves summing the digits of their full Gregorian birth date, and reducing the sum with fadic addition. For Kate Beckinsale, who was born on July 26th, 1973, this combination is Leo with a Life Path number of (8).
===> Leo (8) – The Entertaining Entrepreneur
People who are born with this combination have a commanding presence which causes others to defer to them in most situations. Extraverted and sure of themselves, these souls usually have an imposing voice as well which lets them coax people to do what they want. They have a towering intellect, and always sound like they know what they’re doing even when they don’t. Leo eights believe in live and let live, and will readily forgive other people when they ask it. But, they can be easily offended and will remember those slights until the end of time.
These souls hold themselves to a rigid code of behavior, and have a strong abstract sense of justice. They also love competition and sexy, flashy power plays in their workplace. They are born scrappers, with their own ideas, and people who wish to get along with them need to let them run the show. Leo eights know they have problems, but hate it when someone exposes their weaknesses to others. They will get even, even if they must patiently wait until the time is right. And, for those souls who are loyal to them, Leo Eights will help them through any crisis, no matter how foolish they may seem. ===> Conclusion
Kate Beckinsale’s Astrology / Life Path combination makes her a perfect fit for playing strong sexy roles, be it vampires or other authority figures. She should have little trouble with female lead roles, as long as she stays with strong charismatic women. I can’t imagine any Leo Eight in a weak or helpless role, so she should stay with what her nature makes her really good at.
