The Prague Post Online: News: European Roundup

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July 5th, 2008

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SPAIN The Civil Guard arrested 14 people, including 12 Pakistanis and 2 Indians, in Barcelona on suspicion of links with an Islamist terror network, the BBC reported Jan. 19. Authorities also seized potential bomb-making material. The raids coincided with the beginning of an eight-day European visit by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

EU European Union officials plan to propose this week an overhaul of the carbon emissions trading system, the International Herald Tribune (IHT) reported Jan. 20. The new system would require more European factories to pay for pollution, and seeks to reduce the oversupply of permits. Lobbying from energy-intensive industries could present obstacles to the legislation’s approval.

SERBIA Results indicate that nationalist Tomislav Nikolić won the first round of Serbia’s presidential elections with about 39 percent of the vote, according to a Jan. 21 BBC report. The run-off against the more pro-EU candidate and current President Boris Tadić will take place Feb. 3. One of the main issues facing the new president will be Kosovo’s expected declaration of independence.

TURKEY Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has publicly criticized the ban on headscarves in public buildings, the IHT reported Jan. 20. One of the country’s highest courts, the Council of State, supports the ban, and issued a warning against the loosening of the restriction in universities, citing the concern that such allowances could spread to other public places.

RUSSIA Chief of Staff Gen. Yuri Baluyevsky has said Moscow is ready to use force, including the pre-emptive use of nuclear weapons, in order to defend itself. He pointed to potential threats to Russia from international terrorism, the BBC reported Jan 19. The general went on to say there are currently no planned attacks.

ITALY Tens of thousands of Romans turned out at the Vatican Jan. 20 to support Pope Benedict after protests led him to cancel an appearance at Rome’s top University La Sapienza earlier in the week, according to Reuters. The protesters had been demonstrating against the Pope’s antiquated views on science.

SPAIN According to a group of Spanish scientists, the level of the Mediterranean Sea has risen between 2.5 and 10 millimeters each year since the 1990s, the BBC reported Jan. 19. The continuation of such a rate could have dire consequences for low-lying coastal areas. If a half-meter increase occurred, the results could be “catastrophic.” The study also noted that sea temperatures had risen significantly.

SCOTLAND The Scottish government wants to ask the United States to lift a ban on haggis imports, the BBC reported Jan. 20. Imports of Scotland’s iconic dish, which contains ingredients such as sheep lungs, were banned by the United States in 1989 after the BSE scare. Haggis producers view the U.S. market as very lucrative, and the UK Food Standards Agency said it considers the product safe.

SLOVENIA Prime Minister Janez Janša is accused of censoring the media and forcing opposition papers out of business, reported The New York Times Jan. 21. As a young journalist in the 1980s, Jansa played a key role in supporting Slovenia’s pro-democracy movement and opposing the communist government with his articles.

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