The batch of downgrades on European credit, delivered over the weekend by Standard Poor’s ratings agency, prompted angry threats that Europe would have to create its own ratings agencies to bypass the American ratings agencies. The downgrades made yesterday’s credit and recovery plan calculations obsolete by increasing the cost of borrowing for nine European countries. […]
A 25-year-old waitress who turned down a job providing “sexual services” at a brothel in Berlin faces possible cuts to her unemployment benefit under laws introduced this year. Prostitution was legalised in Germany just over two years ago and brothel owners – who must pay tax and employee health insurance – were granted access to […]
Do you believe that 2012 will be more difficult for the global economy than 2011 was? Well, that is what German Chancellor Angela Merkel believes. The woman that has become the most important politician in Europe recently declared that 2012 “will no doubt be more difficult than 2011”. The funny thing is that she has […]
Denmark takes up the rotating EU presidency as the year begins, succeeding Poland. Denmark and its left-of-center government are taking the helm in most inauspicious circumstances. The main order of business will be stabilizing the euro, but Denmark itself is out of the euro zone and any attempt by the government to join the currency […]
A senior leader of Canada’s Muslim community compared a recent policy requiring no face-coverings be worn when new immigrants take the citizenship oath to the dire oppression of Jews in Nazi Germany. Imam Sayed Soharwardy, a Canadian of Pakistani descent who serves as president of the Supreme Muslim Council of Canada, made his comparison on […]
While the main matter of business for the EU summit starting Thursday is to come up with another “ultimate” plan to convince investors that the EU has the economic crisis under control, the item of Serbia’s candidacy will also come up. The Serbs believe that they have played ball with the EU on a number of issues […]
Italy summoned Iran’s envoy to Rome’s foreign ministry on Thursday to express its “firm condemnation” of the storming of the British embassy in Tehran – leading some to suggest Iran and the West are on a collision course. Rome announced it had also demanded security guarantees for diplomats during the meeting with Tehran’s envoy, Mehdi […]
Thank you for inviting me to Berlin. It is an honour to be here in this beautiful city of Berlin. When I was here last year I emphasized how important Germany is for all of us. We all benefit from a healthy, democratic, self-confident Germany. Much has happened since my last visit. In the Netherlands […]
Excellent speech by Swiss member of Parliament Oskar Freysinger said with passion and truth that no politician in Washington is yet ready to speak from the floor of Congress. In order for us to beat back the Islamists we need some key leaders in Washington to make a similar speech and lead the nation against […]
Act II of the European Summit is going to take place on Wednesday (Act I concluded on Sunday), when the world will see whether the hints about “progress” in stanching the European debt crisis have a basis in reality. It is now apparent that what Europe had tried to avoid for the past half year, a […]
